I recently read a nationally syndicated review of Mary Roach's latest off-beat science book Grunt - The Curious Science of Humans at War (#581). Suffice it to say that this critic is not a fan! He objected to her "jokiness" about the serious subject. Apparently he is not aware of any of her previous works. I was relieved when my library hold came through for Grunt to find that I, on the other hand, enjoyed this book every bit as much as her earlier work. It did make me laugh out loud at one point, but more importantly, Ms. Roach illuminates the hard work and research that goes into making our armed forces safer, more comfortable and healthier whether they're in an active war zone or a more peaceful posting. Like her previous book Stiff, she also highlights the important and unique contributions the dead (both military and civilian) make to these efforts.
If you're a Mary Roach fan, you know what you're in for here. If not, this might not be the best book to read over a meal table. Organ transplants, diarrhea and extremely bad smells as a weapon are not necessarily the most appetizing topics. Much of it might strike you as weird science, but research and development on these issues have made a positive difference to both active military personnel and veterans. How do you get enough sleep on a submarine? What's the best type of material to use for a desert deployment? When are maggots a soldier's best friend? Why does the same odor appeal to one person, but repel another?
This is serious business, indeed, but Mary Roach's approach to her topic makes it accessible to the average reader, not merely subscribers to scientific journals. Perhaps if more books like this were available for younger readers, it might inspire them to pursue a career in science. Just a thought.
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