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nhewitt99's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
3.0
Very interesting and well-researched, but definitely a slower read. Provides a broadening perspective on our senses and the mechanisms behind them. Animals are always cool.
Slightly soured by some recurring ableism that frames disability in the medical model of cure; given how researched and how extensive of a Notes section is included, it was disappointing to not see any mention of disability advocacy considering how often the author refers to "unfortunate" people who sense differently.
Slightly soured by some recurring ableism that frames disability in the medical model of cure; given how researched and how extensive of a Notes section is included, it was disappointing to not see any mention of disability advocacy considering how often the author refers to "unfortunate" people who sense differently.
catbooking's review against another edition
5.0
Well organized and very informative. Made me pay attention to things I otherwise left in the background of everyday life.
thunguyen's review against another edition
5.0
This book is pure science, sometimes it's not easy to follow while listening and driving, sometimes it's down right way over my head with scientific terminologies. But I still find it super interesting.
It's a very encompassing book and well researched. Each chapter focuses on one sense, starting with an animal that possesses the most amplified ability with such sense in the natural world, then comparing with our human body, showing how deep down at cell level it's the same mechanism all along. So while our human senses are not superior than animals, our body is an amazing combination of millions and billions tiny tiny sensory robots that function without our conscious to give us our beautiful perception of the world around, the world as we sense it.
The writing is not at all dry. The author told a lot of stories of many scientists and doctors who spent decades dedicating to researching each topic, describing their experiments and theories. She told us of patients who lost certain sense and how they manage to live without such sense. And on the opposite scale, there are individuals who possess an abundance of said senses too.
It's a very encompassing book and well researched. Each chapter focuses on one sense, starting with an animal that possesses the most amplified ability with such sense in the natural world, then comparing with our human body, showing how deep down at cell level it's the same mechanism all along. So while our human senses are not superior than animals, our body is an amazing combination of millions and billions tiny tiny sensory robots that function without our conscious to give us our beautiful perception of the world around, the world as we sense it.
The writing is not at all dry. The author told a lot of stories of many scientists and doctors who spent decades dedicating to researching each topic, describing their experiments and theories. She told us of patients who lost certain sense and how they manage to live without such sense. And on the opposite scale, there are individuals who possess an abundance of said senses too.
cazxxx's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.0