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Сафари по коже. Удивительная жизнь органа, который у всех на виду by Монти Лиман, Monty Lyman
library_dreamer's review against another edition
5.0
Well, then. I just read an entire book about SKIN and was completely fascinated. What a weird year this is.
ergative's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.0
Meh. I'm really surprised to learn that this was shortlisted for so many awards when it was published. It read like an expanded version of all those reasonably interesting science/health columns in the NY Times, but it never really rises to the level of detail that makes the Atlantic's health reporting so good. I like those short newspaper science columns, sure, but when you've got a whole book at your disposal, I would expect more development of the ideas.
halfmanhalfbook's review against another edition
4.0
If you were asked to name your own bodies largest organ you would almost certainly think of one of the ones inside like the liver or the heart, but it is actually the part of you that holds it all together, your skin. It is also an organ that most people think nothing of, day in and day out, but if you know what you are looking for you can see right into a person’s soul through their skin. Most doctors have an interest in all the bits inside, but Lyman is different, his fascination is the outside of us.
Unlike most other mammals we don’t have a significant amount of hair to protect us and keep us warm, rather what we have is a flexible and dynamic substance that can regulate temperature, is waterproof, resilient and is our frontline defence for all manner of nasty things. Flakes of skin are being shed continually, and it constantly regrows. It can be resistant to the sun, but too much exposure can lead to burning and even skin cancers. One of the amazing facts in here is just how sensitive the skin is. Every single square inch can relay back to the brain the fact that it has been touched.
There are some parts in here that are not for the squeamish, he begins with the story of a child who had a disease called harlequin ichthyosis, a horrid condition where the skin is dry cracked and scaly. He goes on to write about how we age and the inevitable wrinkles if moisturisers are any good and methods of keeping your skin in good condition. His skin safari provides details of all the countless bugs and microbes that we all carry, there are some really weird things that live in your belly button, as well of details of some really nasty things that occasionally appear.
I thought that this was a really good science book, he knows his subject thoroughly and has the skills to make the story of our skin very readable without becoming like a scientific paper. Well worth reading.
Unlike most other mammals we don’t have a significant amount of hair to protect us and keep us warm, rather what we have is a flexible and dynamic substance that can regulate temperature, is waterproof, resilient and is our frontline defence for all manner of nasty things. Flakes of skin are being shed continually, and it constantly regrows. It can be resistant to the sun, but too much exposure can lead to burning and even skin cancers. One of the amazing facts in here is just how sensitive the skin is. Every single square inch can relay back to the brain the fact that it has been touched.
There are some parts in here that are not for the squeamish, he begins with the story of a child who had a disease called harlequin ichthyosis, a horrid condition where the skin is dry cracked and scaly. He goes on to write about how we age and the inevitable wrinkles if moisturisers are any good and methods of keeping your skin in good condition. His skin safari provides details of all the countless bugs and microbes that we all carry, there are some really weird things that live in your belly button, as well of details of some really nasty things that occasionally appear.
I thought that this was a really good science book, he knows his subject thoroughly and has the skills to make the story of our skin very readable without becoming like a scientific paper. Well worth reading.
avalinahsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through NetGalley
The Remarkable Life of the Skin is all full of trivia, as well as explanations on processes and parts of the skin, so it’s hard to give you an exact rundown of everything. But there was some very interesting information on suntan, aging and sun protection. Let me just tell you that this book shattered some myths for me.
But we don’t just learn trivia from The Remarkable Life of the Skin. It shows you the truly magical world of how we’re built. I don’t know if you’ve ever felt this, but whenever I read medical nonfiction it always baffles me how we are made up. How could we ever come into existence? We are so complicated! (And that goes for the rest of living organisms, to be honest, not just us.)
The book also stresses the connection between mental health and skin health, and it's not just about the science of our skin - it's also about it's social, interpersonal meaning and they way it shapes who we feel we are.
Other than that, The Remarkable Life of the Skin is remarkably easy to read. Medical terminology is used at a minimum, and everything is presented in easy to understand similes or examples. I really found it super easy, and even quick to read. It’s very accessible.
Here is a longer review if you wish to learn more:
Triggers:
Like any book that contains medical descriptions, some of them can be tough to stomach. It wasn't a very graphic book, but I still delayed reading the bits aboutskin cancer. Thankfully, there was very little about it, and the info was on point and not too graphic. However, there are descriptions of other skin diseases, like Syphilis and how AIDS manifests on the skin, which may be disturbing to read. Again, not very graphic, so if you're squeamish you can skim or just simply skip those paragraphs.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
The Remarkable Life of the Skin is all full of trivia, as well as explanations on processes and parts of the skin, so it’s hard to give you an exact rundown of everything. But there was some very interesting information on suntan, aging and sun protection. Let me just tell you that this book shattered some myths for me.
But we don’t just learn trivia from The Remarkable Life of the Skin. It shows you the truly magical world of how we’re built. I don’t know if you’ve ever felt this, but whenever I read medical nonfiction it always baffles me how we are made up. How could we ever come into existence? We are so complicated! (And that goes for the rest of living organisms, to be honest, not just us.)
The book also stresses the connection between mental health and skin health, and it's not just about the science of our skin - it's also about it's social, interpersonal meaning and they way it shapes who we feel we are.
Other than that, The Remarkable Life of the Skin is remarkably easy to read. Medical terminology is used at a minimum, and everything is presented in easy to understand similes or examples. I really found it super easy, and even quick to read. It’s very accessible.
Here is a longer review if you wish to learn more:
Triggers:
Like any book that contains medical descriptions, some of them can be tough to stomach. It wasn't a very graphic book, but I still delayed reading the bits about
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
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