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versa's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
The first two chapters were incredible by being both comforting and inspiring. Chapters three through ten were informative and I enjoyed those as well. My interest in the book waned a good amount by the end.
maddyb001's review against another edition
4.0
Super interesting. Parts made my skin crawl with horror but that was part of its interest.
lauralauralaura's review against another edition
4.0
Our skin is amazing and Monty Lyman is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide, but I still want to read the version of this book written by an author with a smidge more panache and flair, like Mary Roach or Siddhartha Mukherjee or Stephen Jay Gould.
amyflora's review against another edition
4.0
Monty Lyman’s book was a wonderful surprise for me. I chose it on the basis that it was a non-fiction audiobook that happened to be available at the library.
Far beyond a recounting of the nature and physicality of skin Lyman has a tremendous amount of appreciation for the actual sociological and psychological impact that skin has on a person and a group. The sections about Māori tattoos and Tanzanian albinos were particularly telling.
The book seems to fall into a new-ish trend of science books that are rooted in science but find space for human stories.
The only content warning I would give is that you will find yourself convinced you have an itch or some incurable disease in a few sections of the book. Stay strong and power through.
Far beyond a recounting of the nature and physicality of skin Lyman has a tremendous amount of appreciation for the actual sociological and psychological impact that skin has on a person and a group. The sections about Māori tattoos and Tanzanian albinos were particularly telling.
The book seems to fall into a new-ish trend of science books that are rooted in science but find space for human stories.
The only content warning I would give is that you will find yourself convinced you have an itch or some incurable disease in a few sections of the book. Stay strong and power through.
cameliarose's review against another edition
3.0
Have you ever wondered what phrases such as: skin-deep, saving one's skin, being comfortable in your own skin, get into/under/out of one's skin, have to do with skin? Well, Dr. Lyman has. Dr. Lyman, as a dermatologist, is well-suited to write a book about skin. The Remarkable Life of the Skin is a not only about the possible medical conditions of our skin, but also the cultural, historical, aesthetic, even spiritual aspects of the human skin.
A *healthy tan doesn't exist. To get or not to get a tatto? That's the question. Sun creams are the best anti-aging creams ever invented. An entertaining enough book.
A *healthy tan doesn't exist. To get or not to get a tatto? That's the question. Sun creams are the best anti-aging creams ever invented. An entertaining enough book.
poorlywordedbookreviews's review
informative
medium-paced
4.0
“𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘸.”
I picked this after reading Lyman’s brilliant overview of pain at the start of the year. This book is definitely worth a read if you’d like to know a little bit more about the organ that acts as the wrapping to what most doctors might think of as the ‘sexy stuff’. Dermatologists don’t score highly in the inter-departmental hierarchy politics of a hospital, and I suspect most people think of dermatology as simultaneously dull and gross. Unless of course they might have the secret to getting rid of your dark circles and wrinkles…
Overall I didn’t find this book as interesting as The Painful Truth. How much of that was the writing, and how much was down to pain being a much more engaging topic in general 🤷♀️ This is still super accessible, but it’s definitely aimed at at those with little biology knowledge, as not a lot was knew to me. There’s still interesting facts peppered throughout for all readers though.
Depressingly I was reminded that my current winter urge to eat every carb in sight is getting a helping hand to lay down a permanent muffin top by the skins seasonal behaviour - with winter blue light reducing the amount of fat a cell can store. And I learnt my cats aren’t just licking to keep themselves clean, they’re collecting vitamin D that’s been formed on the oils secreted from their skin.