I liked this book, but be aware, it absolutely goes into detail about killing animals, and people who are killed by animals. I'm somewhat aware of the subject matter, and there were a couple times when I had to put the book down for the night and pick it up later. Yes, there's humor, but it's not going to balance out for the average reader. An extra half star for writing a popular book on a subject that most people are unaware of, by choice or otherwise.
3.5 stars
Thank you very much to W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for the ARC!

Really interesting and entertaining. Mary Roach made a great narrator. There is so much to learn here and so many challenges to my way of thinking. This would be a good book for discussion. Will there ever be a right answer? I appreciated the notes at the end. They were as fun and informative as the book itself.

A well researched, humorous non-fiction book from Mary Roach. Each chapter could stand alone but together they make a great book. I really enjoyed reading this and I'm looking forward to her next book.

Much like Roach's previous books, Fuzz approaches a potentially dry topic with a great amount of humor. It reminds us that we coexist with wildlife, and should treat it with respect.

Roach has an engaging writing style that is informative but not pedantic or stuffy. Her choices of topic help as she generally covers topics you may have wondered about in passing but never taken five minutes to look into. I always appreciate the depth of her research as well as her ability to find interesting experts to include. A plus for me is that she mentions a book about which I had often wondered "The Trial and Capital Punishment of Animals". A solid non-fiction choice for curious readers. I would recommend it for high school age on up.

This book was published nearly a year ago, and apologies for reviewing so late. I finally finished reading, and glad I didn’t put it off any longer.

This book is about the human-animal encounters, mostly when they are nuisance, but sometimes when they harm or kill humans, yeah that's a nuisance. I enjoyed the humor Mary Roach puts into her topic. It helps particularly when the topic is a bit gruesome.

I’ve already found myself quoting how many deaths by animals in other countries from this book! It’s amazing how things are handled throughout the world, different policies in different countries. Mary Roach took on some questionable adventures in seeking the full story, even going where her guides were feeling it was too dangerous. Glad to have gone along the ride while sitting in my armchair!

Although I have to say there were many stunned moments for me, how callous farmers are for birds or other species. Certainly, hope these practices of outright killing “pests” to extension will no longer be the mainstream viewpoint.

Loved this book but then again I love all her books. It was so informative and I learned things I had no idea about…not surprising since her books are always full of such interesting facts and details. There was many laugh out loud moments and also many cringe moments. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!!

Mary Roach never disappoints! Interesting view into humans' relationships with wildlife, delving into a variety of cultural approaches and providing insight into science, written with Roach's typical amusing asides. Well worth the read!

This book is about animals who break the law. It was great. Mary Roach writes with empathy, humor and facts. The book covered so many different kinds of animals across the globe and my favorite part was that the author went to these places to do the research. From India to the Vatican. Her research is wonderful but it's the human connection to the plight of these animals that really brings this book to the next level. Thank you #NetGalley for my copy.

I will always read the new Mary Roach book and purchase it for any library I'm in,. Anything she writes is interesting, no matter the topic. She makes learning fun.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

I would read a book on any topic if Mary Roach writes it. I don't often read books on animals/nature, but since I loved Roach's other books I wanted to check this one out. It delivered.

I love nature, I love quirky stories and I love books like this. But I found this book so, so dull.. I truly struggled to get through it which was a disappointment considering how well-loved Mary Roach is.

This pains me because I LOVE Mary Roach, but this wasn't my favorite. It was still interesting, but it just wasn't as interesting as I had hoped.

My backyard is an expressway for everything from squirrels to bears, so I nodded in agreement with the stories of wildlife-human interactions in Mary Roach's Fuzz. Roach uses humor to bring the point home--the woods and parks are home to a vast cast of animals--this isn't animatronics, as many humans have found out. Read Fuzz and gain a better understanding of how humans should respect the animals around them.

Fuzz was my first Mary Roach read and it didn't dissapoint. Be sure to go in ready to learn and jump around - there are some very interesting segments including bears, coyotes, elephants, leopards that will expand your mind in how you think of the interactions between humans, animals, and conservation. I definitely had a lot of interesting conversations after this read!

Mary Roach is an expert at combining science and a sense of humor. This book had me smiling from page 1. The book starts off with wildlife experts at a convention learning to identify how human's died from animal attacks. From there we moved on to plants and animals that are dangerous to mankind. Mary traveled the world looking for interactions between man, animals and trees. Many times it proves that man is the weakest link in the smarts department. Nature lovers will enjoy the easy dialog and facts. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book is full of interesting human-wildlife interactions. Everything from gulls that destroy floral displays at the Vatican, to monkeys that steal from humans! Each account is delivered in an entertaining style that will have you laughing even as you learn the science behind the interactions.

The author visited places all across the globe to learn how humans were handling their wildlife issues in each location. You get a glimpse at the issue and even see the comedy in it. Then, you learn about the details and how wildlife conflicts get resolved (or not). As a reader, you don’t feel like you are attending a lecture. It’s more like someone sat down with you and is regaling you with their tales of travel abroad. It’s a writing style that keeps up a good pace but doesn’t make the science intrusive. It’s incorporated into the story and easy to digest. The scientific concepts are made accessible to everyone. I particularly was interested in the research about deer and headlights and why they react the way they do. Excellent!

I loved the author’s wit and the writing style. Even the footnotes are entertaining!

One thing I will disagree with is when the scientist (Dellinger) states that there are only two people in the state who can track mountain lions in the way he does. I disagree. There are several competent trackers/biologists whom I personally know who could do it, several of whom use the skills on current research projects. There are probably half a dozen of them, at least. More people are being trained in wildlife tracking and the skill is being used more in scientific studies. I think we need to get this knowledge out there so that scientists can start hiring these trackers and put their knowledge and skill to use.

Do you have a problem with bears rummaging in your garbage? Elephants tramping over your garden? Gulls dive bombing your noggin? Or mice infiltrating your domicile? If so, then you have had animals that broke the law! While modern society does not put animals on trial today (see The Advocate starring Colin Firth for when they did), animals are still punished for lawbreaking - not a law of Nature, but human law. Fuzz will help you understand what is going on and why.
Mary Roach delves into animal lawbreakers with glee and gusto. She attended WHART (Wildlife-Human Attack Response Training) to learn how to tell who or what killed the human lying on the ground. She patrols the back alleys of Aspen (CO) to see the bears feasting on garbage cans not properly bear-proofed. She visits India for the roaming elephants, the man-eating leopards and the breaking-and-entering monkeys. Back in the US of A, cougars, mountain lions, and panthers are on the agenda in regard to where they roam and what they eat. Then a trip to Canada for some killer trees and their crime and punishment. Mary takes a walk around our gardens filled with poisonous plants and visits farmers and other victims (which includes The Pope!) of pillaging and harassing birds. The last few chapters deal less with the animal offenders and more on how humans try to discourage animal "misbehavior" and keep houses, work places, and food stores pest free.

Mary Roach manages to find another off-beat topic to entertain and inform her readers in Fuzz. Even if you do not get her quirky sense of humor, you will enjoy this book.

Fuzz by Mary Roach is another of her scientific, humorous and informative books, this time about human and animal interactions over the ages and what has been done to and for these animals. Always factual and with much research, the subject is covered in a very readable way and the more I read of this author the more I want to go back and read all she has written.