I'm a Mary Roach completionist and this is one of my favorites of hers! The people she interviews are great, the science is fascinating, and I impressed my anesthesiologist with my new knowledge, what more could you want?

Another niche topic made interesting and approachable by Mary Roach. This time we’re exploring how (and why) medical science can replace body parts. Roach touches on everything from skin grafts to ostomy bags to hair transplants with plenty in between and handles everything with characteristic humor and care.
Sometimes the humorous asides went a little too aside for me, and her descriptions of the people she met often took me out of the book for a moment, but overall this was a delightful and informative read.

As always, I am so intrigued by the topics Mary Roach investigates. Early in, she describes her experience researching this book as an opportunity to spend a couple years with people she wouldn't normally have access to. Now, reading this book, we the readers have the opportunity to see what she found.
Everything from prosthetics, organ donation, skin grafts, & all the other various ways we try to replace parts or functions of the human body. Roach goes into the history of various procedures, how they've adapted over time, & what we could see in the future. Pig organs genetically changed for humans, new technology for prosthetics, 3D printing human cells, etc.
A really cool overview on things in development that may yield results or might never make it to the main stream. I'm always eager to see what Mary Roach writes next.

Replaceable You by Mary Roach is an in-depth and often hilarious account of replacing and regenerating human body parts - everything from organ transplants and 3D printing to stem cells and gene editing to plastic surgery and cataracts. Known for her hands-on, front-line research, Roach’s authentic curiosity fuels her research and reporting. She once again proves she’s not only fearless in her immersion, she also has a stomach of steel.

Each chapter explores a specific aspect of regeneration, with Roach drawing on leading experts and patients to inform her work. For her chapter on skin grafting, she shadows Dr. Jeremy Goverman, plastic surgeon at the Mass General burn unit, and has dinner with a woman who survived a life threatening full-body burn. Roach learns how to intubate a dummy at Stanford. She sits in the OR for hip and knee replacements with Dr. Alexander Sah at the Center for Joint Replacement in Fremont, California. She attempts to sleep inside a metal lung, otherwise reserved for polio patients (and lasts less than ten minutes). To share a history of amputation, Roach goes to a prosthetics conference with a friend, Judy Berna, who is a double amputee. Nothing is taboo for Mary Roach – she scientifically approaches butt implants, the benefits of vaginas created out of colon, ideal stool consistency, douching with half and half, and a penis constructed using the middle finger.

I’m personally more interested in history than science, so I really valued Roach’s background research, like the history of Victorian dentures and Renaissance nose jobs and how maimed WWI soldiers were the first beneficiaries of modern plastic surgery. Some other “fun” facts? A healthy human heart can beat on its own for ten minutes after being disconnected from a brain. As many as 75 people can benefit from one person’s donated tissues (but only about 4% of people who consent to donating end up being donors, due to rigorous vetting and a quick but arduous 24-hour turnaround process). Some of the best historical tidbits can be found in her footnotes, such as how the pale hospital green scrubs became ubiquitous (the color was meant to be soothing) and the history of Hasbro’s Mr. Potato Head (originally sold without the plastic body, the parts were meant to be inserted into an actual spud).

In addition to her cross-country research, she travels to Mongolia, China and Georgia (as in Tbilisi, not Atlanta). It’s this global perspective that allows Roach to offer all sorts of ethical and cultural considerations throughout the book, such as the use of animals not only for research, but also as donors, and religious beliefs that impact organ donation.

With her signature wit, Roach finds the funny even the most grotesque. And it’s her clever quips that keep Replaceable You from being dense or boring or feeling like one long scientific paper. It may surprise you to learn that the chapter on tissue donation had me laughing out loud on a few occasions. But that is the genius of Mary Roach.

Funny yes, insensitive never. Roach seems genuinely empathic to all she meets and interviews. She’s interested in science, undoubtedly, but she’s even more curious about the people. Roach writes: “I’m drawn to the human elements of the quest. How does a person—and their surgeon—decide that it’s time to cut off an underperforming foot and replace it with a prosthetic? How do you combat the stigma of ostomy? How do you remove a tissue donor’s bones in a way the family will be comfortable with?” While most of us may not fully grasp the pain and frustration of living with chronic illness or disability, this detailed firsthand account offers a chance to deepen our understanding and empathy.

If you’re into weird science, have gone to med school, or work in any sort of research field, this book is for you. (None of the above apply to me, and I still found it fascinating). Many thanks to Mary Roach and W.W. Norton & company for the advance copy.

This is the first book that I've read by Mary Roach. I loved it and will read more of her books. It was very informative and also quite funny. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the current state of the science behind replacing parts of your body. It is written in a very accessible format.

Classic Mary Roach (albeit without the one-word title). She delves into the body parts that no one else would think to look at and subjects herself to minimally invasive procedures, just for the reporting. I wonder what I'll remember from the book - probably the groin stuff and maybe some hair replacement oddities. It is always a pleasure to read her books.

I love everything Mary Roach writes and this book is no different! Such a great concept and interesting structure and essays on different aspects in this theme. 5 stars no notes ever!

This book is a medical adventure into the science of creating human body parts, from organs to hair follicles. It’s a classic Mary Roach— interesting science sprinkled with humor and, somehow, the most evocative descriptions of every person she meets. There are some topics in this book that made me a bit squeamish, so it’s not for the faint-of-heart. But for anyone interested in health and medical sciences, this is a great choice!

There are not all that many authors whose books can make me say out loud, under my breath, "oh *no*" while I'm walking down the street with my nose buried in my e-reader. (The bit about the drill and the cornea, if you're wondering.) And there are not all that many authors whose books infiltrate my dreams (...butt creases). And yet "Replaceable You" managed to do both, which is honestly on par for Roach's books. Also on par: I had to switch to reading something else several times over meals, because Roach delights in the occasional ick factor. It's all fascinating, so I'm not really complaining, but...you have been warned.

Roach writes pop science books, and in "Replaceable You" she turns her gaze to transplants, artificial replacements, and...well, some of the weirder things involved in both. I love weird medical things (museums of medical oddities are my absolute favorites), and this touches on a number of topics that I've long found intriguing—osseointegration prosthetics, iron lungs, etc. (Truly, rarely have I felt so jealous of an author as when Roach talks about having had the opportunity to spend the night in an iron lung.)

I would happily have read full books about many of the independent medical advances (and sometimes fails) that Roach describes here—heck, I *have* read full books about a number of these things. But Roach provides a marvellous jumping-off point for curiosity, plus a high number of asides that make it clear just how much she loves the sort of research that she gets to do in writing these books.

Take this (square brackets and ellipses original to the book): "Here is onetime army surgeon Frank Tetamore describing one such invention—his own—in an 1894 paper: 'These artificial noses are made of a very light plastic material. . . . They are secured on the face by bow spectacles made especially for the purpose.' To obscure the lower border of the prosthesis, 'a mustache [was] fastened to the nose piece.' Forty years before novelty companies began selling Groucho Marx glasses, Frank Tetamore had invented a medical version." (loc. 122*)

Or this: "Department of ghastly but true sentences: The chain saw got its start in the delivery room." (loc.1195)

Or this, for that matter: "The current decade has seen a Mr. Potato Head Goes Green, made from plant-based plastic, a gender-neutral Potato Head set, and a low-carb Mr. Potato Head one-third the size of the original. Only one of those I made up." (loc. 2560)

You can't beat that energy. Highly recommended to anyone interested in science, playful snark, and medical specificity.

*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

My thanks to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for an advance copy of this book about the future of medical science, specifically being able to fix, replace, or even reengineer those parts of the human body that were once thought unfixable, changing life for many, but raising just as many questions about cost, ethics, and who will helped first.

I have never really seen the beauty in the human body. Most of the time I find humans to be well pretty gross, with not many exceptions. Humans leak things, have strange odors, sneeze, cough. There are fluids problems, and a whole lot of maintenance . And one day no matter what the body will just break down completely, with no chance for a refund. Reading the books of Mary Roach has strengthened my ideas, and given me much to have disgust for as I read. Roach has written books about the basics of being human, how we continue the species, what happens upon death, and even the possible afterlife. All the follies and foibles, oddness and things that can go wrong with being a human being, told in ways that both illuminate, and make a reader laugh. Roach in her latest book, looks at something that is big on the minds of many tech investors, science entrepreneurs, and even normal people, fixing those things that were once thought unfixable. Making life better, and maybe even extending it. Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy by Mary Roach is an around the world journey examining the latest science, thinking and ways to switch out broken or decaying human parts, and what these future might hold.

The book is about the human body and how we have learned to fix things, even replace things that were once thought unfixable. This fixes can change lives, helping people with burns heal faster and with less pain. Or give people born with problems a new chance at life. Roach travels the world meeting people, taking part in procedures and talking with doctors, scientists, a few quacks, tech investors and people who have had life forced on them, and adapted. Roach learns who to intubate a sleeping dummy, which leads to a an explanation about the importance of lungs, and how they can be replaced. Roach spends time in a burn unit, examing fake skins that can be used as grafts. Traveling to China to see vast pig farms who might be the future of a skin industry. Shopping for feet at a prosthetic limb convention. Traveling to Easter Europe to learn about male replacement surgery done with middle fingers. Dining with doctors not shy about sharing gross stories over a nice Chianti. Most importantly Roach talks to survivors, people who have been saved, or whose lives have been changed by this emerging technology. Along with questions about ethics and people with more money than sense who plan to live forever shedding parts and acquiring new ones as needed.

I have been a big fan of Mary Roach's books for years. I probably started with Stiff, that sounds like me, but I have read all of her works and love the fact that Roach can educate, entertain, and yet capture the human factor that many science books miss. There are jokes, but there is also wonder at what is being done. In a time where dumb is king, its nice to see intelligence celebrated. Though after reading about the rest of the world her, I can see America losing this new medical battle. Roach is a very good writer. Things make sense when Roach explains it. I understand procedures, why things are, and unfortunately in many places why things have to be.

This is a an age of miracles and wonder, but what occurs to me is how the many of these medical gifts will be paid for. Roach broaches this subject a few times, but that is one medical story that will remain a mystery. This is a fascinating book, as one would expect, that raises a few interesting questions. Fans of Roach will not be disappointed, and I can't wait to read what Roach plans to explore next.

Thanks to NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

I am a Mary Roach fangirl. And like all her fangirls and boys, I too am a science nerd. And also like all of us, 2003's "Stiff" will always be the favorite Roach book; and for me, 2013's "Gulp" and 2008's "Bonk" are runners-up.
So "Replaceable You," her first new science nerd book since 2021's "Grunt" (which I've not read), has a lot of lifting to do. Luckily, it succeeds on all familiar Mary Roach levels: Informative holy-shit-style science, cool science nerd trivia, and of course her snarky asides (I will forever love her for adding weird tidbits like realizing a source is the same man she'd lost her virginity to). My only complaint is that the book takes a while to get unputdownable- her trademark voice is a bit muted until the halfway point.
But overall, if you're a fellow science nerd and Mary Roach fan, this book will not disappoint.

“Replaceable You” by Mary Roach is an accessible and entertaining series of snapshots of our attempts to replicate and enhance parts of the human anatomy. Each of the seventeen sections examines a different quandary. In each scenario Roach explains the history, the present, and the future potential of various enhancements designed to heal and improve the human body.

Every section is filled with Roach’s characteristic humor. It is a joy to meander along her thoughts. Her acute and honest observations are continually surprising and delightful. This book is filled with great information. However, the best part of reading “Replaceable You” is the opportunity to travel for a while inside the mind of Mary Roach. It’s a trip worth taking.

Footnote: Even the footnotes are informative and entertaining. Give them a chance.

Thank you to NetGalley and W. Norton & Company for access to this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Replaceable You is a nonfiction pop-science exploration into the science and culture of body part replacement. From iron lungs to butt implants, Mary Roach lifts the curtain on the most mundane and most scientifically advanced replacement parts medicine has to offer.

Roach approaches the topic or new (or new-to-you) body parts with her signature candor and curiosity. She interjects a layman’s level of grounding to the topics she explores while still being careful to explain the science and research accurately. This is Roach in classic form. If you’ve ever picked up one of her titles before, you’ll find yourself pleasantly fulfilled. The tone is familiar, but she chooses topics that are snappy, interesting, and easily conveyed. In the grand scheme of her works it isn’t my favorite, (the honor, or course, goes to Stiff), but it’s a very good option.

My favorite chapter of this book concerns the one where she witnesses an organ donation in progress. Her account was humanizing across the board; a company concerned with accuracy and dignity, the donor, the slightly concerned family, and the technicians who are both respectful and light through the process. Organ donation can be mired in controversy, and often, as the author states, only gets press for horror stories. It was refreshing to hear about a mundane occasion in which things go right.

One of my favorite things that Roach does in her structuring of the book is find ways to build connections from one topic to another. Rather than chapters standing alone, each a miniature story, they are often linked by through ideas or they build upon each other. I was particularly pleased by the way the chapter about colons being repurposed into neophalluses flower into the trip to see the finger-penis. What a delightful way to show how these medical advances (or experiments) seem to spiral out from one another into new areas of study.

I would say that what I didn’t always find to be on par with the rest of the book is that at times there’s an off putting air from the author. While this is less evident in chapters where she interacts with physicians and researchers, there’s a slightly paternalistic or at least ignorant element to some of her questions or observations when confronted with device users. While she’s never overt and may just be admitting misconceptions through honest recollection, at times it feels uncomfortable to read her bumble through interactions with amputees and bereaved caregivers.

If you like pop science books and are interested in beginning to explore the science of medical devices and implants, this is a great primer on the topic. Like wakes, for Mary Roach fans, you’ll also find her writing to be in fine form. 4.25/5!

Mary Roach strikes it out of the park again with another humorous but well-researched book about a topic most of us wouldn't immediately find interesting! As always, I found her writing both massively entertaining and also incredibly informative. The quest to prop up the house of cards that is the human body is not one I would have immediately wanted to read about, but I find myself endlessly fascinated after reading this!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest opinion.

Mary Roach always makes boring things interesting! This was no exception.

Another excellently relevant and well researched book from Mary Roach -- this time focusing on the truly astonishing medical technology that has been and is being developed to keep us weak humans going with replaceable parts. A little gruesome at times (we don't always need to know how the sausage is made), the book is full of Roach's trademark humor, curiousity, and info about the people doing the work as well the work itself. This is an area that I already know a bit about so it was less surprising to me, but still a great book.

I adore Mary Roach--I will learn whatever she's trying to teach us. This time, it's how doctors and scientists use artificial body parts to replace when their original counterparts malfunction or are irreparably injured. Yes, this is technically a medicine/science book, but, as with all of Roach's work, you could shelve it in the humor section as well. I learned, among other things, that the doctor she was looking to contact in one chapter was the man she lost her virginity to in college and that Mitch McConnell's facial structure may make it harder for him to be intubated.

If you want to learn a new subject but don't want to pick up a dense, textbook-like tome, Mary Roach's books may be for you.

There is something delightful about settling in to a Mary Roach primer - you feel a bit stupid about everything you don't know but her nonjudgmental writing will have you feeling like an expert by the end and ready to share tidbits with anyone who will listen. Her natural curiosity, easy going writing style (similar to Bill Bryson) and lighthearted banter is infectious. The human body and science can get a bit heavy but with injections of laughter at some of the more absurd concepts and history make the medicine go down easier. Everything you ever wanted to know (or didn't have a clue it even existed) about the human body and failing parts that need replacement can be found here. From the history of dentures, prosthetic noses to the fascinating advancement in cell regeneration and new materials - it is one interesting ride. This is the perfect book to put into the hands of readers who typically do not enjoy non-fiction. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

Replaceable You is an energetic, deeply-researched examination of efforts to rebuild, replace and enhance the human body. Best-selling author Mary Roach presents quirky facts and unexpected stories in a way that combines razor-sharp inquiry with disarming humor. This blend of empathy and wit never reduces human subjects to mere clinical curiosities. Equally important, except for a few “fun facts “ and asides, Roach largely leaves readers to draw their own conclusions about this messy, emergent and increasingly complicated field of inquiry.

My only major criticism of the book is that I wish the author had looked more closely at the cost/access barriers to the technologies discussed. This would have added socioeconomic depth to the discussion.. In the same vein, I would like to have known more about research funding and where it comes from. Finally, I did not feel that the ethics of animal experimentation was expressly addressed.

Since I am not able to award half stars I am rounding up to 5.

Thank you to W.W. Norton and to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my review.

Mary Roach has the most uniquely curious mind I have ever come across. There is no lengths she is unwilling to go to learn about the subject the has captured her attention. In doing so she takes us on a journey into the cutting edge world of medical innovation.

So much ground was covered here. The book began with how early dentures were made. Roach then moved on to burn victims and potential types of skin transplants for them. One example was a transplant from frog skins while another was a biobandaide from farmed fish waste.

As she looked at our lungs she had to try sleeping in an iron lung machine because, why not? The ECMO machine was the most fascinating thing to me. It allows blood to be oxygenated outside of the body, as opposed to using your lungs. In addition there were Pluripotent cells, hypo immune cells, gene editing, 3D bioprinters, sphincter replacements and a fun chapter on harvesting body parts.

Roach has a dark wit that that was hard to resist. Liposuction reminded Mary Roach of a raspberry smoothie and made her hungry. In another procedure she compared a body part to tamales. Using self deprecating humor she described her ideal Spotify playlist for organ retrieval with “Spirits in the Sky” and “Only the Good Die Young” hitting her top spots.

I was thoroughly intrigued and excited by the science while captivated by the author herself. This sophisticated, state of the art science was described in layman’s terms. An enjoyable read and one I highly recommend. 5 stars.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for an advance copy of this fantastic book. These opinions are my own.