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daumari's review
3.0
I enjoyed this, though it wasn't as thematically tight as [b:Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers|32145|Stiff The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers|Mary Roach|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347656489s/32145.jpg|1188203], for example- cadavers are one specific topic, whereas "military science" is very broad, and even here is narrowed down to "military science to keep soldiers alive*"
*except for stink bombs, because those are funny, and also strangely not just a one-off WWII exploration. It makes sense that horrific-smelling odorants would need to be developed in order to test deodorants...
Sure, it's popular science and doesn't go in depth, but [a:Mary Roach|7956|Mary Roach|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1463591979p2/7956.jpg]'s books are kind of like a bottled ice tea- while it may have a tad too much sugar over plain water, it'll still quench the thirst of curiosity. Her segues between chapters were nice, though, and kept this from being an anthology of unrelated essays.
*except for stink bombs, because those are funny, and also strangely not just a one-off WWII exploration. It makes sense that horrific-smelling odorants would need to be developed in order to test deodorants...
Sure, it's popular science and doesn't go in depth, but [a:Mary Roach|7956|Mary Roach|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1463591979p2/7956.jpg]'s books are kind of like a bottled ice tea- while it may have a tad too much sugar over plain water, it'll still quench the thirst of curiosity. Her segues between chapters were nice, though, and kept this from being an anthology of unrelated essays.
nmupp1324's review against another edition
3.0
I like Roach's writing style, and I like her spunk. However, this book was just not that well-organized. Individually, every chapter was interesting. But, for some reason it didn't flow very well. Because of that, by the end I was just hoping it would be over soon. I liked the chapters about submariners in the Navy the best. The science that goes into keeping a ship in the water and the people that take care of it safe is fascinating. Really made me appreciative of the men and women who are serving, especially in those conditions. The beginning was interesting too! Making a military uniform is incredibly difficult.
ashablue's review against another edition
5.0
Everything Mary Roach writes is gold. Like her other books, Grunt focuses on aspects of what seems like a simple thing: corpses, going to war, and then reveals them to be these complex, fascinating, incredible things in a way that is instantly approachable and dare I say witty.
Did you know there's a scientist who is very serious about studying sweat? Or that sweat is actually blood plasma moving up to the surface of your skin?
Or how about the development of Shark repellent?
Did you ever wonder what happens if a special ops soldier gets bad diarrhea?
How about the purpose of the blue camo worn by Navy troops when the last thing you want is to be invisible if you fall overboard?
If you are a giant nerd who wants to know everything about everything without being bored out of your mind, then this and any Mary Roach book is for you.
Did you know there's a scientist who is very serious about studying sweat? Or that sweat is actually blood plasma moving up to the surface of your skin?
Or how about the development of Shark repellent?
Did you ever wonder what happens if a special ops soldier gets bad diarrhea?
How about the purpose of the blue camo worn by Navy troops when the last thing you want is to be invisible if you fall overboard?
If you are a giant nerd who wants to know everything about everything without being bored out of your mind, then this and any Mary Roach book is for you.
bookph1le's review
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's entertaining, funny, fascinating, sometimes disgusting, and often sobering, all in one. Roach's approach to her science non-fiction is unconventional, but it also shines a light on the myriad challenges scientists face in a variety of fields, something most of us take for granted.
mharrison13's review against another edition
funny
informative
medium-paced
4.75
Other than the abrupt ending, this book was great! Informative (if at times, nauseating) and funny. The narrator did a great job capturing Mary Roach’s sarcastic humor.