“The anus [is] this amazing thing that nobody appreciates. Here's this ring of muscle with nerves that has to discriminate between solid, liquid, and gas, and let it out accordingly. He's like, "No engineer could design something as multifunctional and fine-tuned as an anus. To call someone an asshole is really bragging him up." That was the moment I thought, "Oh yeah, this could be an interesting book." ”
—Why “Asshole” Is High Praise and Other Anatomy Lessons With Mary Roach
Over some beers and grilled cheese, we talked to author Mary Roach about indelicate things such as rectal smuggling (three phones at a time!?!), fake poop, and chewing diets. Intrigued? Disgusted? Check out her new book, Gulp!
Mary Roach:
It is astounding to me, and achingly sad, that with eighty thousand people on the waiting list for donated hearts and livers and kidneys, with sixteen a day dying there on that list, that more than half of the people in the position [of a deceased one’s] family… will say no, will choose to burn those organs or let them rot. We abide the surgeon’s scalpel to save our own lives, our loved ones’ lives, but not to save a stranger’s life. [A donator may end up with] no heart, but heartless is the last thing you’d call [them].
from Stiff
