📖 Overview
What's Your Poo Telling You? is a medical reference guide that explains various aspects of human waste and digestive health. The book combines medical expertise from gastroenterologist Dr. Anish Sheth with accessible writing from Josh Richman, supplemented by Peter Arkle's illustrations.
The text covers topics including defecation, flatulence, and various fecal phenomena, presenting the information in an educational format. After its 2007 release by Chronicle Books, it achieved significant commercial success with over 400,000 copies sold by 2009.
The book spawned a series including What's My Pee Telling Me? and What's Your Baby's Poo Telling You?, along with related merchandise like calendars, logs, and mobile apps. It serves as a practical handbook for understanding digestive health through bodily waste signals and symptoms.
This guide represents an intersection of medical knowledge and public health education, making typically taboo subject matter accessible to general readers. The book's success demonstrates the public's interest in understanding personal health through everyday biological indicators.
👀 Reviews
Readers appreciate the book's humor and accessible medical information about digestion and health. Many note it makes an ideal bathroom book due to its short, easy-to-read sections and entertaining illustrations.
Liked:
- Educational content presented in fun way
- Medical facts explained clearly
- Useful for identifying potential health issues
- Works well as a gag gift while being informative
Disliked:
- Some found humor juvenile or repetitive
- Medical content too basic for healthcare professionals
- A few readers wanted more detailed scientific explanations
Ratings:
Amazon: 4.5/5 (2,800+ reviews)
Goodreads: 3.8/5 (2,100+ ratings)
Sample review: "Perfect mix of humor and actual medical knowledge. Learned things I never knew about gut health while being entertained." - Amazon reviewer
"The cartoons and jokes make potentially embarrassing health topics approachable and memorable." - Goodreads reviewer
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The Inside Tract by Gerard E. Mullin A medical guide to understanding digestive health through examination of symptoms, diet, and bodily functions.
Gutbliss by Robynne Chutkan A medical examination of digestive processes and gastrointestinal health focusing on common disorders and their symptoms.
The Book of Poop by Piero Stefani A scientific investigation into human waste, covering history, cultural perspectives, and medical significance.
Everyone Poops by Tarō Gomi A basic exploration of how all living creatures digest food and produce waste, presented through straightforward text and illustrations.
The Inside Tract by Gerard E. Mullin A medical guide to understanding digestive health through examination of symptoms, diet, and bodily functions.
Gutbliss by Robynne Chutkan A medical examination of digestive processes and gastrointestinal health focusing on common disorders and their symptoms.
The Book of Poop by Piero Stefani A scientific investigation into human waste, covering history, cultural perspectives, and medical significance.
🤔 Interesting facts
🔬 The book spawned an entire franchise of digestive health guides, including "What's My Pee Telling Me?" and "What's Your Baby's Poo Telling You?"
🎨 Peter Arkle's illustrations in the book have become widely recognized, offering a playful approach to medical education through detailed yet whimsical drawings.
🌟 Released in 2007, the book became a surprise bestseller, selling over 400,000 copies and proving there was significant public interest in digestive health education.
🎓 Co-author Dr. Anish Sheth completed his gastroenterology fellowship at Yale University and has become a leading voice in public education about digestive health.
💡 The book introduces a "matchmaking" system that helps readers identify their type from seven different stool categories, each with its own nickname and health implications.