Review: Gory Details - Adventures from the Dark Side of Science by Erika Engelhaupt

Erika Engelhaupt is a science journalist and in Gory Details: Adventures from the Dark Side of Science, she shines a light on the gross, the bizarre, the taboo and morbidly fascinating elements of science.

Engelhaupt divides her book into the following six parts, each containing multiple chapters:

1. Morbid Curiosity
2. That's Disgusting
3. Breaking Taboos
4. Creepy Crawlies
5. Gross Anatomy
6. Mysterious Minds

Writing the column Gory Details for National Geographic, Engelhaupt covers a broad range of subjects in the book, including a few of my favourite topics of interest:

• Frances Glessner Lee's dollhouse crime scene dioramas (or nutshells) used to train detectives and forensic investigators
• Super recognisers and their ability to fight crime
• Floating feet in British Columbia
• Fatbergs
• The Mandela Effect

She also introduced me to fascinating new topics, like:

• The smell of sickness
• Necrophilia in the animal kingdom
• Misophonia, a strong reaction to particular sounds and noises
• Insects inside the body

Many of these topics had me heading to Google for more information, my interest having been well and truly piqued. I listened to the audiobook of Gory Details, and the short chapters made for excellent reading, often covering a topic in 10-15 mins.

Gory Details by Erika Engelhaupt is highly recommended for trivia buffs and if you enjoy the non fiction writing of Mary Roach or Caitlin Doughty, this is definitely for you. Also recommended for those with an interest in the world of science, biology, anatomy and nature. 

You can seize this book at Booktopia.

My Rating:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★