Washoe County Library System

We actually know very little about how our bodies work. With the same attention to detail found in A Short History of Everything, Bill Bryson explains the inner workings of the body in a way everyone can understand. Beginning with genes and the elements found inside us, he takes readers on a tour through all the major parts and systems. He also talks about major diseases and medicine.

Focusing on contemporary and historical developments in the study of human anatomy, this features clear, age appropriate text, photographs, charts, graphics, and 3-D models highlighting the inner workings of our bodies -- from the framework of our skeleton to the millions of tiny cells that make our bodies work. In this updated edition, kids can discover how muscles and joints help us move, find out how x-rays work, see the network of nerves inside...

"We humans like to think of ourselves as highly evolved creatures. But if we are supposedly evolution's greatest creation, why do we have such bad knees? Why do we catch head colds so often - 200 times more often than a dog does? How come our wrists have so many useless bones? Why is the vast majority of our genetic code pointless? And are we really supposed to swallow and breathe through the same narrow tube? Surely there's been some kind of mistake....