Sign-In
Cart
Earthly Materials: Journeys Through Our Bodies' Emissions, Excretions, and Disintegrations
Audio Book
Sports GeneralAnatomy & PhysiologyGeneral World History
Currently unavailable to order
Please enter your email and a message will be sent to you when this product becomes available on our website.
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: Apr 29 2025
Weight: 0.52
Height: 1.10 Width: 5.70 Depth: 5.40
Language: English
Bill Bryson's The Body meets Mary Roach's Gulp (with a dash of What's Your Poo Telling You?) in this delightfully weird, richly informative, and unexpectedly lyrical tour of our bodily emissions--revealing that the very parts of us that we seek to hide in embarrassment are actually an essential part of human health, with fascinating social history.
In biology class, we learn that the body is a fundamentally cohesive organism, a collection of organs and tissues working together to a common purpose, all overseen by the brain and wrapped up tidily in a covering of skin. But while this idea of the body isn't false, it fails to give us a complete picture in one crucial way: though the system appears tidy and self-contained on the page, in reality it is far from it. Whether it is blowing its nose, mopping sweat from its brow, or excusing itself to the restroom, the human organism is essentially porous.
Our bodies continuously shed material, and while we often think of these materials as wastes, they serve far more complex functions. The exchange, elimination, and frequent disguise of our effluence has been elemental to the development of human civilization, and our lives today are still governed by a host of laws and superstitions and social mores about the materials our bodies leave behind.
In thirteen discrete chapters, Earthly Materials tells a story about one of the materials the human body sheds--from breath and urine to vomit and tears. Sometimes the questions examined are historical. What have we physically done with all the urine produced in our cities? Sometimes they approach the matter through a philosophical lens. Is it ever logical to cry? Sometimes they explore recent scientific discoveries. How does mucus undermine our understanding of natural selection? But they always offer a window into how we negotiate our place in the world and how we get along with one another.
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
3 different editions
Also available
Earthly Materials: Journeys Through Our Bodies' Emissions, Excretions, and Disintegrations
Wood, Cutter
Hardcover
Earthly Materials: Journeys Through Our Bodies' Emissions, Excretions, and Disintegrations
Wood, Cutter
Paperback
Earthly Materials: Journeys Through Our Bodies' Emissions, Excretions, and Disintegrations
Wood, Cutter
Audio Book
Also from
Wood, Cutter
Earthly Materials: Journeys Through Our Bodies' Emissions, Excretions, and Disintegrations
Wood, Cutter
Hardcover
Earthly Materials: Journeys Through Our Bodies' Emissions, Excretions, and Disintegrations
Wood, Cutter
Paperback
Earthly Materials: Journeys Through Our Bodies' Emissions, Excretions, and Disintegrations
Wood, Cutter
Audio Book
Also in
Anatomy & Physiology
The Language of the Face: Stories of Its Uniquely Expressive Features
Gonzalez-Crussi, Frank
Hardcover
The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World
McGilchrist, Iain
Paperback
Your Inner Fish: A Journey Into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body
Shubin, Neil
Paperback
Science of Pilates: Understand the Anatomy and Physiology to Perfect Your Practice
Ward, Tracy
Paperback
The Powerful Primate: How Controlling Energy Enabled Us to Build Civilization
Ennos, Roland
Hardcover
The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative
Williams, Florence
Paperback
Science of Cycling: Transform Your Ride, Gain Strength, Revolutionize Your Training
Bailey, David
Paperback
Your Best Shot: The Personalized System for Optimal Weight Health--Glp-1 Shot or Not
Koff Rd, Ashley
Hardcover
Hidden Guests: Migrating Cells and How the New Science of Microchimerism Is Redefining Human Identity
Barnéoud, Lise
Hardcover
Gray's Anatomy (Deluxe Leatherbound Edition): Anatomy Descriptive and Surgical
Gray, Henry, Frs
Hardcover
Science of Stretch: Reach Your Flexible Potential, Stay Active, Maximize Mobility
Malek, Leada
Paperback
The Life Machines: How Taking Care of Your Mitochondria Can Transform Your Health
Mochly-Rosen, Daria
Rosen, Emanuel
Hardcover
Anatomy 101: From Muscles and Bones to Organs and Systems, Your Guide to How the Human Body Works
Langford, Kevin
Hardcover
4 Weeks to Better Sleep: Improve Brain Function, Lose Weight, Boost Your Mood, Reduce Stress, and Become a Better Sleeper
Mosley, Michael
Paperback
Pull: How Gravity Shapes Your Body, Steadies the Mind, and Guides Our Health
Spiegel, Brennan
Hardcover
Human Errors: A Panorama of Our Glitches, from Pointless Bones to Broken Genes
Lents, Nathan H.
Paperback
The Headache: The Science of a Most Confounding Affliction--And a Search for Relief
Zeller Jr, Tom
Hardcover
Illustrated Human Anatomy: The Authoritative Visual Guide to the Human Body
Gustafson, Dana
Vayttaden, Sharat
Hardcover
What Your Body Knows about Happiness: How to Use Your Body to Change Your Mind
Kaplan, Janice
Paperback
Norwegian Method: The Culture, Science, and Humans Behind the Groundbreaking Approach to Elite Endurance Performance
Culp, Brad
Paperback
The Human Body Book: An Illustrated Guide to Its Structure, Function, and Disorders
Walker, Richard
Parker, Steve
Hardcover
Life in Sync: The Science of Internal Clocks and How We're Disrupting Them
Gander, Philippa
Hardcover
Tu Cuerpo Tiene Las Respuestas: Un Organismo En Equilibrio Para Una Vida Mas Sana / Organ Speak
Enders, Giulia
Paperback
Ultimate Engineering: An Engineer Investigates the Biomechanics of the Human Body
Burgess, Stuart
Paperback
The Anatomy of Martial Arts: An Illustrated Guide to the Muscles Used for Each Strike, Kick, and Throw
Link, Norman G.
Chou, Lily
Paperback
The Telomere Effect: A Revolutionary Approach to Living Younger, Healthier, Longer
Blackburn, Elizabeth
Epel, Elissa
Paperback
Rethink Your Position: Reshape Your Exercise, Yoga, and Everyday Movement, One Part at a Time
Bowman, Katy
Paperback
The Beautiful Brain: The Drawings of Santiago Ramon Y Cajal
Araque, Alfonso
Swanson, Larry W.
Newman, Eric
Hardcover
Mastering Muscles and Movement: A Brain-Friendly System for Learning Musculoskeletal Anatomy and Basic Kinesiology
Campbell, David M.
Paperback
Nature's Nether Regions: What the Sex Lives of Bugs, Birds, and Beasts Tell Us About Evolution, Biodiversity, and Ourselves
Schilthuizen, Menno
Paperback
Laboratory Manual for Human Anatomy & Physiology: A Hands-On Approach, Main Version
Robison, Robin
Strong, Lisa
Greene, Melissa
Paperback
The One-Minute Workout: Science Shows a Way to Get Fit That's Smarter, Faster, Shorter
Gibala, Martin
Shulgan, Christopher
Hardcover
52 Ways to Walk: The Surprising Science of Walking for Wellness and Joy, One Week at a Time
Abbs-Streets, Annabel
Hardcover
The Forgotten Sense: The New Science of Smell--And the Extraordinary Power of the Nose
Olofsson, Jonas
Hardcover
What Your Body Knows about Happiness: How to Use Your Body to Change Your Mind
Kaplan, Janice
Hardcover
The Great Balancing ACT: An Insider's Guide to the Human Vestibular System
Sharon, Jeffrey D.
Paperback
Laboratory Manual for Human Anatomy & Physiology: A Hands-On Approach, Pig Version
Robison, Robin
Strong, Lisa
Greene, Melissa
Paperback
Human Body Coloring Book: Human Body Human Anatomy Coloring Book For Kids. Human Body Anatomy Coloring Book For Medical, High School Students. Great G
Publication, Sambaumniel
Paperback
The Pocket Atlas of Skeletal Muscles: A Reference for Students of Physical Therapy, Medicine, Sports, and Bodywork
Jarmey, Chris
Paperback
Return to Energy: Lived Experience as God Designed: How Competing Metabolisms Shape Health and Disease
MacDonald, Michael
Paperback
The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code
Kean, Sam
Paperback
Younger for Life: Feel Great and Look Your Best with the New Science of Autojuvenation
Youn, Anthony, M. D.
Hardcover
Osteopathy Is in the Blood: The Science and Clinical Application of The Rule of the Artery
Fraval, Maxwell
Paperback
Younger for Life: Feel Great and Look Your Best with the New Science of Autojuvenation
Youn, Anthony, M. D.
Paperback
Earthly Materials: Journeys Through Our Bodies' Emissions, Excretions, and Disintegrations
Wood, Cutter
Hardcover
Inner Sense: How the New Science of Interoception Can Revolutionize Your Health
Williams, Caroline
Hardcover
Sports, Exercise and Health Science (SL and HL): Revise IB TestPrep Workbook
Robertson, Bow
Hale, Natasha
Paperback
Science of Hiit: Understand the Anatomy and Physiology to Transform Your Body
Clay, Ingrid S.
Paperback
La Solución de Los Telómeros: Aprende a Vivir Sano Y Feliz / The Telomere Effect
Blackburn, Elizabeth
Epel, Elissa
Paperback
Exercise Physiology: Human Bioenergetics and Its Applications
Brooks, George A.
Fahey, Thomas D.
Baldwin, Kenneth M.
Paperback
I Choose You: The Quest of Science, Medicine, Life, and Everything in Between
Onweni, Chidinma
Paperback
Human Anatomy and Physiology Coloring Book: A Visual Guide to the Structures and Systems of the Human Body
Bella Mente Press
Paperback
Science Fundamentals 2 - Life Science - Humans: Quickstudy Laminated Reference & Study Guide
Gardner, Jane
Other
Hidden Guests: Migrating Cells and How the New Science of Microchimerism Is Redefining Human Identity
Barnéoud, Lise
Paperback
And Then You're Dead: What Really Happens If You Get Swallowed by a Whale, Are Shot from a Cannon, or Go Barreling Over Niagara
Cassidy, Cody
Doherty, Paul
Paperback
The Art, Science, and Strategy of Longevity: An Expansive Exploration of Aging, Health, and Human Potential
Howard, Don
Howard, Ioulia
Hardcover