Life of Pee: The Story of How Urine Got Everywhere

by Sally Magnusson

Alchemists sought gold in it. David Bowie refrigerated it to ward off evil. In the trenches of Ypres soldiers used it as a gas mask, whereas modern-day terrorists add it to home-made explosives. All the Fullers, Tuckers and Walkers in the phonebook owe their names to it, and in 1969 four bags for storing it were left on the surface of the moon.Bought and sold, traded and transported, even carried to work in jugs, urine has made bread rise, beer foam and given us gunpowder, stained glass, Robin Hood's tights and Vermeer's Girl With A Pearl Earring. And we do produce an awful lot of it. Humans alone make almost enough to replace the entire contents of Loch Lomond every year. Add the incalculable volume contributed by the rest of the animal kingdom and it might soon displace a small ocean. No wonder it gets everywhere. In Life of Pee Sally Magnusson unveils the secret history of civilisation's most unsavoury and unsung hero, and discovers how our urine footprint is just as indelible as our carbon one.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Reference

220 pages, ebook

First published October 21, 2010

About the author

Sally Magnusson is a Scottish author and broadcaster.

Reviews

[Emma Sea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mightily disappointed in this, because it's written as a glossary/encyclopedia and not as a story. I wanted engaging history, linking the industrial and medical uses of urine in a conversational way. I always find this approach to be a cheap shot, requiring little talent beyond good research skills.

Content = 4
Method of communication = 1

[Stefani - SpelingExpirt · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was interesting but I thought it would be a comprehensive history rather than an A to Z. The format made it repetitive and a bit boring.

[Lettice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very cheerful and readable book about the history, culture and scientific uses of wee. 

Urine has been used to illustrate manuscripts, cure bites from giant centipede, make bricks to build homes in communities suffering from drought and might well power cars in future. It has been transported round the world in vast quantities.

Am surprised to discover that a urine-soaked handkerchief can save lives in multiple ways. And gosh so many people like to drink it (their own or other people's, fresh or fermented). It has had so many uses throughout the centuries that it makes me feel a little foolish for not using mine for productive profit.

Have learned many interesting facts from this book, for example popular historical sources of urine include small red-haired boys, cows, Welsh methodists, and/or bemused friends of scientists. 

Chapter headings include: Croydon, Cliff Richard, Toothpaste, Nuns.

[Sian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was on my Xmas wish list and my husband kindly obliged. Witty and interesting and as a result I am afraid I am likely to become a urine bore for a while. Well written and extensively researched as you would expect from Sally Magnussun. The stucture of an A-Z meant there was a lot of repetition though. A different format would have made it flow better, (excuse the pun), hence the 3 rather than 4 stars. Probably better to dip into when in the loo, where this will now reside, rather than read cover to cover.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having just read a book about blood, it seemed reasonable to read a book about urine, thereby keeping a theme of bodily fluids going for a stretch of two. Sally Magnusson's "Life of Pee" was not a bad choice but neither was it a gem. It contains a great deal of cultural history. It recounts the numerous practical processes to which human urine has been put over time. It relates the use of urine in the healing arts both as a diagnostic aid and as a medicine. It could have explained more of the science involved; Magnusson is no organic chemist. The worst thing about this little book is its arrangement of short articles alphabetically in encyclopedic fashion, as if one needed a vade mecum of pee. Some of the articles tend to be redundant. They could have been laced together (historically or topically) into a darned good story, one from which parallels and insights could have been drawn. I'd be willing to read another book about urine were it one of that better sort, but instead there are a lot of fairly whacky books about the health "miracles" which can be produced by drinking one's own urine (e.g. "Urine Therapy! Confessions of a Mad Pee Drinker" by P.P. Powers, 2007). I'll pass.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Life of Pee: The Story of How Urine Got Everywhere is one of those contemporary popular history books that takes a narrow focus on a specific aspect of our day-to-day life (in this case urine) and then offers a miscellany of facts, brief narratives and current experiences and ideas that make historical enquiry 'more engaging' for modern audiences. With its serious academic credibility submerged under a welter of seemingly trivial and silly entries, this text's construct belies the subject and perhaps also unfairly reflects the capabilities of its author, Magnusson has written an informative and entertaining book that undoubtedly will apppeal to anyone curious enough to read it, however I suspect there might be a better, more learned work sitting out there waiting to be published or read.

One would struggle to fault the scholarship behind much of what Magnusson has written herein, and she makes a considered effort to examine many perspectives on the relationship between urine and human experiences. One aspect of the book that I found quite rewarding is how she discussed the cultural, medical and economic importance of urine in ancient roman experience, and it was an expected but still pleasant note to see her refer to the likes of Catullus and Vespasian in her entries on 'Roman pee'. A great deal of time and narrative focus is given over to the role of urine in the wool industry and laundry practises of many societies over millenia, and one suspects that its here that a more unified and significant historical theme could've been attempted by the author. Still, what is proffered is still good value.

That Magnusson has structured The Life of Pee: The Story of How Urine Got Everywhere in a series of alphabetically organised entries means that this is the kind of text that will facilitate languid dipping, occasionally picking up a chapter or two, without needing to rush or spend too much time thinking about what one reads. That's perfectly fine, and again suggests that the publisher, editor and author knew that the book was aimed at a particular type of reader and readng experience. I certainly found it very easy to just hook in and take on board a few sections without feeling the need to try and work out grander historical or cultural ideas. And after all, there is a certain taboo fun to be had reading about what people have done with pee over the millenia, so why not make this a light-hearted miscellany?

I did enjoy The Life of Pee: The Story of How Urine Got Everywhere and have no real problem recommending it to anyone curious as to the book's subject. Magnusson's prose is accessible and at times somewhat humorous, and these points certainly do no harm to one's reading experience. If you accept that this is lightweight historical enquiry attempting to shed light on something that is perhaps somewhat distasteful yet essential to human experience then I'm sure you'll be happy with what Magnusson has written.

[Justin Neville · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those popular science/history books that aims to be equal parts informative/educational and humorous.

And it is.

The downside is its structure. It comprises 50/60-odd small chapters, simply organised alphabetically by title. So you jump around all over the place, with lots of cross-references to earlier or later chapters that touched on a similar or related point, and never really go into much depth.

It perhaps would have been more satisfying if it had been organised either chronologically or by broad theme (such as Use in Medicine, Use in Manufacturing/Crafts etc.). But perhaps they tried that and it didn't work?

Either way, it's very readable. But - other than the odd titbit - I don't think much will stick.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun book and a lot more interesting than the title suggests. A wonderful present for someone who likes a bit of history with a twist. It includes bits from Roman times to the present day. How useful urine can be, is unimaginable and not so disgusting as our 'prejudices' lead us to think. I've read this book a few times now, as it's quite a light hearted easy read.

[Sean Ollett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and amusing. Not a serious historical book but a pleasant enough read. She is a good researcher and a clear writer with a light touch and a sympathy for finding the mot juste - ignoring sensitivities of prigs.

In places deeply disturbing about how many weirdos are drinking their own pee. Ffs, what is wrong with these people?

[Ayla Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

A disappointing read despite what could be an interesting subject. I found it repetitive and stilted - maybe this was partly to do with how I read it versus how it was meant to be used. Maybe I was meant to dip in and out of it (no puns or jokes intended) rather than wade through it. Don’t know, but it was hard work to finish it.

[Ericka Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. I knew urine was used to clean clothing in Ancient Rome and that it was used in the production of Harris Tweed. There were quite a few things I didn't know and this short book has it all organized into small, er, digestible tidbits. Everything you wanted to know about pee but were afraid to ask.

[J. Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not saying it's for everybody. And I'll try not to make jokes. But it's very informative and it makes you think about...ummm...by products and their former and potential usefulness. In another book with an even more offensive title Gene Lodgson wrote, "Sooner or later we'll have to come to terms with the fact that we go to the bathroom on the same planet where we live."

[David Blankenship · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little book about how urine has impacted diet, health, art, and history. The entries are usually two pages or less, making it a good toilet-side book. At times it becomes a bit repetitive, but it is still interesting to read.

[Anna Louise Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

As a urology nurse I spend my days obsessing about other people's pee so reading this was a must! It is an absolutely fascinating book though not for those with easily nauseated stomachs. Who knew that urine was such a little gold mine (if you will pardon the pun)

[JoJo · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really disappointed in this book. I saved it for a holiday as I like a quirky topic when I'm relaxing, but the format of seemingly random snippets of not very interesting information left me rather cold. To me a missed opportunity.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a series of anecdotes about Pee and how it features in everything from medicine on.

Really meant as a bathroom reader however. It isn't a book to be read end to end, but rather to be dipped into occasionally.

[Sinead · Rating 4 out of 5]

As others have said it is a little repetitive as some entries are similar to previous ones, however it was interesting and I did learn some fascinating things.

[Brad Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure when I started reading. Probably after I bought the house. And yes, it's been stationed in the throne room and read in squirts. Perfect for string the mod and a bunch of fun and useful info.

[Tanwen Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book for some light toilet reading. It's good fun, wittily written and has some really fun and quirky facts. Highly recommended for a quirky dip-in reading.

[Tweedledum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books like this that collect extra-ordinary and little known facts up together and present them in an appealing way. Visually the book in very attractive but who knew that Urine was such a fascinating subject that has in fact been of massive importance in our history even in one of its current guises as artificial urea in toothpaste?! If I am ever trapped below ground or halfway up a mountain I now know that in an emergency drinking urine is OK and could give me the vital few more hours needed to survive until a rescue party arrives. Urines very ubiquity has been the factor that has led people to experiment and explore with it and it's a pity that these kind of facts have been progressively repressed and neglected in the interests of PC or out of embarrassment.... We can't possibly tell them that.... Well Sally Magnusson can and has and I for one salute her. Well done Sally. Great book.

[Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not so much a story as a series of vignettes detailing urine throughout history. There is a lot of knowledge in here that you haven't learned, or may have forgotten. Generally amusing without stooping to scatological humor.

The only real complaint about the book is the font size. The version of the book I have is about the size of a standard Kindle, but the text is devilishly small. If it wasn't for font size alone, I would have finished this book the week I got it instead of setting it aside for a while.

[S'hi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusingly anecdotal and deeply researched, this little tome covers the centuries of privy jokes as well as uses for what today is mostly seen as waste. With literary reference as much as toilet humour, The Life of Pee reminds us of what we all have in common, yet so ingenuously use to keep us apart. Suggesting that we can “get the whole story from urine, the source that rarely lies”, Sally Magnusson gives plenty of examples through the centuries of just why this is so. Edifying.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating collection of anecdotes about pee and the uses it has been put to throughout the ages. Most of us today consider it as just something to be got rid of, but in the past it has been used for so many things, and has even been taxed in one case! The stories are arranged alphabetically and are cross-referenced as well. Something a little bit different but well worth a read!

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

disappointing.

[Martin Willoughby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Observant, interesting and witty look at our urine and how much of what we have depends on it.

[Janneke Brouwers · Rating 1 out of 5]

Many double / overlapping entries.

[Jacqueline Heron Wray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating read. Who knew urine could be so interesting. Loved it!