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In Defense of Sunlight: The Surprising Science of Sun Exposure
Not yet published
Expected 16 Jun 26Upending everything we thought we knew about sun exposure, this trenchant investigation into the “zero-sun policy” sounds the call on the many health benefits of the sun, and what we risk when we minimize our exposure.
A quiet revolution is transforming our understanding of sunlight’s effects on human health. For decades, a “zero-sun” policy has characterized our approach to sun protection, advising us to stay out of the sun whenever possible and apply sunscreen daily to any skin that might be exposed, rain or shine, summer or winter, indoors or out. But recent studies have proved that this policy is thoroughly mistaken and that this prolific misunderstanding is causing us to miss out on many of the health benefits of sun exposure.
In this incisive work, acclaimed journalist Rowan Jacobsen presents the growing case for the importance of modest sun exposure for our health and well-being. Aided by the most up-to-date studies on the effects of sunlight on human health, Jacobsen presents a much-needed, lucid assessment of not only what the sun can do for us, but how a lack of sun could actively be harming us.
In Defense of Sunlight sounds the call on what researchers have been sure of for years, and what health care providers and media outlets have been slow to take that sunlight is one of the simplest, and most equitable, treatments for a variety of health issues, from diabetes to dementia to multiple sclerosis. Laying out the new science of sunlight in a straightforward and responsible manner for mainstream readers, this book is an eye-opening story of scientific discovery, outlining not only best practices for sun exposure, but the story of how current recommendations became misguided, how a few inquisitive scientists glimpsed the truth and deciphered the mechanisms responsible, and how everyone can safely incorporate this new knowledge into their daily lives. It also exposes the implicit injustice underlying current approaches, which benefit the whitest people on earth (who are the most susceptible to skin cancer) at the expense of those with darker skin (who suffer extremely low rates of skin cancer and have the most to gain from sun exposure).
A call for a return to common sense in our relationship with our local star, In Defense of Sunlight offers its own seven words of Get sun. Not too much. Go outside.
A quiet revolution is transforming our understanding of sunlight’s effects on human health. For decades, a “zero-sun” policy has characterized our approach to sun protection, advising us to stay out of the sun whenever possible and apply sunscreen daily to any skin that might be exposed, rain or shine, summer or winter, indoors or out. But recent studies have proved that this policy is thoroughly mistaken and that this prolific misunderstanding is causing us to miss out on many of the health benefits of sun exposure.
In this incisive work, acclaimed journalist Rowan Jacobsen presents the growing case for the importance of modest sun exposure for our health and well-being. Aided by the most up-to-date studies on the effects of sunlight on human health, Jacobsen presents a much-needed, lucid assessment of not only what the sun can do for us, but how a lack of sun could actively be harming us.
In Defense of Sunlight sounds the call on what researchers have been sure of for years, and what health care providers and media outlets have been slow to take that sunlight is one of the simplest, and most equitable, treatments for a variety of health issues, from diabetes to dementia to multiple sclerosis. Laying out the new science of sunlight in a straightforward and responsible manner for mainstream readers, this book is an eye-opening story of scientific discovery, outlining not only best practices for sun exposure, but the story of how current recommendations became misguided, how a few inquisitive scientists glimpsed the truth and deciphered the mechanisms responsible, and how everyone can safely incorporate this new knowledge into their daily lives. It also exposes the implicit injustice underlying current approaches, which benefit the whitest people on earth (who are the most susceptible to skin cancer) at the expense of those with darker skin (who suffer extremely low rates of skin cancer and have the most to gain from sun exposure).
A call for a return to common sense in our relationship with our local star, In Defense of Sunlight offers its own seven words of Get sun. Not too much. Go outside.
288 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication June 16, 2026
About the author
Rowan Jacobsen
19 books110 followersRowan Jacobsen is the James Beard Award-winning author of A Geography of Oysters: The Connoisseur’s Guide to Oyster Eating in North America, Fruitless Fall: The Collapse of the Honey Bee and the Coming Agricultural Crisis, and The Living Shore, about our ancient connection to estuaries and their potential to heal the oceans. He has written for the New York Times, Newsweek, Harper’s, Outside, Eating Well, Forbes, Popular Science, and others, and his work has been anthologized in The Best American Science and Nature Writing and Best Food Writing collections. Whether visiting endangered oystermen in Louisiana or cacao-gathering tribes in the Bolivian Amazon, his subject is how to maintain a sense of place in a world of increasing placelessness. His 2010 book, American Terroir, was named one of the Top Ten Books of the Year by Library Journal. His newest, Shadows on the Gulf: A Journey Through Our Last Great Wetland, was released in 2011. His Outside Magazine piece “Heart of Dark Chocolate” received the 2011 Lowell Thomas Award from the Society of American Travel Writers for best adventure story of the year. He is a 2012 Alicia Patterson Foundation fellow, writing about endangered diversity on the borderlands between India, Myanmar, and China.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Short Yet Thoroughly Documented Clarion Call Inspired By Pollan's In Defense Of Food. In this text, Jacobsen explicitly sets out to do for sunlight what Michael Pollan once did for "real food" several years ago... and largely nails it. The writing here is engaging and explains the science at a level that most will be able to understand it yet doesn't shy away from the more complex areas of the science either. At just under 300 pages with just over a quarter of even that being documentation, this is an easy one day read for many people... and yet will also be one that many readers will want to sip and savor and perhaps spread out over a much longer reading period.
Perhaps, even, via reading it for a few minutes per day as the sun rises or sets... which is a particular period Jacobsen shows does quite a bit for the human body.
In all honesty, I read this book when I did - days before the dreaded "Spring Forward" of "Daylight Saving Time" - hoping for a much stronger anti-DST argument here, which isn't as present as I had hoped... but that actually points to the actual strengths of the text, as Jacobsen is more concerned that you get outside at all than *when* you get outside, though he does indeed go into detail about what the sun's light at different times of the day can do for you and does in fact make at least some case for the earlier sunrises of so-called "Standard" time, while also pointing out the science of living on the eastern vs western edges of a time zone, among many other topics.
Overall a very thorough text covering all aspects of the science of the interaction of the sun and the human body, this is absolutely one book everyone needs to read and make their own calls about... and perhaps even recommend it to your medical providers. I know I'll be recommending my own docs read this.
Very much recommended.
Perhaps, even, via reading it for a few minutes per day as the sun rises or sets... which is a particular period Jacobsen shows does quite a bit for the human body.
In all honesty, I read this book when I did - days before the dreaded "Spring Forward" of "Daylight Saving Time" - hoping for a much stronger anti-DST argument here, which isn't as present as I had hoped... but that actually points to the actual strengths of the text, as Jacobsen is more concerned that you get outside at all than *when* you get outside, though he does indeed go into detail about what the sun's light at different times of the day can do for you and does in fact make at least some case for the earlier sunrises of so-called "Standard" time, while also pointing out the science of living on the eastern vs western edges of a time zone, among many other topics.
Overall a very thorough text covering all aspects of the science of the interaction of the sun and the human body, this is absolutely one book everyone needs to read and make their own calls about... and perhaps even recommend it to your medical providers. I know I'll be recommending my own docs read this.
Very much recommended.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"In Defense of Sunlight" discussed scientific studies on the benefits and dangers of sunlight to human health using a historical framework. In the 1800s, scientists realized that lack of sunlight in badly polluted cities was causing rickets in children. Doctors started treating diseases like tuberculosis with sunlight, and the recommendations moved toward nude sunbathing for your health. Scientists discovered vitamin D. So, of course, people made vitamin D pills and UV lamps as health products but discovered neither quite lived up to hopes (though a narrow wavelength UV light can be used to treat multiple sclerosis!).
The author covered the skin cancer scare that lead to the current recommendations as well as the history of sunscreen, its variable effectiveness at blocking UV, and research into if it really does stop skin cancer. He also showed why the actual science is much more nuanced than 'everyone should always wear sunscreen.' You can get many health benefits from the sun while most sun-exposure cancers won't kill you, so informed sun exposure (especially for darker-skinned people) is desirable. After covering recent scientific studies on why getting sun on your skin provides various health benefits, he covered the latest science-based recommendations for how much sun your skin type should get and when is the best times to get it.
Though there is a lot of good scientific information in this book (thank you!), it's an easy read and the science is explained in terms a high schooler could understand. I knew I enjoyed the joint-deep warmth of the sun, and now I better understand why I'm drawn to sun exposure, especially in the morning. It helps your body in a multitude of ways. Overall, I'd highly recommend this informative and interesting book.
I received a free ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
The author covered the skin cancer scare that lead to the current recommendations as well as the history of sunscreen, its variable effectiveness at blocking UV, and research into if it really does stop skin cancer. He also showed why the actual science is much more nuanced than 'everyone should always wear sunscreen.' You can get many health benefits from the sun while most sun-exposure cancers won't kill you, so informed sun exposure (especially for darker-skinned people) is desirable. After covering recent scientific studies on why getting sun on your skin provides various health benefits, he covered the latest science-based recommendations for how much sun your skin type should get and when is the best times to get it.
Though there is a lot of good scientific information in this book (thank you!), it's an easy read and the science is explained in terms a high schooler could understand. I knew I enjoyed the joint-deep warmth of the sun, and now I better understand why I'm drawn to sun exposure, especially in the morning. It helps your body in a multitude of ways. Overall, I'd highly recommend this informative and interesting book.
I received a free ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In Defense of Sunlight is a fascinating and eye-opening book about something most of us take for granted: sunlight. Instead of just warning about sun exposure, the author looks at the many ways sunlight supports our health and well-being.
What I loved most about this book is how clearly it explains the science. The author breaks down complex topics in a way that is easy to understand while still feeling well researched and thoughtful. It explores how sunlight affects sleep, mood, and overall health, and it really made me rethink how much time I spend outside during the day.
The book is packed with information but still very readable. It’s the kind of book you could read quickly, but it’s also one that makes you pause and reflect on small daily habits. By the end, I found myself appreciating sunlight in a whole new way.
Overall, this was an engaging and informative read that makes a strong case for the importance of getting outside and connecting with natural light.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
What I loved most about this book is how clearly it explains the science. The author breaks down complex topics in a way that is easy to understand while still feeling well researched and thoughtful. It explores how sunlight affects sleep, mood, and overall health, and it really made me rethink how much time I spend outside during the day.
The book is packed with information but still very readable. It’s the kind of book you could read quickly, but it’s also one that makes you pause and reflect on small daily habits. By the end, I found myself appreciating sunlight in a whole new way.
Overall, this was an engaging and informative read that makes a strong case for the importance of getting outside and connecting with natural light.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Absolutely fascinating! This book delivers the nitty gritty science in a way that is readable, accessible, and interesting. Everyone should read this, especially since it takes public policy and health so long to adapt to new evidence and discoveries.
The key take aways: the sun is not something to be feared, but an essential source of health and vitality. We need a more nuanced approach than “avoid the sun and wear sunscreen every day.” Depending on skin tone, location, and life circumstances, your sun exposure might need some radical changes in order to gain all the benefits to your heart, metabolism, and more.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in optimizing their health.
The key take aways: the sun is not something to be feared, but an essential source of health and vitality. We need a more nuanced approach than “avoid the sun and wear sunscreen every day.” Depending on skin tone, location, and life circumstances, your sun exposure might need some radical changes in order to gain all the benefits to your heart, metabolism, and more.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in optimizing their health.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you NetGalley and Scribner for this ARC
In Defense of Sunlight is a really thoughtful exploration of how sunlight shapes life, health, and the natural world. I live in a very sunny area and sometimes I just don't want to go out and soak up the sunshine. However this book changed my perspective and I think the public need to learn more on how important it is for our health to get more sunshine! Highly recommended and I can't wait for the audiobook.
In Defense of Sunlight is a really thoughtful exploration of how sunlight shapes life, health, and the natural world. I live in a very sunny area and sometimes I just don't want to go out and soak up the sunshine. However this book changed my perspective and I think the public need to learn more on how important it is for our health to get more sunshine! Highly recommended and I can't wait for the audiobook.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
*I read an advance copy and was not compensated
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews