What do you think?
Rate this book
The Complete Human Body, 2nd Edition: The Definitive Visual Guide
Intricate details of all aspects of the human body down to the smallest detail – from our cells and DNA to the largest bone in our bodies, the femur.
3D generated illustrations and medical imaging provide a close look at the body’s forms and functions in physiology and anatomy, showing how the body works and its amazing systems and abilities.
To understand our modern human bodies, this book first looks at our ancestors and how the evolution of Homo Sapiens shaped our anatomy. This gave us the ability to walk tall, create language, and make tools with our incredibly adapted opposable thumbs.
Learn how we can see evolution in our DNA, and the functions of DNA. Read about the things you can only see with microscopes and other special imaging machines, like cell structure, motor pathways in the brain, and the inner iris.
All these many parts work together to make the human body. The physiology of our body is written in clarifying detail. Learn about the organs and systems that operate within, like the cardiovascular, digestive, and neural systems.
See our elegant anatomy and read how the skeleton, muscles, and ligaments operate to allow movement. This second edition has included more detail on the joints in the hands and feet. The Complete Human Body takes you from infancy to old age showing how our body grows and changes, and what can go wrong.
2nd Enhanced and Updated
This visual guide uses remarkable illustrations and diagrams to peek inside our complex and astounding bodies. It has been written in an easy-to-follow format, with straightforward explanations to give you the best overview of the many things that make us human. Suitable for young students who want an extra resource for school, people working in medical fields, or for anyone with a keen interest in human biology.
Inside the body of the
• The Integrated Body
• Anatomy
• How the Body Works
• Life Cycles
• Diseases and Disorders
3D generated illustrations and medical imaging provide a close look at the body’s forms and functions in physiology and anatomy, showing how the body works and its amazing systems and abilities.
To understand our modern human bodies, this book first looks at our ancestors and how the evolution of Homo Sapiens shaped our anatomy. This gave us the ability to walk tall, create language, and make tools with our incredibly adapted opposable thumbs.
Learn how we can see evolution in our DNA, and the functions of DNA. Read about the things you can only see with microscopes and other special imaging machines, like cell structure, motor pathways in the brain, and the inner iris.
All these many parts work together to make the human body. The physiology of our body is written in clarifying detail. Learn about the organs and systems that operate within, like the cardiovascular, digestive, and neural systems.
See our elegant anatomy and read how the skeleton, muscles, and ligaments operate to allow movement. This second edition has included more detail on the joints in the hands and feet. The Complete Human Body takes you from infancy to old age showing how our body grows and changes, and what can go wrong.
2nd Enhanced and Updated
This visual guide uses remarkable illustrations and diagrams to peek inside our complex and astounding bodies. It has been written in an easy-to-follow format, with straightforward explanations to give you the best overview of the many things that make us human. Suitable for young students who want an extra resource for school, people working in medical fields, or for anyone with a keen interest in human biology.
Inside the body of the
• The Integrated Body
• Anatomy
• How the Body Works
• Life Cycles
• Diseases and Disorders
528 pages, Hardcover
First published August 30, 2010
190 people are currently reading
1213 people want to read
About the author
Alice Roberts
39 books785 followersAlice May Roberts is an English anatomist, osteoarchaeologist, physical anthropologist, palaeopathologist, television presenter and author.
Roberts studied medicine and anatomy at Cardiff University, qualifying in 1997 as a physician with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB BCh) degree, having gained an intercalated Bachelor of Science degree in anatomy. She earned a PhD in paleopathology in 2008 from the University of Bristol.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Roberts studied medicine and anatomy at Cardiff University, qualifying in 1997 as a physician with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB BCh) degree, having gained an intercalated Bachelor of Science degree in anatomy. She earned a PhD in paleopathology in 2008 from the University of Bristol.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 8, 2023
This is a very beautiful book about the human body --- both the outside and what lies inside.
Here is an example that shows the book’s descriptive strengths and allows you to infer the book’s limitations (some self-imposed).
Endocrine System
“The body’s internal environment is controlled and regulated by nerves and hormones. The autonomic nervous system uses nerve impulses and neurotransmitters to send information in a swift and localized way. The glands of the endocrine system produce hormones---chemical messengers, often carried in the blood---that act in a slower, more prolonged, and more generalized way. Both the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system are governed by the hypothalmus in the brain. The pituitary gland produces hormones that affect other endocrine glands, which sometimes form discrete organs. There are also hormone-producing cells in the tissues of many other organs.”
This is not a book that will tell you how to stay healthy. It isn’t a Mayo Clinic publication that addresses a certain disease or disability. But if your coach or trainer tells you that your gastrocnemius is inflamed or your chiropractor tells you that your lumbar 6 seems herniated or your doctor says that your optic nerve is impinged by an meningioma, this book is a wonderful way of understanding where that thing is. Layer upon layer is revealed. There are views of the brain from top, sides and bottom. Position and orientation are illustrated.
There are sections on genetics and certain disorders. And a bit on evolution of humans. But what comes off each page is the DK graphic beauty that can both stun and inform. Wow!
Here is an example that shows the book’s descriptive strengths and allows you to infer the book’s limitations (some self-imposed).
Endocrine System
“The body’s internal environment is controlled and regulated by nerves and hormones. The autonomic nervous system uses nerve impulses and neurotransmitters to send information in a swift and localized way. The glands of the endocrine system produce hormones---chemical messengers, often carried in the blood---that act in a slower, more prolonged, and more generalized way. Both the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system are governed by the hypothalmus in the brain. The pituitary gland produces hormones that affect other endocrine glands, which sometimes form discrete organs. There are also hormone-producing cells in the tissues of many other organs.”
This is not a book that will tell you how to stay healthy. It isn’t a Mayo Clinic publication that addresses a certain disease or disability. But if your coach or trainer tells you that your gastrocnemius is inflamed or your chiropractor tells you that your lumbar 6 seems herniated or your doctor says that your optic nerve is impinged by an meningioma, this book is a wonderful way of understanding where that thing is. Layer upon layer is revealed. There are views of the brain from top, sides and bottom. Position and orientation are illustrated.
There are sections on genetics and certain disorders. And a bit on evolution of humans. But what comes off each page is the DK graphic beauty that can both stun and inform. Wow!
May 27, 2023
This heavy coffee table book lives up to its title. It's fabulous and has the potential to keep you occupied for many hours! I thoroughly enjoyed pouring over the detailed color pictures.
November 4, 2010
With the full colour diagrams, and illustrations along with a DVD, this will be the book you want if you are curious about the human body
April 28, 2020
A extremely indepth guide into all aspects of the human body. Highly recommended.
July 26, 2012
absolutely amazing!! perfect for helping with all those crazy questions my 9 yr old has. it's our new coffee table book.
March 13, 2023
Ggood
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Currently reading
December 31, 2010I am loving this book. Continually blown away by the human body.
April 8, 2021
This book was pretty informative and the graphics were very cool, but it was exhaustingly cis/het (male-this, female-that, puberty=interest in the opposite sex, etc.). Also the heart and lung graphics were confusing because the blood into the lungs was often red and the blood out was often blue, which is weird because red often signals oxygenated blood.
November 3, 2017
great book. answer most of the question related to human body. I love how they explain it in a very simple way yet contain so much information that easy to understand by people with no science background. amazing.
March 16, 2023
Sách viết rất chi tiết với những hình ảnh trực quan sinh động về cơ thể người và các bệnh lý thường gặp.
Điểm trừ duy nhất có lẽ là cỡ chữ sử dụng trong sách hơi nhỏ và dày. Khiến cho việc đọc khá mỏi mắt.
Điểm trừ duy nhất có lẽ là cỡ chữ sử dụng trong sách hơi nhỏ và dày. Khiến cho việc đọc khá mỏi mắt.
September 8, 2025
Literally has all possible information for anything. I hit my head and was concerned about it so I looked through this book and saw what could have been damaged which was intruiging and I will be looking through this again if anyone has anything interesting to look up. (not to be weird lol)
October 24, 2017
My third grade son checked out this book for the illustrations. He only looked at the illustrations, he didn't even read the text. This book is worth four stars just based on that.
May 27, 2020
Thorough, encyclopedic
May 23, 2022
得到了运动损伤患者的五星肯定，仔细研究了肘关节、膝关节的骨胳、肌肉、韧带，简单翻阅了最后一部份“疾病和功能失调”，简而言之：详细、准确、清晰，描述保守，但作为小孩的科普书，这本太难了。（打算留着作工具书查阅
Want to read
January 23, 2024SM
May 20, 2024
Brilliant!
December 24, 2024
Dk publishing books are a great resource for kids
July 7, 2014
Great Home Reference …
This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free advance copy of the book.
DK’s HUMAN ANATOMY is great graphic reference for a general understanding of the human body.
The book is divided into three main sections, each with a designated color page corner for “easy reference”:
1) “The Integrated Body” – serves as an introductory chapter that explains human genetics, the human cell, body composition and an overview of the body’s systems.
2) “Body Systems” – the “meat and potatoes” of the book. A thoroughly detailed graphic presentation of the human body (skeletal, neuro, lymphatic, muscular, cardiovascular, reproductive, etc.). All organs and systems are shown with multiple annotations accompanying each graphic. Visually enticing and thoroughly notated, it is easy to get wrapped up in simply flipping pages.
3) “Imaging the Body” – Explains the various manners in which the body can be imaged to detect ailments, monitor the effects of treatments and discover/understand the progression of disease.
I found the book to be highly informative and interesting … a superb reference for the family library. It examines every aspect of the human body and does back up its claim as “the definitive visual guide”. I have yet to see a book as thorough. I think the benefit of this book is using it as a means to understanding how the human body operates as a whole rather than a medical guide to diagnose ailments/injuries. However, seeing how the various systems work independently and together can provide enough information to piece together a rudimentary understanding of how/why some ailments can/do occur.
My only real issue with the book is how it is organized. I wish the “Body Systems” section was broken-down so the various systems could be located easier (rather than sifting through 200 green-tabbed pages for specific systems). A smaller issue is with the annotations … they serve mostly to identify/name particulars. While some of the annotations do explain functions, I would have liked to see more of the explanatory annotations throughout the book.
Aside from a few minor issues, I can’t find a reason NOT to own this book. It’s over-sized, interesting, impressively visual, highly-detailed and educational … an essential reference for every home.
This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free advance copy of the book.
DK’s HUMAN ANATOMY is great graphic reference for a general understanding of the human body.
The book is divided into three main sections, each with a designated color page corner for “easy reference”:
1) “The Integrated Body” – serves as an introductory chapter that explains human genetics, the human cell, body composition and an overview of the body’s systems.
2) “Body Systems” – the “meat and potatoes” of the book. A thoroughly detailed graphic presentation of the human body (skeletal, neuro, lymphatic, muscular, cardiovascular, reproductive, etc.). All organs and systems are shown with multiple annotations accompanying each graphic. Visually enticing and thoroughly notated, it is easy to get wrapped up in simply flipping pages.
3) “Imaging the Body” – Explains the various manners in which the body can be imaged to detect ailments, monitor the effects of treatments and discover/understand the progression of disease.
I found the book to be highly informative and interesting … a superb reference for the family library. It examines every aspect of the human body and does back up its claim as “the definitive visual guide”. I have yet to see a book as thorough. I think the benefit of this book is using it as a means to understanding how the human body operates as a whole rather than a medical guide to diagnose ailments/injuries. However, seeing how the various systems work independently and together can provide enough information to piece together a rudimentary understanding of how/why some ailments can/do occur.
My only real issue with the book is how it is organized. I wish the “Body Systems” section was broken-down so the various systems could be located easier (rather than sifting through 200 green-tabbed pages for specific systems). A smaller issue is with the annotations … they serve mostly to identify/name particulars. While some of the annotations do explain functions, I would have liked to see more of the explanatory annotations throughout the book.
Aside from a few minor issues, I can’t find a reason NOT to own this book. It’s over-sized, interesting, impressively visual, highly-detailed and educational … an essential reference for every home.
June 27, 2014
DK's “Human Anatomy: The Definitive Visual Guide” is visually impressive for sure. This large size hard-cover book has full color illustrations throughout along with a complete overview of the entire human body. This includes parts on cells and body composition at the beginning, moving into sections on Skin, Hair and Nails; Skeletal System; Muscular System; Nervous System; Respiratory System; Cardiovascular System, Lymphatic and Immune System; Digestive System; Urinary System, Reproductive System; and the Endocrine System. The book concludes with a section on imaging the body.
It should be noted that on the cover it says, “Content Previously Published In “The Complete Human Body.” So if you have that, you probably wouldn't want to get this volume. This is a good book for anyone wanting to “See” the components of the human body. It is great for visuals, hence the name, “Human Anatomy: The Definitive Visual Guide.” If you are looking for more in depth descriptions of all of the systems mentioned above, you may need to also get additional resources. So this book might help your high school student understand basic biology and human anatomy, but for a college student taking college level anatomy classes further references will be needed.
I think this is an excellent visual guide for those that want simple understanding with great visuals on human anatomy, because most people don't want to read a detailed medical guide on anatomy and biology.
It should be noted that on the cover it says, “Content Previously Published In “The Complete Human Body.” So if you have that, you probably wouldn't want to get this volume. This is a good book for anyone wanting to “See” the components of the human body. It is great for visuals, hence the name, “Human Anatomy: The Definitive Visual Guide.” If you are looking for more in depth descriptions of all of the systems mentioned above, you may need to also get additional resources. So this book might help your high school student understand basic biology and human anatomy, but for a college student taking college level anatomy classes further references will be needed.
I think this is an excellent visual guide for those that want simple understanding with great visuals on human anatomy, because most people don't want to read a detailed medical guide on anatomy and biology.
March 13, 2016
This is a great book for big colorful pictures. I love the pictures showing all the muscles and bones of the body and showing them up close in sections. This book is good for people who want to learn about the muscles and the bones and the names of each, but it really does not go into much more details. Pictures take over the book without much depth into learning much about anything else. The one picture that I was looking for was how all the organs are situated in the body. They go by sections which shows where the organs are located. I wanted it all together. I finally found one that I thought I could use, but they only had it of a male. I was disappointed. That is what I was looking for, but then they didn't have one of a woman's body with her female organs. I guess in a big impressive book like this one I expected a lot more.
December 3, 2023
The illustrations in this book are beautiful and the stucture of the book is really good. The chapters are clour coded and there are many sections and little extra spaces additional information. The texts are short, easy to understand and still have scientific vocabulary, which is not that easy to do, but is well made in this book.
May 30, 2017
What an exceptional book. Great for non-medical laymen. I really appreciate the introductory book on anatomy and physiology.
I can't imagine why it has taken me so long to read about our own bodies. As we get older, we should understand our bodies a bit better and come to learn of what can go wrong and how we can better ourselves by merely looking after ourselves by keeping better dietary and exercise habits.
I can't imagine why it has taken me so long to read about our own bodies. As we get older, we should understand our bodies a bit better and come to learn of what can go wrong and how we can better ourselves by merely looking after ourselves by keeping better dietary and exercise habits.
September 23, 2016
This large format, richly illustrated, over 500 page book is a great place to learn all you need to know about the human anatomy. I wish there were books like this when I was a kid. It's probably too heavy for many "kids" to even hold, but infinitely fascinating just like the subject and would help prepare one for a career in health care. Very worthwhile.
December 25, 2020
This is a thorough guide to the anatomical features of human bodies. There is also information included about many types of physical disorders and diseases. This book is best served as a handy reference that should be nearby on a sturdy bookshelf. The pictures are large and the text is easy to read. The book is heavy, so it will mostly be kept in one location when not in use.
September 2, 2013
a great book, to know how body work, simple and very interesting ;) in the book there are about anatomy human, how body works and function and about disease, there is also a glossary hehe
suitable for all ages ;)
suitable for all ages ;)
Read
August 21, 2016It was a good book. It gives a general idea of the human body structure. Note: there isn't much on the function.
December 25, 2017
This over-sized book provided color pictures of all functions and parts of the human body.
Read
July 16, 2018it's great
June 5, 2019
Excellent illustrative book of basic anatomy. I love the simplicity here! Easily approachable. I really like how there are life size sections of the body. Great casual reference!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews