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The Story of Shit
We are very discreet. We disappear into a small room, perform the task, flush, wash and reappear as if nothing happened. Of course, hygiene is necessary—some faecal bacteria, if re-ingested, can cause very serious problems—and unpleasant aromas are best kept at bay.
But in all this hygienic discretion have we lost touch with an integral part of ourselves—something as much a part of living as breathing, eating and sleeping? Something enriching, creative and even enjoyable.
In The Story of Shit, Dutch biologist Midas Dekkers presents a personal, cultural, scientific, historical and environmental account of shit, from the digestive process and the fascinating workings of the gut, to the act of defecation and toilet etiquette. With irreverent humour and a compelling narrative style, Dekkers brings a refreshing, entertaining and illuminating perspective to a once-taboo subject.
But in all this hygienic discretion have we lost touch with an integral part of ourselves—something as much a part of living as breathing, eating and sleeping? Something enriching, creative and even enjoyable.
In The Story of Shit, Dutch biologist Midas Dekkers presents a personal, cultural, scientific, historical and environmental account of shit, from the digestive process and the fascinating workings of the gut, to the act of defecation and toilet etiquette. With irreverent humour and a compelling narrative style, Dekkers brings a refreshing, entertaining and illuminating perspective to a once-taboo subject.
293 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2014
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183 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
June 28, 2018
My first thought when I saw this listed on NetGalley was - "surely, it can't be a book about actual shit" but, to my amazement, it actually is. I feel that this is the perfect way to write a book on such a taboo subject - lots of facts and detailed information on one of the bodies natural functions which Dekkers injects with laugh-out-loud humour throughout making what could've been a particularly dry topic, a pleasure to read.
Initially, this book was brought to my attention by my favourite weekly magazine - New Scientist, who wrote a glowing review for it and described Dekkers as being "in possession of a golden pen." I was particularly interested in learning about digestion with it playing a big part in the issues I have had going on with my abdomen for what has got to be close to ten years by now. The NHS is becoming such a liability, patients have to learn things for themselves in order to try and work out what it is that is wrong with them. It's times like these when I wish I could go back and choose between a law degree and a medical degree again, as this time I would've chosen to become a doctor. Hindsight is 20-20, as they say.
I have seen various complaints about some of the language used in the book e.g. crude language, but honestly what did you expect with a title like that!? I feel that had the "The Story of Shit" only talked about the biological functions without the humour there would be many more people complaining it was boring. You can't please everyone, I guess. If you're prone to being prudish, this is definitely not for you!
"The Story of Shit" is a real triumph and Dutch writer Midas Dekkers certainly knows how to entertain an audience, keeping them laughing and learning the whole way through this book. He is a bestselling author and biologist so he knows his stuff on this subject. I didn't realise that this was translated into English from the Dutch, this usually means the translator has done a sterling job - kudos to Nancy Forest-Flier. I sometimes feel a translator doesn't get the recognition they deserve as, in some ways, a book's success can rely on an excellent translation. I am glad she is mentioned by name here.
An informative, educational and quick read for me. I simply cannot stressjust how funny it is - literally, there were points when tears were streaming down my face from laughing so hard! Dekkers is so unbelievably witty and has written an accessible and engaging book. I imagine that this will be the most unconventional read of 2018 for me, an accreditation it deserves.
I hope the topic doesn't stop people from reading it and learning about their own bodily functions. The book actually goes beyond discussing just crap and delves into the subjects of wind and urine, toilet paper, and the CIA's use of transmitters disguised as tiger turds to eavesdrop on the Viet Cong. There are some intriguing anecdotes all the way through the book. A great job by all involved.
Many thanks to Text Publishing for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Initially, this book was brought to my attention by my favourite weekly magazine - New Scientist, who wrote a glowing review for it and described Dekkers as being "in possession of a golden pen." I was particularly interested in learning about digestion with it playing a big part in the issues I have had going on with my abdomen for what has got to be close to ten years by now. The NHS is becoming such a liability, patients have to learn things for themselves in order to try and work out what it is that is wrong with them. It's times like these when I wish I could go back and choose between a law degree and a medical degree again, as this time I would've chosen to become a doctor. Hindsight is 20-20, as they say.
I have seen various complaints about some of the language used in the book e.g. crude language, but honestly what did you expect with a title like that!? I feel that had the "The Story of Shit" only talked about the biological functions without the humour there would be many more people complaining it was boring. You can't please everyone, I guess. If you're prone to being prudish, this is definitely not for you!
"The Story of Shit" is a real triumph and Dutch writer Midas Dekkers certainly knows how to entertain an audience, keeping them laughing and learning the whole way through this book. He is a bestselling author and biologist so he knows his stuff on this subject. I didn't realise that this was translated into English from the Dutch, this usually means the translator has done a sterling job - kudos to Nancy Forest-Flier. I sometimes feel a translator doesn't get the recognition they deserve as, in some ways, a book's success can rely on an excellent translation. I am glad she is mentioned by name here.
An informative, educational and quick read for me. I simply cannot stressjust how funny it is - literally, there were points when tears were streaming down my face from laughing so hard! Dekkers is so unbelievably witty and has written an accessible and engaging book. I imagine that this will be the most unconventional read of 2018 for me, an accreditation it deserves.
I hope the topic doesn't stop people from reading it and learning about their own bodily functions. The book actually goes beyond discussing just crap and delves into the subjects of wind and urine, toilet paper, and the CIA's use of transmitters disguised as tiger turds to eavesdrop on the Viet Cong. There are some intriguing anecdotes all the way through the book. A great job by all involved.
Many thanks to Text Publishing for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
January 12, 2018
“Defecating is reserved for private whispers (if it’s talked about at all), and the results are furtively flushed away as if a crime had been committed.”
The Story of Shit is a non-fiction book by Dutch author and biologist, Midas Dekkers. As the title suggests, Dekkers has indeed written a book about an item and an act, mention of which is generally avoided in polite company. Dekkers explores historical attitudes to shit, and those of the present day: “Any excrement encountered outside the body, like spit outside the mouth or extra-nasal snot, is a fugitive, illegal, on the run, bent on our destruction.” He looks at where we do our business and how the stuff is formed. He waxes lyrical about the look, shape, dimensions, smell and consistency of it (for probably far longer than is necessary). Sausages inevitably enter the narrative, along with sex and farts and faecal transplants and toilet training.
Dekkers talks about the value of shit, both commercial and environmental. He describes the ideal dimensions of a water closet. About toilet paper, Dekkers describes earlier alternatives, including Francois Rabelais’s preferred method: “…there is none in the world comparable to the neck of a goose, that is well downed, if you hold her head betwixt your legs. And believe me therein upon mine honour, for you will thereby feel in your nockhole a most wonderful pleasure, both in regard of the softness of the said down and of the temperate heat of the goose, which is easily communicated to the bum-gut and the rest of the inwards, in so far as to come even to the regions of the heart and brains.”
The book is rather clever with many laugh-out-loud observations on human (and animal) behaviour but occasionally there are flaws in some of the examples. In talking about animals required to be virtually independent when they leave the womb, the example of the foal standing on its legs works, but the duckling having to swim, not quite. And in the transformation of matter from food into person, the cheese in this example does not eat the cow: “How do you make a lion from a lamb? A good question for a zoo director. Lions are more popular with the public than lambs. Fortunately, the solution is simple: put the lamb near the lion. In no time at all the lamb will have become a lion. That’s how you make cats from mice, mice from cheese, cheese from cows and cows from grass.” Also, burping is not borborygmus.
While his explanations sometimes simplify at the expense of accuracy, Dekkers does provide fourteen pages of bibliography and a comprehensive nine-page index. Flawlessly translated from Dutch by Nancy Forest-Flier, this book is quite interesting, often funny and definitely irreverent.
The Story of Shit is a non-fiction book by Dutch author and biologist, Midas Dekkers. As the title suggests, Dekkers has indeed written a book about an item and an act, mention of which is generally avoided in polite company. Dekkers explores historical attitudes to shit, and those of the present day: “Any excrement encountered outside the body, like spit outside the mouth or extra-nasal snot, is a fugitive, illegal, on the run, bent on our destruction.” He looks at where we do our business and how the stuff is formed. He waxes lyrical about the look, shape, dimensions, smell and consistency of it (for probably far longer than is necessary). Sausages inevitably enter the narrative, along with sex and farts and faecal transplants and toilet training.
Dekkers talks about the value of shit, both commercial and environmental. He describes the ideal dimensions of a water closet. About toilet paper, Dekkers describes earlier alternatives, including Francois Rabelais’s preferred method: “…there is none in the world comparable to the neck of a goose, that is well downed, if you hold her head betwixt your legs. And believe me therein upon mine honour, for you will thereby feel in your nockhole a most wonderful pleasure, both in regard of the softness of the said down and of the temperate heat of the goose, which is easily communicated to the bum-gut and the rest of the inwards, in so far as to come even to the regions of the heart and brains.”
The book is rather clever with many laugh-out-loud observations on human (and animal) behaviour but occasionally there are flaws in some of the examples. In talking about animals required to be virtually independent when they leave the womb, the example of the foal standing on its legs works, but the duckling having to swim, not quite. And in the transformation of matter from food into person, the cheese in this example does not eat the cow: “How do you make a lion from a lamb? A good question for a zoo director. Lions are more popular with the public than lambs. Fortunately, the solution is simple: put the lamb near the lion. In no time at all the lamb will have become a lion. That’s how you make cats from mice, mice from cheese, cheese from cows and cows from grass.” Also, burping is not borborygmus.
While his explanations sometimes simplify at the expense of accuracy, Dekkers does provide fourteen pages of bibliography and a comprehensive nine-page index. Flawlessly translated from Dutch by Nancy Forest-Flier, this book is quite interesting, often funny and definitely irreverent.
Read
June 8, 2018‘Packed with humour...The Story of Shit is an enjoyable romp through culture, science, and history.’
Australian Book Review
‘Intestinal fortitude required. Prudes beware.’
North & South
‘[An] utterly unique, bizarre and interesting take on this universal-yet-taboo topic…Dekkers is an enthusiastic proponent of crap.’
AU Review
‘A fascinating, very funny look at something common to us all.’
Daily Telegraph
‘A funny but earnest investigation—part social history, biology lesson and cultural study—that takes Chaucerian delight in the subject.’
Sydney Morning Herald
‘The Story of Shit is entertaining, amusing, educational and revealing…Sitting on the toilet will never be the same’
ArtsHub
‘[A] remarkable foray into every aspect of diet, digestion and defecation…This is a fascinating, milestone work that should run out of bookshops like shit off a hot shovel.’
GPSpeak
‘It is such a wondrous thing when a scientist can explain facts in a humorous, straightforward and thrilling fashion.’
Toowoomba Chronicle
‘Dekkers doesn’t hold back in his brimming history…You learn a lot…So, do I recommend a book that tells how the CIA tried using transmitters disguised as tiger turds to eavesdrop on the Viet Cong? Oh…faeces, yes.’
New Zealand Listener
‘A masterful writing style that is not only unique in biology but without equal in the whole of Dutch literature. The Story of Shit shows Dekkers once again to be in possession of a golden pen.’
New Scientist
For those who aren’t aware: we are not our brain, we are our gut. There is always that unmistakable Midas touch: his brilliant, sharp style makes it hard to suppress a laugh or a smile.’
Medisch Contact
Australian Book Review
‘Intestinal fortitude required. Prudes beware.’
North & South
‘[An] utterly unique, bizarre and interesting take on this universal-yet-taboo topic…Dekkers is an enthusiastic proponent of crap.’
AU Review
‘A fascinating, very funny look at something common to us all.’
Daily Telegraph
‘A funny but earnest investigation—part social history, biology lesson and cultural study—that takes Chaucerian delight in the subject.’
Sydney Morning Herald
‘The Story of Shit is entertaining, amusing, educational and revealing…Sitting on the toilet will never be the same’
ArtsHub
‘[A] remarkable foray into every aspect of diet, digestion and defecation…This is a fascinating, milestone work that should run out of bookshops like shit off a hot shovel.’
GPSpeak
‘It is such a wondrous thing when a scientist can explain facts in a humorous, straightforward and thrilling fashion.’
Toowoomba Chronicle
‘Dekkers doesn’t hold back in his brimming history…You learn a lot…So, do I recommend a book that tells how the CIA tried using transmitters disguised as tiger turds to eavesdrop on the Viet Cong? Oh…faeces, yes.’
New Zealand Listener
‘A masterful writing style that is not only unique in biology but without equal in the whole of Dutch literature. The Story of Shit shows Dekkers once again to be in possession of a golden pen.’
New Scientist
For those who aren’t aware: we are not our brain, we are our gut. There is always that unmistakable Midas touch: his brilliant, sharp style makes it hard to suppress a laugh or a smile.’
Medisch Contact
January 5, 2026
Midas Dekkers is een genie én een viespeuk. Fantastisch boek over alles wat je wel/niet wilt weten over poep, pies en de bijbehorende biologie.
October 2, 2021
Voor de vierde keer naar het boek geluisterd. Ondanks dat ik het vaker heb beluisterd, wist ik mij veel dingen toch niet meer te herinneren. Het einde is vrij smakeloos, maar toch kan het niet ontbreken bij een boek over poep.
Dit boek heb ik nu voor de derde keer geluisterd. Het blijft een leuk boek. Al was ik nu ook wel blij dat ik het uit had. Toen ik aan het boek begon had ik echt zin om er naar te luisteren. Het einde vind ik echter niet zo leuk, vandaar dat het boek mij tegen begon te staan. Maar wellicht komt dat ook wel omdat ik het nu vaker heb beluisterd. Ik vind het verder nog steeds een aanrader.
Dit is de tweede keer dat ik dit boek heb gelezen. Het blijft leuk. Vandaar dat mijn review van de vorige keer nog steeds passend is.
Een boek schrijven over poep en er voor zorgen dat het ook nog interessant en grappig is. Laat dat maar aan Midas Dekkers over. Behalve dat het leuk is, steek je er ook nog wat van op. Al had ik bepaalde dingen niet hoeven weten. ;-) Ondanks dat zeker een aanrader.
Dit boek heb ik nu voor de derde keer geluisterd. Het blijft een leuk boek. Al was ik nu ook wel blij dat ik het uit had. Toen ik aan het boek begon had ik echt zin om er naar te luisteren. Het einde vind ik echter niet zo leuk, vandaar dat het boek mij tegen begon te staan. Maar wellicht komt dat ook wel omdat ik het nu vaker heb beluisterd. Ik vind het verder nog steeds een aanrader.
Dit is de tweede keer dat ik dit boek heb gelezen. Het blijft leuk. Vandaar dat mijn review van de vorige keer nog steeds passend is.
Een boek schrijven over poep en er voor zorgen dat het ook nog interessant en grappig is. Laat dat maar aan Midas Dekkers over. Behalve dat het leuk is, steek je er ook nog wat van op. Al had ik bepaalde dingen niet hoeven weten. ;-) Ondanks dat zeker een aanrader.
June 2, 2018
I didn't like this book nearly as much as I had hoped to. It's a genuinely interesting subject which, treated with real wit and the right tone can make a fascinating and readable book – as Richard Jones showed us in his excellent Call Of Nature. As the style of the title here will tell you, Dekkers has written a rather different book. New Scientist persuaded me to try this by saying that this "shows Dekkers once again to be in possession of a golden pen." Well, maybe – but whatever his pen is made of, I wasn't keen on what he has written with it.
There are good things here. Dekkers knows and has researched his subject, so there is a wealth of information on all sorts of aspects of defecation; the biological insights you'd expect, but also stuff about toilet paper, social aspects of toilet use, how defecating is treated in films and so on. For me, though, this was swamped by the book's flaws.
One problem is Dekkers's style which I found to be overblown and off-puttingly crude. Obviously, this is not a delicate subject, and I can see that Dekkers is trying to break conventions and taboos – hence the deliberate coarseness of the title – but the book is so relentless in its use of crude language that it begins to grate, like a teenager setting out to annoy. (This includes the c-word used as an anatomical descriptor, which, especially in a factual book from a male author, I find very questionable.) Add to this a bombastic flow of sometimes very dodgy arguments and I really began to struggle. Just as a single example:
"We still love with all our heart. That’s why we hate it so much when something goes wrong, and we’re willing to spend so much money to have our heart and blood vessels repaired. Heart surgeons and blood specialists share in the honour that accrues to their favourite organs.
Gastroenterologists gnash their teeth. They know that the only purpose of blood vessels is transport. Real life takes place in the intestines."
I'm afraid I find that plain silly. We hate it so much when something goes wrong with our heart because it can kill us in short order – and then real life wouldn't be taking place in the intestines, would it? Yes, the only purpose of blood vessels is transport, just as the only purpose of any vital organ is a small, specific but essential part of the complex processes of life – and that includes the intestines. Dekkers asserts that "You are not your brain; you don’t love with your heart; and even the horniest man is more than his dick. We are our intestines." The first sentence is self-evidently true; the second is self-contradictory nonsense. There was too much of this sort of stuff in the book for me to ignore.
So, not for me in either style or content. The real and valuable science and analysis in the book were swamped by the flaws and I can't recommend it.
(My thanks to Text Publishing for an ARC via NetGalley.)
There are good things here. Dekkers knows and has researched his subject, so there is a wealth of information on all sorts of aspects of defecation; the biological insights you'd expect, but also stuff about toilet paper, social aspects of toilet use, how defecating is treated in films and so on. For me, though, this was swamped by the book's flaws.
One problem is Dekkers's style which I found to be overblown and off-puttingly crude. Obviously, this is not a delicate subject, and I can see that Dekkers is trying to break conventions and taboos – hence the deliberate coarseness of the title – but the book is so relentless in its use of crude language that it begins to grate, like a teenager setting out to annoy. (This includes the c-word used as an anatomical descriptor, which, especially in a factual book from a male author, I find very questionable.) Add to this a bombastic flow of sometimes very dodgy arguments and I really began to struggle. Just as a single example:
"We still love with all our heart. That’s why we hate it so much when something goes wrong, and we’re willing to spend so much money to have our heart and blood vessels repaired. Heart surgeons and blood specialists share in the honour that accrues to their favourite organs.
Gastroenterologists gnash their teeth. They know that the only purpose of blood vessels is transport. Real life takes place in the intestines."
I'm afraid I find that plain silly. We hate it so much when something goes wrong with our heart because it can kill us in short order – and then real life wouldn't be taking place in the intestines, would it? Yes, the only purpose of blood vessels is transport, just as the only purpose of any vital organ is a small, specific but essential part of the complex processes of life – and that includes the intestines. Dekkers asserts that "You are not your brain; you don’t love with your heart; and even the horniest man is more than his dick. We are our intestines." The first sentence is self-evidently true; the second is self-contradictory nonsense. There was too much of this sort of stuff in the book for me to ignore.
So, not for me in either style or content. The real and valuable science and analysis in the book were swamped by the flaws and I can't recommend it.
(My thanks to Text Publishing for an ARC via NetGalley.)
November 10, 2023
Tja, de kleine verlossing. Wat een opluchting! het las als dwarszittende lucht, af en toe was het best een harde keutel en met enige regelmaat was het zowel informatief als even omkijken op de vlakspoeler als grappig als een kneiterharde scheet waar je zelf het meeste lol aan beleefd. En we weten allemaal dat ze ruiken zodat dove mensen er ook plezier aan kunnen beleven.
Maar alle gekheid op een stokje, ik heb eerder 'Wat loopt daar' al gelezen en dat vond ik een heel tof boek. Toen kwam ik erachter dat De kleine verlossing bestond en ben ik eraan begonnen met enerzijds geen verwachting en anderzijds toch een stukje ongemak vanwege het onderwerp kak. Ja, dat rijmt.
Al met al is dit echt heel leuk en informatief, maar ook op veel punten toch wel ongemakkelijk of soms onsmakelijk. Je weet het voordat je erin trapt, maar toch kun je het niet laten om door te gaan. 3.5 sterren en ik maak er 4 van op GR omdat het toch op zich een prestatie is om een boeiend boek te schrijven over poepen en alles daar rondom.
Maar alle gekheid op een stokje, ik heb eerder 'Wat loopt daar' al gelezen en dat vond ik een heel tof boek. Toen kwam ik erachter dat De kleine verlossing bestond en ben ik eraan begonnen met enerzijds geen verwachting en anderzijds toch een stukje ongemak vanwege het onderwerp kak. Ja, dat rijmt.
Al met al is dit echt heel leuk en informatief, maar ook op veel punten toch wel ongemakkelijk of soms onsmakelijk. Je weet het voordat je erin trapt, maar toch kun je het niet laten om door te gaan. 3.5 sterren en ik maak er 4 van op GR omdat het toch op zich een prestatie is om een boeiend boek te schrijven over poepen en alles daar rondom.
June 28, 2018
I have a casual interest in the human body (two months ago I reviewed The Wonder Down Under: A User’s Guide to the Vagina) and when I learned there was a book about the personal, cultural, scientific, historical and environmental aspects of shit, I was hooked.
The Story of Shit is by biologist and writer Midas Dekkers and was translated from Dutch to English by Nancy Forest-Flier. Dekkers was able to impart a lot of interesting information on the topic, however it came along with wayyyyy too much emphasis on the joy of defecation and the underrated nature of human excrement.
Just some of the irrelevant and distasteful opinions shared included: defecating being not too dissimilar to childbirth, defecation should be revered in the same way a person appreciates a fine meal, the disappointment in not being able to detect the messages in dog faeces and so on.
The inclusion of two thoroughly inappropriate comments in relation to female genitalia definitely cost this book a star or two. Here's the first one, you be the judge.
"Everyone guards their throat like a virgin guards her vagina. Whether it's dubious food or a dubious guy, it's all about preserving the body's integrity. Forcing something unpleasant on someone bears a suspiciously strong resemblance to rape. The most important difference is that there's a set of teeth behind the lips of the mouth which victims of sexual assault might have found helpful - behind their other set of lips, of course." Page 9
What the actual hell was that?
While there were some informative sections of the book (the section on disgust was memorable, and the historical section describing enema parties in the French court during the time of Louis XIV was excellent) the final chapter was so offensive it made me regret the time I spent reading this book. I don't say this lightly either, see below.
"How a tongue can end up in an anus is anybody's guess." Page 247
"The penis seems to have been created for penetration of the rectum. It's shaped like a turd and has approximately the same dimensions." And this: "A man is lucky. He has a penis and an anus, which means he can mount and be mounted." Page 248
"Anyone who appreciates the fun of sex automatically discovers the pleasures that shit and pee have to offer." Page 249
Ummm, no they don't. I'll grant you that some do, but if Dekkers is that turned on by faeces, perhaps he should have written a different book. I thought The Story of Shit was desperately in need of its own enema via a few rounds of serious editing. It's not often I take issue with a translation either, but I did notice several occasions where the translation let the author down.
Ultimately, The Story of Shit by Midas Dekkers was a crap read; pun intended. The interesting and informative content of the book was quickly overshadowed by inappropriate content and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
* Copy courtesy of Text Publishing *
The Story of Shit is by biologist and writer Midas Dekkers and was translated from Dutch to English by Nancy Forest-Flier. Dekkers was able to impart a lot of interesting information on the topic, however it came along with wayyyyy too much emphasis on the joy of defecation and the underrated nature of human excrement.
Just some of the irrelevant and distasteful opinions shared included: defecating being not too dissimilar to childbirth, defecation should be revered in the same way a person appreciates a fine meal, the disappointment in not being able to detect the messages in dog faeces and so on.
The inclusion of two thoroughly inappropriate comments in relation to female genitalia definitely cost this book a star or two. Here's the first one, you be the judge.
"Everyone guards their throat like a virgin guards her vagina. Whether it's dubious food or a dubious guy, it's all about preserving the body's integrity. Forcing something unpleasant on someone bears a suspiciously strong resemblance to rape. The most important difference is that there's a set of teeth behind the lips of the mouth which victims of sexual assault might have found helpful - behind their other set of lips, of course." Page 9
What the actual hell was that?
While there were some informative sections of the book (the section on disgust was memorable, and the historical section describing enema parties in the French court during the time of Louis XIV was excellent) the final chapter was so offensive it made me regret the time I spent reading this book. I don't say this lightly either, see below.
"How a tongue can end up in an anus is anybody's guess." Page 247
"The penis seems to have been created for penetration of the rectum. It's shaped like a turd and has approximately the same dimensions." And this: "A man is lucky. He has a penis and an anus, which means he can mount and be mounted." Page 248
"Anyone who appreciates the fun of sex automatically discovers the pleasures that shit and pee have to offer." Page 249
Ummm, no they don't. I'll grant you that some do, but if Dekkers is that turned on by faeces, perhaps he should have written a different book. I thought The Story of Shit was desperately in need of its own enema via a few rounds of serious editing. It's not often I take issue with a translation either, but I did notice several occasions where the translation let the author down.
Ultimately, The Story of Shit by Midas Dekkers was a crap read; pun intended. The interesting and informative content of the book was quickly overshadowed by inappropriate content and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
* Copy courtesy of Text Publishing *
January 2, 2020
I started the new year reading about shit. If that sentence was a tad offensive, then do not read this book. This book takes the crude shitty toilet humor we all know and places it in history and the biology of doing the second. Just as writing this short review, I even found it hard to write about this book without jokes, much like the book. Just be prepared for Seth MacFarlane antics in going a step too far in humor and biology on this subject.
I received a D-ARC from Edelweiss for an honest review.
I received a D-ARC from Edelweiss for an honest review.
August 23, 2018
The author takes a humorous approach to a quite important topic. At times I thought it was hilarious, at other times the many quotes from other books made this a boring read. I recommend this book to anyone who is willing to explore the topic of our human excrement without cringing. It is important to get in touch with ones own excrement (figuratively at least, but you might try the literal approach - see what I did there, the author's humour rubs off).
August 8, 2018
4.5 Stars
This book is bound to polarize reviewers. It’s informative, sometimes revolting, and irreverently funny, even if some of the author's conclusions are a bit far-fetched. Not for those who are easily offended, or anyone about to enjoy an expensive meal.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an digital ARC. All views are my own.
This book is bound to polarize reviewers. It’s informative, sometimes revolting, and irreverently funny, even if some of the author's conclusions are a bit far-fetched. Not for those who are easily offended, or anyone about to enjoy an expensive meal.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an digital ARC. All views are my own.
October 16, 2019
Advanced copy review:
Attempts at humor, albeit crude given the subject delve into the vulgar. I had a feeling I was merely getting insight into the author's fetish. Not what was advertised or expected.
Attempts at humor, albeit crude given the subject delve into the vulgar. I had a feeling I was merely getting insight into the author's fetish. Not what was advertised or expected.
June 16, 2025
The at times overly-twee tone coupled with the onslaught of try-hard hilarious writing, sentence after sentence is tiresome. I just don't give -- pardon me -- a shit.
July 23, 2014
Wat een heerlijk boek. De ontlasting uit het verdomhoekje gehaald en in de schijnwerpers gezet. Zeer breed wordt het onderwerp besproken, onder begeleiding van vele leuke illustraties en de nodige humor. Je leest er zo doorheen, en toch heb ik een hoop geleerd, en meer waardering gekregen voor de werking van mijn darmen. (iets waar je normaal gesproken nooit over nadenkt, zeker niet als alles gewoon goed werkt)
January 3, 2023
Citaat : ‘Een orgasme is niet iedereen gegund, maar een leven zonder poepen is ondenkbaar. Zelfs de strengste celibatair kent anaal genot.’
Review : Wandert Jacobus Dekkers, beter bekend als Midas Dekkers (Haarlem, 22 april 1946), is een Nederlandse bioloog en schrijver van fictie en non-fictie voor kinderen en volwassenen. Op zijn achttiende heeft hij zichzelf de naam Midas (naar Midas Wolf uit Donald Duck) aangemeten. De bekende kinderboekenschrijver schreef ruim vijftig kinder- en jeugdboeken, waarvan de meeste verhalen bevatten. In zijn niet-fictionele jeugdboeken schrijft Dekkers over aan de biologie gerelateerde onderwerpen. Daarnaast schrijft Dekkers ook fictioneel proza voor volwassenen.
Als bioloog is Dekkers bekend door zijn scherpe observaties. Biologisch-wetenschappelijke thema’s weet hij met gevoel voor humor uit de doeken te doen. Dankzij zijn schrijfstijl kennen zijn boeken veel herdrukken. Dekkers staat ook bekend om zijn vaak tegendraadse en controversiële meningen over onderwerpen als bestialiteit, kinderen krijgen en sporten. Ook zijn laatste boek gaat over een alledaags maar nog flink in taboes wadend onderwerp, namelijk ontlasten. In Nederland zegt men bij voorkeur poepen, maar in Vlaanderen zou dat voor verwarring kunnen zorgen!
En toch is ontlasting geen waardeloos afval maar een kostbaar product van ingewikkelde, fijn op elkaar afgestemde processen. Het zenuwstelsel dat het spijsverteringsstelsel aanstuurt is fundamenteler dan het centrale zenuwstelsel. Een volkswijsheid zegt dan ook:'Hou de achterpoort open en laat de dokter naar de duivel lopen! En zoals de bioloog het zo voortreffelijk zegt: 'Wij zijn niet ons brein, wij zijn onze darmen'. Dat verklaart ook waarom een goede stoelgang zo belangrijk is voor een goed welzijn. Constipatie is een van de grote verzwegen kwalen.
In tegenstelling van wat je misschien zou denken is de ontlasting een prachtig, veelzijdig onderwerp dat Dekkers, met veel animo en met de van hem bekende flair en kennis op tafel (hopelijk niet de keukentafel) legt. Hij vertelt over de nieuwste inzichten in de omvang en het belang van de darmflora, hij spoelt de anale fixatie van Freud samen met andere pseudowetenschap door, hij beschrijft de geschiedenis van toilet en riool, hij brengt het smeuïge verhaal van de populariteit van de klisteerspuit aan het hof van de Franse Zonnekoning, hij onderstreept het belang van bemesting (en dus de essentiële band tussen afval en voedsel) en ondertussen passeren ook nog allerhande darmparasieten, mestkevers, hurkhouding, beerputten en nog veel meer van dergelijke delicatessen de revue. Een fenomenaal goed geschreven boek, minder geschikt om tijdens een smakelijke maaltijd te lezen, maar op het toilet mag het zeker een ereplaatsje krijgen.
Review : Wandert Jacobus Dekkers, beter bekend als Midas Dekkers (Haarlem, 22 april 1946), is een Nederlandse bioloog en schrijver van fictie en non-fictie voor kinderen en volwassenen. Op zijn achttiende heeft hij zichzelf de naam Midas (naar Midas Wolf uit Donald Duck) aangemeten. De bekende kinderboekenschrijver schreef ruim vijftig kinder- en jeugdboeken, waarvan de meeste verhalen bevatten. In zijn niet-fictionele jeugdboeken schrijft Dekkers over aan de biologie gerelateerde onderwerpen. Daarnaast schrijft Dekkers ook fictioneel proza voor volwassenen.
Als bioloog is Dekkers bekend door zijn scherpe observaties. Biologisch-wetenschappelijke thema’s weet hij met gevoel voor humor uit de doeken te doen. Dankzij zijn schrijfstijl kennen zijn boeken veel herdrukken. Dekkers staat ook bekend om zijn vaak tegendraadse en controversiële meningen over onderwerpen als bestialiteit, kinderen krijgen en sporten. Ook zijn laatste boek gaat over een alledaags maar nog flink in taboes wadend onderwerp, namelijk ontlasten. In Nederland zegt men bij voorkeur poepen, maar in Vlaanderen zou dat voor verwarring kunnen zorgen!
En toch is ontlasting geen waardeloos afval maar een kostbaar product van ingewikkelde, fijn op elkaar afgestemde processen. Het zenuwstelsel dat het spijsverteringsstelsel aanstuurt is fundamenteler dan het centrale zenuwstelsel. Een volkswijsheid zegt dan ook:'Hou de achterpoort open en laat de dokter naar de duivel lopen! En zoals de bioloog het zo voortreffelijk zegt: 'Wij zijn niet ons brein, wij zijn onze darmen'. Dat verklaart ook waarom een goede stoelgang zo belangrijk is voor een goed welzijn. Constipatie is een van de grote verzwegen kwalen.
In tegenstelling van wat je misschien zou denken is de ontlasting een prachtig, veelzijdig onderwerp dat Dekkers, met veel animo en met de van hem bekende flair en kennis op tafel (hopelijk niet de keukentafel) legt. Hij vertelt over de nieuwste inzichten in de omvang en het belang van de darmflora, hij spoelt de anale fixatie van Freud samen met andere pseudowetenschap door, hij beschrijft de geschiedenis van toilet en riool, hij brengt het smeuïge verhaal van de populariteit van de klisteerspuit aan het hof van de Franse Zonnekoning, hij onderstreept het belang van bemesting (en dus de essentiële band tussen afval en voedsel) en ondertussen passeren ook nog allerhande darmparasieten, mestkevers, hurkhouding, beerputten en nog veel meer van dergelijke delicatessen de revue. Een fenomenaal goed geschreven boek, minder geschikt om tijdens een smakelijke maaltijd te lezen, maar op het toilet mag het zeker een ereplaatsje krijgen.
November 9, 2018
https://msarki.tumblr.com/post/179924...
...The world runs on shit, and Mother Nature knows it. That’s why she never flushes her toilet…
The title itself will not attract many interested readers and that is a sad fact. The book is well-written, instructional, and extremely entertaining. There is quite a long section near the end that leaves much to be desired as the emphasis is placed too much on the fetish involved with excrement. But there are perfect gems throughout the entire book and much to consider.
...Mobile telephoning is a verbal form of incontinence…
Many of our social norms are questioned by Midas Dekkers and the history of the world is brought forth out of the loo’s darkness and into a new light.
...Not only is shit the keystone of the circle of life, but it’s also an object of lust, a means of creative expression, and a vehicle for communicating love between humans or between man and animal…
Of late I have immersed myself into books again dealing with self-awareness and actualization. Leonard Cohen is a good example. Can’t seem to get enough of Cohen’s words these days. But like everything else, once I have thoroughly exhausted my study of him I will likely move on. The Story of Shit was definitely worth my time.
...Many couples stay together simply because neither one of them knows how to let go. The advantage of being a turd is that you barely have time to become attached before the moment of separation arrives. But when it does, we’re forced once again to face the unbearable fact of life’s brevity...
...The world runs on shit, and Mother Nature knows it. That’s why she never flushes her toilet…
The title itself will not attract many interested readers and that is a sad fact. The book is well-written, instructional, and extremely entertaining. There is quite a long section near the end that leaves much to be desired as the emphasis is placed too much on the fetish involved with excrement. But there are perfect gems throughout the entire book and much to consider.
...Mobile telephoning is a verbal form of incontinence…
Many of our social norms are questioned by Midas Dekkers and the history of the world is brought forth out of the loo’s darkness and into a new light.
...Not only is shit the keystone of the circle of life, but it’s also an object of lust, a means of creative expression, and a vehicle for communicating love between humans or between man and animal…
Of late I have immersed myself into books again dealing with self-awareness and actualization. Leonard Cohen is a good example. Can’t seem to get enough of Cohen’s words these days. But like everything else, once I have thoroughly exhausted my study of him I will likely move on. The Story of Shit was definitely worth my time.
...Many couples stay together simply because neither one of them knows how to let go. The advantage of being a turd is that you barely have time to become attached before the moment of separation arrives. But when it does, we’re forced once again to face the unbearable fact of life’s brevity...
April 25, 2022
Om eerlijk te zijn, was dit boek een impulsaankoop van me. Zoals de schrijver zelf al zegt, is het ongewoon om een boek over ontlasting tegen te komen buiten de kinderafdeling van een boekhandel.
Het onderwerp is een taboe in de moderne maatschappij, we zijn onze ontlasting liever kwijt dan rijk en we weten niet meer veel over het hele productieproces. De schrijver probeert de lezer te informeren over alle onnozelheden die er in onze tijd zijn ingesleten en legt uit dat het onderwerp voor prima gespreksstof zorgt.
De schrijver heeft een losse en een ietwat vreemde schrijfstijl. Het is duidelijk dat hij zowel kinderboeken heeft geschreven, alsook een expert in biologie is. Hij heeft de neiging om op een kinderlijke toon te schrijven en veranderd na een tijdje lezen, plots naar een wetenschappelijke toon. Bij een aantal van deze toonveranderingen, moest ik de zinnen opnieuw lezen om erachter te komen wat de schrijver precies wil zeggen.
Ook is de schrijver er niet vies van om complexe termen uit de biologie op onverwachte momenten te plaatsen en overal voorbeelden bij te geven uit de geschiedenis. De klisteerspuit van Lodewijk XIV, is moeilijk om uit het hoofd te krijgen. Er komen dus veel interessante details voorbij die, voorzien met illustraties, voor een smerig concreet beeld zorgen.
Ik denk dat de schrijver zijn doel ruimschoots bereikt in dit boek; mensen bewuster maken van actuele zaken waar men liever over zwijgt. De onvoorspelbaarheid van de schrijver, draagt vreemd genoeg bij aan de charme van het boek.
Een aanradertje voor ieder die een boek voor op de WC nodig heeft, zoals de schrijver ongetwijfeld zou zeggen.
Het onderwerp is een taboe in de moderne maatschappij, we zijn onze ontlasting liever kwijt dan rijk en we weten niet meer veel over het hele productieproces. De schrijver probeert de lezer te informeren over alle onnozelheden die er in onze tijd zijn ingesleten en legt uit dat het onderwerp voor prima gespreksstof zorgt.
De schrijver heeft een losse en een ietwat vreemde schrijfstijl. Het is duidelijk dat hij zowel kinderboeken heeft geschreven, alsook een expert in biologie is. Hij heeft de neiging om op een kinderlijke toon te schrijven en veranderd na een tijdje lezen, plots naar een wetenschappelijke toon. Bij een aantal van deze toonveranderingen, moest ik de zinnen opnieuw lezen om erachter te komen wat de schrijver precies wil zeggen.
Ook is de schrijver er niet vies van om complexe termen uit de biologie op onverwachte momenten te plaatsen en overal voorbeelden bij te geven uit de geschiedenis. De klisteerspuit van Lodewijk XIV, is moeilijk om uit het hoofd te krijgen. Er komen dus veel interessante details voorbij die, voorzien met illustraties, voor een smerig concreet beeld zorgen.
Ik denk dat de schrijver zijn doel ruimschoots bereikt in dit boek; mensen bewuster maken van actuele zaken waar men liever over zwijgt. De onvoorspelbaarheid van de schrijver, draagt vreemd genoeg bij aan de charme van het boek.
Een aanradertje voor ieder die een boek voor op de WC nodig heeft, zoals de schrijver ongetwijfeld zou zeggen.
June 7, 2018
Likely to be the most unconventional topic you read about this year, Dekkers' book is what you think it's about, and then a little more.
It's blunt, humorous, informative, and well-written---the book reads like it's a rocket on rails. Subjects range from the cultural perceptions of going number two (showcases in media, sexual fetishes) to tromps through history (evolution of city sewer systems and toilets) and even a fair deal of science behind, well, poop, and just about everything you wanted to know about it (maybe some stuff you didn't, too). Lots of interesting tidbits on other animals and their excretory processes.
Not to be too exclusive, there's a extensive chapter about farts and urine as well.
It takes a special kind of author to chase this information down and condense it into one place for your leisure; it makes sense that an author not borne of Western sensibilities produced this. I would have pegged us as too uptight to give something such as this a go.
I encountered parts where I felt that certain elongated points were re-trodden and some of Dekkers' points felt more like a soapbox rambling than "just the facts, man" (which the book is, for the most part), but if you're reading a book that's literally about crap, then I think it's a massively simple thing to surmount.
Yes, I learned a great deal. It's liberating to read books on subjects such as this. Any reader that just wants to learn will glean something from these pages. Read on.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Text Publishing Company for the advance read.
It's blunt, humorous, informative, and well-written---the book reads like it's a rocket on rails. Subjects range from the cultural perceptions of going number two (showcases in media, sexual fetishes) to tromps through history (evolution of city sewer systems and toilets) and even a fair deal of science behind, well, poop, and just about everything you wanted to know about it (maybe some stuff you didn't, too). Lots of interesting tidbits on other animals and their excretory processes.
Not to be too exclusive, there's a extensive chapter about farts and urine as well.
It takes a special kind of author to chase this information down and condense it into one place for your leisure; it makes sense that an author not borne of Western sensibilities produced this. I would have pegged us as too uptight to give something such as this a go.
I encountered parts where I felt that certain elongated points were re-trodden and some of Dekkers' points felt more like a soapbox rambling than "just the facts, man" (which the book is, for the most part), but if you're reading a book that's literally about crap, then I think it's a massively simple thing to surmount.
Yes, I learned a great deal. It's liberating to read books on subjects such as this. Any reader that just wants to learn will glean something from these pages. Read on.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Text Publishing Company for the advance read.
June 16, 2018
I read an advanced reading copy from NetGalley and Text Publishing Company. Thanks!
As an avid reader of Mary Roach’s books like Stiff Gulp and Bonk, I read the description of this book, and immediately wanted to read it. And I enjoyed it quite a bit.
It is a wide-ranging book, including scientific, historic, literary and cultural information about its title subject. It is quite readable and often humorous.
My only issue with the book is that some of the earlier chapters seemed overly long. I think this was because these chapters were more about the personal experience of moving the bowels and your feelings about those whom you love and their excreta. At one point he bemoans the fact you can tell your friends about a great meal, or wonderful sex, but “it’s best to modestly maintain a stony silence about the pleasure your shit has just afforded you.” Although I am pretty sure that this was meant humorously, my apparently differing opinion about the pleasurability of the latter act still made this whole section feel rather idiosyncratic and I found it somewhat tedious.
However later chapters were less about his personal experience and more about scientific information, or historical beliefs, inventions and descriptions in literature, and I found these sections much more engaging.
As an avid reader of Mary Roach’s books like Stiff Gulp and Bonk, I read the description of this book, and immediately wanted to read it. And I enjoyed it quite a bit.
It is a wide-ranging book, including scientific, historic, literary and cultural information about its title subject. It is quite readable and often humorous.
My only issue with the book is that some of the earlier chapters seemed overly long. I think this was because these chapters were more about the personal experience of moving the bowels and your feelings about those whom you love and their excreta. At one point he bemoans the fact you can tell your friends about a great meal, or wonderful sex, but “it’s best to modestly maintain a stony silence about the pleasure your shit has just afforded you.” Although I am pretty sure that this was meant humorously, my apparently differing opinion about the pleasurability of the latter act still made this whole section feel rather idiosyncratic and I found it somewhat tedious.
However later chapters were less about his personal experience and more about scientific information, or historical beliefs, inventions and descriptions in literature, and I found these sections much more engaging.
August 13, 2018
What it’s about: Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about poo. And probably a lot more.
Genre: Books that make you up your fibre intake
The author: Midas Dekkers, a Dutch biologist who has previously written about subjects such as death, decay and bestiality. I know! I wonder what a psychoanalyst would make of this. Or better still, a turd reader...
What appealed to me was...I like talking about bowels and poo. A whole book about it? I could hardly resist!
Why read a book about something that is gross, that no one talks about? Because it will tell you why poo is in fact great, only slightly gross and why people are so secretive about it but not things which are far grosser.
You should have a read if...you shame people for farting and other things that are, you know, fundamental to human existence.
You shouldn’t read this if...you are one of those who likes to talk about how things ‘aren’t what they used to be.’ Well no, they definitely aren’t, but have a read about the history of medicine where bowels are concerned and the awful things that people did before they knew better, or what life was like before proper sewage systems were invented, and tell me if your nostalgia is still so sweet!
I thought this was great because...poo is a ridiculous thing to be a taboo: we all do it, we all need to do it and therefore wouldn’t life be better if we talked about it without the embarrassment? It’s also incredibly informative, and given how much we don’t talk about pooing, I’m certain that most people could learn a lot from this book.
The thing I didn’t like was...I can’t look at a sausage now.
Never was a truer word spoken... ‘The earth that you cherish turns out to be worm poo, the sea where you spend your holidays is filled with fish piss. What we call the environment is nothing but the excretions of plants and animals. Mother Nature is hopelessly incontinent. Yet nature rarely stinks.’
The line I’d most like to find a context for in conversation: ‘slimy slobbery slugs slithered through the slough like sleazy sluts’
Rating 5⭐️
Basically, read it because: Midas Dekkers has a witty style and makes poo a fascinating subject. You will gain respect for parts of your body you might well be embarrassed about or simply didn’t understand enough because you prefer to think about nicer things. In terms of body positivity and confidence, wouldn’t it be lovely to not be disgusted by something that your body does and instead view it with awe? But wait, there’s more! Prepared to be intrigued as you learn about the wonders of bird poo, bat poo, whale poo, even dinosaur poo. A whole book on a load of shit, showing nature at it’s efficient best, is in fact an awesome read.
Genre: Books that make you up your fibre intake
The author: Midas Dekkers, a Dutch biologist who has previously written about subjects such as death, decay and bestiality. I know! I wonder what a psychoanalyst would make of this. Or better still, a turd reader...
What appealed to me was...I like talking about bowels and poo. A whole book about it? I could hardly resist!
Why read a book about something that is gross, that no one talks about? Because it will tell you why poo is in fact great, only slightly gross and why people are so secretive about it but not things which are far grosser.
You should have a read if...you shame people for farting and other things that are, you know, fundamental to human existence.
You shouldn’t read this if...you are one of those who likes to talk about how things ‘aren’t what they used to be.’ Well no, they definitely aren’t, but have a read about the history of medicine where bowels are concerned and the awful things that people did before they knew better, or what life was like before proper sewage systems were invented, and tell me if your nostalgia is still so sweet!
I thought this was great because...poo is a ridiculous thing to be a taboo: we all do it, we all need to do it and therefore wouldn’t life be better if we talked about it without the embarrassment? It’s also incredibly informative, and given how much we don’t talk about pooing, I’m certain that most people could learn a lot from this book.
The thing I didn’t like was...I can’t look at a sausage now.
Never was a truer word spoken... ‘The earth that you cherish turns out to be worm poo, the sea where you spend your holidays is filled with fish piss. What we call the environment is nothing but the excretions of plants and animals. Mother Nature is hopelessly incontinent. Yet nature rarely stinks.’
The line I’d most like to find a context for in conversation: ‘slimy slobbery slugs slithered through the slough like sleazy sluts’
Rating 5⭐️
Basically, read it because: Midas Dekkers has a witty style and makes poo a fascinating subject. You will gain respect for parts of your body you might well be embarrassed about or simply didn’t understand enough because you prefer to think about nicer things. In terms of body positivity and confidence, wouldn’t it be lovely to not be disgusted by something that your body does and instead view it with awe? But wait, there’s more! Prepared to be intrigued as you learn about the wonders of bird poo, bat poo, whale poo, even dinosaur poo. A whole book on a load of shit, showing nature at it’s efficient best, is in fact an awesome read.
January 7, 2020
How could one not be interested in a book entitled thus? It turns out to be a most entertaining and informative discussion of the social, biological, psychological and economic aspects of defecating, how we react to what comes out of our bodies, how our bodies transform very desirable food into very disgusting shit, the deeply personal pleasures of shitting well, and the corollary issues of farting.
Read as bedtime reading, but it was much better than just that. A wonderful translation from the Dutch, rendering the author's prose into elegant, charming and often quite amusing English. The author is very serious about what he says, in discussing the digestive processes of various parts of the alimentary canal, and in his discussion of the varied uses of excrement throughout history. But he is also aware of the queasiness about dwelling too much on what we prefer to avoid discussing with others (our bowel habits, successes and failures), and he finds lots of amusing ways to confront that which we would prefer to ignore once it is out of our bodies.
I will remember how much fun it was to read, and how enlightening. Specific details escape me, but it is a good book to have for reference and rereading.
Read as bedtime reading, but it was much better than just that. A wonderful translation from the Dutch, rendering the author's prose into elegant, charming and often quite amusing English. The author is very serious about what he says, in discussing the digestive processes of various parts of the alimentary canal, and in his discussion of the varied uses of excrement throughout history. But he is also aware of the queasiness about dwelling too much on what we prefer to avoid discussing with others (our bowel habits, successes and failures), and he finds lots of amusing ways to confront that which we would prefer to ignore once it is out of our bodies.
I will remember how much fun it was to read, and how enlightening. Specific details escape me, but it is a good book to have for reference and rereading.
August 17, 2018
This is the old fashion kind of erudite extended essay that used to be very fashionable in Europe. It's great the way Dekkers has honored this venerable genre.
In brief, this book is a romp through all things related to feces, crapping, and the john. It sometimes veers off course (for peeing and spitting, etc.), but all in all, it sticks to otssubject (ugh!).
The style is very breezy and if anyone is ever to receive an award for translation, Nancy Forest-Flier certainly does. The only problem is that the book often references the Netherlands, the author's country, and those references might throw off the less Euro-savvy. On the other hand, this particular outlook is also a breath of fresh air, if one can use that phrase in this context, in a world filled with Anglo-American dreck.
This is the kind of book you could read to relax, maybe even on the John, since it is chock-full of new and interesting facts about its subject. And again, it's liberating that the writer calls a spade a spade and a turd a turd. Some descriptions are, so to speak, in your face, so, if you have complexes about defecation and its products I wouldn't recommend this book to you. It's hard to see it given as a birthday or Christmas gift, unless one really knows the recipient's inner life or is insinuating something about the receiver.
In short, this book includes biology, psychology, folklore, history and humour galore and they are presented in a very readable way.
N.B. I was given an advanced copy from Net Gallery and, even though it was an ebook and I read it on my iPhone 6s, the illustrations in it were easy to enjoy because they were in greyscale and usually of an artistic nature.
In brief, this book is a romp through all things related to feces, crapping, and the john. It sometimes veers off course (for peeing and spitting, etc.), but all in all, it sticks to otssubject (ugh!).
The style is very breezy and if anyone is ever to receive an award for translation, Nancy Forest-Flier certainly does. The only problem is that the book often references the Netherlands, the author's country, and those references might throw off the less Euro-savvy. On the other hand, this particular outlook is also a breath of fresh air, if one can use that phrase in this context, in a world filled with Anglo-American dreck.
This is the kind of book you could read to relax, maybe even on the John, since it is chock-full of new and interesting facts about its subject. And again, it's liberating that the writer calls a spade a spade and a turd a turd. Some descriptions are, so to speak, in your face, so, if you have complexes about defecation and its products I wouldn't recommend this book to you. It's hard to see it given as a birthday or Christmas gift, unless one really knows the recipient's inner life or is insinuating something about the receiver.
In short, this book includes biology, psychology, folklore, history and humour galore and they are presented in a very readable way.
N.B. I was given an advanced copy from Net Gallery and, even though it was an ebook and I read it on my iPhone 6s, the illustrations in it were easy to enjoy because they were in greyscale and usually of an artistic nature.
August 21, 2017
Midas Dekkers heeft een heerlijke schrijfstijl en kan daarmee elk onderwerp, ook poep, plas en andere taboes prachtig verwoorden en leesbaar maken voor iedereen. Door dit boek leert hij je anders te denken over iets waar je lichaam eigenlijk altijd mee bezig is, maar waar we nooit echt stil bij staan. Zo kunnen uitwerpselen veel meer zijn dan alleen afval, bijvoorbeeld ook kunst en leer je over de werking van je eigen lichaam.
Wat wel jammer is dat Midas in herhaling valt bij 256 pagina's over het onderwerp van ontlasten. De hoofdstukken zijn wat te lang om lekker te lezen. Ten slotte, leer je ontzettend veel maar lang blijf het niet hangen. Een boek om er af en toe weer eens bij te pakken, maar daar is het formaat (paperback) niet helemaal naar. Als Midas dit nu eens in mooie columns had kunnen verwerken?
Wat wel jammer is dat Midas in herhaling valt bij 256 pagina's over het onderwerp van ontlasten. De hoofdstukken zijn wat te lang om lekker te lezen. Ten slotte, leer je ontzettend veel maar lang blijf het niet hangen. Een boek om er af en toe weer eens bij te pakken, maar daar is het formaat (paperback) niet helemaal naar. Als Midas dit nu eens in mooie columns had kunnen verwerken?
May 31, 2018
When I first saw this title I thought it was kind of odd to call a book “The Story Of Shit”. It couldn’t actually be about shit. Could it?
Upon reading and seeing the pictures that were in the book, this was a great read. It was also pretty educational with the history how things were dealt with in the 1800s. The humour that is brought in the book made this a quick read.
This book has anything an everything that has to do with shit.
There were some parts that made me laugh out loud and some cry from laughing.
If your looking for a laugh out loud book, then this is for you. Unless you don’t like the idea of a book being wrapped around “Shit” then maybe this book isn’t for you.
I got this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Upon reading and seeing the pictures that were in the book, this was a great read. It was also pretty educational with the history how things were dealt with in the 1800s. The humour that is brought in the book made this a quick read.
This book has anything an everything that has to do with shit.
There were some parts that made me laugh out loud and some cry from laughing.
If your looking for a laugh out loud book, then this is for you. Unless you don’t like the idea of a book being wrapped around “Shit” then maybe this book isn’t for you.
I got this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review
December 24, 2018
A very unusual subject told in a very amusing way! As the author himself admits the subject isn’t one that is a socially accepted general topic of discussion but he has certainly researched his subject and writes in a very interesting and witty manner.
There were some interesting insights in how we view this aspect of our life. While I did find it an amusing read I’m probably like a lot of others that I wouldn’t openly recommend it.
Thank you to Netgalley and publisher Text Publishing for a copy to read and review.
There were some interesting insights in how we view this aspect of our life. While I did find it an amusing read I’m probably like a lot of others that I wouldn’t openly recommend it.
Thank you to Netgalley and publisher Text Publishing for a copy to read and review.
July 23, 2018
I'm fascinated by societal norms and how they come to be. I liked the idea of this book because that's what Dekkers is addressing: why is it okay to talk about some bodily functions and not others? It started out strong, I was laughing and learning interesting stuff. I appreciate the author's snarky tone and fitting toilet humor.
However, I couldn't get through this book without skimming large portions. Once I got about 40% in, the content felt redundant. The author bounces all over the place, from the science of digestion to pregnancy and birth, to urination, to ancient Greece, and back again all over the course of a couple pages.
Because this is translated from Dutch, I suspect there are cultural differences that made the writing style difficult to follow. Also, my digital advanced copy did not contain many paragraph breaks, making the already dense material even more so.
This may be worth giving a try in a different format if you are interested in the history and biology of digestion, defecation, and other bodily wonders in relation to societal expectations.
Many thanks to NetGalley for my free advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. You can find my reviews and other bookish musings at www.ramonamead.com.
However, I couldn't get through this book without skimming large portions. Once I got about 40% in, the content felt redundant. The author bounces all over the place, from the science of digestion to pregnancy and birth, to urination, to ancient Greece, and back again all over the course of a couple pages.
Because this is translated from Dutch, I suspect there are cultural differences that made the writing style difficult to follow. Also, my digital advanced copy did not contain many paragraph breaks, making the already dense material even more so.
This may be worth giving a try in a different format if you are interested in the history and biology of digestion, defecation, and other bodily wonders in relation to societal expectations.
Many thanks to NetGalley for my free advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. You can find my reviews and other bookish musings at www.ramonamead.com.
August 17, 2018
The Story of SHit is not for the faint of heart. The book looks candidly at poop and our digestive system. This intriguing book discusses the history of the societal idea of excitement as well as looks at the scientific aspects of our body. At times this book is humorous, but it's not quite the work by Mary Roach.
Not for the squeamish, The Story of Shit takes a clear look at one of our body's most hidden functions.
I received an ARC through NetGalley; all opinions are my own.
Not for the squeamish, The Story of Shit takes a clear look at one of our body's most hidden functions.
I received an ARC through NetGalley; all opinions are my own.
September 6, 2020
Wie ooit een boek van Midas Dekkers heeft gelezen, weet dat hem twee keer plezier te wachten staat : ongelofelijk veel interessante zaken te weten komen en schuddebollen van het lachen. Zo ook met dit boek over pis en kak. Hoe grappig hij daar kan over vertellen, hoe wetenswaardig dit allemaal is en hoe kleurrijk hij dat weer kan verwoorden, dat is een ware kunst. Mocht hij de schoolboeken kunnen herschrijven, menig scholier en leerling zou met plezier de lessen volgen.
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November 12, 2021Mss is dit het ontstaan van het leven is het op aarde ontstaan uit het toilet van een ruimteschip en de wezens uit het ruimteschip ook uit een toilet van een ruimteschip enz en het begin ? Mss heeft een wezen of demon een heelal opgegeten en dan een Big Bang veroorzaakt , waar en wie het heelal heeft klaargemaakt ? Ik weet het niet ik ken de chef kok niet
July 20, 2018
“‘See you later,’ you murmur, but you don’t really mean it. ‘Take care now,’ and you pull the chain”
A fun and funny journey through the literal story of shit.
Perhaps too lengthy in it’s telling but informative nonetheless.
A fun and funny journey through the literal story of shit.
Perhaps too lengthy in it’s telling but informative nonetheless.
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