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Waist-Deep in Dung: A Stomach-Churning Look at the Grossest Jobs Throughout History
A hilarious illustrated middle-grade nonfiction offering about the most revolting jobs throughout history involving pee, poop, vomit, dead bodies, and all things disgusting, from Christine Virnig and Korwin Briggs, the author-illustrator team behind SCBWI Golden Kite Finalist Dung for Dinner .
What did the ancient Egyptian embalmer say when he was feeling sad? I want my mummy!
After wading into the grossest animal pee, poop, and vomit humans have consumed in Dung for Dinner , Dr. Virnig dives back into the muck with an equally humorous and informative exploration of the most revolting jobs throughout history in Waist-Deep in Dung .
From the ancient Egyptian mummy makers who removed brains by shoving iron hooks up peoples’ noses, to the 19th century Toshers who hunted for treasure deep in the London sewers, to modern day forensic entomologists who study the fly eggs, maggots, and other creepy crawlies that live on―and crawl through―human corpses, we'll learn about jobs that deal with poop, pee, blood, medicine, and dead bodies.
Combining history, science, and a slew of fascinating facts, it’s middle grade nonfiction with real kid appeal. Art from Korwin Briggs will make readers laugh out loud!
What did the ancient Egyptian embalmer say when he was feeling sad? I want my mummy!
After wading into the grossest animal pee, poop, and vomit humans have consumed in Dung for Dinner , Dr. Virnig dives back into the muck with an equally humorous and informative exploration of the most revolting jobs throughout history in Waist-Deep in Dung .
From the ancient Egyptian mummy makers who removed brains by shoving iron hooks up peoples’ noses, to the 19th century Toshers who hunted for treasure deep in the London sewers, to modern day forensic entomologists who study the fly eggs, maggots, and other creepy crawlies that live on―and crawl through―human corpses, we'll learn about jobs that deal with poop, pee, blood, medicine, and dead bodies.
Combining history, science, and a slew of fascinating facts, it’s middle grade nonfiction with real kid appeal. Art from Korwin Briggs will make readers laugh out loud!
224 pages, Hardcover
Published March 12, 2024
2 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Christine Virnig
4 books15 followersChristine Virnig is a fan of books, candy, spooky stories, poop jokes, and coffee… in no particular order. As a former physician, Christine now spends her days writing books, reading books, and working at a library where she is surrounded by books.
Christine lives in southern Wisconsin with her husband, two daughters, a ridiculous number of dust bunnies, and one incredibly lazy cat. You can visit her on the web at christinevirnig.com.
Christine lives in southern Wisconsin with her husband, two daughters, a ridiculous number of dust bunnies, and one incredibly lazy cat. You can visit her on the web at christinevirnig.com.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 21, 2024
Good Kids’ Book on Poo!
This is a great book about the unmentionable, poop and pee. How did people in Europe (mainly) deal with the stuff in the Middle Ages? The book goes into detail in a mild, humorous way that’s bound to intrigue kids and adults like me! It’s intended for late elementary school students and above. Good stuff!
This is a great book about the unmentionable, poop and pee. How did people in Europe (mainly) deal with the stuff in the Middle Ages? The book goes into detail in a mild, humorous way that’s bound to intrigue kids and adults like me! It’s intended for late elementary school students and above. Good stuff!
October 11, 2023
Netgalley Arc
I didn't realize all the different jobs that are disgusting!
I didn't realize all the different jobs that are disgusting!
November 16, 2024
An entertaining and brilliant survey of some of the toughest and most undesirable jobs in history. In this book, Virnig covers long vanished trades such as:
- embalmers (in ancient Egypt notably) and barber-surgeons;
- leech collectors who would wade into leech infested waters and encourage leeches to attach to themselves;
- resurrection men (aka body snatchers) who would steal freshly buried bodies for the medical establishment;
- watchmen at waiting mortuaries who would ensure that people were not inadvertently buried alive;
- dining room attendants in ancient Rome whose duties included cleaning up the vomit from banquet guests who would purge themselves in order to make room for more delicacies;
- fullers who cleaned and degreased sheep's wool using stale urine;
- gongfermors (aka night soil collectors)
- grooms of the stool who were confidants of the king and whose coveted position included helping the king with his toileting
- saltpeter men who would taste excrement and urine-rich dirt to see if had the pungent, salty taste of potassium nitrate;
- tanners who would use stale urine to hasten the decay of animal hide to make removing the fur/hair easier, before soaking the hide in poop to soften it; and
- toshers aka sewer hunters, who would descend into Victorian-era sewers in London to hunt for valuables stuck in the waste (mudlarks did the same, albeit along the muddy banks of the Thames, often without footwear, much less gloves)
Most of the trades Virnig covers are now defunct but she does touch on some trades in existence today, such as forensic entomologists and manual scavengers (aka human waste collectors, a task typically performed by people from the "Untouchables" caste in India).
It's an engaging read for young readers with numerous interesting factoids - did you know that Europeans used to purchase medicine made from ground up Egyptian mummies? According to Virnig, mumiya or mum was a naturally occurring bitumen in the Middle East that was highlight valued in medicine. In terms of appearance, it resembled the dark, resinous material that covered ancient Egyptian mummies. When Europeans started translating Arabic medical texts, they mistook the term mumia to refer to mummy coverings and the term mumia was eventually used to refer to the entire mummy - body, wrappings and all.
One quibble I did have was that while Virnig does try to get young readers to reflect on the fact that some people might do these gross jobs because this is the only way they know how to earn a living, or perhaps they have no choice (think Chinese labourers who were tricked into becoming guano collectors on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, Roman slaves made to become dining attendants, or Dalits serving as manual scavengers), this laudable goal is undermined when these points are juxtaposed next to lame/cheesy jokes such as "What did the bird say to the man collecting his guano? You can take my poop but I'm sure not taking yours!".
- embalmers (in ancient Egypt notably) and barber-surgeons;
- leech collectors who would wade into leech infested waters and encourage leeches to attach to themselves;
- resurrection men (aka body snatchers) who would steal freshly buried bodies for the medical establishment;
- watchmen at waiting mortuaries who would ensure that people were not inadvertently buried alive;
- dining room attendants in ancient Rome whose duties included cleaning up the vomit from banquet guests who would purge themselves in order to make room for more delicacies;
- fullers who cleaned and degreased sheep's wool using stale urine;
- gongfermors (aka night soil collectors)
- grooms of the stool who were confidants of the king and whose coveted position included helping the king with his toileting
- saltpeter men who would taste excrement and urine-rich dirt to see if had the pungent, salty taste of potassium nitrate;
- tanners who would use stale urine to hasten the decay of animal hide to make removing the fur/hair easier, before soaking the hide in poop to soften it; and
- toshers aka sewer hunters, who would descend into Victorian-era sewers in London to hunt for valuables stuck in the waste (mudlarks did the same, albeit along the muddy banks of the Thames, often without footwear, much less gloves)
Most of the trades Virnig covers are now defunct but she does touch on some trades in existence today, such as forensic entomologists and manual scavengers (aka human waste collectors, a task typically performed by people from the "Untouchables" caste in India).
It's an engaging read for young readers with numerous interesting factoids - did you know that Europeans used to purchase medicine made from ground up Egyptian mummies? According to Virnig, mumiya or mum was a naturally occurring bitumen in the Middle East that was highlight valued in medicine. In terms of appearance, it resembled the dark, resinous material that covered ancient Egyptian mummies. When Europeans started translating Arabic medical texts, they mistook the term mumia to refer to mummy coverings and the term mumia was eventually used to refer to the entire mummy - body, wrappings and all.
One quibble I did have was that while Virnig does try to get young readers to reflect on the fact that some people might do these gross jobs because this is the only way they know how to earn a living, or perhaps they have no choice (think Chinese labourers who were tricked into becoming guano collectors on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, Roman slaves made to become dining attendants, or Dalits serving as manual scavengers), this laudable goal is undermined when these points are juxtaposed next to lame/cheesy jokes such as "What did the bird say to the man collecting his guano? You can take my poop but I'm sure not taking yours!".
April 28, 2024
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Fascinating, entertaining, and downright disgusting. This was a great read. Grabbed this from the library based on the title alone and was not disappointed. Virnig takes the reader on a trip through time to learn about some of history's grossest jobs, from a dining room attendant in Ancient Rome to King Henry VIII's groom of the stool, a leech collector in the Middle Ages to a watchman at a waiting mortuary.
The book centers around jobs that deal with blood, dead bodies, worms and insects, and body waste. Virnig paints vivid pictures with humor and a strong stomach, detailing the time period, what the job involved, and who was unlucky enough to have to do it.
Interspersed throughout the gross facts, humorous descriptions, and potty puns are fun (and often disgusting) illustrations. They work well with the content of the book and make it even more engaging. Be warned: there are a few bare behinds withing these pages. Each chapter ends with a corny joke about the job described.
Engaging writing with plenty of humor. A fascinating read.
There are breakout sections throughout each chapter with related information. These were fun to read. My only complaint is that there were a lot of them in each chapter and they weren't necessary positioned at a good breaking point. I ended up mostly skipping them until I got to the end of the chapter, then going back to read them.
Includes a glossary of terms, a bibliography for each chapter, and an index at the end.
Packed full of disgusting information. An entertaining way to learn about history, occupations, science, and sanitation.
Fascinating, entertaining, and downright disgusting. This was a great read. Grabbed this from the library based on the title alone and was not disappointed. Virnig takes the reader on a trip through time to learn about some of history's grossest jobs, from a dining room attendant in Ancient Rome to King Henry VIII's groom of the stool, a leech collector in the Middle Ages to a watchman at a waiting mortuary.
The book centers around jobs that deal with blood, dead bodies, worms and insects, and body waste. Virnig paints vivid pictures with humor and a strong stomach, detailing the time period, what the job involved, and who was unlucky enough to have to do it.
Interspersed throughout the gross facts, humorous descriptions, and potty puns are fun (and often disgusting) illustrations. They work well with the content of the book and make it even more engaging. Be warned: there are a few bare behinds withing these pages. Each chapter ends with a corny joke about the job described.
Engaging writing with plenty of humor. A fascinating read.
There are breakout sections throughout each chapter with related information. These were fun to read. My only complaint is that there were a lot of them in each chapter and they weren't necessary positioned at a good breaking point. I ended up mostly skipping them until I got to the end of the chapter, then going back to read them.
Includes a glossary of terms, a bibliography for each chapter, and an index at the end.
Packed full of disgusting information. An entertaining way to learn about history, occupations, science, and sanitation.
November 27, 2023
I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’m always on the lookout for interesting juvenile nonfiction - they’re a perfect desk read (easy to put down when patrons approach with questions, can be read over several weeks without losing track of what’s happening). This one is just as gross as advertised, given the title! It traces different “gross” professions throughout history - though the sections are broken into thematic order rather than chronological. The first section details “blood, medicine, and dead bodies,” but we quickly get into grosser, poopier territory. You can’t say the title doesn’t warn you what’s coming! I also like that it begins with a foreword, warning you one last time what you’re about to get into, and also explaining *why* people might have wanted to take these disgusting-sounding jobs. Sometimes people actually enjoy them, sometimes they’re just stuck because there are no other jobs, sometimes they’ve been forced into it…there’s a whole host of reasons why someone might be shoveling poop or studying maggots. There’s also a nod to the time period - many of these jobs were done centuries ago, and we have to remember that we are viewing this through a modern lens (reading this on my Kindle really drives that home!).
Suffice it to say, there’s some really gross stuff here! If that’s your bag, then great - you’ll definitely enjoy this. If you, like me, are more interested in the medical side of things, maybe stick with Part One and leave Part Two for friends with stronger stomachs.
I’m always on the lookout for interesting juvenile nonfiction - they’re a perfect desk read (easy to put down when patrons approach with questions, can be read over several weeks without losing track of what’s happening). This one is just as gross as advertised, given the title! It traces different “gross” professions throughout history - though the sections are broken into thematic order rather than chronological. The first section details “blood, medicine, and dead bodies,” but we quickly get into grosser, poopier territory. You can’t say the title doesn’t warn you what’s coming! I also like that it begins with a foreword, warning you one last time what you’re about to get into, and also explaining *why* people might have wanted to take these disgusting-sounding jobs. Sometimes people actually enjoy them, sometimes they’re just stuck because there are no other jobs, sometimes they’ve been forced into it…there’s a whole host of reasons why someone might be shoveling poop or studying maggots. There’s also a nod to the time period - many of these jobs were done centuries ago, and we have to remember that we are viewing this through a modern lens (reading this on my Kindle really drives that home!).
Suffice it to say, there’s some really gross stuff here! If that’s your bag, then great - you’ll definitely enjoy this. If you, like me, are more interested in the medical side of things, maybe stick with Part One and leave Part Two for friends with stronger stomachs.
September 2, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I really wanted to love this book, and I imagine that once it gets closer to publication, I’m hoping that some of the continuity issues and abrupt anti-climactic conclusion will be remedied. The content is entertaining for middle grade ages, but there were some anecdotes that strayed unnecessarily from the topic and into some borderline inappropriate content (like who Anne Boleyn was sleeping with) that may cause it to not be adopted by some middle school or upper elementary school libraries. The included images were rough sketches of what’s likely going to be more refined comic-style, which were entertaining for the most part- some were borderline inappropriate (Henry VIII’s behind was pictured unnecessarily), and a few were a bit irrelevant. This ARC was definitely one of the most “rough” that I’ve seen, so I’m really hoping that this is simply a very, very early, unedited copy. It could be a really interesting book for this age group, but there are some hang ups that seriously detracted from the book as a whole.
September 30, 2024
Not for the faint-of-heart, this book takes readers back in time to some of the most repulsive jobs. Have you ever heard of a Barber-Surgeon? How about a Resurrection Man? Gongfermer? Virnig hilariously explains these roles and so much more in conversational text that makes the reader want to keep turning these cringe-worthy pages. Briggs’s emotive illustrations are on point, adding even more humor to the disgusting jobs.
While the subject of this book is gross, the information it contains is absolutely fascinating - appealing to readers with interest in history (ancient, Middle Ages, Renaissance, all the way to modern times) and science. There are two parts to the book: Part 1 covers the grossest jobs dealing with blood, medicine, and dead bodies; Part 2 covers the grossest jobs dealing with poop, pee, and vomit. Virnig does a great job explaining every aspect, including sections/sidebars that emphasize the content even further (while maintaining focus on the topic at hand). A very interesting read!
While the subject of this book is gross, the information it contains is absolutely fascinating - appealing to readers with interest in history (ancient, Middle Ages, Renaissance, all the way to modern times) and science. There are two parts to the book: Part 1 covers the grossest jobs dealing with blood, medicine, and dead bodies; Part 2 covers the grossest jobs dealing with poop, pee, and vomit. Virnig does a great job explaining every aspect, including sections/sidebars that emphasize the content even further (while maintaining focus on the topic at hand). A very interesting read!
March 10, 2024
Waist-Deep in Dung is a fun and quirky way for kids (and above) to learn about all the gross and dirty jobs out there, as well as why people would do them. There were also multitudes of branching off facts that tied in nicely and were informative in their own rights. For example, in the chapter dealing with leeches, you not only learned about the people who caught leeches and how, but also the medical uses of leeches in ancient times through current uses today. The author imposed some humor into the text and made it interesting to read in bite sized asides and chunks that work well with shorter attention spans. If I had one complaint about this book, it would be that sometimes it was hard to discern when you were in a branching fact and when you were in the main point of the chapter, but that may have something to do with it being an ARC and the format I was reading it in.
Overall, it was a great read and one I am looking forward to introducing into our library.
Overall, it was a great read and one I am looking forward to introducing into our library.
August 14, 2024
What a find! Dr. Christine Virnig is developing into a ‘Mary Roach For The Middle-School Set.’ (Mary Roach wrote the adult best-sellers "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers" and "Gulp: Adventures in the Alimentary Canal".) Virnig effortlessly blends humor and facts to provide an entertaining and educational tour through the most revolting jobs in history. Most of these jobs involve pee, poop, or dead bodies. And vomit.
"Waist-Deep in Dung" is billed as a sequel to Virnig’s previous book, "Dung For Dinner." However, in my family we found that these two books may be read alone or in any sequence. Parents who enjoyed Mary Roach will want to get the Virnig books to share with their kids. Guaranteed to get kids off their phone screens and into a conversation. (Though maybe not everyone will appreciate this sort of dialogue at the dinner table.)
Side-splitting illustrations by Korwin Briggs enliven both titles.
"Waist-Deep in Dung" is billed as a sequel to Virnig’s previous book, "Dung For Dinner." However, in my family we found that these two books may be read alone or in any sequence. Parents who enjoyed Mary Roach will want to get the Virnig books to share with their kids. Guaranteed to get kids off their phone screens and into a conversation. (Though maybe not everyone will appreciate this sort of dialogue at the dinner table.)
Side-splitting illustrations by Korwin Briggs enliven both titles.
November 21, 2024
Dr Virnig goes into a lot of detail on the grossest jobs out there. Waist-Deep in Dung goes through a few different historical time periods and really gets into it all. The author has experience in the medical field, and it shows in her thorough explanations of a lot of bodily functions as well. This will certainly get kids' attention, feels almost exhaustive in length, and really gets kids thinking.
Read as a nomination in the nonfiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).
Longer than I expected, this was a pretty ongoing read. Length and depth seemed more suited for high school level kids, but the content was very clearly aimed at younger readers.
Read as a nomination in the nonfiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).
Longer than I expected, this was a pretty ongoing read. Length and depth seemed more suited for high school level kids, but the content was very clearly aimed at younger readers.
August 30, 2023
Waist-Deep in Dung describes some of the worst jobs in history including barber/surgeons of the middle ages and sewage workers up to the 20th century in India. The book is easy to read and includes many interesting facts. There are short antedotes relating to the jobs being described and puns littered throughout the story. I did question whether some of the facts were age appropriate depending on the grade level of the reader and the art in the e-book left a lot to be desired. I also thought the book ended quite abruptly without a conclusing chapter.
I received this advanced readers copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this advanced readers copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 4, 2023
I loved this book and would highly recommend it for middle school kids and even science classes. It isn't just boys who think poop is funny and interesting, and this book does a great job going through history explaining jobs related to poop.
Other bodily wastes are covered too, and the reader will learn a great deal of history. Ancient Egypt, industrial revolution London, and modern India are just a few of the times you will learn about.
The tone was engaging and funny, and the writer clearly felt sympathy for people who had to spend their lives working in terrible conditions. I only wish it hadn't ended so abruptly.
Other bodily wastes are covered too, and the reader will learn a great deal of history. Ancient Egypt, industrial revolution London, and modern India are just a few of the times you will learn about.
The tone was engaging and funny, and the writer clearly felt sympathy for people who had to spend their lives working in terrible conditions. I only wish it hadn't ended so abruptly.
March 6, 2024
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
As fun as the poop jokes are, I appreciate the earnestness and accuracy with which Dr. Virnig writes this middle-grade look at disgusting jobs throughout history. She provides solid historical contextualization for why people might take these "disgusting" jobs (which highlights inequity as well) and describes the motivations and the job duties in an accessible way. The book ends abruptly, which I wasn't expecting, and there are some continuity issues; I'm hoping these will be resolved before the publication date.
As fun as the poop jokes are, I appreciate the earnestness and accuracy with which Dr. Virnig writes this middle-grade look at disgusting jobs throughout history. She provides solid historical contextualization for why people might take these "disgusting" jobs (which highlights inequity as well) and describes the motivations and the job duties in an accessible way. The book ends abruptly, which I wasn't expecting, and there are some continuity issues; I'm hoping these will be resolved before the publication date.
June 25, 2024
Certainly a thorough look at a lot of gross jobs throughout history, some dealing with poop and some dealing with dead bodies. Each chapter goes through a different job, lets you know the time period and what they deal with. There are lots of text features that go deeper into some of the details and share some larger issues at the time. Each chapter ends with a joke.
Sometimes there's so many details about the job in all the different boxes that it can become a little overwhelming, but you can see how interested the author is in the subject matter and how much research she did to get all these gross facts into one book.
Sometimes there's so many details about the job in all the different boxes that it can become a little overwhelming, but you can see how interested the author is in the subject matter and how much research she did to get all these gross facts into one book.
December 15, 2024
This book is interesting, gross, and funny. Many kids love things that are scatological, and this book capitalizes on that to teach young readers about history through the lens of dirty jobs that many people had to do in order to survive.
We read about grave robbers, leech hunters, sewer workers and more as we go through various time periods (with a bias towards the West).
The book is mainly text. There are some illustrations that take up about 20% of the page, so this is a book for older middle grade readers if not younger young adult readers.
It was fascinating and educational!
We read about grave robbers, leech hunters, sewer workers and more as we go through various time periods (with a bias towards the West).
The book is mainly text. There are some illustrations that take up about 20% of the page, so this is a book for older middle grade readers if not younger young adult readers.
It was fascinating and educational!
October 5, 2023
This was interesting, educational, entertaining, and funny.
The book is aimed at young readers, but it would be very enjoyable for adults also. I laughed out loud. Many younger children may not be able to handle this content. However, many would find it amusing. As an adult who is interested in history, I found it very informative.
The book is well written and researched. It includes fun drawings to illustrate the concepts being described.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The book is aimed at young readers, but it would be very enjoyable for adults also. I laughed out loud. Many younger children may not be able to handle this content. However, many would find it amusing. As an adult who is interested in history, I found it very informative.
The book is well written and researched. It includes fun drawings to illustrate the concepts being described.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2023
This is a good one. Nonfiction can be so boring, this book totally isn’t! Who doesn’t love poop, pee, vomit, a little death? I know this is labeled middle grade but it could totally be used as a high school nonfiction read. In fact, ninth graders, who often take World History, would love this. Everything, even the tangents, are fun and educational. Plus, it’s got some very lame dad jokes sprinkled around. Mainly just a lot of great history. Highly recommend!
June 30, 2025
Interesting book and it will certainly catch the attention of kids who love reading about gross things. My biggest issue is about age appropriateness. The book is supposedly suitable for kids 8-12, but it references movies and TV shows that are rated for 14+. Overall though, it was fascinating information. Thank goodness for modern plumbing and sanitary conditions!
September 11, 2023
Discusses terribly jobs through history involving poop, pee, vomit, dead bodies, and other disgusting things.
This book was definitely written with upper elementary school and middle school kids in mind. It has a lot of poop, fart, etc jokes. Tone is often very irreverent.
This book was definitely written with upper elementary school and middle school kids in mind. It has a lot of poop, fart, etc jokes. Tone is often very irreverent.
October 4, 2023
Let’s be honest, kids love gross things which means they’ll love this book. It was fascinating to learn about all these jobs throughout history that you’ve likely never thought about. I’ll definitely add this to my classroom library because I know students will enjoy the book.
February 17, 2024
This book is a perfect combination of gross and information. Every middle grade boy will love the gross humor within the book. This book is also a good dose of historical facts, even if they are intended to be potty humor. I loved this book and my son did as well.
November 15, 2024
Completely fascinating book on topics not usually talked about by anyone. Pages with extra info are interspersed with chapter topics, and easily distinguishable by different background color.
While topic isn’t for everyone, there is certainly a lot of history around each chapter.
While topic isn’t for everyone, there is certainly a lot of history around each chapter.
October 8, 2023
A fun look at gross jobs. I learned SO MUCH and I think kids will love this one. The cartoons felt a little more adult but other than that, really great.
August 17, 2025
Great information that’s perfect for upper elementary to junior high kids. Difficult to follow format where insets interrupt the chapters.
October 28, 2025
This nonfiction book offers up the most revolting jobs throughout history involving pee, poop, vomit, dead bodies, and all things disgusting. Yeah, you want to read it.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews