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Kay's Marvellous Medicine: A Gross and Gruesome History of the Human Body
The brand-new, hilarious book from bestselling, record-breaking author Adam Kay.
The olden days were pretty fun if you liked wearing chainmail or chopping people's heads off but there was one TINY LITTLE problem back then . . . doctors didn't have the slightest clue about how our bodies worked.
It's time to find out why Ancient Egyptians thought the brain was just a useless load of old stuffing that might as well be chucked in the bin, why teachers forced their pupils to smoke cigarettes, why hairdressers would cut off their customers' legs, and why people used to get paid for farting. (Unfortunately that's no longer a thing - sorry.)
You'll get answers to questions like:
Why did patients gargle with wee?
How did a doctor save people's lives using a washing machine, a can of beans and some old sausages?
What was the great stink? (No, it's not what doctors call your bum.)
If you're sure you're ready, then pop a peg on your nose (there was a lot of stinky pus back then), pull on your wellies (there was a lot of poo there too), wash your hands (because they certainly didn't) and explore this gross and gruesome history of the human body!
The olden days were pretty fun if you liked wearing chainmail or chopping people's heads off but there was one TINY LITTLE problem back then . . . doctors didn't have the slightest clue about how our bodies worked.
It's time to find out why Ancient Egyptians thought the brain was just a useless load of old stuffing that might as well be chucked in the bin, why teachers forced their pupils to smoke cigarettes, why hairdressers would cut off their customers' legs, and why people used to get paid for farting. (Unfortunately that's no longer a thing - sorry.)
You'll get answers to questions like:
Why did patients gargle with wee?
How did a doctor save people's lives using a washing machine, a can of beans and some old sausages?
What was the great stink? (No, it's not what doctors call your bum.)
If you're sure you're ready, then pop a peg on your nose (there was a lot of stinky pus back then), pull on your wellies (there was a lot of poo there too), wash your hands (because they certainly didn't) and explore this gross and gruesome history of the human body!
405 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2021
121 people are currently reading
1000 people want to read
About the author
Adam Kay
63 books3,494 followersAdam Kay is an award-winning comedian and writer. He previously worked for many years as a junior doctor. His first book "This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor" was a Sunday Times number one bestseller for over a year and has sold over two million copies. It has been translated into 37 languages and is winner of four National Book Awards, including Book of the Year, and will be a major new comedy drama for the BBC.
His second book "Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas" was an instant Sunday Times number one bestseller and sold over 500,000 copies in its first few weeks.
"Dear NHS", edited by Adam Kay, was an instant Sunday Times number one with all profits donated to charity. His first children's book "Kay's Anatomy" will be released in October 2020.
His second book "Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas" was an instant Sunday Times number one bestseller and sold over 500,000 copies in its first few weeks.
"Dear NHS", edited by Adam Kay, was an instant Sunday Times number one with all profits donated to charity. His first children's book "Kay's Anatomy" will be released in October 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
October 18, 2022
ZARĄBISTE TO BYŁO!
Dosłownie okropnie śmieszne 😂
Dosłownie okropnie śmieszne 😂
January 13, 2023
Rozczarowanie :( lubię wcześniejsze jego książki, ale jak dla mnie tutaj tego humoru było już za dużo i do przesady, jednak forma bardzo przystępna, tego nie można tej książce odmówić.
July 27, 2022
Not a patch on Kay's Anatomy. Still entertaining, but the running gags from the previous book (now also including gripes in the margins from Great-Aunt Prunella) do wear thin. The contents also get rather formulaic, because within each chapter on a different body part or system, the same structure applies: a historical survey taking in Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome (and sometimes India), followed by the Middle Ages (or Sparkle Time, as Kay decides to refer to it), more recent developments, our modern understanding, and some future predictions thanks to the robot butler.
In between, Kay sprinkles in some recurring features, like five truths and a lie about historical figures, true or false statements, and trivia questions. He's upped the gross-out factor with even more poo and vomit jokes. And the overall thrust of the book seems to be: wow, people were stupid back then; look at these random nonsense theories and quack treatments they came up with! Which is fine, but a medical history can debunk outmoded ideas without making fun of them, also while tracing how they evolved into what we know now.
As ever, Henry Paker's illustrations are a delight.
Note: A really awful error slipped into this book and wasn't caught by any of the editors or copyeditors who had eyes on it. On p. 354, the concept of bifocals is attributed to Benjamin Franklin, "who was president from 1785-1788"!! It's not the first time I've noted in the UK (once also on the TV show Spooks (aka MI-5), I believe) that people think Franklin was an early U.S. president. Yes, he was a famous statesman, but he was never president.
In between, Kay sprinkles in some recurring features, like five truths and a lie about historical figures, true or false statements, and trivia questions. He's upped the gross-out factor with even more poo and vomit jokes. And the overall thrust of the book seems to be: wow, people were stupid back then; look at these random nonsense theories and quack treatments they came up with! Which is fine, but a medical history can debunk outmoded ideas without making fun of them, also while tracing how they evolved into what we know now.
As ever, Henry Paker's illustrations are a delight.
Note: A really awful error slipped into this book and wasn't caught by any of the editors or copyeditors who had eyes on it. On p. 354, the concept of bifocals is attributed to Benjamin Franklin, "who was president from 1785-1788"!! It's not the first time I've noted in the UK (once also on the TV show Spooks (aka MI-5), I believe) that people think Franklin was an early U.S. president. Yes, he was a famous statesman, but he was never president.
September 8, 2023
Wpadła mi w ręce zupełnie przypadkiem i ku mojemu zdumieniu dowiedziałam się z niej wielu ciekawych, nietypowych faktów z historii medycyny. Była też naprawdę zabawna, nie każdy żart mnie bawił, ale też tego nie wymagałam, bo to jednak pozycja dla różnych grup wiekowych.
February 4, 2022
This was a very funny book and taught me lots about the people of the past and the body. Overall it was very good and I enjoyed it a lot.
February 24, 2022
Very interesting and funny. It didn’t take me long to read but I enjoyed it all the same.
January 1, 2023
pippin i prunella mają moje serce
January 9, 2023
i might be #1 adam kay fan at this point
March 16, 2022
Reflections and lessons learned:
“What is plastic surgery? Is it where you have Lego stitched to your face?”
I work in a hospital library - I have access to a large range of medical books, including some about history but would they include the phrase ‘weird bum rash googling’ so accurately? An ideal comedy book making a traditionally austere subject fantastically stupid and approachable - would I have got a better mark in my double science gcse had I listened to this for context on human biology? I genuinely think that I may have done! One for my kids to try before high school to understand the subject and the importance of the classic family repeated Christian Jessen mantra “there’s no shame, we’re all the same…”, as we have been for a long old time, including sparkle times
“What is plastic surgery? Is it where you have Lego stitched to your face?”
I work in a hospital library - I have access to a large range of medical books, including some about history but would they include the phrase ‘weird bum rash googling’ so accurately? An ideal comedy book making a traditionally austere subject fantastically stupid and approachable - would I have got a better mark in my double science gcse had I listened to this for context on human biology? I genuinely think that I may have done! One for my kids to try before high school to understand the subject and the importance of the classic family repeated Christian Jessen mantra “there’s no shame, we’re all the same…”, as we have been for a long old time, including sparkle times
September 23, 2022
Not as good as Kay’s Anatomy: A Complete (and Completely Disgusting) Guide to the Human Body - the poop jokes and Aunt Prunella's lame footnotes dragged on a bit, and I'm not convinced the structure worked super-well. But I say that as someone who's decidedly not the target audience; I think for the right age group it's probably a riot, and/or a fun book to introduce your kids to some really interesting aspects of medical history.
November 1, 2022
(3,5✨)
Do połowy bawiłam się świetnie ale niestety musiałam ją na chwile odłożyć i trochę straciłam zainteresowanie :/ Jednak nie zmienia to faktu, że jeśli kogoś interesują ciekawostki związane z historią medycyny to jest to świetna pozycja, niezależnie od wieku czytelnika🫶🏼
Do połowy bawiłam się świetnie ale niestety musiałam ją na chwile odłożyć i trochę straciłam zainteresowanie :/ Jednak nie zmienia to faktu, że jeśli kogoś interesują ciekawostki związane z historią medycyny to jest to świetna pozycja, niezależnie od wieku czytelnika🫶🏼
July 24, 2023
Bawiłam się bardzo dobrze, była naprawdę zabawna i wciągająca, dużo się z niej dowiedziałam.
Może nie zapadnie mi całość na długo w pamięci, ale zawsze jakieś ciekawostki z niej wyniosłam
Może nie zapadnie mi całość na długo w pamięci, ale zawsze jakieś ciekawostki z niej wyniosłam
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February 17, 2025Książka dedykowana dla dzieci, ale i starsi czytelnicy mogą dobrze się bawić!! Niesamowicie ciekawa wiedza z historii medycyny przekazana bardzo przyswajalnie z dozą humoru. Świetne!
June 18, 2022
*3.5 stars
As per usual, this Adam Kay book was absolutely hilarious and witty. I loved the details into each period in history he went into and the little comments by Prunella :)
As per usual, this Adam Kay book was absolutely hilarious and witty. I loved the details into each period in history he went into and the little comments by Prunella :)
October 30, 2022
Bought it for my 12-year old as another try to spark her interests in nonfiction books. And it worked! Very funny book and in the meanwhile educational, and sometimes hilarious. I particularly appreciate how Adam Kay highlighted the sexism in medicine in the past and took every opportunity to highlight the marvelous achievements and the bravery of female medical professionals.
March 12, 2022
I listen to the audio version and can imagine it on TV.
The music and sound effects are already in place. I didn’t know you could squeeze so much toilet humour into one book. Even though it’s not aimed at me, I still learnt lots.
The music and sound effects are already in place. I didn’t know you could squeeze so much toilet humour into one book. Even though it’s not aimed at me, I still learnt lots.
October 30, 2021
I found this book really interesting and awfully funny. I would recommend if you like a few laughs and are interested in the human body and its history
January 1, 2023
What do I say first? This book is SO funny, and informative in a way that intrigues the reader and makes them want more and more- I couldn't stop reading it! Kay is a fabulous author- if you enjoyed this, why not read 'Kay's Anatomy', which is equally amazing!
December 28, 2021
It is so informative and funny! It contains information that would normally be grim and gory but Adam Kay makes them funny! His great aunt Prunella puts in little comments by the way.
January 29, 2023
książka świetna dla młodszych osób żeby dowiedzieć się o początkach medycyny. Ma bardzo specyficzny humor, wybitnie nie mój
June 18, 2023
ale to bylo fajne
December 2, 2023
Страхотно интересна и забавна книга за медицината през вековете. Ще ми се да я видя на български език 😁
June 3, 2025
3 ⭐
Byłoby lepiej gdyby nie te męczące żarty. Za dużo, niepotrzebne, często nieśmieszne. Wiem, że kupa dla dzieci jest zabawna, ale w takiej ilości to i dzieci się znudzą. Gdyby nie te żarty to jest to naprawdę fajna książka edukacyjna dla dzieciaków.
Byłoby lepiej gdyby nie te męczące żarty. Za dużo, niepotrzebne, często nieśmieszne. Wiem, że kupa dla dzieci jest zabawna, ale w takiej ilości to i dzieci się znudzą. Gdyby nie te żarty to jest to naprawdę fajna książka edukacyjna dla dzieciaków.
February 14, 2024
Bardzo lubię pana autora i rozumiem dlaczego ta książka śmieszy dzieci ale ja jestem już trochę za stara chyba 😭
September 9, 2025
I loved this book. Yes it was about Medicine ,and yes, it was about history but the writer (Adam Kay) made this book so good. I 100% recommend this book to someone who loves history or lives to have funny conversation. ect.talking about poo.
June 10, 2022
Brilliant . What a sense of humour Adam Kay has. It's gross but funny and factual at the same time .
Really enjoyed it.
Children and adults alike will love this book.
Really enjoyed it.
Children and adults alike will love this book.
October 30, 2021
“1895. The first X-ray was performed. I’ve got no idea what the X stands for. Xylophone, maybe?”
Three hundred years ago, before CPR and defibrillators were invented — resuscitation was attempted with er, bellows through the bum. True story.
Bestselling author Adam Kay strikes again with his hilarious take on the history of medicine. This time, he invites his reader to travel back through time with him, to discover how the ancients practised medicine.
Like how the ancient Egyptians totally thought the brain was completely useless. How do we know this? They removed the organs when they mummified the dead but only stuffed the heart back in (for the afterlife🫀).
“And how about the brain? They just chucked it in the bin, mate. I’m not even joking.”🧠🧐
Or that brain surgery consisted of drilling holes in the brain, and that was how they found out certain parts controlled important things like memory, or personality (when they took that part out, oops).
Yup, in ancient history, the brain really got the er…bum rap 🤪
Singapore 🇸🇬 gets mentioned for the longest brain surgery ever in 2001, on a pair of twins joined at the head. “I hope those doctors had a nice breakfast first.” 🤭
The best thing about reading this, is that as the young reader chuckles at the jokes, he or she is likely to pick up quite a thing or two about medicine and the human body. Most excellent 😂
Kay is a former doctor who wrote the bestselling memoir, This is Going to Hurt. This new kids’ nonfiction title follows from last year’s bestselling Kay’s Anatomy (pictured in my first photo) and continues to be a lot of learning fun.
Perfect for gifting season, and I had SO MUCH FUN reading it all! 😙📚
📚: times.reads
Three hundred years ago, before CPR and defibrillators were invented — resuscitation was attempted with er, bellows through the bum. True story.
Bestselling author Adam Kay strikes again with his hilarious take on the history of medicine. This time, he invites his reader to travel back through time with him, to discover how the ancients practised medicine.
Like how the ancient Egyptians totally thought the brain was completely useless. How do we know this? They removed the organs when they mummified the dead but only stuffed the heart back in (for the afterlife🫀).
“And how about the brain? They just chucked it in the bin, mate. I’m not even joking.”🧠🧐
Or that brain surgery consisted of drilling holes in the brain, and that was how they found out certain parts controlled important things like memory, or personality (when they took that part out, oops).
Yup, in ancient history, the brain really got the er…bum rap 🤪
Singapore 🇸🇬 gets mentioned for the longest brain surgery ever in 2001, on a pair of twins joined at the head. “I hope those doctors had a nice breakfast first.” 🤭
The best thing about reading this, is that as the young reader chuckles at the jokes, he or she is likely to pick up quite a thing or two about medicine and the human body. Most excellent 😂
Kay is a former doctor who wrote the bestselling memoir, This is Going to Hurt. This new kids’ nonfiction title follows from last year’s bestselling Kay’s Anatomy (pictured in my first photo) and continues to be a lot of learning fun.
Perfect for gifting season, and I had SO MUCH FUN reading it all! 😙📚
📚: times.reads
January 23, 2022
I have said this before, but I'm n0t an objective critic when it comes to Adam Kay's writing because:
a. his depiction of life as a doctor in the NHS is the most accurate one I've read so far
b. he liked one of my tweets that was addressed at him
c. he's really funny at his book signings
d. The Amateur Transplants were amazing
So this book gets 5 stars too. To my surprise, I did end up learning a few things which are not routinely covered in the medical curriculum. You learn very little about female representation (or lack thereof) in medicine, and I think the snippets highlighting the contributions of female doctors and scientists fly the flag of representation and inclusivity. And it's funny. Deffo a book I'll recommend to my kids one day!
a. his depiction of life as a doctor in the NHS is the most accurate one I've read so far
b. he liked one of my tweets that was addressed at him
c. he's really funny at his book signings
d. The Amateur Transplants were amazing
So this book gets 5 stars too. To my surprise, I did end up learning a few things which are not routinely covered in the medical curriculum. You learn very little about female representation (or lack thereof) in medicine, and I think the snippets highlighting the contributions of female doctors and scientists fly the flag of representation and inclusivity. And it's funny. Deffo a book I'll recommend to my kids one day!
January 17, 2023
Ällöhuumorilla kuorrutettu lapsille ja nuorille suunnattu tietokirja lääketieteen historiasta. Kirjoitustyyli oli vähän liikaa tällaiselle tylsälle 25-vuotiaalle. Lukukokemuksena ehkä sellainen 2/5 mutta en vaan ole kohdeyleisöä joten se ei tunnu aivan reilulta. Luulen, että etenkin lapset voivat oppia tästä paljon uutta ja viihtyä.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews