The Secret Family: Twenty-Four Hours Inside the Mysterious World of Our Minds and Bodies

Secrets #3

by David Bodanis

State-of-the-art photography complements the descriptions of physiological changes that occur during everyday events such as a diet, an argument, and a kiss, in an exploration of the effects of the outside world on our insides

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Health

224 pages, Hardcover

Published August 8, 1997

About the author

David Bodanis' latest book THE ART OF FAIRNESS: THE POWER OF DECENCY IN A WORLD TURNED MEAN was published November 2020 and asks the question that has long fascinated David: Can you succeed without being a terrible person? The answer is 'Yes, but you need skill', and the book shows how. I demonstrate those insights through a series of biographies…

David Bodanis is the bestselling author of THE SECRET HOUSE and E=MC2, which was turned into a PBS documentary and a Southbank Award-winning ballet at Sadler's Wells. David also wrote ELECTRIC UNIVERSE, which won the Royal Society Science Book of the Year Prize, and PASSIONATE MINDS, a BBC Book of the Week. Then a return to Einstein and the struggles he went through with EINSTEIN'S GREATEST MISTAKE which was named ‘Science Book of the Year’ by the Sunday Times, and also widely translated.

David has worked for the Royal Dutch Shell Scenario Prediction unit and the World Economic Forum. He has been a popular speaker at TED conferences and at Davos. His work has been published in the Financial Times, the Guardian, and the New York Times, and has appeared on Newsnight, Start the Week, and other programs. When not slumped in front of a laptop, he has been known to attempt kickboxing, with highly variable results.

Reviews

[Sue Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you think this is just another biology book or some sort of mystery who done it,you are very wrong. It is actually about all the microscopic beasties living on us and all the microscopic environmental things our bodies deal with every day. It isn't dry reading. The author has a wonderful sense of humor which makes reading this book a pleasure. It also makes you want to put on a bubble suit to protect yourself from the many things bombarding you every second. But that is silly because most of us do quite well without protective gear. People with decreased immune systems are an exception - you know who you are. I highly recommend reading this book, if not for the educational value, then for the humorously way the author talks about bugs and tiny beasties.

[blythe heimer · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is like a 3.6 but i’m rounding up. easily the nerdiest book i’ve ever read, but tbh it was really enjoyable to read. the perfect mix of narrative and information, i would recommend to anyone who’s interested in biology/how our world works. the behavioral science was my fav.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book taught me how post-its work and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since.

[Adithy Iyengar]

This book was fascinating and changed my life, but I can no longer remember why.

[Stefan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pop-Sci at it best (from the early-Internet era)!? Amusing, engaging, definitely entertaining, albeit a bit outdated, capably edited, microphotographical overview of all the biochemistry activities surrounding an average family's members, with a dash of social stats (some begging for 2nd updated revision), historical references, consumer psychology etc. Sadly (or thankfully as these would probably triple the book weight) references aren't given. Great introduction to Bodanis' writing style, just don't get yourself stuck fact checking ;-)

[Lia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't really read the book, but I really love the pictures in this book. It's a hardproof that we're never really alone in this world. Because there are thousands of little creatures that are unseen by our naked eyes that interacts with our everyday lifes

[Ketan Shah]

David Bodanis is an amazing science writer. In this book ,he takes a day in the life of an average family and reveals the science behind their everyday actions.Parents of young children may want to skip the part about what actually goes into baby food. Highly reccommended.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that makes you think twice about laying your head on a pillow. :-)

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ha ha! This book is AWESOME. A germaphobe's nightmare. You will most definitely find out some things you wish you hadn't.

[talia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book. It was VERY well-written and everything, but there was just too much information and I couldn't take it all in.

[Tracey]

nonfiction (fictionalized). I didn't care for the writing style--a bit too cluttered/dense for me to enjoy.