Ok, ok... I promised this post to you last November. Remember? Didn't think so... but that is no excuse... you have to read it anyhow: Part 2

Here is your Coronavirus Summer Reading List inspired by Albert Einstein's brain.

Remember my post, I saw Albert Einstein's brain & other fascinations of the human body: Part 1 ? No matter.

But I did promise you this fascinating reading list of books that would 'one-up' Gray's Anatomy, a technically marvelous tome but without a drop of humor or whimsey. All of this list is eminently readable and enjoyable for all of us non-surgeons and medical people, but alas, without pictures as if to make them feel more real.

If your interest is piqued, then THE BODY" A Guide for Occupants by my favorite author, Bill Bryson, is an excellent start. Chapter 1: How to Build a Human previews your journey most readably through most every facet of us humans, functions, facts, and the roll played in our every breath, good, bad and because. It's a 400-page read worth the effort.

Bill Bryson

As an aside, Bryson's wide range included A Walk in the Woods, A Short History of Nearly Everything, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words and The Mother Tongue, all favorites of mine. He has written more though that are worthy.

Then there is Mary Roach and her list of interesting, factually correct real stories that range from the basics to the bizarre. She will make you laugh... and perhaps blush but she is a good read.

Her first book was Stiff: The Curious Life of Cadavers. Then came Bonk: The

Mary Roach

Curious Coupling of Science, Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife, Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, Packing to Mars:The Curious Science of Space, and more, but these are her best. Roach is labeled America's funniest science writer... they got that right.


And if you are saying "More! More!," then I'd direct you to one of the several "live body" exhibits that may still be traveling the country. Last I heard, there was one permanently operating in Las Vegas. These were most prevalent half-dozen years ago and showcased human bodies that had been preserved through a process called plastination and dissected to show bodily systems. These were popular and controversial at the time (and probably still are) but it was explained that these bodies were actually willed for cash while the people lived so that families left behind would have some means. Most if not all of the exhibits were from Asian populations who lived meager lives. Having seen and been amazed by several of the most tasteful and respectully managed exhibits, I was amazed and somewhat conflicted at what I saw.

And if you are ever in Philadelphia, The Mutter Museum i one fantastic place to see almost everything medical, including Einstein's brain.

So there... I kept my promise. If this is your genre, good reading. Stay well.