Description Produced behind closed doors, disposed of discreetly, hidden by euphemism, shit is rarely out in the open in 'civilised' society, but the world of waste - and the people who deal with it, work with it and in it - is a rich one. This book takes us underground to the sewers of NYC and London and overground, to meet the heroes of India's sanitation movement, American sewage schoolteachers, the Japanese genius at the cutting edge of toilet technology, and the biosolids lobbying team. With a journalist's nose for story, and a campaigner's desire for change, Rose George also addresses the politics of this under-reported social and environmental effluent, and the consequences of our reluctance to talk about it. Witty and original, "The Big Necessity" proves that shit doesn't have to be a dirty word.
The Big Necessity: Adventures In The World Of Human Waste
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.35
Trade in The Big Necessity: Adventures in the World of Human Waste for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.35, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Learn more
|
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
* 'The first popular study written on the subject. And popular it deserves to be. George has the right kind of breezy serious approach needed with this universal taboo.' Daily Mail * 'A fascinating, wise, calm and scrupulously drawn portrait of the world and its waste - [this is] a seriously important book.' Simon Winchester * 'George bravely submerges herself in the tragedy and occasional comedy of global sanitation. Sludge, biogas, sewage: I ate up and wanted more! The most unforgettable book to pass through the publishing pipeline in years.' Mary Roach, author of Stiff and Bonk
About the Author
ROSE GEORGE is a freelance writer and journalist whose first book, A Life Removed: Hunting for Refuge in the Modern World, was long-listed for the Ulysses Reportage Prize. She contributes regularly to the LRB, Guardian, Independent and others.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Even after more than three decades I can still feel white hot anger when I recall the criticisms I endured (from the idiot brigade) for lecturing, in a prestigious School of Architecture, about Lavatory Design and Attitudes towards Human Excretions. Like Death and Taxes, Human Excreta are an inescapable part of Life. I would entreat those that think otherwise to get over it and engage sensibly with the issues. Read this book.
Rose George has written a long-overdue book which provides a wide ranging, detailed, well referenced, well written account of the whole subject - accessible to both the professional and general reader. She is to be highly commended. This book should be on the reading list of any educational programme (from schools upwards) which purports to deal with sustainable Human Habitats.
Rose George has written a long-overdue book which provides a wide ranging, detailed, well referenced, well written account of the whole subject - accessible to both the professional and general reader. She is to be highly commended. This book should be on the reading list of any educational programme (from schools upwards) which purports to deal with sustainable Human Habitats.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By L. Mello
Format:Hardcover
I never thought I'd enjoy a book about human waste - but this book has proven that a good author can tell a fascinating story about anything. I think Rose George is very brave for addressing a very unsexy subject -- and the facts are powerful: what good is clean drinking water if 2.6 billion people in this world live in contaminated environments due to their own lack of toilets? This is thought-provoking stuff which - if taken seriously and acted upon - could change the lives of billions...
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By J. Swain
Format:Hardcover
Almost as entertaining as it is fascinating. I say almost as I read most of the book in one session whilst stranded on an airport runway for 3 hours. In one sitting (pun intended) the topic does have the unfortunate effect of making one feel slightly nauseous at times.
If only there were more of this kind of reporting/writing about environmental issues, I would take more of an interest. This book puts into context how really serious issues are never dealt with when a nice picture of a poor fluffy polar bear and a "carbon footprint" calculator will do instead.
One can feel the sense of frustration of Rose and the people in the book at just how hard it is to make progress on such an important issue.
Ultimately I am not sure if I am optimistic that work like this will help in finding solutions or whether the book is just a testament to human natures ability to look the other way if problems don't affect them directly.
If only there were more of this kind of reporting/writing about environmental issues, I would take more of an interest. This book puts into context how really serious issues are never dealt with when a nice picture of a poor fluffy polar bear and a "carbon footprint" calculator will do instead.
One can feel the sense of frustration of Rose and the people in the book at just how hard it is to make progress on such an important issue.
Ultimately I am not sure if I am optimistic that work like this will help in finding solutions or whether the book is just a testament to human natures ability to look the other way if problems don't affect them directly.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 4 reviews
4.2 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Talking poop!
Good read - really opens your eyes to what happens (or doesn't happen) to that one most natural thing we all produce, and the huge and devastating effect it has on our health - not... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Stew
4.0 out of 5 stars
lots of 4 letter material
A very interesting book of how we dispose of s**** in different countries and the impact on people's lives. Thoughtful
Published 2 months ago by Frederick W Caws
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating and scary!
Really interesting read and very educational. Well written and easy to read. Hundreds of interesting facts which are somewhat scary in the 21st century when you live in a developed... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Andy FL
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hubble Bubble, Toilet Trouble
An interesting, lively and very readable account of efforts to solve the largest health issue of the modern world - the safe and economic disposal of human excretia, most of which... Read more
Published on 19 Sep 2009 by Howard Somerville
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hubble Bubble, Toilet Trouble
An interesting, lively and very readable account of efforts to solve the largest health issue of the modern world - the safe and economic disposal of human excretia, most of which... Read more
Published on 19 Sep 2009 by Howard Somerville
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Big Necessity indeed
I bought this book for a friend, who urged me to read it. An eye-opening book for someone who enjoys the luxury of two flush toilets. Read more
Published on 17 April 2009 by F. M. Palmer
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Read
This book is informative, often funny and you cannot help but be impressed by the efforts that many people have to make simply to carry out this most basic human function and deal... Read more
Published on 7 April 2009 by Alice Cadis
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hooray for the water closet
Very interesting book, it really makes you appreciate the water closet that we are all used to. We just take it for granted, but billions of the world's population do not have this... Read more
Published on 2 Mar 2009 by M. Slade
5.0 out of 5 stars
Food for thought.....
The 'BIG NECESSITY' by Rose George, fearlessly tackles one of the worlds least talked about, yet one of its most important environmental and health issues. Read more
Published on 18 Sep 2008 by S. Faulkner
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
