Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War

I wish Mary Roach and I were best friends. She picks topics like “space” or “war” or “sex” and then writes about the most bizarre subtopics. I just love it. Some topics addressed in this book include genital reconstruction, shark attacks, and diarrhea.

This is a quick read that will pump you full of military-based fun facts (and some rather disturbing ones). I found the chapter on smells/stink bombs most hilarious/fascinating, but there are other cool sections on innovations in fabrics, shark-repellents, submarine duty, preparation for medical care in a war zone, etc. I liked the writer's style more than the subject matter (I've never been too interested in anything relating to war...) so I'll probably check out some of her other books.

Fascinating and gruesome!