Replaceable You - Outside of a Dog

256 pages

Published 2025

ISBN:: 978-1-324-05062-9

The body is the most complex machine in the world, and the only one for which you cannot get a replacement part from the manufacturer. For centuries, medicine has reached for what’s available―sculpting noses from brass, borrowing skin from frogs and hearts from pigs, crafting eye parts from jet canopies and breasts from petroleum by-products. Today we’re attempting to grow body parts from scratch using stem cells and 3D printers. How are we doing? Are we there yet?

1 edition

Nano Book Review reviewed Replaceable You by Mary Roach

Fun, Interesting, and Enjoyable

4 stars

A fun little jaunt around the body as Mary learns about all the ways we're trying to augment and replace parts of our being. She explores the history of certain procedures as well as the future of others. She takes on a narrative approach, bringing us along on her investigative journey, telling the human side of the story along with the science.

73pctGeek reviewed Replaceable You by Mary Roach

Would like more depth

3 stars

What bits of the human body are replaceable, and why is it so difficult?

I’ve read most of the popular science books Roach has written, and enjoyed them all. “Replaceable You” is no different, it’s an easy read about an interesting topic, and I learnt a lot. However, I didn’t find Roach’s writing as charming as before, and suspect it’s me rather than any fault of hers. I’d just like a lot more facts, and a bit less breezy chattiness.