 2008-12-25 - This book should be a best-seller
As for the organization of this book, I'd give it 3 stars. But the subject matter is so important that this should be a best-seller, on every thinking person's reading list.
The book begins with some historic background on sewers, and how sewers and the flush toilet drastically improved public health. I would have enjoyed more of this. There's an overly-long section on high-tech Japanese toilets and why they haven't become popular elsewhere. I would have preferred less of this. I don't want a high-tech toilet, but would be interested in learning more about the composting toilets being used in some places in the Far East and Europe.
The real focus of this book, it seems to me, is the LACK of toilets and sewers in so much of the world. It's horrifying how many people still defecate outdoors, mostly because their governments have ignored sanitation, and the effects this has on public health. Billions of people have few options, little knowledge, and no money with which to change the situation.
Like other reviewers, I would have appreciated more details about different types of toilets, latrines and the like, how efficient they are (or aren't), etc.
The interviews with various activists, especially in India and China, who are working to improve things, are interesting. Despite their tireless efforts, it doesn't sound as if the battle for sanitation is being won. Huge slums everywhere are growing faster than the problems can be addressed.
Anyone who has read "Angela's Ashes," and remembers the descriptions of the neighborhood toilets the McCourts used in Ireland, will recognize this.
As for those of us in the Western world, it's appalling that so many of our cities still pollute the oceans with our sewage. In other words, this isn't a third world problem, it's a WHOLE WORLD problem. Equally appalling is that supposedly "clean" sewage by-products, heavily contaminated by chemicals, are being used as crop fertilizers in the U.S. and England. Sickening -- literally and figuratively!
 2008-12-18 - Waste leaving a little to be desired
Ms. George provides in almost travelogue form a view of how parts of the world, both well off and not, handle human waste disposal. The sporadic histories she provides, particularly of the early British attempts at sewage disposal, are very interesting. But whether she fears a real description of how certain simple improvements to toilets in improverished countries and how other improvements in modern ones, such as the toilet bidet seat, actually work might scare off readers or whether she herself did not probe sufficiently into the matters to be able to provide a clear description, readers having a science or engineering background may find some of the most interesting accounts irritatingly wanting.
 2008-12-16 - Achilles Heel found in Japanese toilets?
In fairness, I must say that I haven't read the entire book, merely some excerpts in a NYT review (although I look forward to reading the whole book soon). I just wanted to share this short(circuited) story from the AP re: Japanese toilets (bidets, actually). The author takes issue with the use of tissue, suggesting that the Japanese high-tech solution (which involves toilets of sufficient complexity as to develop their own civilization one day) is superior. The Japanese prefer water to TP and consider using paper to be, well, kinda gross. Maybe so, but consider this: "Inax Corp., Japan's second largest toilet-maker, made the (recall) announcement after receiving six reports that covers on toilets with electric bidets -- sprays fitted at the back of the toilets -- melted and began smoking, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry..." Do you really want to entrust that delicate area of physiological real estate to something that can burst into flames and emit sparks?
2008-12-15 - An entertaining story of toilets
Although I have often read in the bathroom, I never thought to read such an interesting and, dare I say it, entertaining book about defecation and waste removal and treatment.
All humor aside (and I guess its taboo is why one feels compelled to try to be humorous about this subject), this is actually a very serious subject. The author tells us how the creation of sewage systems, and flush toilets, has probably led to a hugh improvement in life expectancy, since fecal related illness was, and remains in most of the world, the biggest killer (especially of little children, the elderly, and the immuno-compromised).
It is astounding to learn that most people don't even have outhouses, but must just squat where they can. The desease ramifications of this simple fact are enormous, and not humorous at all. Suddenly, the reader runs into some very sobering facts.
On a personal level, I don't think I'll ever put grease down the sink again, after reading about those (literally) walls of grease in the sewers. Her walk through a sewer amazed me and, for the first time, I realized that the people that do this work routinely are a bit heroic, putting life and limb at risk for our public health. I do recall that when I lived in Louisville, KY years ago, the sewers exploded when a factory emptied some chemical down the drain. This is very dangerous.
I recommend this book absolutely.
2008-12-02 - Turning the repugnant into a desire to help
Rose George strikes me as a strident young journalist; she applies her angry intelligence to the problem of human waste. Not many people want to think about this taboo topic because western culture pretends human waste does not exist.
Just half way through the book, I find myself moved to help the majority of humans who suffer daily from poor sanitation. The implications of poor toilets and lack of hygiene are alarming. So many people live hourly in misery due to this issue. I feel grateful for the not-in-the-least-bit simple pleasure of using a clean western flush toilet knowing that my sh&% will be taken elsewhere out of my consciousness. But I feel guilty at my ignorance in taking this for granted and for allowing the environment to be harmed by the lack of value placed on this resource.
This is a compelling read; I believe Rose's book will inspire aid organizations and reformers. While we do not need to mire ourselves in the darker aspects of life, it is about time that the simple bodily function of excretion got due attention. There is enough potty humour and fun sprinkled throughout this book to keep the squeamish reading.
I salute Rose George for her courage in publishing such an important book.
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