In this comprehensive and entertaining resource, David Macaulay reveals the inner workings of the human body as only he could. In order to present this complicated subject in an accurate and entertaining way, he put in years of research. He sat in on anatomy classes, dissections, and even reached inside the rib cages of two cadavers to compare their spleen sizes. He observed numerous surgeries, including a ten-hour procedure where a diseased pancreas was removed, as well as one where a worn-out old knee was replaced by a brand new one. This hands-on investigation gives Macaulay a unique perspective to lead his readers on a visual journey through the workings of the human body. The seven sections within the book take us from the cells that form our foundation to the individual systems they build. Each beautifully illustrated spread details different aspects of our complex structure, explaining the function of each and offering up-close glimpses, unique cross-sections and perspectives, and even a little humor along the way. This one-of-a-kind book can serve as a reference for children, families, teachers, and anyone who has questions about how his or her body works. When readers see how David Macaulay builds a body and explains the way it works, they will come away with a new appreciation of the amazing world inside them.
Amazon Exclusive: Macaulay's Sketches for The Way We Work (CLICK on Images to Enlarge) Explore author-artist David Macaulay's creative imagination at work in this collection of intriguing early sketches for the book. Each drawing--which is rendered in colored pencils-- lays out the story of a different system of the body through surprising shifts of scale, color, texture, the insertion of figures, and other intriguing spatial relationships on the page.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
The Way We Work, by David Macaulay:
This is a beautifully done research reference work about the body and how it works. Everyone should have this book in their library.
Large-size, clear, bright color drawings - many full-page - throughout accompany lively facts about the human body:
From how humans breathe or see to how eyes perceive, this is an outstanding focus on how humans work blending basic physiological reviews and medical facts with an analysis of the human body's systems and how they affect daily functioning. Large-size, clear, bright color drawings - many full-page - throughout accompany lively facts about the human body designed to capture and retain interest for all ages, from high school students through general-interest adult readers.
Includes A Lesson in Reproduction:
I flipped through this book today with intentions of buying it for my 7 year old son. He is a huge fan of David Macaulay, and has thoroughly enjoyed The Way Things Work. I did not, however, purchase the book because of the last chapter on reproduction. This will be a great tool for kids who are ready for that particular lesson in life, however my 7 year old is not quite ready. The cross-section sketch of a penis inserted in the vagina as well as the page on the sperm's journey entitled "Winner Takes All!"... more info
What Went Wrong?:
What a disappointment! The intended audience for this book--as stated--is 9-12 year old children. No way. The text is incredibly confusing and wanders all over the place. An educated adult would find it hard to follow. It attempts to cover a mother load of topics and in doing so lacks simplicity and understanding. The situation is compounded by the enormity of illustrations (and size) which only tend to confuse, rather than help explain the text. It's a mess. What happened Mr. Macaulay, I... more info
