The Joy of Sweat

Praise

An entertaining and illuminating guide to the necessity and virtues of perspiration…Everts is a crisp and lively writer.—Jennifer Szalai, New York Times

Everts’ plunge into sweat is full of energy, and her open curiosity about our much-maligned bodily secretion leaks onto every page.—Bethany Brookshire, Science News

A glowing, revelatory account that belongs on the same shelf with works by Ed Yong and Carl Zimmer.—Oprah Daily

This beach read is both an ode to sweat and a call to arms to celebrate, rather than spurn, this miraculous process…[A] cheerful, unabashed deep dive into the dank world of sweat and stink.—Emily Cataneo, Undark

[A] well-researched, zesty study.—Andrew Robinson, Nature

[A] whole lot of fun…[M]issing The Joy of Sweat would be the pits. —Terri Schlichenmeyer, The Bookworm Sez

Entertaining.—Mary Elizabeth Williams, Salon

Delightful.—Kerri Miller, Minnesota Public Radio

A fascinating account of an involuntary bodily function that turns out to be as unique as a fingerprint.—Irina Dumitrescu, Times Literary Supplement (UK)

Everts has charm and enthusiasm, writes breezily and, along the way, effectively debunks a number of enduring myths…[F]un, entertaining and full of interesting facts.—Simon Humphreys, The Mail on Sunday (UK)

Everts has an easy hand with demystifying myths associated with sweat…Packed full of information and unexpected tidbits, this is hard to put down.—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Fascinating. —Kirkus Reviews

Entertaining…As she tackles a subject that some people deem taboo or even gross, Everts incorporates interesting historical facts, market research and scientific discoveries, skillfully turning science into poetry.—Bookpage (starred review)

A witty, informative, and quirky consideration of this bodily fluid…Perspiration is cooler than you’d ever imagine.—Booklist

Engaging popular science that will spark the interest of anyone curious about this unique bodily function.—Library Journal

The Joy of Sweat is meticulously researched, delightfully told, and—whether we like it or not—universally relatable. —Alex Hutchinson, best-selling author of Endure

Sweating makes us human and in The Joy of Sweat, Sarah Everts explains the fascinating science behind this remarkable physiological function. Perspiration doesn’t just keep us cool, it also reveals a lot about us—everything from the flavor of potato crisps we eat to the bugs in our microbiome. Everts debunks loads of sweat-related bunk and takes readers on fascinating adventures to explore how sweating helps us adapt to our environment and navigate our social networks. The Joy of Sweat provides riveting lessons about physiology, hormones, sociology, and even love. —Christie Aschwanden, best-selling author of Good to Go

It makes us stink, it makes us stand out, it makes us shy—is there anything worth saying about sweat? Turns out, yes. Sarah Everts’ sensitive, clever, funny inquiry into perspiration leads us on a tour through privacy, technology, history, sexuality, and ultimately the mysteries of being human.—Maryn McKenna, author of Big Chicken