Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ
Giulia Enders

As someone who studied human Anatomy and Physiology, I was familiar with the gut and how it works.

What I most appreciated about this book was how approachable it was in explaining complex subjects, especially one where we don’t really want to do much thinking about, much less read about.

The aspect of the book that fascinated me the most was the discussion of the enteric nervous system, which, for all intents and purposes, could be considered the brain of the gut in that it has a complex network of neurons within the gastrointestinal tract. What’s fascinating is that the enteric nervous system can function independent of the central nervous system. With such power, you’d think there would be much more written about this system.

I was also interested in the so-called gut-brain axis and how it could be the underlying cause of bowel diseases like IBS (something I am very familiar with!).

The book is dotted with delightful illustrations by the author’s sister that enhanced the book’s text.

I found the book fairly easy to read and follow along with despite my, more less, knowing the subject at hand. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in knowing more about their gut, told in an entertaining manner.

4/5 stars

Book finished on 27 May 2025