Very cool popular science book. Learn all about the science that's going on all around you in your very own home.

B-.

I got this book from the library when I was about ten and must have borrowed it half a dozen times in the following few years. I loved it so much. I would read chunks of it to my stepmother to freak her out, and describe in great detail to my friends the bits about dust mites crawling all over everything, fungus all over the walls of the house and all the crap that blows back at you whenever you use the vacuum cleaner, among other things. I wasn't really disturbed by any of this stuff, mind you, I just found it totally fascinating. I certainly did obsessively remember to close the toilet lid before flushing after reading this, though, and I may have changed a few other habits, too. I found the stuff describing how various household products were made to be surprising and very illuminating. It was probably in part this book that cemented the idea in my head that human beings can find a way to use almost anything in nature, especially things that were once alive, to suit our needs. The author's scheme of depicting the life of a family and household in the span of a single day, taking everything more or less in realtime, is engenious. I don't know how available or widely read this book might be today, but I definitely think it's something young people in particular ought to pick up, especially if they have a budding interest in microbiology, chemistry and manufacturing practices.

A neat little overview of several happenings around an ordinary house at a microscopic level.

Pretty much anytime I vacuum a rug, I picture 100s of dust mites between the fibers. They are sitting with there mouths open, hoping one of my skin cells will fall in. Maybe they are frightened when the wind starts to pull them upward? But once they hit the vacuum bag, they can feast for months.

That's pretty much what this book is about. It describes all the invisible things going on around you every day.

observation and curiosity

This book is AMAZING - and NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART, I might add. Seriously, if thoughts of dust mites, skeletal remains of creatures that live with us and on us drives you screaming into the night, then do NOT read this book. But I kind of look at it this way, they are there for a reason. And this book is fascinating!

And the photography is unbelievable as well! I seriously enjoyed this book. I mean, who knew that coffee literally moved because of the sound waves of our voices?!?!? See what I mean? AMAZING! I was glad that I was just browsing the day I found this book in the stacks of my local library. So, thank you, David Bodanis for this terrific book!

Enjoyed the content of this book, but not the presentation.

This read to me like a microbiologist came over, got stoned, and couldn’t read the room.

Even though the book seriously harmed my appetite for chocolate ice cream, the things I've learned and gained through reading this book were phenomenal. A perfect way to learn some interesting facts.