Never Shower in a Thunderstorm: Surprising Facts and Misleading Myths About Our Health and the World We Live In (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: knuckle crackers, negative calories, United States, New England Journal of Medicine, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

O'Connor, a contributor to the New York Times Science Times section, has amassed more than 100 peculiar tidbits on everything from the potency of Spanish fly to the cancerous effects of cellphone use. O'Connor easily waxes on about whether bicycle seats cause impotence or if knuckle cracking can lead to arthritis. While regular Times readers will remember many of these topics, the newly casual tone of the discussions will either entertain or distract, depending on one's tolerance for anecdote. For instance, in exploring the infamous "Will eating poppy seeds make you fail a drug test?" conundrum, O'Connor got right to the point in his 2005 column ("a couple of bagels heavily coated with poppy seeds can result in morphine in a person's system for hours"), but here he begins with the retelling of a Seinfeld episode where Elaine, after a bagel breakfast, tests positive for "You know, white lotus. Yam-yam. Shanghai Sally." All of O'Connor's research is backed by legit scientific studies, but he refers to them only in passing. A bibliography would have been welcomed. Nonetheless, medical receptionists take note: this is a great book for the waiting rooms of physicians, dentists and psychiatrists alike. (June)
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Product Description

The New York Times’s intrepid health reporter investigates the truth about sex, eating, exercise, and other health conundrums For more than two years, the New York Times’s science and health columnist Anahad O’Connor has tracked down the facts, fictions, and occasional fuzziness of old wives’ tales, conventional-wisdom cures, and other medical mysteries. Now in this lively and fun book, he opens up his case files to disclose the experts’ answers on everything, from which of your bad habits you can indulge (yo-yo dieting does not mess up your metabolism and sitting too close to the television does not hurt your eyes) to what foods actually pack the punch advertised (you can lay off the beet juice!).
A compendium of answers to the curious and nagging questions of how to keep healthy, Never Shower in a Thunderstorm will provide guidance and amusement to anyone who has ever wondered if the mosquitoes really are attacking her more than everyone else. (Yes, they are.)

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Times Books; 1st edition (May 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080508312X
• ISBN-13: 978-0805083125
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #64,996 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #38 in	Books > Reference > Encyclopedias > Mythology & Folklore
  #41 in	Books > Reference > Education > Questions & Answers

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Pretty poor book, February 20, 2008

By	W. Dormann - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book to entertain me for a trans-pacific flight, and boy was I disappointed. Most of the questions are answered along the lines of: "Maybe, but it can't hurt to [blah]..."

Nothing is really backed up, and you're just supposed to trust the author. At some point in the book, it was talking about hair loss caused by tight hair styles. And it made the statement of Andre Agassi wearing hats all the time and then suddenly he was bald. So the hats must have caused him to lose his hair. Uh, maybe he wore hats because he had thinning hair?

I was not happy with this purchase at all.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Fun and Most Informative, June 4, 2007

By	G. Poirier (Orleans, ON, Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This book was great fun to read. Many myths, legends, sayings, old wives' tales, etc., all related in some way to health and life, are either debunked or confirmed - and rationales are provided. The author appears to have researched each topic quite exhaustively - not only through reviewing published papers in the scientific and medical literature but also through interviewing acknowledged experts in each field. The book's writing style is friendly, authoritative and very engaging. But what stands out the most is the author's clever wit and humor; on several occasions I found myself laughing out loud. This is a wonderful book that could be enjoyed by anyone, especially those who have ever pondered the veracity of what may or may not be a bit of misinformation.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lacks Sources, August 6, 2007

By	Charlie "Librarian" (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

About: Facts and myths about health explained. Includes such topics as "Is too much sleep bad for you?" (yes) and "Can you swim right after eating?" (also, yes)

Pros: Quick read, interesting.

Cons: Sources are not cited, a large downside when debunking myths or providing facts.

Grade: B