Praise for Fuzz
Synopsis | Table of Contents | Excerpts
“[Fuzz is] powerfully propelled by the force of Roach’s unflinching fascination with the weird,
the gross and the downright improbable. . . . There’s a wacky genius to [her] interjections. . . .
[Her] curious and generous engagement with her subjects makes for world-expanding
reading.”
--Washington Post
“An idiosyncratic tour with Roach as the wisecracking, ever-probing guide.”
--New York Times Book Review
“Each chapter is packed with the results of [Roach’s] detailed investigations. Roach uses
footnotes to add both depth and lightness to the topic at hand by capturing misfit studies, asides,
and hilarious tangents. . . . [A] refreshing addition to the nonfiction science genre, illuminating a
historically niche topic for a broader audience.”
--Science
“Full of kernels of fascinating information... Her approach is informative and unpretentious, and she’s
always armed with a dry sense of humor. Roach will change the way you think about the great outdoors. What
more could you ask for?”
--Buzzfeed
“Reading a Mary Roach book is like spending a luxurious and joyful evening with the perfect dinner guest.
Delightful facts become indelibly etched in your brain, and only later do you realize that hours have passed
and your face slightly hurts from smiling too hard. In Fuzz, Roach’s peerless storytelling skills are paired
with a sense of moral urgency, as she recounts stories of humans and other animals, uneasily and clumsily
learning to co-exist in a world that they must now share.”
--Ed Yong, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of I Contain Multitudes
“Hilarious! With Fuzz, Mary Roach again takes us into an unfamiliar scientific realm, in this case the
science of managing the conflicts between humans and the natural world—lethal leopards, rampaging elephants,
jet-downing birds, even killer trees. It’s an ever-widening conflict zone, but one that Ms. Roach gleefully
mines for a multitude of bizarre facts that’ll make you snort coffee through your nose.”
--Erik Larson, bestselling author of The Splendid and the Vile
“[Roach has] built her impressive literary presence in part by mining laughs out of topics that fascinate
us but also make us squirm. . . . Roach has a sure sense of drama, and she crafts sentences that crackle and
pop. . . . She’s a diligent researcher, asking smart questions of wildlife biologists and poring over
scientific papers.”
--San Francisco Chronicle
“With her characteristic dry wit, [Roach] brings an intense fascination to the seldom discussed details and
the at times absurd miscellany in the unexplored corners of unappreciated research... It is impossible not
to smirk, chortle and sometimes outright belly laugh as you read her many wry asides and funny but
fascinating footnotes... But the real trick Roach pulls off is to keep you laughing while at the same time
making sure the earnest points come across.”
--New Scientist
“The book brims with Roach’s irreverent humor, which particularly shines when she experiences human-animal
conflict firsthand... A blend of modern science and history, with Roach’s flair for spotting hidden
absurdities... As another entry in Roach’s canon of books, Fuzz stands tall (and hairy), educating as much
as it entertains.”
--Science News
“This book is such a rich stew of anecdotes and lore that it’s best savored slowly, bit by bit... No matter the situation, Roach approaches it with contagious enthusiasm.”
--BookPage starred review
“In Fuzz, [Roach] entertainingly investigates “the intractable nature of human-wildlife conflict.” (Think Amy Schumer narrating Nature on PBS.) . . . Roach writes splendidly about the often-surprising challenges inherent in coexisting with other animals in their natural habitats.”
--Booklist starred review
“Often funny, always provocative. . . . Roach’s writing is wry, full of heart, and loaded with intriguing facts. . . . This eminently entertaining outing is another winner from Roach.”
--Publishers Weekly starred review
“Roach joyfully explores how human culture and wildlife, including plant life, have either found ways to coexist or are constantly at odds. . . . From the terrifying to the frustrating, a great starting point for understanding the animal world.”
--Kirkus Reviews starred review
“The expert on quirky science writing doesn’t disappoint. . . . [Roach’s] natural curiosity and wit pair well with her topics. . . . A must-read for wildlife enthusiasts, popular science readers, and anyone who has enjoyed Roach’s other books.”
--Library Journal starred review