Mary Roach’s Grunt is a fascinating and quirky exploration of the science behind keeping soldiers safe, comfortable, and alive. Her signature humor makes even awkward or grim topics feel approachable and intriguing—she has a knack for turning niche scientific details into captivating stories.

Some chapters resonated more than others for me. I already knew a bit about topics like nutrition and exercise, so those parts held my attention, but the chapters on clothing considerations were a surprising highlight. As always, Roach delivers plenty of "fun facts" and unique insights that other authors might skip over.

While it’s science-heavy, the writing is clear and avoids unnecessary jargon, making it easy to follow. That said, Gruntmight not be for everyone—it’s nonfiction, packed with information, and a slower read. I found the audio version tougher to get through because of the dense material, but Roach’s humor and perspective kept me engaged. If you love learning weird and wonderful things about the world, this book is worth checking out!

The niche topics chosen for this book sometimes didn't pull me in all the way, but the last chapter about what happens to the bodies of fallen soldiers (which is not grisly but bittersweet), had me in tears within two paragraphs. Overall, this book was informative, funny, relatable and light enough that I could keep reading on heavy topics, without sugarcoating.

If you have family or friends in the military, this might be hard to read, but as someone who has family members who've served, it definitely increased my empathy for their experience (and for that of all those military folks I don't know).