The Joy of Sweat: The Strange Science of Perspiration
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-09-18 06:17:36
- Update Date：2025-09-24
- Status：finish
- Author：Sarah Everts
- ISBN：132402206X
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
Sweating may be one of our weirdest biological functions， but it’s also one of our most vital and least understood。 In The Joy of Sweat， Sarah Everts delves into its role in the body—and in human history。
Why is sweat salty？ Why do we sweat when stressed？ Why do some people produce colorful sweat？ And should you worry about Big Brother tracking the hundreds of molecules that leak out in your sweat—not just the stinky ones or alleged pheromones—but the ones that reveal secrets about your health and vices？
Everts’s entertaining investigation takes readers around the world—from Moscow， where she participates in a dating event in which people sniff sweat in search of love， to New Jersey， where companies hire trained armpit sniffers to assess the efficacy of their anti-sweat products。 In Finland， Everts explores the delights of the legendary smoke sauna and the purported health benefits of good sweat， while in the Netherlands she slips into the sauna theater scene， replete with costumes， special effects， and towel dancing。
Along the way， Everts traces humanity’s long quest to control sweat， culminating in the multibillion-dollar industry for deodorants and antiperspirants。 And she shows that while sweating can be annoying， our sophisticated temperature control strategy is one of humanity’s most powerful biological traits。
Deeply researched and written with great zest， The Joy of Sweat is a fresh take on a gross but engrossing fact of human life。
Why is sweat salty？ Why do we sweat when stressed？ Why do some people produce colorful sweat？ And should you worry about Big Brother tracking the hundreds of molecules that leak out in your sweat—not just the stinky ones or alleged pheromones—but the ones that reveal secrets about your health and vices？
Everts’s entertaining investigation takes readers around the world—from Moscow， where she participates in a dating event in which people sniff sweat in search of love， to New Jersey， where companies hire trained armpit sniffers to assess the efficacy of their anti-sweat products。 In Finland， Everts explores the delights of the legendary smoke sauna and the purported health benefits of good sweat， while in the Netherlands she slips into the sauna theater scene， replete with costumes， special effects， and towel dancing。
Along the way， Everts traces humanity’s long quest to control sweat， culminating in the multibillion-dollar industry for deodorants and antiperspirants。 And she shows that while sweating can be annoying， our sophisticated temperature control strategy is one of humanity’s most powerful biological traits。
Deeply researched and written with great zest， The Joy of Sweat is a fresh take on a gross but engrossing fact of human life。
Reviews
Daniel Farabaugh
，
A very fun and engaging book on a obscure topic。 She did a very good job balancing the science and the human interest。 Specifically， she did not let her experiences overwhelm the narrative。
Nancy
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Maybe I’m easily amused。 I really enjoyed this book。 So many fun & interesting facts about sweat！ Good narration。 I added this hardcover to my Amazon Book Wishlist。
LA Gib
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2022 Book #41The Joy of Sweat: The Strange Science of Perspiration （2021）by Sarah Everts⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ （3。5/5）I laughed out loud reading this book。 It's a bit of pop science， cleverly written， about perspiration。 Sweat， stink， cultural approaches， perfumes & deodorants， exercise， disorders， professional sniffers， sweat based speed dating， legitimate research， and a hilarious chapter on Finnish saunas let you explore the topic from many angles。 Check this one out from the library - it's a fun read！ 2022 Book #41The Joy of Sweat: The Strange Science of Perspiration （2021）by Sarah Everts⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ （3。5/5）I laughed out loud reading this book。 It's a bit of pop science， cleverly written， about perspiration。 Sweat， stink， cultural approaches， perfumes & deodorants， exercise， disorders， professional sniffers， sweat based speed dating， legitimate research， and a hilarious chapter on Finnish saunas let you explore the topic from many angles。 Check this one out from the library - it's a fun read！ 。。。more
Amber
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Listened to this one on audio and really enjoyed it！ Especially liked the sort of travelogue feel。 It wasn't difficult to listen to - I was worried that I'd bog down in details but I didn't。 The best and most wonderful thing about this book is that it helps you to forgive yourself for sweating， if you're a sweaty person。 :-） Listened to this one on audio and really enjoyed it！ Especially liked the sort of travelogue feel。 It wasn't difficult to listen to - I was worried that I'd bog down in details but I didn't。 The best and most wonderful thing about this book is that it helps you to forgive yourself for sweating， if you're a sweaty person。 :-） 。。。more
Annika Dyck
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A funny and fascinating look at the science of sweat and society’s rather strange relationship with what is really an amazing function and feature of the human body。
Olive Fellows （abookolive）
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A fascinating look at the science of sweat as well as the complex relationship we humans have with perspiration。 On one hand， we love it: we don't feel like we get a good workout without starting to glisten and we hit up the sauna to get our relaxing sweat on。 But then， on the other hand， we hate it: we cumulatively spend billions of dollars on antiperspirants and deodorants and feel shame if we sweat too much， even though sweat is an essential part of being human。I loved the humor and curiosity A fascinating look at the science of sweat as well as the complex relationship we humans have with perspiration。 On one hand， we love it: we don't feel like we get a good workout without starting to glisten and we hit up the sauna to get our relaxing sweat on。 But then， on the other hand， we hate it: we cumulatively spend billions of dollars on antiperspirants and deodorants and feel shame if we sweat too much， even though sweat is an essential part of being human。I loved the humor and curiosity with which Everts takes on this topic。 I learned a ton and had a great time doing it。Click here to hear more of my thoughts on this book over on my Booktube channel， abookolive！ 。。。more
Andrea Patrick
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Yes， I'm giving it five stars， for thoroughness， enjoyability， and interesting science。 I listened to the audiobook because it got good reviews， and it was a book I would have read anyway， since I've been doing hot yoga for about thirteen years now。 Hot yoga is one of those hobbies that makes you think a lot about sweat。Lots of interesting stuff in here， about what's in sweat， what it does for us， other animals' methods of cooling down （I shared tidbits with my family， they were not impressed）， Yes， I'm giving it five stars， for thoroughness， enjoyability， and interesting science。 I listened to the audiobook because it got good reviews， and it was a book I would have read anyway， since I've been doing hot yoga for about thirteen years now。 Hot yoga is one of those hobbies that makes you think a lot about sweat。Lots of interesting stuff in here， about what's in sweat， what it does for us， other animals' methods of cooling down （I shared tidbits with my family， they were not impressed）， health effects of frequent sweating （think saunas）， history of attempts to combat sweat and its assorted odors。 Even sweat-based dating。 There's something in here that ought to be interesting to just about anyone， and the narration was good， too。 。。。more
Laney
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I definitely learned more about sweat （and in particular， smell） and I thought the book was very interesting and entertaining。 I liked that Everts framed each topic with a different experience and expert interview， but sometimes it felt a little too much like a story with not enough science for me。 However， it is an easy read and made me think more positively about my own sweatiness， so I liked it！
Christa
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I would rather have listened to this book in audibook format because I'm sure I would have "read" it much faster that way。 I learned a lot and I won't look or think about sweat in the same way。 I would rather have listened to this book in audibook format because I'm sure I would have "read" it much faster that way。 I learned a lot and I won't look or think about sweat in the same way。 。。。more
Laila
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3。5i don’t read non fiction books but I wanted to give it a try and I actually learned a lot of cool stuff1。 If you eat enough red hot spicy chips you could start to sweat red。 2。 There are groups/societies that will do this like couple matchup where they put like 50 peoples sweat in jars and everyone smells each jar。 Then， you choose your top 5 scents and they match you up with the people who liked your scent too。 weird。 but kinda cool。 3。 sweating is A LOT better than other things animals do t 3。5i don’t read non fiction books but I wanted to give it a try and I actually learned a lot of cool stuff1。 If you eat enough red hot spicy chips you could start to sweat red。 2。 There are groups/societies that will do this like couple matchup where they put like 50 peoples sweat in jars and everyone smells each jar。 Then， you choose your top 5 scents and they match you up with the people who liked your scent too。 weird。 but kinda cool。 3。 sweating is A LOT better than other things animals do to cool down。 Sarah created this cute little image in which you’re sitting on a train。 And it’s hot， so you take your personal fan and your water out to cool down。 But， you look to your right and there’s a man pooping on the train， picking it up and smearing it all over himself。 On your right？ Same thing out with their pee or their vomit！ Gross！ Thats what alot of animals do。 :/4。 Sea Lions are really goofy。 They sit on their little rock all day trying to yk reel in some girls。 But oh does it get hot。 Jumping in the water is NOT an option！ If they jump then they’ll lose their spot。 So instead of taking a dip… they pee all over themselves。 Sea lions choose stinky peepee bodies over being a， let’s say， virgin。 5。 Also you can sweat things out。 Like duh。 But if you do drugs or drink coffee then commit a crime。 They’ll know from your finger prints。 Like everyday you walk around and leave traces of yourself and your hobbies all over everything you touch。 。。。more
Andrea （Hammock and Read）
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Super interesting book！ Loved the audiobook and loved all the different stories with this one
Jen
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Nice little pop science， Mary Roach-esque book about sweat。 Interesting tidbits about sweating in arid and humid locales， athletes， and history of combating sweat。 Humorous anecdotes and not at all heavy on the science， which I rate as a pro and a con。 Heard the author on Science Friday， and it is an enjoyable book。
vincentasusual
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If there is one book I need to convince others to be not shameful at their body sweat or body odor， this is it。 Personally， I am comfortable without hiding my body odor， so this book is not a change of perspective for me per se。 Rather， it just confirms what I believe， but I learn new things about sauna culture， which is nice。
Derek Hoeksema
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As a sweater。 I liked it。
Isabel
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Surprisingly， this book was addictive。 Opening with the mystery of the nurse with blood sweat， it is engaging from start to end。 Furthermore it is quite instructive，shedding light on a usually obscure topic: sweat。 Sarah Everts presents the topic from more perspectives than I though would be possible。 Not only on the importance of sweat to our survival and how it is unique to humans， but also covering social traditions， such as sauna tournaments， to the chemistry of sweat， including how it affec Surprisingly， this book was addictive。 Opening with the mystery of the nurse with blood sweat， it is engaging from start to end。 Furthermore it is quite instructive，shedding light on a usually obscure topic: sweat。 Sarah Everts presents the topic from more perspectives than I though would be possible。 Not only on the importance of sweat to our survival and how it is unique to humans， but also covering social traditions， such as sauna tournaments， to the chemistry of sweat， including how it affects the preservation of historic garments。 A fascinating book。 。。。more
Gemington
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I thought the author treated this topic extremely thoughtfully。 She acknowledged the stigma but also playful nature of an uncontrolled bodily process we have been unnecessarily shamed for。 The premise: sweat is awesome and is relatively unique to humans。 It may be something that saves our species from the climate apocalypse。 I learned a lot about what the science can determine about sweat， how it is composed， what happens when we sweat too much， too little， and more。 More than anything this book I thought the author treated this topic extremely thoughtfully。 She acknowledged the stigma but also playful nature of an uncontrolled bodily process we have been unnecessarily shamed for。 The premise: sweat is awesome and is relatively unique to humans。 It may be something that saves our species from the climate apocalypse。 I learned a lot about what the science can determine about sweat， how it is composed， what happens when we sweat too much， too little， and more。 More than anything this book taught me to appreciate and value my sense of smell。 It is highly evolved and can tell us so much… if we can just learn to pay attention to it。 。。。more
Leanne
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Good conversational writing。 I learned a lot of stuff， some useful some not necessarily so。
Deborah Martinez
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I love science！ This book was so interesting。 Obviously， sweating can be gross， it it's also a vital function of our bodies！ This book explores sweat in so many different ways。 🤣 who knew that some people produce colorful sweat？ I had no idea， but then again why would I when I'm not one of those people？ I learned a lot and yes， I read a variety of books。 😁👍🏼 I love science！ This book was so interesting。 Obviously， sweating can be gross， it it's also a vital function of our bodies！ This book explores sweat in so many different ways。 🤣 who knew that some people produce colorful sweat？ I had no idea， but then again why would I when I'm not one of those people？ I learned a lot and yes， I read a variety of books。 😁👍🏼 。。。more
Rhinnan
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4。5 stars。
Jennifer
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If you like micro deep-dives into a topic then you'll likely enjoy The Joy of Sweat as well。 Chapters included the make-up of sweat， saunas， fingerprint analysis， fake sweat， sweat speed dating， sweat disorders， and much more。 This was already on my list to read for summer （summer = sweat， after all！， but when I heard it won the Audie Award for Non-Fiction， I moved it to the top of my list。 The narrator， Sophie Amoss， really gave it her all and made this a pleasure to listen to。 Definitely recom If you like micro deep-dives into a topic then you'll likely enjoy The Joy of Sweat as well。 Chapters included the make-up of sweat， saunas， fingerprint analysis， fake sweat， sweat speed dating， sweat disorders， and much more。 This was already on my list to read for summer （summer = sweat， after all！， but when I heard it won the Audie Award for Non-Fiction， I moved it to the top of my list。 The narrator， Sophie Amoss， really gave it her all and made this a pleasure to listen to。 Definitely recommend it on audio。 If I have any criticism at all， I think the author could have included more of a through-line as to why she chose the topic and whether there was a general point。 Without that， the book was a jumble of topics that were all linked by sweat。 But an enjoyable jumble at least！ 。。。more
Lauren
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Captivating and super interesting！ I found myself constantly telling my family what I had just read。 💦💦💦
Dlmrose
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3。5
Devynne Andrews
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A surprisingly fun read。 I listened to the audiobook， and I feel like that helped keep the book moving during some of the sections that were a little duller。
Patrick Funston
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I enjoyed this book， but was shocked at how much of it was actually about our sense of smell。 I especially liked learning about sweating disorders and the marketing that has made us feel gross about this amazing process。
Kaitlin CU
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I loved this book。 Yes， it was a little sciencey at times。 But there were anecdotes and very understandable explanations to every concept。 As a sweaty gal， I certainly related to a lot of this book and really enjoyed the global perspective and learning about science concepts， animals， perfume， and cultural differences。 I’ll be bringing this book up at parties and social meetups for years to come！
Andrew Breza
，
I just read an entire book about sweat， and I enjoyed it。 This book delivers on exactly what you'd expect: the biology， sociology， and history of human sweat。 I just read an entire book about sweat， and I enjoyed it。 This book delivers on exactly what you'd expect: the biology， sociology， and history of human sweat。 。。。more
Gretchen Rubin
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A fascinating look at a very common aspect of life。
Sarah
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Super interesting （at least parts of it）。 If you like learning more about your own anatomy， I’d definitely recommend it。 I listened to it so found myself getting lost in the details at times but overall really liked it。
Kayla
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Such an interesting deep dive into sweat and it's part in society。 Such an interesting deep dive into sweat and it's part in society。 。。。more
SY NA
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