Product Description

Ever paused to ponder poo? This unique book will resolve all scat squabbles and doo-doo debates. Ideal for nature lovers and backyard biologists, WHAT SHAT THAT? is an original and authoritative survey of the substance that unites all creatures big and small. All major international species are covered, along with more wild and exotic species, while full-color photos capture each turd in all of its glory. Handy identification tips and "scat facts" run throughout the book to help you gain confidence in your poop-identification ability, and there's even a special color comparison chart for in-the-field classification.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #187400 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-01
• Released on: 2007-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781580088855
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From the Publisher
* A one-of-a-kind field guide to matching species with their feces, featuring 50 animals and their droppings. * Includes 25 full-color photos of poop, 50 silhouette-style illustrations, 50 maps, and 25 scale drawings. * Starting with the smallest (plankton poo) and working up to the largest (whale poo), each entry examines both the scat and its source and provides a wide range of facts, figures, and feature boxes--some surprising, some enlightening, others downright disgusting.

About the Author
MATT PAGETT is an artist, illustrator, and writer based in Brighton, England. A graduate of Edinburgh University, he has worked on a number of books, including Household Management for Men, Make Your Own Sex Toys, The Campsite Companion, and 101 Golden Rules of Fishing. The natural world has often featured in Matt's artwork, which has been exhibited internationally.

Customer Reviews

What's not to love?!
If you've ever wanted to be able to identify anything from a rabbit to a fox to a bear or a koala by its dung, well, this is the book for you. A two-page spread on each animal includes loving descriptions of each animal's fecal habits, as well as photos or drawings of turds both large and small. The book is just small enough to fit into a large pocket or a small bag, making it easy to take along as subway reading (in case you relish those weird looks from strangers) or to help you identify those piles of crap you find while hiking.

You'll learn a huge amount about how various animals' feces are used to enable scientists to better track and analyze their movements, habits, and health. The book includes a wide array of factoids regarding how dung is used: as fertilizer, tourist souvenirs, a water purifier(!), a necessary part of complex ecosystems, a source of food or shelter for some critters, and more.

The book has a humorous, irreverent tone, invoking every possible name for poo that you could possibly think of and then some.

I loved this book equally for its tone and for the fascinating bits of information scattered throughout--some hilarious, some poignant, some quite gross. You'll learn how the CIA used tiger poop during the Vietnam War, why ants farm and protect aphids for their honeydew-dung, and how ancient civilizations used various types of scat in medicinal remedies. Not to mention the wealth of information scientists have gathered about animals thanks to their dung, either directly or indirectly.

Answers to your burning questions.
Clever little book that is much more educational and scientific than would be expected based upon the clever artwork on the front cover and the catchy title. I purchased this for the purposes of going into the wood and hiking with my kids. It's well written, appropriately illustrated, and a good quick read. While some people may consider this to be a satire, it's really more of a reference book, albeit one written with a nice touch of humor. This is a good book for all ages as it addresses the subject without being juvenile.

what shat that
Hello, I thought the booklet would be basically about North American animals. The variety would be good for interested persons,but it left me a little disappointed.