The German Book Office in New York City has chosen Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body's Most Underrated Organ by Giulia Enders, translated by David Shaw (Greystone Books, $17.95, 9781771641494), as its May Book of the Month.
Giulia Enders, medical doctorate candidate at the Institute for Microbiology in Frankfurt, says the gut is our least appreciated organ. Its connection with the brain is ill-understood, and new research could become as important as advances in stem cell therapy.
The GBO says Gut answers such enigmatic questions as: "Can microorganisms in our gut contribute to obesity? Can gut flora cause depression? Happiness? Can some bacteria provoke cancer and Alzheimer's, while others prevent it? Why does acid reflux happen? What's really up with gluten and lactose intolerance? Are our facial expressions really connected to our intestines?"
Giulia Enders won first prize at a 2012 science slam with her presentation on the gut, which became a viral YouTube video. David Shaw works for Deutsche Welle in Berlin and as a freelance translator.
