Authors Road Interviews Mary Roach

OK, I admit it, I’m embarrassed to read Mary Roach in public places. Not at all because it’s Mary Roach, nor because of her offbeat topics like death, sex and digestion. I’m embarrassed because I end up looking foolish in crowded places, laughing far too loud, jabbing complete strangers in the ribs to ask if they knew some weird factoid, and slapping my forehead in wonder and surprise like one of the Three Stooges.

In each of her books she manages to make the mundane sparkle, the yucky prove elegant, the closeted secrets shed their cloaks and look pristine. She has a knack for choosing to write about the things we all want to know about, but rarely discuss in social gatherings. And she writes about them with a fresh and humorous style that is both endearing and enlightening and charmingly innocent.

We were thrilled when bestselling science writer, Mary Roach, agreed to be interviewed. And as luck had it, her incredible travel, research and writing schedule had an opening at the same time that we were in the San Francisco Bay Area. On a warm summer afternoon we gathered on her porch, and then later at dinner, and all the while marveled at her bottomless curiosity about the world and life, and her infectious excitement about learning new things and sharing what she knew.

For the last decade Salli and I have been reading her books, often out loud to each other, and then sharing our copies with everyone we know. Death, after-death, sex, food, survival in space – it makes you wonder what could she possibly write about next.

But we can’t tell you what’s next in her book list because we don’t know. But what we do know is that she is working diligently on a new book, and we know it will be a delight and enlighten us every bit as much as her previous works have done.

Friends, we are certain you will enjoy our interview with Mary Roach as much as we did in conducting it.

George, and of course Salli & Ella

Next Up: Bestselling novelist, Gail Tsukiyama

Thanks for . . .

. . . joining us . . .

. . . on the road!