3.5 stars

A very interesting read overall! I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in "sustainable living." The concept of composting one's own excrement obviously won't appeal to everyone, but this book gives lots of detailed information on the why and how for the counter-cultural.

As interesting as the book was, it begged for a proper editor. The author was very repetitive, went off on unrelated tangents, and simply had an inconsistent writing style throughout the book. Several of the chapters could have been greatly condensed or removed altogether.

Jenkins also has an ignorant view of religion and stated his opinion as fact, though of course there were no citations used, since these "facts" (mostly about those who practice any sort of religion) aren't real.

There is also a lot of cursing in the book. Given the topic, the use of s*** was to be expected, and I didn't find it offensive. However, all of the other curse words simply served to make Jenkins appear unprofessional. I think the scientific community, as well as society in general, would be more likely to take his book seriously if it was written seriously.

At the end of the day, I did learn a few new things about composting in general and humanure composting specifically, so I count this book a success. I would really love to see a better-edited 4th Edition, however!

My favorite quote is, "...humanure is not dangerous. More specifically, it is not any more dangerous than the body from which it is excreted. The danger lies in what we do with humanure, not in the material itself. To use an analogy, a glass jar is not dangerous either. However, if we smash it on the kitchen floor and walk on it with bare feet, we will be harmed. If we use a glass jar improperly and dangerously, we will suffer for it, but that’s no reason to condemn glass jars. When we discard humanure as a waste material and pollute our soil and water supplies with it, we are using it improperly, and that is where the danger lies. When we constructively recycle humanure by composting, it enriches our soil, and, like a glass jar, actually makes life easier for us." (p. 122)

Edit 7/18/16: I think about this book all the time. It has definitely changed my outlook in some areas, and I would recommend it to everyone! I still think it needs better editing, but there is so much thought-provoking (and practical) information here. ( )

I'm sold. I've heard about this book for a number of years and finally picked up a copy. Now I'm looking for a source of sawdust & plan on remodeling my bathroom this summer. It makes so much sense to reuse organic matter rather than wasting potable water to move it. Flush toilets make as much sense as moving coal out of desert area mines by mixing it with water and piping it hundreds of miles (yes, this is a common practice. see http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=New_Mexico_and_coal ) ( )

Excellent - Jenkins lays the facts about composting right out on the table.