“America’s funniest science writer” Mary Roach (Gulp, Stiff, Bonk, Spook) has turned her attention to one of humanity’s most pressing (and, as it turns out, scientific) social issues—war. Grunt is her examination of the disease, exhaustion, panic, heat, noise, and other factors faced by soldiers on a daily basis. She’ll explain some of the more quirky facts she’s discovered: why zippers are dangerous to snipers, how paintballing relates to combat survival, and why troops sometimes eat caffeinated meat. In her typical humorous fashion, Roach will take a large topic like war (and the humans involved in it) and break it down to its core scientific elements.

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