Muscle tissue powers every heartbeat, blink, jog, jump and goosebump. It is the force behind the most critical bodily functions, including digestion and childbirth, as well as extreme feats of athleticism. We can mould our muscles with exercise and observe the results. In this lively, lucid book, orthopedic surgeon Roy A. Meals takes us on a wide-ranging journey through anatomy, biology, history and health to unlock the mysteries of our muscles. He breaks down the three different types of muscle—smooth, skeletal and cardiac—and explores major advancements in medicine and fitness, including cutting-edge gene-editing research and the science behind popular muscle conditioning strategies. Along the way, he offers insight into the changing aesthetic and cultural conception of muscle, from Michelangelo’s David to present-day bodybuilders, and shares fascinating examples of strange muscular maladies and their treatment. Brimming with fun facts and infectious enthusiasm, Muscle sheds light on the astonishing, essential tissue that moves us through life.

Bone is ubiquitous and versatile, and uniquely repairs itself without scarring. However, we rarely see bone in its living state-and even then, mostly in two-tone images that only hint at its marvels. After it serves and protects vertebrate lives, bone reveals itself in surprising ways, sometimes hundreds of millions of years later. In Bones, orthopaedic surgeon Roy Meals explores and extols this amazing material that both supports and records vertebrate life. He demystifies the biological makeup of bones; how they grow, break and heal; and how medical innovations-from the first X-rays to advanced surgical techniques-enhance our lives. With enthusiasm and humour, Meals also reveals the enduring presence of bone outside the body-as fossils, ossuaries, tools, musical instruments-and celebrates allusions to bone in history, religion and idiom. Approachable and entertaining, Bones richly illuminates our bodies' essential framework.

Do I have carpal tunnel syndrome? Is knuckle cracking dangerous? Which is better for a sprain, heat or ice? The reader will find answers to these and hundreds of other questions in The Hand Owners Manual. Dr. Meals shares his 30-year experience of preventing and treating hand conditions that commonly include pinched nerves, broken bones, and arthritic joints. Practical information abounds for athletes and musicians as well as for all who use computer mice, kitchen knives, and steering wheels. Should prevention fail, Dr. Meals describes clearly how the hands various tissues heal, allowing the owner to understand treatment options, to avoid surgery if possible, and to maximize recovery. The Hand Owners Manual also heightens the readers appreciation for the hands vast influence on the entire human story. Dr. Meals light heartedly answers interesting and diverse questions such as why identical twins have different fingerprints, how much professional musicians actually practice, what it is like to be a hand model, and how the term southpaw originated. The book is a lively, informative, and comprehensive celebration of the human hand, which Aristotle described as the tool of tools. As such, he would surely recommend this manual for all owners.