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How
to Shit in the Woods
A book by Kathleen Meyer
©
Outdoor Adventure Canada
 It
was with some ribbing that the Outdoor Adventure Canada team chose
me to write this book review. I'm confident that I will never
live down the events of my first backpacking trip ever, when I
had to hike out with a case of the trots induced by lactose intolerance.
To top it off I had an ill-fitting pack and I contracted poison
ivy on the most unpleasant of places - my keister. I dug more
privy holes on that trip than any other, therefore, it is only
fitting that I be the one to review Kathleen Meyer's bestseller,
"How to Shit in the Woods".
I
start out with an apology to the more sensitive of our readers.
I thought of censoring this article in order not to offend, but
I feel that doing so would be discourteous to the book's author.
This is not a pretty subject matter, but an essential one and
there really isn't a delicate way to discuss this natural function
of our bodies and how to deal with it in the outdoors. The word
shit has also been part of the Webster's Dictionary since 1988,
according to Kathleen Meyer. Who am I to argue with Webster's?
This
is a serious book, covering a variety of topics including "The
Anatomy of a Crap" and my favorite, "Trekker's Trots".
There is an excellent section for us girls on "How Not to
Pee in Your Boots". I was impressed with the environmental
responsibility throughout the volume. Kathleen covers the proper
way to make your hole and what to do in cases where digging a
hole is not an option. She writes about the environmental sensitivity
of places such as the Arctic and about the dangers of Giardia,
Cryptosporidium and the transmission of Enteric Pathogens.
The
author did a superb job of approaching a not-so-delicate subject
matter with a great deal of witticism. This is an informative
compendium on the art of having a poop outside of our everyday,
modern convenience. It has also taught me that there are uses
for Tupperware that would appall the more squeamish among us.
"How
to Shit in the Woods" is funny, factual and responsible.
The author's anecdotes are heartwarming, witty and include those
experiences to avoid. I couldn't help laughing at the comprehensive
glossary of definitions for the word shit. This book would be
a suitable addition for any bathroom library and is essential
for anyone involved in self-propelled adventure. Definitely an
excellent read!
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