Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Get started
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
The Big Necessity summary
The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why It Matters
17 mins
Brief summary
'The Big Necessity' by Rose George is a non-fiction book that explores the cultural and social significance of human waste. It delves into the history, science, and politics of sanitation while providing insights into the global sanitation crisis.
Table of Contents
The Big Necessity
Summary of 7 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 7
Lack of sanitation is a huge global health problem with deadly consequences.
Most people prefer not to think about what happens to all the stuff we flush down the toilet. As the saying goes: out of sight, out of mind. That said, many people in the world don’t have this luxury.
In fact, 2.6 billion people live in environments utterly devoid of sanitation.
This doesn’t mean they’re forced to use a public toilet or even a dirty old outhouse that empties into a drain. It means that 2.6 billion people have no access to a toilet of any kind. They have to defecate where they can – in public, in the woods or even in plastic bags which they then discard in the narrow alleyways of overcrowded slums.
People in such conditions constantly walk on feces and get it on their clothes, which can result in it getting into food and drinking water.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Just consider this upsetting fact: Four out of ten people live every day in the midst of human excrement.
This global sanitation shortage causes a staggering amount of disease: One out of every ten illnesses in the world can be traced back to a lack of sanitation, which can lead to anything from poor hygiene to contaminated water. In fact, the number of children who have died from diarrhea in the past decade is greater than the combined death toll of all armed conflict since World War II.
The reason for this is simple. One gram of feces can contain ten million viruses, one million bacteria, 1000 parasite cysts and 100 worm eggs – and sanitation experts estimate that people living without sanitation sometimes consume as much as ten grams of fecal matter in one day.
The result of this?
Every 15 seconds, a child dies from diarrhea. And since approximately 90 percent of diarrhea is due to fecally contaminated food or water, it’s no wonder that UNICEF considers it the biggest barrier to survival for a small child in a developing country, more of threat than AIDS, tuberculosis or malaria.
Want to see all full key ideas from The Big Necessity?
Key ideas in The Big Necessity
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is The Big Necessity about?
The Big Necessity (2008) takes a detailed look at the issues surrounding human excrement. Most people would rather ignore these issues – but turning a deaf ear is precisely what’s led to the sanitation crises plaguing the world today. Sanitation is too important to dismiss; a lack of it is causing thousands of needless deaths worldwide. Find out what can be done to help in these blinks.
The Big Necessity Review
The Big Necessity (2008) by Rose George is an eye-opening exploration of the often overlooked world of human waste management. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- It delves into the dirty but essential topic of toilets and sanitation, shedding light on the global sanitation crisis and its impact on public health.
- With meticulous research and on-the-ground reporting, George uncovers fascinating historical, cultural, and political aspects of sanitation, making it a captivating read.
- The book challenges our assumptions about what happens after we flush and encourages us to think critically about the human right to sanitation and the need for sustainable solutions.
Best quote from The Big Necessity
...HIV/AIDS cannot be discussed without talking frankly about sex… the problem of sanitation cannot be discussed without talking frankly about shit. - Umesh Panday, Nepali sanitation activist
—Rose George
Who should read The Big Necessity?
- Anyone who’s ever had a bowel movement
- Anthropologists interested in city-planning, urban design and living
- Activists interested in global health and saving lives
Categories with The Big Necessity
Book summaries like The Big Necessity
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
37 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
The Big Necessity FAQs
What is the main message of The Big Necessity?
The main message of The Big Necessity is the importance of understanding and improving sanitation practices worldwide.
How long does it take to read The Big Necessity?
The reading time for The Big Necessity varies depending on the reader's speed. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is The Big Necessity a good book? Is it worth reading?
The Big Necessity is a thought-provoking book that sheds light on a crucial aspect of human life. It is definitely worth exploring.
Who is the author of The Big Necessity?
The author of The Big Necessity is Rose George.
What to read after The Big Necessity?
If you're wondering what to read next after The Big Necessity, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- House of Huawei by Eva Dou
- The First Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch
- Lincoln on Leadership by Donald T. Phillips
- Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
- The AI-fication of Jobs by Huy Nguyen Trieu
- The Corporation in the Twenty-First Century by John Kay
- The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
- The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois
- Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
- Common Sense on Mutual Funds by John C. Bogle