The Origin of Feces

David Waltner-Toews traces the cultural, ecological, and scientific histories of feces to show how societies have understood and used excrement across time.

Through historical anecdotes and ecological insight, he reveals how waste practices shaped sanitation, agriculture, and human health.

The book blends storytelling with scholarly research to uncover surprising connections between human societies and their management of fecal matter.

Waltner-Toews considers both the taboo and the utility of feces, arguing for a more nuanced appreciation of its ecological importance.

The result is a thought-provoking look at an overlooked but central aspect of human-environment interactions.