The Remarkable Life of the Skin: An intimate journey across our surface

Penguin presents the audio edition of The Remarkable Life of the Skin by Monty Lyman, read by Matthew Spencer.

How does our diet affect our skin? What makes the skin age? And why can’t we tickle ourselves?

Perched on the exterior of our delicate and intricate bodies, the skin is our largest and fastest-growing organ. We see it, touch it and live in it every day. It's a habitat for a mesmerizingly complex world of micro-organisms, its physical functions are vital to our health and indeed our survival, and it's crucial to our sense of identity. Yet how much do we really know about it?

Through the lenses of science, sociology and history, Dr Monty Lyman leads us on a journey through the comedy, tragedy and exquisite humanity of our most underrated and overlooked organ. By delving into something that seems so familiar, he reveals how the skin is far stranger and much more complex than you've ever imagined, making it impossible ever again to take your skin for granted.