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What Seems to Be the Problem with Adam Kay and Mark Watson: In Support of The Lullaby Trust
What Seems to Be the Problem with Adam Kay and Mark Watson reveals the intriguing and hilarious ways the body can go wrong - and the amazing stories that unfold when the medical world tries to help....
In conversation with his (very health-anxious) friend, the comedian Mark Watson, best-selling doctor-turned-writer Adam Kay takes a scalpel to the bizarre past, often-surprising present and fantastical future of medicine.
From Leonardo da Vinci’s extraordinary experiments all the way to Adam’s own eye-watering experience on the wards, What Seems to Be the Problem is riddled with wild historical tales, contemporary anecdotes and jaw-dropping facts. A fascinating and funny trip through humanity’s often misguided attempts to make us better.
Contains strong language.
In conversation with his (very health-anxious) friend, the comedian Mark Watson, best-selling doctor-turned-writer Adam Kay takes a scalpel to the bizarre past, often-surprising present and fantastical future of medicine.
From Leonardo da Vinci’s extraordinary experiments all the way to Adam’s own eye-watering experience on the wards, What Seems to Be the Problem is riddled with wild historical tales, contemporary anecdotes and jaw-dropping facts. A fascinating and funny trip through humanity’s often misguided attempts to make us better.
Contains strong language.
Audible Audio
Published August 13, 2019
16 people are currently reading
217 people want to read
About the author
Adam Kay
60 books3,442 followersAdam Kay is an award-winning comedian and writer. He previously worked for many years as a junior doctor. His first book "This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor" was a Sunday Times number one bestseller for over a year and has sold over two million copies. It has been translated into 37 languages and is winner of four National Book Awards, including Book of the Year, and will be a major new comedy drama for the BBC.
His second book "Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas" was an instant Sunday Times number one bestseller and sold over 500,000 copies in its first few weeks.
"Dear NHS", edited by Adam Kay, was an instant Sunday Times number one with all profits donated to charity. His first children's book "Kay's Anatomy" will be released in October 2020.
His second book "Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas" was an instant Sunday Times number one bestseller and sold over 500,000 copies in its first few weeks.
"Dear NHS", edited by Adam Kay, was an instant Sunday Times number one with all profits donated to charity. His first children's book "Kay's Anatomy" will be released in October 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
October 16, 2019
Definitely some great nuggets of information packaged in an interesting format. I listened to this because of Adam Kay & he didn't disappoint.
Although, both Adam & Mark kept talking over each other that was a tad bit annoying.
Although, both Adam & Mark kept talking over each other that was a tad bit annoying.
September 13, 2021
When is a book not a book?
While I am counting this towards my total for a year I do feel like this one is a podcast in all but name. In saying that I thought it was brilliant, and I am delighted to have spent my time with it. The "authors" (presenters) take on six different body parts 1. The Brain, 2. The Penis, 3. The Lungs, 4. The Womb, 5. The Heart, 6. The Gut. Discussions start in the past, from how people originally thought these worked (The brain was largely ignored for a long time) - how wrong early doctors and scientists were, as well as how early some people figured things out only to be ignored (for over 600 years in one case....!!). They move into where we are in respective fields now with new and emerging tech, and then onto where Adam thinks we might be headed in the future.
I found each section very interesting, and the topic is tackled with the humour expected from Adam and Mark. It would probably get all the stars available if it wasn't for the times where they talk over each other.
Apparently each purchase of the book adds money to charity The Lullaby Trust, so it is all for a good cause too!
While I am counting this towards my total for a year I do feel like this one is a podcast in all but name. In saying that I thought it was brilliant, and I am delighted to have spent my time with it. The "authors" (presenters) take on six different body parts 1. The Brain, 2. The Penis, 3. The Lungs, 4. The Womb, 5. The Heart, 6. The Gut. Discussions start in the past, from how people originally thought these worked (The brain was largely ignored for a long time) - how wrong early doctors and scientists were, as well as how early some people figured things out only to be ignored (for over 600 years in one case....!!). They move into where we are in respective fields now with new and emerging tech, and then onto where Adam thinks we might be headed in the future.
I found each section very interesting, and the topic is tackled with the humour expected from Adam and Mark. It would probably get all the stars available if it wasn't for the times where they talk over each other.
Apparently each purchase of the book adds money to charity The Lullaby Trust, so it is all for a good cause too!
July 12, 2024
3.5 stars
This was an amusing and light-hearted whistle stop tour of the past, present and future of certain parts of the body. I found it really interesting, and could have quite happily listened to more and wish it went into more depth. The look at the past was particularly good.
It does feel more of a podcast than a book, and wasn't particularly a fan of the talking over eachother that sometimes happened. I would listen to future books though if they ever decide to talk about other parts of the body.
Overall an enjoyable and interesting listen, giving me facts to enthrall unwilling family members.
This was an amusing and light-hearted whistle stop tour of the past, present and future of certain parts of the body. I found it really interesting, and could have quite happily listened to more and wish it went into more depth. The look at the past was particularly good.
It does feel more of a podcast than a book, and wasn't particularly a fan of the talking over eachother that sometimes happened. I would listen to future books though if they ever decide to talk about other parts of the body.
Overall an enjoyable and interesting listen, giving me facts to enthrall unwilling family members.
October 18, 2023
As noted by several reviewers, this is really a podcast being marketed by Audible as an audiobook. Not that it really matters. Book or podcast, it's entertaining and informative. I wish it had been longer, or better scripted so that more info could have been packed in. While I liked the tangential chats between the two presenters, there were missed opportunities to tell us more about the subject at hand, i.e. our bodies. I was occasionally frustrated by the lack of depth. Still, it was a decent listen. I learned stuff.
January 1, 2021
More a podcast format than a book format but the chemistry between Mark and Adam was great. A lot of interesting medical and biology information here but, personally, very few things that were new for me. It was still a fun way to spend a few hours but I’m glad that I got in while it was on sale.
May 9, 2021
A high 3. Lots of fun.
December 22, 2019
More like a podcast but good for a listen whilst wrapping presents...
September 25, 2022
Get a bloody script and stop interrupting each other
December 7, 2020
Some interesting fact but gets very annoying to listen to. I couldn’t wait for it to finish too much talking over each other.
January 31, 2023
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make more of these, Audible. With exactly these two guys, in the exact same format, forever. The fact that they don't have a podcast where they talk about weird medical history facts is a CRIME.
I have been regaling everyone I know with the medical trivia I've picked up listening to this. I love the “Past, Present, Future” format for discussing each organ -- obviously, I'm most partial to the “Past” segments, which they also seemed to have a lot more fun discussing; and soon I was keeping mental tabs on what they thought about each major historical figure who made an appearance. (Galen is absolutely reviled and gets brought up at least twice a chapter to mutual groaning; Leonardo Da Vinci is the obvious fave where they light up every time they discuss him; Aristotle is not as bad as Galen but still sort of a dumbo; Plato gets a pass.)
Mark Watson made me burst out laughing in public several times. For some reason, while I was going from Boston to Providence, I could not stop giggling at the moment when they're talking about how Aristotle's conception of the brain took off while Plato's didn't, and Mark goes, “Ahh, Aristotle. A bigger cheese, as it were.” I literally cannot tell you why my brain decided this was the most important quote humanity had ever devised. I've been saying, “Ahh, a bigger cheese, as it were” in any context it could possibly make sense, which, considering I study medieval history, is actually quite a few. It has made it into my notes. It has made it into my fanfiction. Other students have started saying it from mere osmosis, with one friend occasionally altering it to sometimes say, “Ahh, a smaller cheese, as it were.”
Another quote, this one from Adam about Henry More, I hold onto in my heart: “Well, dead people can't sue, so I'm just going to go ahead and say it: Henry More was a total idiot.” With Mark replying, “So...not terribly good at his job, as far as philosophers go.”
My brain will forever hold onto the many very interesting factoids within this audiobook, but also the manner in which they were delivered. I will now be a wandering cyber-pilgrim, on the eternal hunt for a podcast that mirrors this brilliance.
I have been regaling everyone I know with the medical trivia I've picked up listening to this. I love the “Past, Present, Future” format for discussing each organ -- obviously, I'm most partial to the “Past” segments, which they also seemed to have a lot more fun discussing; and soon I was keeping mental tabs on what they thought about each major historical figure who made an appearance. (Galen is absolutely reviled and gets brought up at least twice a chapter to mutual groaning; Leonardo Da Vinci is the obvious fave where they light up every time they discuss him; Aristotle is not as bad as Galen but still sort of a dumbo; Plato gets a pass.)
Mark Watson made me burst out laughing in public several times. For some reason, while I was going from Boston to Providence, I could not stop giggling at the moment when they're talking about how Aristotle's conception of the brain took off while Plato's didn't, and Mark goes, “Ahh, Aristotle. A bigger cheese, as it were.” I literally cannot tell you why my brain decided this was the most important quote humanity had ever devised. I've been saying, “Ahh, a bigger cheese, as it were” in any context it could possibly make sense, which, considering I study medieval history, is actually quite a few. It has made it into my notes. It has made it into my fanfiction. Other students have started saying it from mere osmosis, with one friend occasionally altering it to sometimes say, “Ahh, a smaller cheese, as it were.”
Another quote, this one from Adam about Henry More, I hold onto in my heart: “Well, dead people can't sue, so I'm just going to go ahead and say it: Henry More was a total idiot.” With Mark replying, “So...not terribly good at his job, as far as philosophers go.”
My brain will forever hold onto the many very interesting factoids within this audiobook, but also the manner in which they were delivered. I will now be a wandering cyber-pilgrim, on the eternal hunt for a podcast that mirrors this brilliance.
August 25, 2024
Very weak start. Should really have been a podcast.
This isn't exactly a masterpiece. It's one third debunking bodily myths, one third a history of how people in the past were stupid and one third human anatomy.
The debunking bits are a mixed bag as you've probably heard at least a few of them sometime before and the same can be said of the history portions. It wasn't anything incredible but I suppose I must have learnt something at some point.
It is made pretty clear that we aren't supposed to take this as fact though which makes the educational value questionable. Especially when they say weird things like "Humanity: Evolution's Biggest Prize" which seems to misrepresent evolution entirely.
I would also definitely recommend starting on Chapter 6 and working your way back to Chapter 1 as the opening two chapters and intro were very, very weak. The latter chapters were at least somewhat interesting. If you were expecting anything funny this book isn't for you, despite being hosted by a comedian and a funny author there wasn't any comedy here.
The hosts voices were both quite annoying. I don't quite know what rubbed me the wrong way but both of them seemed to grate a bit. I can't see why this was an Audible Original when a podcast (where they can be spread out in smaller portions over a few weeks) might have been more palatable.
This isn't exactly a masterpiece. It's one third debunking bodily myths, one third a history of how people in the past were stupid and one third human anatomy.
The debunking bits are a mixed bag as you've probably heard at least a few of them sometime before and the same can be said of the history portions. It wasn't anything incredible but I suppose I must have learnt something at some point.
It is made pretty clear that we aren't supposed to take this as fact though which makes the educational value questionable. Especially when they say weird things like "Humanity: Evolution's Biggest Prize" which seems to misrepresent evolution entirely.
I would also definitely recommend starting on Chapter 6 and working your way back to Chapter 1 as the opening two chapters and intro were very, very weak. The latter chapters were at least somewhat interesting. If you were expecting anything funny this book isn't for you, despite being hosted by a comedian and a funny author there wasn't any comedy here.
The hosts voices were both quite annoying. I don't quite know what rubbed me the wrong way but both of them seemed to grate a bit. I can't see why this was an Audible Original when a podcast (where they can be spread out in smaller portions over a few weeks) might have been more palatable.
May 7, 2022
Not a typical audio book. The presentation was more like a podcast and I feel it worked well for the content. Quite fun but there were a few "facts" in the quizzes that I feel I'd want to check before using in a pub quiz. If you are looking for a serious exploration of the history of 6 of the bodies major organs this isn't it, if you are looking for a fun intro look into whats going on listen here.
It gets bonus points from me for referencing Invisible women by Caroline Cruez Perez with a very clear message of "hey you think the history of medicine and some of the beliefs people had regarding organs and their function is all resolved now you are totally howling. Frankly researchers are barely starting to acknowledge that default male is the start of a lot of the issues with our understanding and treatment options and that's not just for medicine...."
It gets bonus points from me for referencing Invisible women by Caroline Cruez Perez with a very clear message of "hey you think the history of medicine and some of the beliefs people had regarding organs and their function is all resolved now you are totally howling. Frankly researchers are barely starting to acknowledge that default male is the start of a lot of the issues with our understanding and treatment options and that's not just for medicine...."
February 29, 2020
I loved the conversational format of this audiobook. Having two distinct participants who a) share such an easy rapport and b) who balance and complement each other this well makes these 5+ hours go by quickly. The subject matter is fascinating without being too exhaustive or going over my head, and I could easily grasp the meaning of things without having to mull things over too deeply. At the same time, the easy-going, relaxed tone of the banter between Mark and Adam belied the amount of research and hard work than went into this production and presentation, and I commend them for that. Great humour, clever insight. I would highly recommend this, especially if you enjoyed Adam Kay's This Is Going To Hurt and The Nightshift Before Christmas.
June 8, 2020
I enjoyed this - a interesting conversation about different parts of the body, how we used to think about them, how we currently think of them, and how humans might evolve dealing with their various issues in the future. I could have listened to a whole lot more of it.
I thought Mark Watson's questions were pertinent with a lot of scope for the answers - I only wish we got a few more Adam Kay anecdotes.
I thought Mark Watson's questions were pertinent with a lot of scope for the answers - I only wish we got a few more Adam Kay anecdotes.
March 24, 2020
Really funny book. Adam and Mark clearly have a great friendship and this shows in their off script banter. Each episode is full of weird and wonderful facts from the past, present and future, with Adam educating and the hapless Mark asking questions, mainly to soothe his own hypochondriacal tendencies.
It’s really good. Well worth a listen.
It’s really good. Well worth a listen.
May 5, 2020
This was entertaining and informative at the same time. More of a podcast than an audiobook, shaped as a conversation with Q&A sections, past, present and future to investigate into, and more importantly for those who do not want to get too much into the scientific geeky side, it's very very easy and fun to listen to.
March 18, 2020
This is a really fun interesting listen, with plenty of fascinating facts (did you know that at St Andrews University they've got a snuff box containing the pubes of one of George VI's mistresses?). Perfect for medicine geeks with a warped puerile sense of humour.
December 10, 2020
Decent fun!
Did the audiobook of this and it was good fun, albeit didn't have the same level of hilarity and pathos as This Is Going To Hurt.
Good solid entertainment with some good giggles nonetheless.
Did the audiobook of this and it was good fun, albeit didn't have the same level of hilarity and pathos as This Is Going To Hurt.
Good solid entertainment with some good giggles nonetheless.
May 13, 2021
3.8 stars. An entertaining and fascinating listen, more a podcast than a book. Lots of interesting facts and information about the past, present and future of various important parts of the body. Also quite reassuring at times...
July 3, 2024
I’ll say the obvious- it felt more like a podcast than a book.
But I’ll also say the other obvious- I picked it because of Adam Kay and it did not disappoint.
Was so funny I laughed out loud several times but also lots of interesting facts and tidbits.
But I’ll also say the other obvious- I picked it because of Adam Kay and it did not disappoint.
Was so funny I laughed out loud several times but also lots of interesting facts and tidbits.
February 25, 2020
Informative and funny this look at six different parts of the body.
February 25, 2020
Really enjoyed this. It taught me loads of stuff I didn't know about the body while doing it all with a bit of humour 😄
April 5, 2020
More like a podcast with episodes about different parts of the body and medicine. Love all things Adam Kay but this was not my favorite.
June 15, 2020
A fascinating listen; lots of information given in an engaging manner. Definitely felt like a podcast. Good chemistry between the two presenters.
June 27, 2020
Entertaining and happy banter between to two. Worth a quick listen :)
April 6, 2021
I enjoyed this. Funny, interesting, insightful... It's a great follow on to his first book 'This is going to Hurt'.
Highly recommend the audio book as well.
Highly recommend the audio book as well.
May 21, 2021
Another blurred line between podcast and audiobook. Im a big Kay fan and it was great to hear him again. Picked up some fun bits but nothing earth shattering. Nice low impact smart conversation.
September 17, 2022
Interesting and witty. Easy read. I enjoyed the audible version. You can easily listen to it while some garden or kitchen work.
October 29, 2022
More of a podcast than a book but definitely has some interesting tidbits and found some bits really cool! Definitely worth checking out.
October 25, 2024
Very funny, mildly informative, and an extra star earned for the acknowledgement of the growing body of literature around the health benefits of a vegan or even vegetarian diet.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews