GoatMan: How I Took a Holiday from Being Human

Thomas Thwaites

May 2016 · Chronicle Books

About this ebook

The dazzling success of The Toaster Project, including TV appearances and an international book tour, leaves Thomas Thwaites in a slump. His friends increasingly behave like adults, while Thwaites still lives at home, "stuck in a big, dark hole." Luckily, a research grant offers the perfect out: a chance to take a holiday from the complications of being human—by transforming himself into a goat. What ensues is a hilarious and surreal journey through engineering, design, and psychology, as Thwaites interviews neuroscientists, animal behaviorists, prosthetists, goat sanctuary workers, and goatherds.

From this, he builds a goat exoskeleton—artificial legs, helmet, chest protector, raincoat from his mum, and a prosthetic goat stomach to digest grass (with help from a pressure cooker and campfire)—before setting off across the Alps on four legs with a herd of his fellow creatures. Will he make it? Do Thwaites and his readers discover what it truly means to be human?

GoatMan tells all in Thwaites's inimitable style, which NPR extols as "a laugh-out- loud-funny but thoughtful guide through his own adventures."

Ratings and reviews

Amusing and at times thought provoking, but with an abrupt ending. As soon as the "Goatman" part of this story comes about, the story ends! Lets just say the adventure of this book was more about the design process rather than crossing the Alps as a goatman. Entertaining nonetheless.

About the author

Thomas Thwaites develops far reaching design projects, undertakes commissions for private companies, as well as making work for public organisations including London's Design Museum, the Wellcome Trust and the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. His work has been exhibited at major galleries worldwide, including at the National Museum of China, Ars Electronica in Austria, the Zero1 Biennial in California and The Science Museum in London. The Victoria & Albert Museum recently acquired his work, The Toaster Project, for their permanent collection. He has presented a four part television series, aired on Discovery Channel Asia Pacific in 2013. His first book, The Toaster Project, is published by Princeton Architectural Press, and has now been translated in to Japanese and Korean editions.