Kari Byron—former host of the wildly popular, iconic cult classic MythBusters—shows how to crash test your way through life, no lab coat required.

Kari Byron’s story hasn’t been a straight line. She started out as a broke artist living in San Francisco, writing poems on a crowded bus on the way to one of her three jobs. Many curve balls, unexpected twists, and yes, literal and figurative explosions later, and she’s one of the world’s most respected women in science entertainment, blowing stuff up on national television and getting paid for it! In Crash Test Girl, Kari reveals her fascinating life story on the set of MythBusters and beyond. With her signature gusto and roll-up-your-sleeves enthusiasm, she invites readers behind the duct tape and the dynamite, to the unlikely friendships and low-budget sets that turned a crazy idea into a famously inventive show with a rabid fanbase.

The truth is, Mythbusters was never meant to be a science show. But attaching a rocket to a car, riding a motorcycle on water, or lighting 500 pounds of coffee creamer on fire requires a decent understanding of chemistry, physics, and engineering. Thus, the cast and crew brought in the scientific method to work through each problem: Question. Hypothesize. Experiment. Analyze. Conclude. And as Kari came to learn in her own life, not only is the scientific method the best approach for busting myths, it’s also the perfect tool for solving everyday issues, including:

Career · Love · Creativity · Setbacks · Money · Sexuality · Depression · Bravery

Crash Test Girl reminds us that science is for everyone, as long as you’re willing to strap in, put on your safety goggles, hit a few walls, and learn from the results. Using a combination of methodical experimentation and unconventional creativity, you’ll come to the most important conclusion of all: In life, sometimes you crash and burn, but you can always crash and learn.

Women in Science Entertainment: From being the only woman at network parties to inspiring a generation of girls in STEM, Kari shares her journey of breaking barriers with dynamite and duct tape.
The Scientific Method for Life: Discover how the five-step process used to light 500 pounds of coffee creamer on fire can also be the perfect tool for navigating career setbacks, creativity, and love.
From Broke Artist to TV Host: Read the unlikely story of how a poet scribbling on a bus in San Francisco crash-tested her way through odd jobs to land a spot on one of television’s most iconic shows.
An Unconventional Career Path: Learn why the riskiest path is often the most rewarding and how every failure—from a bad date to a cannonball mishap—is just data for the next experiment.