I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life
The New York Times Bestseller
From Pulitzer Prize winner Ed Yong, a groundbreaking, wondrously informative, and vastly entertaining examination of the most significant revolution in biology since Darwin—a “microbe’s-eye view” of the world that reveals a marvelous, radically reconceived picture of life on earth.
Every animal, whether human, squid, or wasp, is home to millions of bacteria and other microbes. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ed Yong, whose humor is as evident as his erudition, prompts us to look at ourselves and our animal companions in a new light—less as individuals and more as the interconnected, interdependent multitudes we assuredly are.
The microbes in our bodies are part of our immune systems and protect us from disease. In the deep oceans, mysterious creatures without mouths or guts depend on microbes for all their energy. Bacteria provide squid with invisibility cloaks, help beetles to bring down forests, and allow worms to cause diseases that afflict millions of people.
Many people think of microbes as germs to be eradicated, but those that live with us—the microbiome—build our bodies, protect our health, shape our identities, and grant us incredible abilities. In this astonishing book, Ed Yong takes us on a grand tour through our microbial partners, and introduces us to the scientists on the front lines of discovery. It will change both our view of nature and our sense of where we belong in it.
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Community Reviews
He focuses on bacteria-host symbiosis, describing astounding relationships and how these may be manipulated in the future.
This is an amazing book, well worth the read.
Part of the reason I didn't enjoy it was its organization. Another part of why I didn't like reading it was its focus on animals and insects. I know animal and insect research is necessary to lay the groundwork for human research. However, I preferred the small and largely split up sections about humans and human environments. To get to these human sections, I'd have to read through a long section about insects that eat their prey alive from the inside ... this caused me a spiritual crisis. Kidding, but only a little.
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