The Viruses and Microbes Within Our Bodies

Why We Need Them and How They Control Our Lives

Non-Fiction - Self Help
272 Pages
Reviewed on 03/08/2014
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Teodora Totorean for Readers' Favorite

The book Viruses and Microbes Within Our Bodies: Why We Need Them and How They Control Our Lives by James B. Hudson is an educational book on the science behind viruses, microbes, and infections written for the general public. Starting from the premise that not all viruses and microbes are necessarily bad for us, the book explains how our body’s defence system works against unwanted intruders and how we live in harmony with many microbes and bacteria without even knowing it. The book carries readers through some common infections like colds and flu, as well as through some deadly ones like malaria and TB. The last chapter is dedicated to herbal remedies like Echinacea, Green tea or Forsythia (from the film “Contagion”). The glossary of terms at the very end is a great addition to the book as the reader can consult it any time he/she encounters a lesser-known term in the book.

I liked reading Viruses and Microbes within Our Bodies as I found it informative above all. Yes, it has a few jargon words or specialized terminology throughout that reminded me a lot of my biology lessons, but the glossary at the end made it easy to read and understand. Despite the terminology (which was completely necessary), the book also has humour and anecdotes, thus making it accessible to the general public and enjoyable to read. The examples from well known films on virus spreading made the book interesting. I recommend the book to anyone interested in this subject and if you want to expand your reading repertoire even further, the book also has a Further Reading section with relevant recommendations for each chapter of the book.