I contain multitudes : the microbes within us and a grander view of life / Ed Yong.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Yong, Ed, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Human body--Microbiology.

Human body.

Microorganisms.

Physical Description:

355 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : color illustrations ; 24 cm

Edition:

First U.S. edition.

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, [2016]

Summary:

This book lets us peer into the world of microbes -- not as germs to be eradicated, but as invaluable parts of our lives -- allowing us to see how ubiquitous and vital microbes are: they sculpt our organs, defend us from disease, break down our food, educate our immune systems, guide our behavior, bombard our genomes with their genes, and grant us incredible abilities. While much of the prevailing discussion around the microbiome has focused on its implications for human health, Yong broadens this focus to the entire animal kingdom, prompting us to look at ourselves and our fellow animals in a new light: less as individuals and more as the interconnected, interdependent multitudes we are. I Contain Multitudes is the story of extraordinary partnerships between the familiar creatures of our world and those we never knew existed. It will change both our view of nature and our sense of where we belong in it. -- adapted from book jacket.

Contents:

Prologue: A trip to the zoo

Living islands

The people who thought to look

Body builders

Terms and conditions apply

In sickness and in health

The long waltz

Mutually assured success

Allegro in E major

Microbes à la carte

Tomorrow the world.

Notes:

"Originally published in the United Kingdom in 2016 by Bodley Head"--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 299-338) and index.

ISBN:

0062368591

9780062368591

OCLC:

925497449