I Contain Multitudes

The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life

by

368 pages

English language

Published July 9, 2017 by Penguin Random House.

ISBN:
9781784700171

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4 stars (18 reviews)

Joining the ranks of popular science classics like The Botany of Desire and The Selfish Gene, 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. 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 …

4 editions

Review of 'I Contain Multitudes' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Years ago, I read [b:Life On Man|9347542|Life On Man|Theodor Rosebury|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1437958401s/9347542.jpg|3805548] by [a:Theodor Rosebury|1602817|Theodor Rosebury|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. (and also his [b:Microbes and Morals|3971855|Microbes and Morals|Theodor Rosebury|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|4017612]) yet I remember little about them. I remember liking them (why I read two of them). I bring them up because Mr Roseburry is frequently quoted in I Contain Multitudes, a book that is in a very real sense it's predecessor. Interestingly, Rosebury was a scientist and researcher while Ed Yong is a journalist yet Rosebury is the better writer of the two (if I recall my reading experience correctly). I say this because at times Mr. Yong gives too much detail for a lay reader such as myself and I found it hard to follow what I probably didn't need to follow at all.

There is so much I learned from this book. Multitudes, perhaps. Much has been discovered since Rosebury's day thanks to advances in …

Review of 'I Contain Multitudes' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This book shifts your thinking about self: humans and other animals are ensemble beings, composed of countless species that work together as an ecosystem. With ideas like horizontal gene transfer, we're learning how permeable we are to each other's genetic material, what the challenges are behind antibiotic resistance, disease, and updating our understanding of what good health is.

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Subjects

  • Microbiology
  • Microorganisms
  • Human body

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