Eula Biss is a journalist and mother. Facing fears over vaccination she decides to research the subject, resulting in this book. We are given a balanced layman's view of immunity in general, with a particular focus on vaccination. In short chapters she delves into the past and present of vaccination to illustrate the reasons for the way things are in the world of vaccination.

One of the overarching themes of the book is how the individual human being exists in a sort of continuum, with other human beings but also as part of nature. How microorganisms are part of us and how our personal immune system is also part of a collective human immune system. To me, this was the key takeaway from the book; as someone who needed no convincing that vaccines are essential in our fight against disease.

The book does not pull back punches in its criticisms of the medical community. She makes it clear that medicines suffers from issues brought about by a lack of empathy.

Highly recommend. Accessible. Balanced. Nuanced.