|
|
|
|
||
|
HELP | |
|
  $14.00 List price:
Used Hardcover
Ships in 1 to 3 days
More copies of this ISBN:This title in other formats:Riddled with Life: Friendly Worms, Ladybug Sex, and the Parasites That Make Us Who We Areby Marlene Zuk
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:We think of disease as our enemy, something we try to eradicate; germs and infections are things we battle. But in this witty, engaging book, evolutionary biologist Marlene Zuk reveals that, in fact, disease is our partner, not our foe, and is responsible for everything from how we look to how we have sex. Since the earliest days of life on earth, disease has evolved alongside us. Drawing on the latest research and studies, Zuk explains the role of disease in answering a fascinating range of questions such as: Why do men die younger than women? Why does the average male bird not have a penis? Why do we (and lots of other animals) get STDs? How is our obsession with cleanliness making us sicker? And how can parasites sometimes make us well? Using her own work on sexual selection as well as a sampling of stories from the natural world, Zuk makes us reconsider the fearsome parasite. Book News Annotation:What if parasites are not our enemy, asks Zuk (biology, U. of
California-Riverside), but, like gravity, a natural force to learn to
live with. She explores the microbial world of humans, with special
attention to how it impacts sex.
Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Review:"In this fascinating book, Marlene Zuk - who happens to be one of the most talented scientists writing for the general public today - illuminates our long and surprisingly intimate relationship with the pathogens that live around us and inside us. I loved Riddled with Life right down to its funny last line." Review:"Parasites, Marlene Zuk informs us, have made us who we are. That may sound like science fiction, but Zuk, an eminent biologist and expert on parasites, makes a compelling case that it is true. Riddled with Life offers an entertaining but authoritative look at how parasites shape evolution, including our own." Review:"Zuks book makes disease scintillating, wryly amusing and even sexy. Her enthusiasm and a hundred examples propel the reader to a deeper understanding of Darwinian medicine and the nature of life." Review:"Whats eating you? Or to put it more politely, "sharing your space," which happens to be your body? The answers are oddly consoling in evolutionary biologist Marlene Zuks witty "disease appreciation" course... [B]eguiling." About the AuthorMARLENE ZUK is a professor of biology at the University of California, Riverside, where she studies parasites and behavior in a variety of animals. She is the author of Sexual Selections: What We Can and Can’t Learn about Sex from Animals. She lives in Riverside, California. Table of ContentsContents INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER 1: WHY DOCTORS NEED DARWIN 13 CHAPTER 2: FRIENDLY WORMS AND THE PRICE OF VICTORY 38 CHAPTER 3: NOT SUCH A BAD CASE 64 CHAPTER 4: THE RACE WITH SEX THAT’S NEVER WON 83 CHAPTER 5: WHEN SEX MAKES YOU SICK 99 CHAPTER 6: THE SICKER SEX 123 CHAPTER 7: PARASITES AND PICKING THE PERFECT PARTNER 142 CHAPTER 8: WHEN HOW YOU FEEL IS HOW YOU LOOK 180 CHAPTER 9: TAKING CARE 206 CHAPTER 10 BAD, BUT NOT WEIRD: THE REAL EMERGING DISEASES 237 CHAPTER 11: WHO’S IN CHARGE HERE, ANYWAY? 266 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 292 REFERENCES 293 INDEX 316 What Our Readers Are SayingBe the first to add a comment for a chance to win!Product Details
Other books you might like
Related Aisles
| |||||||||
|
| ||||||||||
|
||||||||||
Don't Miss
