 |
 |
Sign in/joinLanguage: English [ others ]
Over forty million books on members' bookshelves.
|
Loading... Survival of the Sickest: A Medical Maverick Discovers Why We Need Diseaseby Sharon Moalem
LibraryThing recommendationsMember recommendationsLoading...
won't like
will probably not like
will probably like
will like
will love Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. http://churn-news.blogspot.com/2008/1... (  )amitabh1702 | Dec 27, 2008 |   This book provides a very interesting view on why we have certain diseases. They saved our lives. Awesome book! Very interesting! information has creative views on things. It was interesting seeing susceptibility to a disease as a positive charicteristic. Very interesting book telling about how diseases help people survive other diseases and how diseases evolve to get where they want and how they can manipulate their hosts. develynlibrary | Dec 17, 2008 | Survival of the Sickest gives an interesting and insightful look into disease and evolution, starting with questions about how we could evolve these genetic diseases that seem to reduce our ability to survive as individuals. The authors cover a lot of strange ideas and surprising theories that researchers have produced, whether it's stories about frozen frogs, jumping jeans, stressed out rat moms, or aquatic apes... Somehow, they manage to make the book feel more like a series of really fascinating stories you might tell at a party, even though there's a good chunk of a first year biology course embedded in the stories. This is really popular science at its best, encouraging us to think in new ways and be fascinated by the world around us. (  )terriko | Oct 4, 2008 | This turned out to be an utterly fascinating book! I had been thinking, from its title, that the book would be about disease. It is, however, about something else entirely - how evolution and our genetic make-up are closely intertwined. Based on the modern research (Okay, I'll admit I haven't read much about DNA since nursing school), I was astounded by recent discoveries that show how evolution is often based on genetic traits acquired not by heredity, but by environment. This book and the subject are so vast that the ideas could be overwhelming. The author takes this subject in a stride and uses an easy-going and often humorous way of presenting what could otherwise be dry material. Here is one man I'd love to have as a college professor! I must say that, although I might not later remember the technical details of this book, I thoroughly enjoyed its presentation. ( )SqueakyChu | Aug 8, 2008 | 2  Aquatic apes. Parasites that exhibit mind control over their hosts, forcing them to commit suicide. The reason why a cold lets you go to work but malaria knocks you flat on your back. Benefits of tanning. How your ancestors survived the plague, and why that very reason might kill you in middle age. Fascinating stuff. Do not, I repeat, do not borrow this book from the library. You will want to read it again. Consider it an investment in your sanity for the next time you get the flu. ( )jonesjohnson | Aug 5, 2008 | 0.335 seconds to build listing  no reviews | add a review
Amazon.com Amazon.com Review (ISBN 0060889659, Hardcover)Dan Ariely on Survival of the SickestMIT professor Dan Ariely has become one of the leaders in the growing field of behavioral economics, and his bestselling book debut, Predictably Irrational, has brought his ideas--and his ingenious experiments and charming sense of humor--to a much wider audience. With the simplest of tests (often an auction or a quiz given under a few conditions) he shows again and again not only that we are wired to make irrational decisions in many situations, but that we do so in remarkably predictable ways. In this insightful book Dr. Sharon Moalem demonstrates how conditions that are considered unhealthy (such as hemochromatosis, diabetes, and high cholesterol), or even deadly in extreme cases, might actually put their carriers at an advantage in combating other life-threatening illnesses. For example, he explains that hemochromatosis, a disease that, if left untreated, will kill you, may have actually been a defense against the deadliest pandemic in history--the bubonic plague during the 14th century. It turns out that this genetic mutation, which continues to be passed down through generations, actually helped spare many lives at one point. Throughout the book, Dr. Moalem draws many connections between seemingly disparate subjects, such as the accidental invention of ice wine and cold diuresis, in order to illustrate the basic mechanisms of genetics and medicine in charming and intuitive ways. He skillfully interweaves his knowledge of history, genetics, and medicine not only as they relate to specific medical conditions but also in a way that addresses important challenges of modern society and our future evolution. In the most general terms, Dr. Moalem's description of the human body and its complexity left me in awe of how far we have come in our understanding of biology and medicine, while also being reminded that the road to understanding ourselves is still wide open with much more to learn in the decades, and even centuries, to come. It is a fantastic journey on which he leads us and Dr. Moalem is a kind, knowledgeable, humorous, and helpful guide. (retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:57:52 -0400) The first test round has been closed. Visit the Open Shelves Classification group for details. |
Abebooks |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
I have always been puzzled by the way in which genetic diseases have managed to survive throughout the ages. How could it be that these diseases were able to withstand the evolutionary process, where only the most fit survive, and continue to be transferred from one generation to the next? Survival of the Sickest provides a thought provoking yet entertaining explanation to this puzzle. 
