Luba Vikhanski

Gosh, how clichés die hard! Is there such a thing as a male brain vs a female brain, or, should we talk instead about human brains? The authors, a neuroscientist helped by a science writer, are obviously (and rightfully!) opting for the second answer.

For those not ready to tackle the likes of Cordelia Fine or Gina Rippon, leading proponents of such theories yet those books, not matter how fascinating and engrossing, might be too in depth, highly researched and scientifically detailed (maybe show more a tat demanding) for the lay reader, here's another neuroscientist bringing her needed voice to the debate but in a shorter, straightforward, and popular voice. The point remains the same, but it has to be nailed.

First, this is not about denying biological differences between men and women, less between men brains and women brains. What it is about is to demonstrate that such differences are so negligible, and, above all, overlapping (to the point of having more variations between men and between women respectively than between women and men as a whole, hence the 'mosaic' metaphor) that we ought to discard once and for all this silly idea that men are from Mars and women from Venus! This is not only about scientific accuracy. It's, also, about a societal issue, as Daphna Joel (the scientist those own research guides this book) illustrates perfectly well when tackling how stereotypes work for the worse when it comes to the caricatural and reductionist gender binary model we have been entertaining for too long.

Radical, short, and insightful, here's a read I highly recommend! (I rated it only 3 stars because, again, I had read the brilliant Cordelia Fine and Gina Rippon prior to this, and so learnt nearly nothing new in here). show less

A gem for the right reader

Dr. Elie Metchnikoff was a remarkable man at a remarkable period of history and Luba Vikhanski has done a good job of telling us his story. The controversy that his immune theory generated at the time is a little hard for us to understand today because we know that in large part his theory is correct. But it is also hard for us to understand that scientists and doctors were only just beginning to think that it might be possible to cure illness instead of just show more palliate the symptoms.

Years ago I picked up Lewis Thomas's "The Youngest Science: Notes of a Medicine-Watcher" and in it Dr. Thomas, in his excellent prose, explained that until the discovery of sulfur and later penicillin and other antibiotics, the physician's job was to diagnose the illness and tell the patient the prognosis. Dr.Metchnikoff broke new theoretical ground 40 years before penicillin came into general use.

Alas, as informative as this book is, it is not very exciting, and I don't think it will be of much interest to the general reader. But for fans of medical biography, it is a gem.

Based on the ARC I must warn that the editing is weak. The text is too full of flowery turns as if it were written in Russian. The text mistakes typhus for typhoid and the argument about phages could be presented more clearly.

I received a review copy of "Immunity: How Elie Metchnikoff Changed the Course of Modern Medicine" by Luba Vikhanski (Chicago Review) through NetGalley.com. show less

Really enjoyed this. Ok, particularly the earlier parts dealing with his immunity research. Was really more of. Jog rapt, but interesting throughout.

3.5 stars

Full review to come!