IMMUNE: A JOURNEY INTO THE MYSTERIOUS SYSTEM THAT KEEPS YOU ALIVE

IMMUNE by Philipp Dettmer is not only a highly illustrated book full of information, it is set in a very readable typeface. Dettmer provides recent and well distilled knowledge on the mysterious system that keeps our bodies alive. This defence system has evolutionary old, and comparatively recent systems, the innate and adaptive respectively. The most discerning feature of the book is: the metaphors colour every line. Most complex facets of the immune system of human body are presented before the reader in easily digestible language. Here is an example. The book says for viruses and bacteria our skin is a 'film of death'; it is a real 'hellhole'; and also a 'salty desert.' A masterly skill of the writer slowly enters reader's psyche, and leaves indelible imprint. Each component cell of the immune system has a chapter with colour figures, and the entity is introduced with its most discerning features. For example, a Dendritic Cell is the mighty messanger and intelligence officer. The central attribute of the defense strategy of the immune system, Dettmer underlines, is to distinguish between the 'self' and the 'other.' Immune system has developed ways to mark the cells and molecules as belonging to the body, the self, and also allow those which are essential resource for the body (oxygen, water and other). Whereas cells and molecules, the bacteria, viruses, worms and toxins are marked as the 'other' by the immune system. The book, in each chapter refers to these others which are ready to enter our body and devour it's cells. The immune system is the defense system that our species has evolved to check this. Our body, Dettmer argues is a group of various kinds of specialised cells, a highly cooperative organisation, where the immune cells has the role of maintenance of homeostasis within the body when it is disturbed by the hordes of barbarians, the millions of species of viruses alone. The recent one we witnessed globally is the pandemic caused by 'coronavirus' that is COVID-19. Dittmer theorizes that the interactions among the cells of this organisation, that is the human body, do astonishing things, that any cell can not do alone. These cells, he underlines, are nothing but bags of proteins guided by biochemistry. But together these proteins form a living system that can do really very sophisticated things. Building the unique structure of our body, and laying foundations of behavioural interactions, including the defense system. The immune system is highly sophisticated, each cell of this system undergoes hard training to distinguish between friends and foes. The error, if any, in this training is fatal to the survival of body. However, errors do occur. The viruses and bacteria also evolve new ways to enter into our body. And the Adaptive Immune System has to learn these new ways atleast once in life. And then it stores the information in its memory cells which romes all over the body to keep watch on enemy. The autoimmune diseases are examples of such lapses to wrongly identify the 'other', on the part of immune cells. In such rare cases the immune cells began killing cells of own body, the 'self.' In the end Philipp Dettmer does not hesitate to guide the reader about hygiene, and it's role in immunity. He warns about the flourishing business of boosting immunity. The most feasible way, he writes, is to lower the burden of stress, and enhance mental health.

My son loved it ... its a good add to your kids book collection especially if your child is inquisitive

I've been watching Kurzgesagt for quite some time now and I've always been fascinated by their work. This book is no different. Just like their videos, this book upholds the values of Kurzgesagt. The book explains the very complex topic in a very simple and fun to read language that goes easy on the mind of any reader. It's made of high quality paper and the visuals are appealing to the eyes, just like their videos. I'm not even studying Biology, I bought this book purely out of curiosity and while I expected it to quite difficult to keep up with, it's the exact opposite. With each page I just want to read further without stopping. For anyone who wants to know about the immune system, this book is probably the best way to start as it gives you a glimpse of the vast (and apparently mind-numbing) world of immunology in a very fun manner and a very easy to understand manner ;)

Must read book for any biology enthusiast.

Really loved the illustrations, the analogy filled narrative, and the overwhelming sense of awe and the accompanying passion with which this entire book is written. That passion is quite contagious 😀

We have an impression that Science authors have it easy because they don’t have to conjure up a new universe in their works, all they have to do is repackage the secrets of the universe dug out by better minds for us mere mortals to a consumable pill and give us a sense of understanding, unfortunately that’s exactly what many pseudo-science authors do, such authors also leave the readers with a false sense of knowledge which forms a substrate for breeding arrogance within the reader or worse, insecurity. In reality a true Science author walks a tightrope, a precise balancing act of revealing intricacies of concepts, while being mindful of straining the tolerance of the reader’s focus, in the process the reader is not left with arrogance or insecurity rather a humility and an appreciation for the subtle engineering marvel that the seemingly chaotic universe is. Phillip Detmer falls within the rare breed of true science authors who are honest with their readers and notifies the reader of abstractions and simplifications wherever complexities have been hidden away, his depiction of Immunology in this book is beautiful and simple, with the turn of each page the reader is left with a sense humility and awe of the marvel that our bodies are. The colourful depictions of the battlefield with characters and the narration of our immune system is brilliant, I wish my school textbooks were authored by him. This book is a must read given that we are going through a pandemic and bombarded by so-called expert opinions on media.

Quality of pages, story telling, and images, especially the images are perfect.

Very nice book. Must read

This book offers a fascinating and humorous journey through the complex world of the human immune system. The author manages to transform an intricate subject into something accessible and entertaining, using creative metaphors and analogies that make the reader smile while learning. For instance, he compares killer T cells to "a dude with a hammer that bashes heads in while laughing maniacally." This approach makes complicated concepts much easier to understand and remember. The book covers a wide range of topics, from the basic functioning of the immune system to current issues like the Covid-19 pandemic. It also discusses practical implications, such as the importance of vaccines and the dangers of diseases like measles, offering crucial information about how these diseases affect our immunity in the long term. One of the highlights is the explanation of why people react differently to diseases like Covid-19, relating this to the diversity of MHC II molecules. The author also addresses intriguing themes, such as the influence of the immune system on partner selection, and demystifies misconceptions about "boosting" the immune system. Although the book occasionally delves into more technical territory, the consistent use of metaphors helps clarify difficult concepts. It's essential reading for anyone interested in better understanding their own body, offering valuable insights into one of our most crucial biological systems. Particularly relevant in today's world, the book provides a scientific perspective on vaccines, pandemics, and overall health. In summary, if you want to learn about the immune system in a way that's both fun and informative, this book is an excellent choice. It will leave you with a new appreciation for the complex defense system that protects us every day.

Libro bastante extenso, con información muy bien explicado, una maravilla de libro.

OMG OMG OMG IT IS AMAZING. In one description it said “imagine you are a thief at a museum, with your friends and as you are leaving with everything, a cop sees you but he doesn’t arrest you he takes out his bones and internal organs and stabs you” Very Very Very Very Very much an amazing book

This book is incredible. So informative and easy to understand as well as being witty. Bravo! The hardback is sturdy and well constructed. The paper stock is satin and good quality. I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in the immune system or human body.

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