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mildo's review
5.0
I'm a huge fan of Kurzgezagt channel so when I've heard its author is publishing a pop-sci book I've immediately pre-ordered it. And boy, it was no mistake.
Immune is written in such an accessible language that even I, who last had a biology class at a primary school, could easily understand it. That doesn't mean it would be touching just a surface of the topic. It goes deep and simplifies where necessary. The author even let's you know he is simplifying many times throughout the book, so you can look up more information if you want to go deeper.
For those of you who've seen the TV show "Once Upon a Time... Life" as children it's hard to not picture it while reading this book. It's because the complexities of the microscopic world can easily be explained by anthropomorphising cells and bacteria and the author does in this book after carefully warning you, that cells are really not conscious and are just giant factories or robots of the microscopic world.
The complexity of the immune system is mind-bending and at the same time beautiful even when understood on a level a laic can understand this system. It was a wild journey reading about one of the most complex systems in the human body and I'm glad could learn a little bit about it.
Immune is written in such an accessible language that even I, who last had a biology class at a primary school, could easily understand it. That doesn't mean it would be touching just a surface of the topic. It goes deep and simplifies where necessary. The author even let's you know he is simplifying many times throughout the book, so you can look up more information if you want to go deeper.
For those of you who've seen the TV show "Once Upon a Time... Life" as children it's hard to not picture it while reading this book. It's because the complexities of the microscopic world can easily be explained by anthropomorphising cells and bacteria and the author does in this book after carefully warning you, that cells are really not conscious and are just giant factories or robots of the microscopic world.
The complexity of the immune system is mind-bending and at the same time beautiful even when understood on a level a laic can understand this system. It was a wild journey reading about one of the most complex systems in the human body and I'm glad could learn a little bit about it.
laurel_fairchild's review
funny
informative
4.5
If you don't know much, or anything, about the immune system but want to know more about it, this book describes it in such a way that it is super easy to understand. If, like me, you've followed an education in immunology, you're not going to learn anything new besides maybe a few fun facts. Still, it was an interesting read, and I gotta say, hats off to Dettmer for being able to make such a complex system so palatable. Making science easy to understand is also an art in itself.
10_4tina's review
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
4.0
I have never read a "for dummies" book, but I imagine this is like the "Immune System for dummies" - the cover even has a lot of yellow. I found this to be a fun, albeit surely reductionistic, view of the immune system. For a totally ignorant, non-sciencey person, this was great. I feel like I understand the immune system more. The metaphors and analogies helped me grasp and remember concepts, though sometimes they seemed overly simplified. Though it sometimes read like a semi-boring textbook, there were funny and enjoyable parts that made it feel like learning from a fun professor.
My favorite analogy was related to vaccines. Say, you want to send your kid to a dojo to learn some self-defense. Your first option is "nature dojo" - training kids with real weapons so they are better prepared for the real dangers of the world. Sometimes kids get hurt or die, but this is the natural way. The second option is "vaccine dojo" - where kids use weapons made of foam and paper - seldomly injuries occur, but mostly they are small bruises without any tears. Sure, there's more nuance (maybe your kid is allergic to foam or paper), but the explanation summarizes things well.
My favorite analogy was related to vaccines. Say, you want to send your kid to a dojo to learn some self-defense. Your first option is "nature dojo" - training kids with real weapons so they are better prepared for the real dangers of the world. Sometimes kids get hurt or die, but this is the natural way. The second option is "vaccine dojo" - where kids use weapons made of foam and paper - seldomly injuries occur, but mostly they are small bruises without any tears. Sure, there's more nuance (maybe your kid is allergic to foam or paper), but the explanation summarizes things well.
pipsqueaky's review
challenging
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.5
The author does a fantastic job of taking a dense, complex, confusing topic and making it engaging and fun. I really appreciated the many metaphors and the down-to-earth language, as well as the adorable illustrations. Our immune system is so weird and cool!
leslieisnotmyname's review
5.0
Delightful! Delivered with that Kurtzgesagt charm, this is a fascinating and easy-to-follow introduction into the Immunodefense system.