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A review by myc_w
Immune: A Journey Into the Mysterious System That Keeps You Alive by Philipp Dettmer
5.0
So Kurzgesagt: In a Nutshell is one of my favorite education channels on YouTube, particularly for science content. When I learned founder Philipp Dettmer was writing a book on the immune system, it was instantly on my to-read list. And I have to say, I was absolutely not disappointed. Immune is a wonderfully clear and accessible introduction to an area of science that is incredibly complicated and dense, especially for laypeople. It’s also a particularly timely topic given the relevance to our wider conversations today in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
Dettmer uses clever analogies to simplify complex ideas without ever being too dramatically reductive or talking down to the reader. He also acknowledges the ever growing boundaries of knowledge and points of debate in the field. In short, this is one of the very best works of popular science I have ever read. The book goes out of its way to acknowledge its shortcomings, describe its intents, and explain the basics to non-experts while maintaining a high degree of fidelity to the subject. Are you going to come away from this an expert? Of course not. Will you be more informed about the workings of your body and the functions of the immune system? Absolutely. Really what this does is make it clear that there is so much very much more to know about the subject.
One of my favorite things about the book is it’s self awareness. Dettmer criticizes the anthropomorphizing of cells and the immune system early on, but also acknowledges the usefulness (and commonality) of that analogy, so he carefully leans into it. Humor is used to balance the almost horror-like descriptions of our bodies and cellular biologies. The language and naming conventions of biochemistry and immunology are rightly portrayed as ridiculous when they cause confusion, but then also explained in over-the top ridiculous ways (MHC Class II receptors as hotdog buns and antigens as hotdogs was a favorite of mine). Basically, many of the sharp edges are softened for our consumption and it makes it not only accessible, but enjoyable to read.
If you are interested in popular science, I highly recommend this book. If you aren’t, but you’re a layperson and something has piqued your interest in the immune system (COVID, allergies, autoimmune disorders, etc.), I highly recommend this book. If you’re trained in the field, I’d still think there’s value here. Obviously the content wouldn’t be new, but I’d still recommend this book as an excellent representation of how to communicate incredibly difficult and detailed topics to laypeople. It’s not only a a good first read, but it’s a book that will benefit from re-readings.
Dettmer uses clever analogies to simplify complex ideas without ever being too dramatically reductive or talking down to the reader. He also acknowledges the ever growing boundaries of knowledge and points of debate in the field. In short, this is one of the very best works of popular science I have ever read. The book goes out of its way to acknowledge its shortcomings, describe its intents, and explain the basics to non-experts while maintaining a high degree of fidelity to the subject. Are you going to come away from this an expert? Of course not. Will you be more informed about the workings of your body and the functions of the immune system? Absolutely. Really what this does is make it clear that there is so much very much more to know about the subject.
One of my favorite things about the book is it’s self awareness. Dettmer criticizes the anthropomorphizing of cells and the immune system early on, but also acknowledges the usefulness (and commonality) of that analogy, so he carefully leans into it. Humor is used to balance the almost horror-like descriptions of our bodies and cellular biologies. The language and naming conventions of biochemistry and immunology are rightly portrayed as ridiculous when they cause confusion, but then also explained in over-the top ridiculous ways (MHC Class II receptors as hotdog buns and antigens as hotdogs was a favorite of mine). Basically, many of the sharp edges are softened for our consumption and it makes it not only accessible, but enjoyable to read.
If you are interested in popular science, I highly recommend this book. If you aren’t, but you’re a layperson and something has piqued your interest in the immune system (COVID, allergies, autoimmune disorders, etc.), I highly recommend this book. If you’re trained in the field, I’d still think there’s value here. Obviously the content wouldn’t be new, but I’d still recommend this book as an excellent representation of how to communicate incredibly difficult and detailed topics to laypeople. It’s not only a a good first read, but it’s a book that will benefit from re-readings.