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For June 2022, we will be reading Immune: a Journey into the Mysterious System that Keeps You Alive by Philipp Dettmer.

Please use this thread to post questions, comments, and reviews, at any time.

I'm reading this now because I have caught a bad cold (not covid). Third day of misery and counting (from the cold).

🤒

I put a hold on this at the library and today got a message that it's available to me now. I look forward to reading it.
April, I had a bad cold a couple weeks ago too, my first in about 4 years. I think my immunity was weakened by some stress- I got a small fracture and then my cat died.

George P. wrote: "II had a bad cold a couple weeks ago too, my first in about 4 years. I think my immunity was weakened by some stress- I got a small fracture and then my cat died."

So sorry about your cat. Mine died just before Christmas. Still mourning.

George and Betsy, so sorry about your cats. It's been awhile since my cat died, but I still think often of him.

aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "I'm reading this now because I have caught a bad cold (not covid). Third day of misery and counting (from the cold)."

Hope you're feeling better by now. Did reading this book help you deal with your cold? I'm a couple of chapters into it and am having mixed feelings about it. Interesting information but I don't like being talked down to.

Betsy wrote: "aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "I'm reading this now because I have caught a bad cold (not covid). Third day of misery and counting (from the cold)."

Hope you're feeling better by now. Did read..."

My cold is better! Yay! The book is ok, but it does have a “I will go slow to enable you to keep up� vibe. But maybe I sort of need that with my head cold fog. AND, just as my cold stopped making me feel like staying in bed, I ate something a few days ago that gave me food poisoning. So I am recovering from that now.

This has been a troublesome month!

I’ve been reading this for awhile, slowly. I actually bought it online based on just the cover, thinking it was a kid’s book. I’m enjoying it but the science picks up later on. I’ve taken a break from it but will get back to it in June. About halfway through I think.

There was one copy of this book in my whole library system so I snatched it up and I'm going to start it early as well. I quickly read the intro and the author basically says he's going to talk down to you so I will consider myself warned!

The author tries hard to bring the tiny scales of immune cells up to a level that humans can relate to. And, he uses a lot of metaphors to help us understand the concepts. I like this sentence:
"The awakening of the adaptive immune system usually begins in the lymph node dating pools, where dendritic cells covered in hot dog buns filled with antigens try to find the right T cells."

such an amazing book. read it few weeks ago. one of the popular science books that teach you while you laugh.

I've read about 5% now- it seems as though I can read it fairly quickly unless it gets a lot more technical than the first bit.

It's going much quicker than I thought. I did have to slow down a bit toward the end of Part 2 but it was worth it. I like the footnotes. They are full of fun facts and the author thoughtfully put them at the end of paragraphs so they don't interrupt the flow of reading. I'm hoping to read Part 3 tomorrow.

Oh, frocking hill! Now, it’s not a cold…it was, it went away, then it apparently came back, except whatever came back it isn’t a cold at all. Now I got lots of time to finish the read, except I am feeling horrible.

😭

aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "Oh, frocking hill! Now, it’s not a cold…it was, it went away, then it apparently came back, except whatever came back it isn’t a cold at all. Now I got lots of time to finish the read, except I am ..."

What is it? Hope it's nothing really serious.

Betsy wrote: "aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "Oh, frocking hill! Now, it’s not a cold…it was, it went away, then it apparently came back, except whatever came back it isn’t a cold at all. Now I got lots of ti..."

It is acting like a medium bad cold, but my home covid test shows two bars... I'm hoping it's a false positive? I'll test again tomorrow.

🤧

aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "It is acting like a medium bad cold, but my home covid test shows two bars... I'm hoping it's a false positive? I'll test again tomorrow."

Fingers crossed.

I'm about 1/3 through now and like it. I hope I can remember a lot of what I'm "learning". I'll pick up speed when I soon finish 2 other books I'm near the ends of.
April I hope you feel well again soon.

It's June 1 and I've already finished this book. I loved it. I'll be looking for more books about the immune system.

I finished this a couple days ago and I highly recommend it. It put me off at first by talking down to me. But I got used to it and learned to appreciate it. Here is my review.

I love Philipp Dettmer, I think him a brilliant human who fills a much needed niche in society. And his graphics! We have access to information like never before, yet we are grossly nonfiction illiterate. This book is like a bridge( so is his YouTube channel). It’s light with a nice flow, and his notes are even entertaining. I’m only about a half way through, mostly because I get lost in the graphics. My copy is through the library, but will definitely look into a hard copy of my own.

My copy is through the library as well and this is one I wish I didn't have to take back! I love the illustrations but I think the book would be understandable without them so I thought about getting it as an audible book. Has anyone been listening to it? And if so, how is it going?

Jill wrote: "I love Philipp Dettmer, I think him a brilliant human who fills a much needed niche in society. And his graphics! We have access to information like never before, yet we are grossly nonfiction illi..."

The illustrations were by Philip Leibacher, who was unfairly given only a tiny credit on the copyright page. They add a lot to the book I think.

I bought the book because of the wonderful art.

George P. wrote: "Jill wrote: "I love Philipp Dettmer, I think him a brilliant human who fills a much needed niche in society. And his graphics! We have access to information like never before, yet we are grossly no..."

Thanks!

I'll reach 2/3 through tomorrow. I'm enjoying learning all the info; hope I can remember half of it at least. Some of the footnotes are as informative as the main text, like the one on the origin of the name "influenza". I will probably need to read it again in a couple years to retain more.

just started this and am thoroughly absorbed. Think of a ninth grade textbook that's just really, really fun to read (if you can imagine.) A painless way to learn about a very complicated topic.

I'm glad that others have mentioned that the tone becomes easier to deal with as the book progresses. I'm interested in this topic, but the Pac-Man description in ch1 and our internal "mountains of meat" in ch2 are not enthralling.

@Jessica I listened to the audible version - excellent! Bizarrely enough it was just a good to fall asleep to, to learn more immunology from.

Yes, I say "more", since I've studied immunology at university level, so I can't say if only listening is enough to understand without a minimum of background knowledge. I do think illustrations and graphics are very useful for science in general and this subject in particular.

I enjoyed this book very much, especially toward the end, where the author describes allergies, cancer, Covid-19, and the ways we harm or can help our immune systems. I was also really struck by what the book says about measles, and how anti-vaxxers are not doing any favors for their children. Here is my review.

Mark me down as having finished. I think I know way more about the immune system now, for example understanding why viral infections usually make you feel really bad for a few days then you start feeling better. After reading Dettmer's bemoaning the dearth of fiber in our diets I am resolved to keep eating oatmeal almost every day, and also resolved to keep my pipe-smoking to a very modest level.

Thanks George, your comment made me smile :)

Loving this book so far!

I just finished this book and I found the book very fascinating and informative.

I am sure I won't remember all the terms and different cells, but I will have a very basic understanding of the immune system.

My major takeaway:

Eat right, exercise and have healthy habits.

I'm progressing but slowly. I listen to the audiobook and then skim over those chapters in the hardcover and look at the illustrations.

Ch 18
This information regarding the thymus closing permanently around age 85 seems oddly specific. It's a great explanation though for why seniors are at higher risks of infection and disease.

There was a lot of information in this book that I really enjoyed, and the graphics really brought it all to life. The section on autoimmune diseases really interested me-- my doctors are always throwing the term around, but seem oddly unable to explain it in a satisfactory way. I agree with the other comments about the tone being a bit offputting at first-- and then I realized that I do pretty much the same thing when I'm explaining something computer- or tech-related to people unfamiliar with the field. Oops!

It seems like I'm not the only one who has really liked this book! So worth reading.
I found the part about boosting your immune system very thought provoking. Your body, hopefully, strikes a happy medium ... you want your immune system to be on its toes, but not too keen, because then it might start attacking things it shouldn't attack (like your other cells that you need.) Kind of like one of those hyper border collies who don't have any sheep to herd so they go around herding their family, its visitors, the kids in the neighborhood, until they drive us all nuts.

Ch 42 mentioned the TGN1412 drug trial. The drug (theralizumab) was ultimately planned to treat leukemia and autoimmune diseases, and they tested it on 8 healthy males (2 received placebos) in 2006. The results were horrific and immediate -- see this or

After a reluctant start, I began to get into it. I do wish that he had spent a little more time on the topics of the last third of the book.

My review- www.Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ.com/review/show/4788409912

I think the book is hilarious! I'm enjoying it very much. Dettmer has the just-right amount of humorous descriptions.

Still finishing this one up...I realize how little I knew about the immune system before reading this. Really enjoying it so far. Cheers, Matt

A bit behind the summer reads but I just finished this one and I really enjoyed it! I could only get a hold of the hardcover edition in Spain - so it was not the best book to carry around, though!

Juanmi wrote: "A bit behind the summer reads but I just finished this one and I really enjoyed it! I could only get a hold of the hardcover edition in Spain - so it was not the best book to carry around, though!"
It is similar to a textbook! But a lot more fun!

Juanmi wrote: "A bit behind the summer reads but I just finished this one and I really enjoyed it! I could only get a hold of the hardcover edition in Spain - so it was not the best book to carry around, though!"

The hardcover book had the fun illustrations in it. To me, that made it worth carrying around for a bit. I'm glad you enjoyed it!