The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life

I Contain Multitudes

Stefan R. Schmid

I came across this book via the author's standard setting COVID reporting. And this book is not inferior to the former in any respect. I'm certainly not someone who has shown much interest in Natural Science topics before, certainly not into microbes. But Ed Yong has managed to present this subject as if it were the most exciting thing in the world. 
The author writes about his meetings with scientists and his conversations about their Area of Expertise. He does so in a manner that is at the same time easily understandable - and of utterly poetic quality. At times the beauty of Ed Yongs writing feels like reading a perfect poem.
My only minor criticisms are these: The handling of the topic of autism needs some reflection, not only by the author, but also by the Natural scientists he talked to. And: in some places, the book would benefit from more brevity. 
I can hardly resent the author for the latter, because his enthusiasm for the subject speaks from every page - and this enthusiasm transfers to the readers' view of their everyday surroundings.

Sarah Schumacher

If you’re interested in learning more broadly about the microbiome and symbionts in nature (not just humans), start here. Ed Yong has a way of telling the story with an engagement that feels like he’s having a blast; the reader is along for the ride. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and it’s always a good sign when there’s at least an inch worth of end notes/bibliography.

charisa

ahahahaha only took me over a month to finish 🤡

i've definitely learned to appreciate science writing through this, though. it's certainly a feat to balance colloquialism with technical content, but yong does this so well (sorry merlin sheldrake). also, microbes!!! i feel like my understanding and admiration of microbiology and its adjacent medical discoveries have expanded hundredfold (also throwback to hs debate days when i researched antibiotic resistance cases lmao). this microscopic realm is truly extraordinary, and at many distinct points, i couldn't help but marvel at our almighty Creator who has indescribably constructed worlds within worlds. the heavens declare, indeed, but so do the microbes it seems!

Wynter

I picked up I Contain Multitudes in the close proximity after finishing Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ by Giulia Enders, which too heavily relied on our harmonious existence with bacteria as its main topic. Naturally, I will draw parallels.

Ed Yong's goal in this book appears to be proving that our symbiosis with microbes is rooted in our origins, and while many commercial products might tell us otherwise, is absolutely necessary for our healthy lives. From the very first signs of life billions of years ago to modern day, microbes have essentially been dictating the rules by which complex beings evolve, absorb nutrients, battle toxins, and communicate with others. It is not always an easy coexistence, but like a pair of old roommates, we learn to feed off each other's best qualities.

Read the rest of the review on: Chaika Books

Bouke van der Bijl

Microbes are SO COOL!! We are absolutely covered in them, every gram of food contains a million bacteria, we breath out tens of millions per hour.

And there are so many interesting symbionts in nature, even insects and combinations of multiple bacteria that have co-evolved to be completely dependent on each other. If the bacteria is removed from the insect, both won't survive. We wouldn't survive without our bacteria either.

The big takeaway is that we can't do without bacteria, and we shouldn't be afraid of them. It's better to find a balance with them instead of trying to kill them all and leave it to the bad bacteria to colonize the barren result.

Matthew Royal

This book shifts your thinking about self: humans and other animals are ensemble beings, composed of countless species that work together as an ecosystem. With ideas like horizontal gene transfer, we're learning how permeable we are to each other's genetic material, what the challenges are behind antibiotic resistance, disease, and updating our understanding of what good health is.

Brendan M

This was a fascinating read, but suffered from a problem affecting many popular science books. How do you get the balance right between explanation and explication? The temptation is to use vivid examples to tell the science, but in doing so the scientific nuts and bolts are obscured. For me, the balance here was too much on the side of interesting examples, and not enough on the side of explaining the underlying science.

Nadine 

Fascinating but also made me wonder how the heck I’ve survived so long without being eaten from the inside or outside or both! 
Engaging writing with the right balance of science and storytelling

I Contain Multitudes The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life

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