Customer Reviews

In Defense of Self: How the Immune System Really Works

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My last biology class was in 9th grade and thus my understanding of cells, the blood system and the immune system in general has been very cursory. To be perfectly honest I've never been interested in biology at all but my son's condition (has chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) and is currently at day +4 in a bone marrow transplant) has caused me to revisit this topic. Unfortunately I've been confounded in finding a good overview of the immune system that is both intelligible to a lay person but which gets at the fundamental mechanisms. This book was nothing short of a revelation to me; particularly the first four chapters and the paragraph on CGD. I now feel like I actually understand how and why CGD affected him in the way it did and what is happening with his donor marrow. This has allowed me to formulate questions that adequately convey my specific concerns and to better understand the responses and the daily results of his CBC counts. I strongly recommend this book to anyone wanting (or needing) to understand how the immune system works.

This book serves as an excellent introduction to immunology for the general reader.

The level of detail is introductory but not trivial, and immunology is inherently a challenging subject, so readers should expect to pay attention and concentrate. This book isn't casual reading, and some general science background would be a big help.

At the same time, the level of detail is much less than a book intended for health care professionals or students, so people in that category will need to go beyond this book, although they may still find this book to be a nice and comparatively gentle introduction. The same applies to general readers who are researching particular immunological disorders; for example, this book really only scratches the surface when it comes to things like allergies, autoimmune diseases, and cancer immunotherapy.

Another effect of this book being intended for a general audience is that the presentation of information isn't quite as systematic as found in more advanced books, and I think that's a drawback for a subject as complex as this. But I do understand that books targeted at a general audience need to cater to the stylistic expectations of that audience if they're going to sell any copies ...

Overall though, I'll reiterate that this book is an excellent introduction to immunology, so I recommend it to readers looking for such a book, and who understand its limitations.

The human immune system is -- literally -- a four-year college course. This splendid highlight of the principles of our immune system is a challenging read for the non-scientist, but informative and enlightening every page of the way. Scientists may find the overview a helpful overview, and neophytes may find the subject difficult at times, but we owe science -- and AIDS -- a depth of gratitude that helps explain how the "see-saw" of microbe and host fight each other to the death -- again, literally.

It's challenging to find a good science book for the general public. Too many authors go out of their way to sensationalize science, to apply it to your personal life, or to use it in support of their opinions about other matters.

In Defense of Self is that rare layman's book which is not afraid to simply delve into science for science's sake. It is written in the sentiment of Stephen Hawking - that advances are only meaningful when they become public knowledge.

The book succeeds both in discussing the basic principles of the immune system, and then how these principles play out in myriad diseases and conditions. William Clark introduces and defines medical terms, but he is smart not to get bogged down in them - the book is aimed at understanding, not jargon.

At the same time, he intertwines a bit of medical science's history, hitting on key scientists and experiments. The latter is not only intriguing, but it gives the field a human feel. Unlike textbooks, which present facts as if they were immutable, he lays out the field's stumbling blocks, controversies, advances, and mysteries all as ongoing works in progress. He writes in a passionate and enthusiastic tone. And he has an uncanny ability to succinctly express the field's development.

The main drawback to the book - as another reviewer mentioned - is its organization. The first two-thirds are strong, but by the end many of the chapters feel isolated and unconnected to the rest of the book. To a degree, this is a reflection of science, as modern research always seems narrower than past advances. But still it would have been nice to see principles or themes tied together more.

In the end, however, Clark achieves his goals in spades. After reading this book, I was both satiated and hungry to learn more. Don't pick up this book if you're looking for a medical cure or if you have a chip on your shoulder. Do pick it up if you're insanely curious about things and have always wanted to learn about the immune system.

Though I liked reading this book, it left me with wanting to know more. So I'll have to look for another book that goes into further detail. The book is easy to comprehend for the layman.