Human Wildlife: The Life That Lives on Us (Paperback)

by Robert Buckman (Author) "We human beings are a part of the life on this planet-not apart from it..." (more)
Key Phrases: footage courtesy, greenbottle fly, electron micrograph courtesy, Planet Human, John Snow, Steve Thomas (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"In Human Wildlife, Dr. Robert Buckman takes us on an engrossingly detailed journey through the hoards of organisms that thrive within, on, and uncomfortably close to our bodies. The voyage includes a mix of humorous text and astonishing photographs. From bedbugs to bacteria, the doctor reminds us that even when we think we are by ourselves, we are never alone." -- Jeffrey C. May, author of My House is Killing Me!

"[A]n authoritative and inherently fascinating study of the bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites that live within and upon human beings... Full-color photographs (many of the magnified pictures of microscope viewings) add a stunningly effective touch to this accessible informational resource for biology studentsa nd non-specialist general readers alike." -- Wisconsin Bookwatch

"Kids (and curious adults) will love this bestiary of ugly little creatures... Written with humor and a light touch." -- Christy Karras, Salt Lake Tribune

"This is a book that just about everyone will find in some measure fascinating, disturbing, engaging, repulsive and funny... buy it for a friend who worries about 'germs.'" -- American Scientist

Product Description
Your body has 100 trillion cells, but only 10 trillion are human. The rest belong to the bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites that live on or in us. Some of these tenants are actually beneficial, aiding in the digestion process, for example. The majority of them neither help nor hurt us, but simply coexist with us. A few species, however, from the cholera bacilli to tapeworms and lice, can be dangerous, and sometimes deadly.

In Human Wildlife, Dr. Robert Buckman takes readers on a safari through the human body, pointing out the long-term residents, the itinerant visitors, the irritating vandals, and the ruthless invaders, carefully distinguishing between helpful friends, harmless acquaintances, and lethal foes. By turns funny, amazing, and alarming, Human Wildlife is an endlessly fascinating journey through our own private biospheres.

Along the way, we learn that one-third of the human race is allergic to dust mite feces; that bad breath is caused by bacteria living on the back of our tongues which release sulfur from the protein we eat; that live maggots are being successfully used to treat drug-resistant infections; that fresh sweat is odorless (the smell results from the activity of armpit bacteria); and that the average kitchen cutting board has more bacteria than the top of a toilet seat. Accompanied by stunning, full-color and high-magnification images of these myriad organisms, Dr. Buckman's informative and engrossing text is leavened with a delightful sense of humor.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press (February 14, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801874076
• ISBN-13: 978-0801874079
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #117,940 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The origin of feces, October 17, 2004

By	Effi Ofer (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The human body contains about 100 trillion cells, but only 10 trillions of them are human. The rest belong to the entities that call our body home. In Human Wildlife Robert Buckman takes us through a tour of the lives of the worms, bacteria, viruses and other creatures that live on and in us.

I picked up this book after listening to an interview with Dr Buckman. I was fascinated by the details Buckman provided on the origins of pheromones (produced by bacteria in our armpits), mouth breath (bacteria at the back of the tounge), and the cause of fart smell (colon bacteria breaking down proteins). What finally sold me on the book was the discussion on feces, a topic on which I know very little.

Now that I have finished reading the book I can say that I have not been disappointed. Buckman is informative while entertaining at the same time. His story about the fart-in-the-library problem made me laugh out loud :) I wish Buckman went into a little more details on some topics, but that can only be expected from an introductory text geared toward the general public.

Last but not least, the pictures and illustrations in this book are outstanding. I will never look at an eyebrow again without expecting to see a little Demodex, an eyebrow mite that two thirds of us carry, wiggling its tail back at me.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For biology students and non-specialist general readers, May 22, 2003

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Human Wildlife: The Life That Lives On Us by Dr. Robert Buckman (Medical oncologist, Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Center, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto) is an authoritative and inherently fascinating study of the bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites that live within and upon human beings. A few of these life forms are beneficial; most are neither helpful nor harmful, and a few species are viciously parasitic or even lethal. Full-color photographs (many of them magnified pictures of microscope viewings), add a stunningly effective touch to this accessibly informational resource for biology students and non-specialist general readers alike.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wildlife viewing is one of the most popular hobbies... except in this case!, December 9, 2006

By	Robert Schmidt (Honolulu, HI & Logan, UT USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Human Wildlife: The Life That Lives on Us, by Robert Buckman, is... what? Delightful? No. Awe-inspiring? Nope! Motivating? Not this one.

How about interesting, eye-popping, and entertaining?

This book, a sort of "natural history guide" to the wildlife on planet human, is presented in a folksy style. I kept envisioning myself sitting in a lecture being given by Dr. Buckman. He really is knowledgeable and witty.

From maggot therapy, to the origin of bad breath, to the creepy life of the nasty Guinea worm, to the smells formerly known as "cutting the cheese," this attractive (?) book is a wealth of information. I'm sure the point of the book is to make readers aware of what lies within.

So whether you smell volatile sulfur compounds coming from your tongue or... the other end, or you'd rather smell lavender than old t-shirts, you are influenced by the small things that live inside and upon us. [If the previous sentence is mysterious, you'll need to read the book!]

I am guessing that Dr. Buckman would be a popular lecturer! I wonder if he is on the speaking circuit.