Customer Reviews

Riddled with Life: Friendly Worms, Ladybug Sex, and the Parasites That Make Us Who We Are

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If you are an extremely squeamish person, this may not be the book for you. On the other hand, if you share as I do, an intense curiosity about the natural world and all its inhabitants regardless of their status and contributions to the natural order, then I think you'll find "Riddled with Life" to be an exciting journey into an almost-ignored and little-known world of fascinating creatures. Marlene Zuk, a professor of biology at the University of California (Riverside), studies parasites -- among other living things -- and not only knows about all these critters but can write about them in a style that is very readable and enjoyable. I have become impressed lately by the many talented academic scientists who have the ability to write for the ordinary reader. Zuk is certainly to be included among them.

Her book deals with parasites, worms, and other creatures, and also with disease and health. Interestingly, she has a positive point to make about disease. For instance, she points out that "Disease is not merely ubiquitous. It is normal. It is natural. It is even essential. Illness has shaped all living things for millions of years, and life as we know it -- we, as we know ourselves -- would not exist without disease." I had never thought about that, but the point she makes is explained and justified throughout the book.

She makes another important point which I found interesting: "Although most historians are probably blissfully unaware of it, one of the marked changes in our lives since the nineteenth century is in the number and kind of microorganisms we carry in our guts. We harbor hundreds of species of bacteria in our gastrointestinal systems when we are healthy, an internal forest of biodiversity." Most of us normally think of bacteria as "bad," probably the result of so much "antibacterial" advertising by manufacturers of such products. Zuk corrects this misconception and rightly so.

Speaking of bacteria and advertising, she does raise something early on in her book that I have spent some time thinking about for a number of years. And that is the "war on bacteria" promoted by the hundreds of advertised products on our TV screens and in our printed media. It has often seemed to me to be a case of "overkill." I am a more or less clean housekeeper -- wipe down the counters, clean the bathrooms regularly, etc. -- but, from the content of some of the advertisements one sees, you'd think we are in imminent danger of being destroyed by bacteria (or germs, if prefer). As I am approaching (all too rapidly, I must say) my biblically-designated threescore and ten years, I reflect on the fact that I was raised during a time when concern with "germs" was not a national obsession.

That is not to say that my generation was not concerned with being clean. I think we were. But we were not obsessed with it. Zuk warns regarding this point that in today's world, "The frightening consequences of our overzealous cleansing include resistance of common bacterial infections, like staphylococcus in hospitals, to most or all of the antibiotics we use to control them." In other words, there is a danger in being too obsessed with cleanliness. To drive this point home, Zuk has a section in her chapter on "friendly worms" which is titled "Cleanliness is Next to ... Sickliness?" Excellent choice of words.

Moreover, consider this gem from Zuk's book: "My own personal favorite of the germ-phobic ads is one for a line of antimicrobial products for the office, including computer keyboards and desks. The promotional material states, 'Researchers found that the average desk had 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat.' I had several reactions to this. First, my inner statistician wondered how one determines the 'average' desk, not to mention toilet seat (public restrooms? House with Toddlers? Fraternity?)." And as I have always suspected: "Even carefully controlled tests of many antibacterial products fail to find a benefit to their use." As a student formally trained in statistical analysis, I agree. So much for that obsession.

Many readers will probably really enjoy, as I certainly did, Chapter Four of "Riddled with Life." Its title is "The Race With Sex That's Never Won." On the other hand, many readers may be repulsed by Chapter Five which is titled "When Sex Makes You Sick." Not a good thing to read about, but Zuk does make it interesting and informative. But (here's more sex!), reading Chapter Six -- entitled "The Sicker Sex" -- was somewhat disturbing, at least for me, because I found out that I was a member (as a male) of the sicker sex. What? Yes, 'tis true, being male, according to Zuk, is a health risk. You'll have to read the book to find out all the details, but it seems to have something to do with something we males are usually proud of or bragging about.

Another chapter that most readers will find interesting is one entitled "Parasites and Picking the Perfect Partner." Just to demonstrate how good Zuk is at tempting the reader to continue reading, let me provide you with the opening sentences to this chapter: "We were crouched in the shrubbery outside the men's bathroom in a park in Western Australia, binoculars at the ready. Periodically one of us would exclaim, 'Wow, that was a really good one,' or 'Look at him now, he's really going at it!'" Now if that doesn't force the reader to continue on with the text, I don't know what would. Very clever writing! Yet, the information provided in this chapter is fascinating and I'll never look at dating the opposite gender -- or at the subject of the birds and the bees -- quite the same again.

All in all, this is a delightful and enlightening book. I cannot imagine a reader (except, of course, the obvious "Yuckies") failing to find "Riddled with Life" a valuable addition to his or her personal library. It is full of engrossing information and Zuk has provided over twenty pages of references for further reading, as well as a helpful index to the text. Highly recommended!

My life began with a years-long struggle against life-draining parasites (I refer to viruses and bacteria, not members of Congress). Unlike most kids, I spent most of my first decade making my parents wonder if I'd see another birthday. As you might suspect, this book is very interesting to me on a personal level.

And that brings us to the question of whether this book would be interesting to you. If you have spent much of your life fighting off one disease after another, then obviously yes. But what if you're the typical person who had the usual childhood illnesses and occasionally gets a cold? You take all of the precautions, and you even use antibacterial soaps. If that's the case, then this book is even more applicable to you than it is to me.

Zuk tackles one myth after another, to help the reader gain valuable perspective. I haven't seen any negative reviews of this book so far, but invariably someone will cherry-pick excerpts and argue that Zuk is contradicting herself. Zuk says our bodies and environments are so full of bacteria and other parasites that obsessing over getting rid of them is rather pointless and probably harms us. But she also talks about the benefits of sanitation and hygienic practices.

So, is she trying to have it both ways? This is like asking if it makes sense to get both rest and exercise, which are two seemingly contradictory activities. In fact, they are complementary activities. You need a balance of each.

Balance is exactly what Zuk brings to the discussion of parasites. She gives the example of installing an antibacterial welcome mat for the "safety" of your baby. This might make a parent feel good, but serves no other purpose. But such an act isn't necessarily harmless--it can tilt the balance of the bacterial population such that the baby encounters only superbugs. This type of problem exists on many fronts, and Zuk makes a fascinating exploration of them.

Not all bacteria are bad, and Zuk is quite clear about this. The harsh chemicals that saved my life on several occasions (while also running up large medical bills) destroyed more than the harmful bugs. One of the side effects was the inability to digest foods like nuts--the little nut parts would go straight through, exiting in exactly the condition I swallowed them (sharp edges and all).

You can simulate the feeling of passing undigested nuts (with their tiny sharp edges) by using 60 grit sandpaper on your rear end. I don't recommend that you stop and do it right now, but if you're so inclined then that's fine. Most of us can simply appreciate the concept and understand the point being made. It's also true some folks get an approximation of this from the cheap paper provided by their employer....

It took many years to correct just this one side effect from killing bugs. In my case, the initial problem was a necessary side effect of a life-saving measure. But today, people are indiscriminately applying harsh chemicals and creating all kinds of unpleasant and presumably unintended consequences. And not just for themselves. Nuking every little critter isn't a wise strategy. In fact, many of those little critters may be your ticket to health.

I was born with an immune deficiency and still have it. Yes, I keep my home very clean. But Zuk would be proud of me because I work in the soil, gardening with bare hands. As a little kid, I also spent a lot of time playing in the dirt. I needed something in that prairie soil, and apparently I got it. I haven't been sick now since 1971--even with my immune deficiency. Bacteria. You can't live with 'em and you can't live without 'em. (Note my wellness isn't just from playing in the dirt. [...].

Now that I've addressed the major sticking point of this book (the only good bug is a dead bug--not true!), I want to comment on Zuk's writing style. She laces her prose with a subtle humor that immediately reminded me of some friends in New Zealand. Now I can get in big trouble for saying this, but Aussies and Kiwis are similar in many ways. I wasn't surprised when she revealed that she had spent considerable time in Australia.

So, what's really in this book? Lots of amazing facts, for sure. It has 11 chapters, extensive references, and a thorough index. Good insights, thought-provoking questions, interesting anecdotes, and a crisp writing style sprinkled with humor all work together to make it both useful and enjoyable.

This book addresses several complex topics, and presents them in a manner that allows the layman to follow along and understand. It's hard to pick out just one topic and address it properly, so I'll just name a few topics. If you read the book, you'll enjoy Zuk's explanations. Topics include:

* Testosterone poisoning.
* Why roosters have red combs.
* The upside of eating worms.
* Why not completing a medication protocol even though you now feel fine is a bad idea.
* Why you can't possibly make yourself sick by violating some of today's commonly accepted rules of hygiene.
* Health products that are a complete rip-off (and why).
* The evolutionary interaction between parasites and their hosts.

And everyone's favorite topic. I speak, of course, of sex. Each of four chapters is devoted to a different aspect of the this topic, and other chapters also cover it in some way or another. Yes, even sex has been influenced heavily by bugs. In fact, bugs may be the very reason for it. Who woulda thunk? Maybe we should establish Thank A Bacterium Day.

Bacteria and viruses are intertwined with us, and Zuk makes a good case for the concept that our bodies are what they are because of the critters rather than in spite of them. But, it doesn't stop there. Zuk also presents strong evidence that our very minds are influenced by parasites (thus explaining the US Tax Code). The final chapter of the book and Zuk's closing remark may well reshape your view of the world and other people in it.

I can still close my eyes and see Thurber's little cartoon guy slouching dispiritedly past an embracing couple on the park bench, and asking his famous question.

If he knew that most complex organisms evolved into two sexes because of parasites, he would probably have thrown his jacket over his head and screamed.

Marlene Zuk, a professor of biology at the University of California, provides `parasites' as the answer to many evolutionary conundrums, as she brings us face-to-proboscis with some of the natural world's most bizarre adaptations surrounding the continued survival of genomes, including our own.

What causes auto-immune diseases? Why do female peacocks go for males with the fanciest tail feathers? Are some people more accident-prone than others? Why did Debbie Estis Greenspan invent Dr. Doormat?

Are all of these phenomena caused by parasites? `Yes,' according to Professor Zuk.

If you don't believe that parasitized people have more accidents, read the chapter "Bad but Not Weird: The Real Emerging Diseases." Not only might the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis be responsible for a higher automobile accident rate, it might also trigger schizophrenia:

"Children of mothers who were infected with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy show higher levels of mental retardation, brain malformations, and seizures. Ewald and coworkers believe that the reason more people with schizophrenia are born at certain times of year is that their mothers were more likely to have come into contact with cats and their feces."

"Riddled with Life" presents a very clear thesis: evolution is driven by parasitism. It is backed up by fascinating proofs. I read this book while I was a guest at a friend's house, and couldn't help quoting example after example from Dr. Zuk's research.

The probable driver for the evolution of bedbug sex is particularly bizarre...I just hope I don't reincarnate as a lady bedbug.

Read this book and gross out your own friends. You may never be invited to stay over again, thanks to Professor Zuk's unforgettable examples of parasites in action.

Great read!! I grew up in tropical regions of Latin America where parasites were always considered an enemy to be avoided. It wasn't until I read this book that I realized that not only could I NOT avoid them but in fact I NEEDED them for my very existence! This book is suitably researched and scientific to satisfy any skeptic. It is WONDERFULLY humorous throughout. It is informative as can be. Any layman, even without scientific training, will find this book highly informative, fun, and well worth the read. OK, there are a few passages that bog down a bit, but they are few and far between. The rest is just great. I'm giving this one to several people this Christmas.

Disease is treated as an enemy to be eradicated - or should it be something more? Evolutionary biologist Marlene Zuk here argues that disease is our partner, not a foe: it's evolved alongside humans and is actually essential to health. The latest research and some unusual studies explores the role of disease in longevity, evolution, and the animal and insect as well as human worlds, using the author's on work on sexual selection processes to supplement intriguing stories from nature. An excellent survey, RIDDLED WITH LIFE: FRIENDLY WORMS, LADYBUG SEX, AND THE PARASITES THAT MAKE US WHO WE ARE is a pick not just for school holdings but for the general-interest library strong in popular science and health.

Parasites are fascinating from an evolutionary standpoint and knowledge about them, especially those that affect humans and their domestic animals, is quite practical as well. I have long been a fan of Robert Desowitz's writings on the subject and these were followed by Carl Zimmer's "Parasite Rex", another excellent (if somewhat scary) exposition. Now Marlene Zuk had added another well-written tome in "Riddled with Life: Friendly Worms, Ladybug Sex, and the Parasites that Make Us Who We Are."

Certainly Dr. Zuk had covered many additional cases of parasites being involved not only with disease, but the sometimes negative aspects of their absence, such as asthma and allergies. Some parasites are virulent, while others have made a sort of peace with their hosts. The complications are often quite bizarre, as with multiple hosts for different stages, genetic disabilities or lethal genes (like sickle cell anemia) maintained because the heterozygous organism has an advantage against a parasite, parasites that force their hosts to act in suicidal ways so that the parasite can reach the alternate host, and many others. The evolutionary reasons that some parasites kill their hosts and others do not are thoroughly examined.

After reading Zuk's book, the reader is struck with the shear complexity of living things, their genetic and environmental components, and with the weird dance they do to stay one step ahead of their "enemies", some of which evolve into friends of a sort, or even necessary components of the body. Some of these parasites may give up their parasitic life completely and become partly or wholly mutualists (organisms that are needed by the "host" as well as needing the host themselves), which explains the huge flora of useful and occasionally pathogenic bacteria that humans have in their guts, as well as the very necessary protists in the guts of termites that digest cellulose. Parasitism may also explain sex, as organisms try to avoid the worst aspects of parasitism in the progeny by mixing their genes with those of another individual.

This is a very well-written book that the reader will not be able to put down until it is finished, despite the somewhat "morbid" subject. I recommend it as a must for understanding the real owners of the natural world!

I thoroughly recommend this book. It's packed with interest and is a great read.
Highly readable and doesn't run out of steam all the way through.
Interesting and thought provoking with insights into the causes of diseases that appear to be genetic.
I have bought copies for my son and friends.
I promise you, you won't be disappointed.

the best I have seen. I have sent it to several friends who I know as eclectic readers.

How many hundreds of different species of bacteria are in your intestines? How many worms are regularly found in humans? Why are the moose, some humans hunt, more riddled with "yuk" than those which escape? These are only some of many questions getting answered. Other topics include evolution having been parasite dependent, exaggerated cleanliness being the way to sickliness and various conditions and diseases getting caused previously unexpectedly by parasites. And of course, such dinner party information jewels that half of our feces consist of bacteria... Our pets and wildlife get mentioned, too. Like the average horse in New York State losing some 15 quarts/liters of blood a month to bloodsucking flies.

This book is a lot about sexuality. Evolution and parasite jumping make that necessary. Yet, this book goes further. Some insects having continuous sex for 79 days. Fleas only for 30 minutes, but while remaining attached to their host with their mouths. Double greedy little suckers... Some cricket females suck the blood of their male lovers during the act while something called traumatic insemination is normal procedure among bedbugs. (It's even weirder than it sounds.)

Yet, as in her previous book Sexual Selections: What We Can and Can't Learn about Sex from Animals it shows that the author isn't quite the sexpert, all the while writing about it anyway. This time, it's about repeated myths in the field of parasites, of course. By reading this book, one could get the impression that syphilis was introduced to Europe via the official contact to the Americas after 1492. However, this disease has been known in the UK before that and even skulls in Pompeii reveal the ancient presence of this STD in Europe. HIV would inflict disproportionately "subpopulations" in most parts of the world. Well, in sub-Mediterranean Africa, that is clearly not true and increasingly not for countries such as Russia. She's also averring that no STDs would be transmitted to children in normal, unsexual circumstances. As a result, the mild symptoms of childhood infection causing adult resistance of otherwise much more severe adult symptoms would never apply to any STD. Well, usually the first STD most people acquire during teenage sexuality (with most heavy throat ache), UNLESS the young adults had acquired it normally and otherwise and very mildly in kindergarten previously is mono(nucleosis) aka Pfeiffer's disease aka glandular fever. It fits exactly the above description. And about that toilet seats supposedly being free of any STD: Hmm, ok, maybe after you blow the odd pubic hair with nit or just hatched mini-crablouse away and if you do not count hepatitis as a STD. Which you should, if you prefer certain sexual practices amazon would not be happy with me describing them here. At least in some European countries, there are sexual groups included in health insurers' preventive vaccination against hepatitis. But then again, what do we have Latin for if not to educate that if you are a devoted anilinguist (or was it "most devote"?), you will get free vaccination shots in Germany. Most certainly, hepatitis viruses are long-living outside the human body and toilet flushing is a wonderful way of spreading them anywhere in the room. Also, the viruses of condyloma are transmissable from any shared surfaces of naked behinds, though the hole of the toilet seat may prevent more frequent transmission than in European saunas with no towel dress code. In other words, it is a myth that it is a myth that you can't get any STD from a toilet seat.

But overall the book is very recommendable to read and at times extremely funny. It covers subjects in-depth, Parasite Rex : Inside the Bizarre World of Nature's Most Dangerous Creatures is already mentioning like fungus sexually altering insects and about toxoplasmosa. If you are interested in more symbiotic body roomies (commensals), largely restricted to bacteria and in a systematic text book presentation, read the rather dry Microbial Inhabitants of Humans: Their Ecology and Role in Health and Disease. Much more grippingly written is Good Germs, Bad Germs: Health and Survival in a Bacterial World by a science journalist. Which is also more in-depht about the history of antibiotic treatments and their failure due to mounting resistance. About former parasites, today our energy source and DNA family tree provider, mitochondria, read Power, Sex, Suicide: Mitochondria and the Meaning of Life. A more general biological approach of symbiosis is Liaisons of Life: From Hornworts to Hippos--How the Unassuming Microbe has Driven Evolution. A theoretic re-thinking, including reconstructing taxonomy and theories about gaia, read Symbiotic Planet: A New Look At Evolution. "Riddled with Life" does not feauture any pictures. If you like a coffee-table book, get Human Wildlife: The Life That Lives on Us.

I'm giving this book 3 starts because it has some very fascinating content and the nature of the research should be better understood by everyone. We need to know that there is a serious risk to public health at hand due to the wide spread misuse of antibiotics. So read it! It's important! This review is just warning you that it may take some effort.

To Ms. Zuk and her editors: "Read the 'Accidental Mind' by Dr. Linden before you publish your next 'accessible to the public" science book. Note how you can be clear, concise, and still have a sense of humor. I really got the feeling that no one actually read your book through (while paying attention) before it went to press. You can do better."