Principles of Molecular Virology (Standard Edition), Fourth Edition (Paperback)

by Alan J. Cann (Author) "There is more biological diversity within viruses than in all the rest of the bacterial, plant, and animal kingdoms put together..." (more)
Key Phrases: enterobacteria phage, slippery sequence, virus gene expression, United Kingdom, United States, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Praise for the First Edition: "Excellent...The writing flows easily with good practical examples...An attractive, up-to-date book and is an excellent buy that I can strongly recommend." --Society for General Microbiology Quarterly "More suitable for an undergraduate class than any other text I have recently seen...Readable and undergraduate friendly, and it fills a definite niche." --American Society for Microbiology News "Compact...and realistically priced...Present[s] a good starting point for non-virologists to rapidly acquire a working knowledge of the area." --Trends in Biochemistry --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"This book provides undergraduates with an excellent overview of molecular virology. This is an absolutely necessary book for students who have not been exposed to this topic and require a book that provides this information in a clear and concise manner. Updated editions are extremely important in such a rapidly changing field. New discoveries have been included in this edition which enables students to feel that they are receiving the latest information."
- DOODY'S - 4 Stars (2006)

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Academic Press; 4 edition (August 9, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0120887878
• ISBN-13: 978-0120887873
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #148,893 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally an understandable book on virology!, December 29, 1999

By	K. L Sadler (Freedom, Pa. USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Principles of Molecular Virology (1) (Paperback)

As a neuroscience student, I took a class on virology that I wasn't required to take. However, since I was working on AIDS and rabies, I decided I needed the background. Between the bad teaching and the horrible textbook, I ended up taking an audit in the class and came away from it very confused. This book managed to simply clarify everything that those supposedly distinquished professors of virology and the writers of the textbooks for the class couldn't do. Now as a science educator I am always horrified at how scientists take simple ideas and subjects and make them difficult for students or laypersons to understand. That isn't the motive for teaching science or at least shouldn't be. This text on virology is understandable to everyone, especially if someone like me who is deaf and therefore has English reading skills that are different from the norm can comprehend what the author is saying. All I can say to this author is Bravo, and why aren't you writing more! Karen L. Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent summary of the field; easy to read, May 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Principles of Molecular Virology (1) (Paperback)

I'm not a biologist, but having developed an interest in virology, I searched for a book that would explain the basic principles in an understandable manner without too much jargon and too detailed illustrations or explanations (or too high a cost!). This book provides an overview of the field and sufficiently detailed but understandable information on virus structure and processes. Written well, it is a readable text with numerous illustrations that enhance understanding of important principles. Frankly, it was also enjoyable to read. The chapters in some detail cover the viral processes like attachment and replication, the genome, and infection and the immune system responses. Both plant and human viruses are studied, and specific examples such as the picornaviruses (polioviruses), TMV, adenoviruses, retroviruses, and HHV/HIV are specifically mentioned in each chapter, adding example to observation. The author is also not shy about telling us where molecular virology is lacking information, which should provide clues for graduate students looking for research topics. What info the author does include (and this book is wealthy in facts) is presented clearly and understandably, so that a beginner like myself or even an intermediate student would find this a useful reference. This is a great book for anyone who has a working level of scientific training in any field. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for more understanding of the microbial universe -- based on the text, I have a better perspective on the competition and cooperation between microbes. What fascinated me most is that the book details, without specifically stating it, the intelligence at work in creating and sustaining the viral structures, in helping them become a success even though their success is a detriment to humans.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars good textbook for a general virology class, esp. for price, April 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Principles of Molecular Virology (1) (Paperback)

Alan Cann's textbook is laid out in an odd order, but his description of general mechanisms of viral gene regulation is wonderfully done. The only thing that could have made this book better is the illistrations. They are pretty bad, but that is what one gets for only $30. Good job Cann!!!