Reviews
Read the latest book reviews below. Visit our website to read more reviews from our past issues: microbiologysociety.org/MicrobiologyToday
Invisible Friends By Jake M. Robinson
Pelagic Publishing (2023) £16.99 – ISBN: 978-1-78427-433-7 Invisible Friends introduces the readers to the exciting world of microbes through storytelling, fun facts, cases, personal anecdotes and catchy illustrations. The engaging book covers topics from historical aspects of microbiology, microbes in ecosystems, microbes and social equity, antimicrobial resistance, microbiomes, and agricultural microbiology, to microbes in outer space. These varied topics provide insights into the holistic role of microbes in our lives, environment and planet. In this book, the author focuses on the beneficial impact of microbes, which is refreshing. The book motivates students and learners from STEM and non-STEM backgrounds to explore the fascinating world of microbiology. The layout and design of the book make it easy to read. This book is a must for students of microbiology, along with other popular microbiology books like I Contain Multitudes by Ed Young.
Arindam Mitra Adamas University, India
To learn more about the book, Invisible Friends, listen to our Microbe Talk podcast where we spoke with author and Society member, Jake Robinson, about the role popular science books play and how microbes shape the world around us. You can also read Jake Robinson’s blog where he takes us behind the writing process for Invisible Friends: microb.io/433t5zq .
What Is Life and How Might It Be Sustained? Reflections in a Pandemic By Jim Lynch CRC Press (2022) £11.19 – ISBN: 978-1-03227-547-5 Jim Lynch takes his readers on an educational journey that begins with the origin of life in the context of cosmology and quantum physics, then continues through the present time of scientific and technological advancements and industrial revolution and ends with vivid pictures of possible future scenarios that will depend on the collective choices that we make today. As we navigate through the pages, we are engrossed by the interwoven world of science, technology, theology, philosophy, economics and politics, which define the socio-economic-and-biotic framework of the anthropogenic world today. Lynch explores the crises faced by the anthropogenic world like food insecurity, climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty, unemployment and human health, amongst others. In the context of COVID-19, a pandemic caused by a microbe, he emphasizes the role of microbes in the world, reminding us of their enormous power, and envisions sustainable practices for a better future. Lynch reiterates the immense possibilities held by microbes both as the source of sustainable energy, antibiotics and probiotics, and the dreadful potential of infectious bacteria and viruses to cause the next pandemic. The eloquent and meticulous presentation of world events combined with the solution-centric visions will intrigue the readers to think deeply about the lessons that can be learnt from the past and used to address real-life issues. Dr Lynch ends his book reminding us of bioethics, as he rightly says “…this should be extended to cover an analysis of all processes in the biosphere which affect life...”. Overall, this book is a fascinating compilation of the ancient- and modern- day contributions, not only by scientists, philosophers, theologists, educators and environmentalists, but also administrators, politicians and entertainers, all of whom have impacted the socio-political-and-biotic life of the anthropogenic world, thus shaping the quality of human lives.
Sudeshna Saha University of California San Diego Health, USA
44 Microbiology Today May 2023 | microbiologysociety.org
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