When the public thinks of microbes, the context is usually that of disease. Yet as Yong, a science writer for The Atlantic, indicates, life would not exist without the bacterial domains called Bacteria and Archaea. Emphasis is placed on the microbial biome within humans; the human genome contains some 25,000 unique genes, while human microbial flora, largely in the gut, contain some 500 times more. Several are involved in activities such as vitamin production or suppressing the growth of potential pathogens (which really are a tiny minority of microbes). But Yong does not neglect the importance of analogous interactions in nature as a whole. The book is replete with descriptions of host microbe interactions, and even genetic exchange within the microbe population itself—in humans and throughout nature. For example, in Japanese populations, the bacterium Bacteroides (arguably the most common organism within humans) contains genes obtained from another bacterium, which allows it to digest seaweed. Numerous anecdotes of a similar nature, alongside research studies on a variety of subjects, are found throughout the work. The reader is not only informed, but hopefully left with a fascination for the microscopic. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers.

--R. Adler, University of Michigan, Dearborn

Richard Adler

University of Michigan, Dearborn

As Yong's smartly titled work clarifies, we contain hordes of bacteria and other microbes, and they are not all bad. They build our bodies, protect us from disease, help us digest food, and more, and it would be wise to think of ourselves as a mass community of microbiomes rather than individuals. A new tilt to our worldview from an author whose blog, Not Exactly Rocket Science, hosted by National Geographic, receives around 400,000 page views every month.

Most people associate bacteria with the bad germs that cause infection and disease, but symbiotic bacteria are crucial to life as we—and many other species—know it. Yong, a science journalist who writes for the Atlantic, examines the bacteria vital to the digestive, immune, and reproductive health of species as diverse as humans, squid, woodrats, and wasps. Even sap-sucking aphids rely on symbiotic microbes to provide them with the amino acids they can't make on their own. He concludes this fascinating study with a look at the brave new world of synthetic biology, where scientists hope one day to bioengineer "designer" bacteria equipped with the right genes to destroy pathogens, eliminate cancer cells, and alter neurotransmitters. (Originally published in Great Britain, this book retains British spelling, punctuation, and expressions.) Yong's readable and entertaining style is appropriate for the nonspecialist, though occasionally the author gets carried away with the use of metaphor and other figurative language. VERDICT Highly recommended for general science readers interested in the complicated relationships between microbes and their hosts.—Cynthia Lee Knight, Hunterdon Cty. Historical Soc., Flemington, NJ

British science journalist Yong succeeds in encouraging readers to recognize the critical importance of biological microorganisms. He argues that humans must move past the belief that bacteria are bad and need to be eradicated, and adopt a deeper understanding of the positive role they play in the lives of most organisms. Yong makes a superb case for his position by interviewing numerous scientists and presenting their fascinating work in an accessible and persuasive fashion. Throughout, he takes a holistic ecological perspective, contending that it makes no sense to examine bacteria in isolation. As in all ecological systems, context is everything, and the complex community structure of the microbiome does much to determine the effects of various bacteria. Yong demonstrates that this more inclusive view has led to a reconceptualization of how the immune system might work, how microorganisms can shape the development of organ systems, how bacteria might play a role in autism, and how the microbiome may influence an organism's propensity for obesity. He also shows that scientists have moved beyond the theoretical by successfully performing "ecosystem transplants" of human gut microorganisms, and he envisions a future that includes "artisanal bacteria" designed to perform specific tasks. Yong reveals "how ubiquitous and vital microbes are" on scales large and small. (Aug.)