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

"What''s eating you? Or to put it more politely, "sharing your space," which happens to be your body? The answers are oddly consoling in evolutionary biologist Marlene Zuk''s witty "disease appreciation" course [B]eguiling."

"In this fascinating book, Marlene Zuk - who happens to be one of the most talented scientists writing for the general public today - illuminates our long and surprisingly intimate relationship with the pathogens that live around us and inside us. I loved Riddled with Life right down to its funny last line."

"Parasites, Marlene Zuk informs us, have made us who we are. That may sound like science fiction, but Zuk, an eminent biologist and expert on parasites, makes a compelling case that it is true. Riddled with Life offers an entertaining but authoritative look at how parasites shape evolution, including our own."

"Zuk''s book makes disease scintillating, wryly amusing and even sexy. Her enthusiasm and a hundred examples propel the reader to a deeper understanding of Darwinian medicine and the nature of life."

"RIDDLED WITH LIFE is a book full of astonishing stories. We are only beginning to appreciate the bizarre natural history of parasites and diseases, and their unexpected and subtle effects. Marlene Zuk has a majestic command of her diverse material, and an eloquent story-telling style. If she does not change your mind about cooling fevers, eating sushi and keeping cats, I''ll eat my hat (the bacteria in it will keep hay fever at bay)."

"[Zuk] understands that invasive creatures are, like thunderstorms, earthquakes, and gravity, irreducible parts of the human environment.  Living the good life, to Zuk, means reaching a kind of detente with the creatures that live around and in us Her insight into disease is that, though some invasive microorganisms should be controlled, others can be endured, and still others may actually be helpful."