Book Review: Survival of the Sickest
Disease is commonly thought to be a strictly bad phenomenon. Even the word itself has an “icky” sound to it. In this book, Moalem presents an alternate view: that today’s diseases were yesterday’s cures. Covering a variety of ailments that range from internally rusting to death (hemochromatosis) to diabetes to parasitic infections, the author synthesizes the work of researchers and scientists throughout history to support his thesis: surviving long enough to reproduce is key to the longevity of our species, even if our individual longevity suffers. This book presents some terrific examples of evolution via natural selection at work, but is written candidly so that those of us with merely a passing interest in natural science can read it without difficulty.
Rating: 4.5 of 5
Author: Sharon Moalem