A magnificently reported and soulfully crafted exploration of the human immune system–the key to health and wellness, life and death. An epic, first-of-its-kind book, entwining leading-edge scientific discovery with the intimate stories of four individual lives, by the Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times journalist.
“An Elegant Defense by Matt Richtel is one of those rare nonfiction books that transcends the genre. On one level it is a fascinating and engrossing account of the latest, and quite astonishing, discoveries involving the human immune system and how it works. But it is also a story about people facing mortality, about the passion of scientists searching for truth, and a meditation on death and how all of us struggle with the ultimate mystery. Heartfelt and moving, full of compassion, love, and the human drama, this is the work of a writer of high ethical character who is grappling with big issues and deep humanistic problems. What an inspiring and wonderful read. I highly recommend this extraordinary book.” —DOUGLAS PRESTON, #1 bestselling author of The Lost City of the Monkey God
Author(s): Matt Richtel
Publisher: William Morrow
Year: 2019
Language: English
Pages: 324
Tags: Immunology
Part I: Lives in the Balance
1. The Ties That Bind
2. Jason
3. Bob
4. Linda and Merredith
Part II: The Immune System and the Festival of Life
5. The Bird, Dog, Starfish, and Magic Bullet
6. The Festival
7. Festival Crashers
8. The Mystery Organ
9. The B-Word
10. T Cells and B Cells
11. Vaccines
12. The Infinity Machine
13. Transplant
14. The Immune System’s Fingerprint
15. Inflammation
16. Fever
17. Flash Gordon
18. The Harmonious Way
19. Three Wise Men and the Monoclonal Antibody
20. A Second Immune System
Part III: Bob
21. Sex Machine
22. GRID
23. The Phone Call
24. CD4 and CD8
25. Magic
26. The Prime
Part IV: Linda and Merredith
27. Linda
28. The Wolf
29. Invisible Evidence
30. Best of Both Worlds (Sort Of)
31. Merredith
32. Should You Pick Your Nose?
33. Microbiome
34. Stress
35. Sleep
Part V: Jason
36. A Word About Cancer
37. Laughter and Tears
38. The Lazarus Mouse
39. Wound Healing
40. Programmed Death
41. The Breakthrough
42. Jason Races Time
43. Shepherd of Death
44. Trials, Personal and Clinical
45. The Other Shoe
Part VI: Homecoming
46. Bob
47. Linda
48. Jan and Ron
49. Jason Down the White Tunnel
50. Jason Rises
51. Apollo 11
52. Home
53. Jason’s Way
54. The Meanings of Life
55. The Meaning of Jason
