Posted on April 6, 2020 in Review of the Week
Immunity
Paul, William E. Johns Hopkins, 2015
260p index afp, 9781421418018 $29.95, 9781421418025
It would be an understatement to describe this treatise by Paul (chief, Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) as covering almost everything one needs to know about immunity for a practical understanding of it. The work is a remarkably clear, concise, well-written, and well-organized presentation of the components and interactions of the multiple parts of the immune system as it functions to protect the body from disease or foreign agents when functioning properly—or cause disease when malfunctioning. Paul writes in a narrative rather than a textbook style, covering the major contributions to the field, including many of his own. The book’s 30 chapters fall under six major topic sections. The narrative is development based, clarifying how any one component integrates with another as part of the “big picture.” Written for the general public and for potential students of immunology, it could also serve as an accompanying text for any immunology course. The author’s credentials make the last chapter, “The Future of Immunology,” and the epilogue valuable reading. Extensive notes support the text.
Summing Up: Essential. All library collections.
Reviewer: R. S. Kowalczyk, University of Michigan
Subject: Science & Technology – Health Sciences
Choice Issue: Mar 2016
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