On Immunity: An Inoculation in Science and Inquiry

May 28, 2016 Charlene rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: medicine, decision-making

Not quite as good as Panic Virus by Seth Mnookin but definitely one of the best books on immunization. Bliss' writing is unusually good. Her opening in particular was some of the best writing this book had to offer. She spun a story of Achilles and related it to immunity. Fantastic.

While identifying herself part of the antivaxxer in-crowd, simply by virtue of being the new mother in the 2000s, Bliss examined the various argument offered by her fellow mommy-worriers. While respecting their good ...more

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Jan 09, 2016 Margie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science, society

Really thoughtful collection of essays on vaccination, ranging over topics such as filth, capitalism, the Deepwater Horizon spill, and the origin of the term "immune system." This is not just a book about immunity, but a meditation on society in relation to immunity.

Given the popularity of the book I won't attempt a comprehensive review other than to recommend it. I would, however, like to include a few quotes I found especially useful to think about.

"Purity, especially bodily purity, is the see ...more

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Mar 28, 2016 Casey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: knowledge-is-good, memoir-writers-this-is-your-life

I'm going to have a difficult time explaining what "On Immunity" is about. This is a nonfiction book about vaccination, but, while it's well-researched, it isn't popular science. It's a book about a new mother's desire to protect her son, but it isn't a memoir. I've found Eula Biss's layered, lyrical style difficult to pin down in the past, and this book hasn't made it any easier.

As a writer, I find Biss's style inspiring. I'm impressed by how seamlessly she blends personal narrative with academ ...more

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May 25, 2015 Amy rated it really liked it

This book wasn't exactly what I thought it was when I picked it up, but that difference actually turned out to be a pleasurable surprise. "On Immunity" isn't so much a book directly about the vaccine debate which has primarily been about whether or not the science is to be believed (although the author reveals pretty early that her son is vaccinated), but it focuses on some of the greater context surrounding the issue. The author's thinking on that point introduces ideas that were new, not obvio ...more

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Feb 28, 2015 Kathleen (itpdx) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, lwv-suggest

This book is a big helping of food-for-thought. Biss explores us through the lense of vaccination. She explores the subject by looking at the vocabulary, the history, and our fears, as well as the wise words of her physician father. Then she asks questions about conscience, the "other", and individual vs. group resposibilities. So much to explore and think about.

I read an ePub edition from my library which does not have internal links to the notes, making it difficult to follow these very intreg ...more

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