Very enjoyable read

Any additional comments?

One of the most informative books on the microbiome, dispels some myths, challenges the new multi billion dollar probiotic / fermented food movement. This book gives a very balanced factual look at how we destroy our microbiome with the overuse of antibacterial products, western diet / lifestyle and drugs especially antibiotics. Unlike many other books I have read on the topic this book clearly states that there is no magic solutlion such as stool transplants and change in diet / lifestyle, while these may work the main point I got from reading this is that we are all different and what will work for one person will not work for another! So will I give up my kombucha and probiotics - hummm probabily not however I will not put as much faith in such supposed miracle foods and supplements.
My main takeaways:
We are all different, very different so one solution does not fit all.
Trying to recolonise your microbiome doesn't always work as fermented foods and probiotics seem to produce a temporary alteration in bacteria which can return to your original state shortly after - so don't waist your money!
Stop using antibacterial products, stop cleaning so much (excellent I say), open your windows & eat fiber!
Excellent read, interesting informative and yes this book had an impact on how I live

30 people found this helpful

Really Fascinating Stuff.

Who knew we had so much going on in us! There's no way I would have got all the way through this in printed form. (Not because of the content but due to my attention span for the technical stuff being too short) but so glad I bought it as thoroughly enjoyed it, so very interesting and the narrators voice is just right. It's one of the books I'll listen to again.

11 people found this helpful

Excellent, interesting science book for anyone.

Lots of amazing information on a largely hidden world. The author makes the topic of microbes very interesting and engaging. Faultless narration.

10 people found this helpful

Excellent. A window into our fascinating world.

This is on a par with The Selfish Gene, Guns, Germs and Steel and the Vital Question as a book which adds a whole new perspective on what we are.

7 people found this helpful

They are legion and we but one environment

Everything is interlaced, all life is an exchange a compromise with other life, the macro and microscopy are one, developing and destroying in one fluid motion, changing, competing, inventing in chemical signals, in every encounter helping and infecting, colonising being colonized. this book like the life it describes has colonized my thoughts my view of the world; I have lost my singularity in a vast symbiosis that is me, and the singularity of all living things has become a universe within universes. Shaking hands has become an act of exchange, my dog is no longer one animal but a microbial ambassador made of millions of hosts.
A fantastic reality explained and exposed to brilliant ideas and possibilities; Science answering thousands of questions and creating millions more, life's mysteries augmented by including the invisible engineers and chemist within all of us animals.

A great read that needs to be repeated.

3 people found this helpful

Amazingly interesting

This is a book for non specialist scientists containing many academic references and paths of research work. Essentially anyone should be able to understand it, but I found it helpful to have a copy of the hardback from the library to hand so I could reread passages I had not fully understood. I also downloaded diagrams from the net to further enable my understanding.

2 people found this helpful

a bit fluffy

There is a lot of very good science backed information in this book, but it is somewhat spoiled by the author's insistance on describing the character, appearance and surroundings of the people he has gathered his information off.

1 person found this helpful

Fascinating

Extremely well written and read. A fascinating listen. Recommend to everyone! Even if you have just a passing interest in science.

1 person found this helpful

Microbes are amazing...

Brilliant, informative, well researched with some cutting edge material included, so we can look forward towards new knowledge and applications - respect to the multitudes!

1 person found this helpful

interesting balanced viewpoint

I like the way the author emphasises that it is early days in research and trials in this area. It is not a simple subject and there is not a simple answer. But the days of the "kill all germs" approach should be over.

1 person found this helpful