Parasite Rex: Inside the Bizarre World of Nature's Most Dangerous Creatures

Parasite Rex

Parasite Rex spans a wide range of parasites; from wasps that live in caterpillars to parasites that infect humans. The lifecycles are expained in a very engaging way. The effects the parasites have had on humans and the living world in general are expained well. The book is written such that you don't need a biology degree to understand it. People working in biology will also get something from it because of it's wide breadth of explanation.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

best parasite book I've read!

I highly highly recommend this book for students and for professors to give to their students! I took a parasitology course in college and when I was given this book I thought I would hate it, but to my surprise I loved it! It is great for a general audience because it doesn't get too scientific that it becomes uninteresting, while staying scientific enough that science courses can use it! It gives plenty of information about the actual parasite while keeping the reader interested with applicable information about the plants and animals in this world. If that wasn't enough it has has pictures too :)! This author writes about parasites in a very innovative clear way!

I adored it!

Instead of just describing different parasite/host relationships, the author gives evolutionary backgroud, recent scientific findings, and how parasitology can and will change the world. I often find scientific material so boring to read-- even though I love and work in science. This title, though, feels more like entertainment (oh, the gross factor!) than learning. I recommend this title especially to college science majors. Maybe it will shape your future as it will mine.

This will make you wash your hands!

Great book! Mr. Zimmer writes in a way that keeps you glued to the book and wondering just how many parasites are inside or on you as you read the book.

How parasites affect animal behavior to their benefit.

First, please read my review on 'Plague Time', which covers a similar topic. I would have given this book 5 stars had it been better written. I found the book somewhat disjointed. BUT, there were many priceless morsals to savor. What I found most fascinating is how parasites alter their hosts' behavior to further increase the parasites chance of evolutionary success. For example, people don't think about herpes itching as having anything to do with the evolutionary success of the herpes virus. However, those viruses which cause symptoms of itching are more likely to win the evolutionary race over those viruses which cause no such symptom. By scratching the herpes sores, we are facilitating the transmission of the virus by opening the sore and by also touching someone else with the affected hand. Hence, the success of herpes. Simple but fascinating. The author gives many such examples, many much more intricate and entertaining.

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