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Survival of the Sickest: The Surprising Connections Between Disease and Longevity (P.S.)
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 616.042
EAN: 9780060889661
ISBN: 0060889667
Label: Harper Perennial
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 304
Publication Date: March 01, 2008
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Release Date: March 18, 2008
Studio: Harper Perennial
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Editorial Review:
Dan Ariely on Survival of the Sickest
MIT professor Dan Ariely has become one of the leaders in the growing field of behavioral economics, and his bestselling book debut, Predictably Irrational, has brought his ideas--and his ingenious experiments and charming sense of humor--to a much wider audience. With the simplest of tests (often an auction or a quiz given under a few conditions) he shows again and again not only that we are wired to make irrational decisions in many situations, but that we do so in remarkably predictable ways.
 I have always been puzzled by the way in which genetic diseases have managed to survive throughout the ages. How could it be that these diseases were able to withstand the evolutionary process, where only the most fit survive, and continue to be transferred from one generation to the next? Survival of the Sickest provides a thought provoking yet entertaining explanation to this puzzle.
In this insightful book Dr. Sharon Moalem demonstrates how conditions that are considered unhealthy (such as hemochromatosis, diabetes, and high cholesterol), or even deadly in extreme cases, might actually put their carriers at an advantage in combating other life-threatening illnesses. For example, he explains that hemochromatosis, a disease that, if left untreated, will kill you, may have actually been a defense against the deadliest pandemic in history--the bubonic plague during the 14th century. It turns out that this genetic mutation, which continues to be passed down through generations, actually helped spare many lives at one point.
Throughout the book, Dr. Moalem draws many connections between seemingly disparate subjects, such as the accidental invention of ice wine and cold diuresis, in order to illustrate the basic mechanisms of genetics and medicine in charming and intuitive ways. He skillfully interweaves his knowledge of history, genetics, and medicine not only as they relate to specific medical conditions but also in a way that addresses important challenges of modern society and our future evolution.
In the most general terms, Dr. Moalem's description of the human body and its complexity left me in awe of how far we have come in our understanding of biology and medicine, while also being reminded that the road to understanding ourselves is still wide open with much more to learn in the decades, and even centuries, to come. It is a fantastic journey on which he leads us and Dr. Moalem is a kind, knowledgeable, humorous, and helpful guide.
Joining the ranks of modern myth busters, Dr. Sharon Moalem turns our current understanding of illness on its head and challenges us to fundamentally change the way we think about our bodies, our health, and our relationship to just about every other living thing on earth. Through a fresh and engaging examination of our evolutionary history, Dr. Moalem reveals how many of the conditions that are diseases today actually gave our ancestors a leg up in the survival sweepstakes. But Survival of the Sickest doesn't stop there. It goes on to demonstrate just how little modern medicine really understands about human health, and offers a new way of thinking that can help all of us live longer, healthier lives.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - The Power of Evolution
The only complaint I have about this book is that the cover refers to Dr. Moalem as a "medical maverick." I don't see the assertions Dr. Moalem makes here as being particularly controversial (at least, for anyone who accepts the basics of the theory of evolution). The fact that diseases are evolutionary pressures on the development of the human species seems very straightforward. Granted, how Dr. Moalem interprets some of these pressures may be subject to debate; however, the basic premise is ... Read More
Rating:  - Funny, it doesn't SAY it's a book for little kids, but--
if you've ever been to high school, much less college, you'll probably find the tone, language and reference points tedious: For example, referring to evolution as a "global Macarena"--sad enough on its own but this book was written a decade after that dance died--can only bring embarrassment to the author. Too, the 26-page introduction explains over and over what can be summed up in a sentence or two: That unless something is fatal to an organism, it'll probably be passed along to the organism's ... Read More
Rating: - Read this when you're sick and you'll feel great!
PROS: The prose flows. It's funny and informative. Outstanding writing. Thought-provoking analysis.
CONS: A few diagrams/illustrations would have been helpful.
CONCLUSION: I rarely give 5 stars, but this book deserves it! A must-read to open your mind to biology and life on Earth.
Rating: - Great way to turn your thinking around !
Not only is this book well written, it presents a refreshing way to look at human evolution... and re-evaluate our place in our environment. Short and sweet, really... but adequately researched... and he lets you know if it is just conjecture ! It's a fascinating read.
Rating:  - Eyes wide and sometimes rolling.
I agree with pretty much everything the one-star reviewer said about this book...the attempts at humor were often groan-producing and nearly always made my eyes roll. Apparently the authors thought that a spoonful of sugar would be necessary to help the medicine of...well, medicine...go down. But the science is so interesting on its own that the efforts to cute it up were distracting. So why do I still give it a solid four stars, and thought about five? Because when this book is on, it is ON. ... Read More
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