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eishe's review
3.0
I've been fascinated by prion diseases for quite some while, so this was right up my alley. This book starts out slow and quite depressingly flowery, especially considering the Venetian parts (lose one star for this). Then, when we finally get closer to the modern ages, it gets great, if not amazing - well researched and well written, with concise examples and enough science to make you go read further. And then, right in the end - the author speculates about vaccines (lose one start for this too).
fish_reads's review against another edition
4.0
This was an incredible riveting read, and I’m left with a few feelings. First, dread for the terrible surprises my body may have in store for me in my future (thanks PRIONS). Second, I cannot believe how dumb human beings are. Seriously, why are we like this? Third, I feel slightly crazed because now I have a deep suspicion about the government’s COVER UP of mad cow disease. Am I becoming one of those people? Regardless, this book was great.
kiramke's review
4.0
A friend has been reminding me to distinguish between an interesting topic and a topic I'd actually want to read a full-length book about. When I first heard of FFI I was fascinated, but honestly I'm not sure what 250 pages just on that would look like - probably science I wouldn't quite understand. Luckily this particular book covers more than FFI, giving a history of research into prions and prion disease research, with forays into kuru (always memorable if you've studied anthropology or traveled the south pacific) and scrapie. It was additionally interesting to read about mad cow, because I remember it, but wasn't at an age where I read the news closely, nevermind scientific papers. Overall very readable and interesting, despite the rather accepting treatment of Gajdusek.
damsorrow's review
3.0
The Family That Couldn't Sleep is The Book I Couldn't Put Down!
It dragged a bit, though, in the middle, with narratives about other prion diseases. Good for a lot of Big Academic Science gossip, though.
It dragged a bit, though, in the middle, with narratives about other prion diseases. Good for a lot of Big Academic Science gossip, though.