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A review by dimayj
A Planet of Viruses by Carl Zimmer
3.0
This book presents a collection of essays by Carl Zimmer, most of which were written as part of the "World of Viruses" project to help general readers understand more about viruses and virology. It was funded by the US National Centre for Research Resources at the NIH.
The book consists of an introduction, 4 main sections and an epilogue. The author starts the book by explaining the discovery of viruses and how knowledge about their existence came about via investigating "tobacco mosaic disease". In the first section, the author covers rhinoviruses (which cause the common cold), influenza, and human papillomavirus (HPV). He explains how HPV causes tumours in different species and how this relates to evolution. The second section covers bacteriophages, marine viruses, endogenous retroviruses (which insert their genes into the host genome), and viruses' role in evolution, "shuttling genes", and the formation of the placenta. The third part covers HIV (including its origins and evolution) and how mosquito-borne viruses, such as the West Nile virus, arrived in the Americas. There's a chapter that touches on the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic and a little bit about the SARS and MERS outbreaks. The last chapter reviews smallpox, history of its prevention through variolation and Edward Jenner's cowpox-based vaccination, and the WHO-led global eradication campaign. In the Epilogue, the author talks about giant viruses such as mimivirus, virophages (viruses that infect giant viruses), and viruses' relation to cellular life and the beginning of life on earth. At the end of the book, there's a list of selected references.
In my opinion, the book is too brief, is overly simplified, and lacks depth. However, it is certainly informative and provides a good list of references for further reading. It would suit readers who are looking for a simple and non-technical collection of introductory essays about a variety of viruses and their role in life, evolution, and disease.
The book consists of an introduction, 4 main sections and an epilogue. The author starts the book by explaining the discovery of viruses and how knowledge about their existence came about via investigating "tobacco mosaic disease". In the first section, the author covers rhinoviruses (which cause the common cold), influenza, and human papillomavirus (HPV). He explains how HPV causes tumours in different species and how this relates to evolution. The second section covers bacteriophages, marine viruses, endogenous retroviruses (which insert their genes into the host genome), and viruses' role in evolution, "shuttling genes", and the formation of the placenta. The third part covers HIV (including its origins and evolution) and how mosquito-borne viruses, such as the West Nile virus, arrived in the Americas. There's a chapter that touches on the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic and a little bit about the SARS and MERS outbreaks. The last chapter reviews smallpox, history of its prevention through variolation and Edward Jenner's cowpox-based vaccination, and the WHO-led global eradication campaign. In the Epilogue, the author talks about giant viruses such as mimivirus, virophages (viruses that infect giant viruses), and viruses' relation to cellular life and the beginning of life on earth. At the end of the book, there's a list of selected references.
In my opinion, the book is too brief, is overly simplified, and lacks depth. However, it is certainly informative and provides a good list of references for further reading. It would suit readers who are looking for a simple and non-technical collection of introductory essays about a variety of viruses and their role in life, evolution, and disease.