Survival of the Sickest (book)
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| Author | Dr. Sharon Moalem Jonathan Prince |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Science |
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
Publication date | February 6, 2007 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Hardback & Paperback |
| Pages | 288 pp (hardback edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-06-088965-9 (Hardback) Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
Survival of the Sickest: The Surprising Connections Between Disease and Longevity is a 2007 non-fiction New York Times bestseller by University of Toronto Dr. Sharon Moalem, a medical student with a Ph.D. in neurogenetics and Jonathan Prince, senior advisor and speechwriter during the Clinton administration. Originally titled, Survival of the Sickest: A Medical Maverick Discovers Why We Need Disease, the book aims to expose the obscure nature of diseases and medical maladies. Some provocative questions the book attempts to answer include:
- Can a person rust to death?
- Can sunglasses cause sunburns?
- Why do we need to pee when we’re cold?
- Can the tanning salon lower cholesterol?
- Who gets drunk faster-Europeans or Asians? And why?
- Why are African-Americans more prone to hypertension? [1]
Overview
The book is a collection of compelling case studies, which use scientific and historical data to back up the hypotheses Moalem and Prince propose. The book's topics include:
- Chapter 1: Hemochromatosis, bloodletting, and human iron consumption
- Chapter 2: Diabetes, climate change, and brown fat
- Chapter 3: Sunlight, vitamin D, cholesterol, and the physiological makeup of race
- Chapter 4: Vegetables, fava beans, and the spread of malaria
- Chapter 5: The virulence of bacteria, Guinea worms, and parasitic diseases
- Chapter 6: Mutating DNA and “jumping” genes
- Chapter 7: Genetic suppression and childhood obesity
- Chapter 8: Cancer cells and childbirth
The 2008 paperback edition contains a section entitled "P.S. Insights, Interviews, & More..." where background information on the author is given through a Q&A. Moalem also gives his recommendations for other medical and science books that continue the conversations about diseases and scientific discovery.
Blog
The author Dr. Sharon Moalem started a blog on his book's official site that links to articles and scientific studies. The blog serves the function of keeping the conversation going. Moalem also posts updates promoting his book tour and televised interview spots. His most recent update was made on September 5, 2009.
References
- ^ Moalem, Dr. Sharon and Jonathan Prince. Survival of the Sickest, http://www.survivalofthesickestthebook.com/