Survival of The Sickest - Dr. Sharon Moalem with Jonathan Prince

The first impression of “Survival of the Sickest” is that it’s a book that elucidates the positives of the diseases that ail the mankind. But the book really is about how our body works at a macro level of cells and enzymes (really, that is macro in the context of the book) and a micro level of the very basic genes that make us who we are.

The book traces the origins of certain diseases like diabetes, and why should such conditions be genetic in nature when evolution tells us that the genetic weaknesses of an organism should get eradicated over generations. Some of the theories are proven and accepted by the medical community. Some are not. Regardless, it still teaches a lay reader a lot about how the body works.

Subsequently, the book transcends to genetics with only a remote relevance to the premise proposed in the opening chapters. However this does not make the book a least bit boring, or uninformative. The language is lucid, and medical jargons are used as sparingly as possible. And when it is used, sufficient explanation is provided to ensure the reader does not feel lost.

In the end, the purpose of the book is to educate. It does not mean that having that knowledge will enable us to take steps to correct some flaws or avoid passing them on to our children. But it at least helps us be aware of how our body works, which is really the essence of the book, and helps us be prepared in the wake of a sickness. You still will have to go to a doctor if you fall ill. But if you are one of those people who are paranoid about the multitude of things that can go wrong with the body, reading this book will help you realize the incredible mechanism by which your body ensures that you are fighting fit as far as possible.

Had this been a larger volume, it would have been difficult to digest all the information. As it is, retention levels of details for such books are low. Therefore, the 200 odd pages of the book just about strike the balance between leaving the reader with a strong message by retaining his focus and concentration, and leaving the details which while would have been good to read, would not have added too much value for the casual readers.

As it is, this book ranks high in my list of recommendations.