Product Description
A clever, accessible overview that uses a survey of 12 of the most common viral infections, to teach the fundamental principles of human virology.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 5.0 based on 7 reviews)

Excellent! by Cindy Black (Florida, USA)

5 Stars
October 25, 2009
I have read this book at least two times so far- always learning something new. He is an incredibly clear writer who is able to make sense out of many confusing topics. I teach Anatomy and Physiology, this book is a constant reference for me both in content and in how to teach about viral infections. His other 2 books are equally valuable!

clear, approachable, and a huge improvement on standard textbooks by Fred

5 Stars
March 04, 2009
This book does not bury you in terminology. It focuses exclusively on a specific set of pathogenic viruses that affect humans rather than trying to cover the whole spectrum. I learned more easily from, and enjoyed this far more, than I do standard textbooks. Another plus, an educated layman will be able to understand this book, it's informative but it really is written to be clear. I absolutely love this book and highly recommend it for biology students who want some supplementary study in a format that isn't tedious, or for people who are just curious about the subject.

An ecologists path to virology by James Parker (Northern Minnesota)

5 Stars
November 22, 2007
I found her book an excellent addition to my personal library and now plan on reading her book on the immune system. It may have lacked the genetics and cellular biology of more technical works; this made it a much more enjoyable read, without losing important information.

Absolutely Wonderful! by JoeT

5 Stars
October 30, 2007
How Pathogenic Viruses Work What a wonderful read! Outstanding introduction to exactly how viruses work. A perfect introduction to virology. Wish I read it before I majored in the field. Highly recommended!

Entertaining Informative Introduction to World of Viruses by Joel A. Harrison

5 Stars
January 11, 2005
In an age with threats of bioterrorism and the ever present threat of global pandemics, with the rapid growth in knowledge in the biological sciences, it is difficult if not nearly impossible to fathom what is going on. Several years ago I decided to educate myself in the areas of molecular biology, immunology, and infectious disease. My only formal training in the biological sciences was high school biology from over 40 years ago. I read articles in Scientific American, Discover Magazine, numerous books, both textbooks and popular books, and found myself not seeing the forest for the trees. Then I found Dr. Sompayrac's books, "How the immune system works," and "How pathogenic viruses work." My usual words of praise are "not bad," but in the case of these books, I have to say "excellent." Dr. Sompayrac somehow manages to present the forest without neglecting the trees in a highly entertaining, readable, and informative manner. Both books are short, but rich in content presented in a well-organized manner with appropriately placed brief reviews. After reading his books, I then went back to some of the others and found that everything just fell into place. I have already recommended both to numerous friends. Not only should these books be read by any lay person interested in modern biology, infectious diseases, and immunology, but public health workers, high school teachers, undergraduate students and teachers should all find these books worth reading and using as references. I actually wrote to Dr. Sompayrac suggesting he follow up with a book on "How pathogenic bacteria work," and I can only hope that he does.

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

	How the Immune System Works (Blackwell's How It Works) by Lauren M. Sompayrac (Author) Understanding the immune system is crucial for both medical and bioscience students, with new research revealing yet more secrets year on year. Many books offer in-depth introductions to the subject, but How the Immune System Works remains uniquely popular for its personable and practical overview of the nuts and bolts of the immune system. This third edition provides a perfect introduction to the essential principles of the immune system, covered in humorous but highly informative...
	How Cancer Works by Lauren Sompayrac (Author) This book is the essential cancer primer! Following the model of his successful previous books, How the Immune System Works and How Pathogenic Viruses Work, Lauren Sompayrac here explains the basics of cancer: what it is, what it does, and what is being done to try to cure it. In nine clear and concise "Lectures," Dr. Sompayrac conveys the essentials of what we know about human malignancies, using his trademark style of every day example, metaphor, anecdote and humor. Focusing on ten of the...
	The Invisible Enemy: A Natural History of Viruses by Dorothy Crawford (Author) Here is a compelling scientific account of viruses, their history, and the dangers they pose--now and in the future. Viruses are disarmingly small and simple. Nevertheless, the smallpox virus killed over 300 million people in the twentieth century before it was eradicated in 1980. The AIDS virus, HIV, is now the world's biggest killer infection and the single most common cause of death in Africa. In recent years, the outbreaks of several lethal viruses such as Ebola and Hantavirus have caused...
	Forgotten People, Forgotten Diseases: The Neglected Tropical Diseases and Their Impact on Global Health and Development by Peter J., Ph.D. Hotez (Author) Some of the worst tropical diseases in the world have too long been ignored. Parasitic and bacterial diseases such as hookworm, snail fever, river blindness, guinea worm, elephantiasis, sleeping sickness, and leprosy are the most common infections of third-world populations. These neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) represent one of the most important reasons why populations living in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America remain caught in a vicious cycle of poverty, stigma, and...
	How the Endocrine System Works by J. Matthew Neal MD FACP FACE (Author), Lauren M. Sompayrac (Series Editor) Introduces the necessary fundamentals of the endocrine system in health and disease. The book uses nine brief and concise lectures supported by clear illustrations to help the reader get through a course in endocrinology. Organized in a very readable format Important concepts are highlighted in blue to help information recall Includes glossary featuring terms used throughout the text