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An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System: A Tale in Four Lives Audiobook
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Publisher Description
A magnificently reported and soulfully crafted exploration of the human immune system–the key to health and wellness, life and death. An epic, first-of-its-kind book, entwining leading-edge scientific discovery with the intimate stories of four individual lives, by the Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times journalist.
“An Elegant Defense by Matt Richtel is one of those rare nonfiction books that transcends the genre. On one level it is a fascinating and engrossing account of the latest, and quite astonishing, discoveries involving the human immune system and how it works. But it is also a story about people facing mortality, about the passion of scientists searching for truth, and a meditation on death and how all of us struggle with the ultimate mystery. Heartfelt and moving, full of compassion, love, and the human drama, this is the work of a writer of high ethical character who is grappling with big issues and deep humanistic problems. What an inspiring and wonderful read. I highly recommend this extraordinary book.” —DOUGLAS PRESTON, #1 bestselling author of The Lost City of the Monkey God
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“An expert examination of the immune system and recent impressive advances in treating immune diseases…Richtel illuminates a complex subject so well that even physicians will learn.
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
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“An extraordinarily important book that everyone—and I mean everyone—should read.”
— Douglas Preston, #1 New York Times bestselling author -
“Richtel approaches this essential subject with awe, his writing meticulous and empathic.”
— Booklist (starred review) -
“In the course of examining ‘the broader environment surrounding our immune systems,’ Richtel creates a hard-to-put-down account of the body’s first line of defense.”
— Publishers Weekly
An Elegant Defense Listener Reviews
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" This is one of those books not made for audio. The author, Matt Richtel, loves going into tangents. Often over-explaining things with confusing analogies and flowery language. Anytime there was a disease, a disorder, or a medical term being brought up, I had to stop the audiobook, look it up on Wikipedia, and read the first few paragraphs just to figure out what Richtel was talking about. Also, Richtel would often refer to the reader/listener as "You". This did not translate well into audio. I was very often confused. All in all, there is some good stuff in this book but listening to it was a real pain. "
— Pryce, 11/27/2020
About Matt Richtel
Matt Richtel is a Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times technology journalist and a novelist. His first book, Hooked, was a critically acclaimed bestseller. His fiction, like his journalism, focuses on the impact of technology on how people live, behave, and love in the twenty-first century. He won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting for his series on distracted driving. He lives in San Francisco with his family.
About Fred Sanders
Fred Sanders, an actor and Earphones Award–winning narrator, has received critics’ praise for his audio narrations that range from nonfiction, memoir, and fiction to mystery and suspense. He been seen on Broadway in The Buddy Holly Story, in national tours for Driving Miss Daisy and Big River, and on such television shows as Seinfeld, The West Wing, Will and Grace, Numb3rs,Titus, and Malcolm in the Middle. His films include Sea of Love, The Shadow, and the Oscar-nominated short Culture. He is a native New Yorker and Yale graduate.