A Planet of Viruses
Third Edition
Illustrations by Ian Schoenherr
144 pages
|
24 halftones
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5 x 7
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© 2021
- Contents
- Review Quotes
Table of Contents

Contents
Foreword by Judy Diamond and Charles Wood
INTRODUCTION
“A Contagious Living Fluid”: Tobacco Mosaic Virus and the Discovery of the Virosphere
OLD COMPANIONS
The Uncommon Cold: How Rhinoviruses Gently Conquered the World
Looking Down from the Stars: Influenza’s Never-Ending Reinvention
Rabbits with Horns: Human Papillomavirus and Infectious Cancer
EVERYWHERE, IN ALL THINGS
The Enemy of Our Enemy: Bacteriophages as Viral Medicine
The Infected Ocean: How Marine Phages Rule the Sea
Our Inner Parasites: Endogenous Retroviruses and Our Virus-Riddled Genomes
THE VIRAL FUTURE
The Young Scourge: Human Immunodeficiency Virus and the Animal Origins of Diseases
Becoming an American: The Globalization of West Nile Virus
The Pandemic Age: Why COVID-19 Should Have Come as No Surprise
The Long Goodbye: The Delayed Oblivion of Smallpox
EPILOGUE
The Alien in the Water Cooler: Giant Viruses and What It Means to Be a Virus
Acknowledgments
Selected References
Credits
Index
INTRODUCTION
“A Contagious Living Fluid”: Tobacco Mosaic Virus and the Discovery of the Virosphere
OLD COMPANIONS
The Uncommon Cold: How Rhinoviruses Gently Conquered the World
Looking Down from the Stars: Influenza’s Never-Ending Reinvention
Rabbits with Horns: Human Papillomavirus and Infectious Cancer
EVERYWHERE, IN ALL THINGS
The Enemy of Our Enemy: Bacteriophages as Viral Medicine
The Infected Ocean: How Marine Phages Rule the Sea
Our Inner Parasites: Endogenous Retroviruses and Our Virus-Riddled Genomes
THE VIRAL FUTURE
The Young Scourge: Human Immunodeficiency Virus and the Animal Origins of Diseases
Becoming an American: The Globalization of West Nile Virus
The Pandemic Age: Why COVID-19 Should Have Come as No Surprise
The Long Goodbye: The Delayed Oblivion of Smallpox
EPILOGUE
The Alien in the Water Cooler: Giant Viruses and What It Means to Be a Virus
Acknowledgments
Selected References
Credits
Index
Review Quotes
Guardian
"A Planet of Viruses, Zimmer’s slim collection of essays, offers an edifying tour of the improbable world of viruses, which is also our world. The strategies our bodies have devised for survival are endlessly matched by viruses, with their uncanny intelligence for evolution. Over the past year, their ability to reinvent themselves has heightened the suspense around the development of new vaccines against COVID-19."
Washington Post, on the first edition
“Zimmer reshapes our understanding of the hidden realities at the core of everyday existence. . . . Concise and illuminating.”
Guardian, on the first edition
“Succinct yet elegantly written. . . . A fascinating and enlightening introduction.”
Forbes, on the first edition
“Just about everything you’ve always wanted to know—and a lot you’ll probably wish you didn’t know—about the viruses that have caused humanity so much grief throughout history.”
Booklist, starred review, on the first edition
“Absolutely top-drawer popular science writing. . . . Zimmer’s information-packed, superbly readable look at virological knowledge awakens readers to the fact that not only are viruses everywhere but we couldn’t live without them.”
Boing Boing, on the first edition
“A smart, beautiful, and somewhat demented picture book that’s likely to give you a case of the willies. In the best way possible.”
Science News, on the first edition
“As with any great journey, this virtual tour opens your eyes and expands your horizons. . . . Reading Zimmer’s work is like hanging out with the smartest, most interesting guy you have ever met as he regales you with tales of his travels and fascinating finds along the way.”
Rebecca Skloot, author of "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" | on the first edition
“Zimmer is one of the best science writers we have today. A Planet of Viruses is an important primer on the viruses living within and around all of us—sometimes funny, other times shocking, and always accessible. Whether discussing the common cold and flu, little-known viruses that attack bacteria or protect oceans, or the world’s viral future as seen through our encounters with HIV or SARS, Zimmer’s writing is lively, knowledgeable, and graced with poetic touches.”
Bookseller
"Viruses cause a vast range of diseases, exist everywhere from our own DNA to deep caves miles underground, and will continue to shape human fate as long as life endures. This new edition presents the latest research, including a chapter on coronavirus."
The Inquisitive Biologist
"In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many publishers have seen an opportunity to reissue previously published books on viruses and pandemics. As a reader, it is always difficult to know whether you are actually getting any updated content beyond the obligatory new preface or afterword, or whether this is just a quick cash-grab. Fortunately, the third edition of Zimmer’s famous virology primer A Planet of Viruses is here to prove those suspicions wrong. . . . Each essay has been updated with new research published in the last six years. It would have been easy to just slap in the COVID-19 essay, send it off to the printers, and call it a third edition. This is not the case, however, which reflects very well on both the author and the publisher. Furthermore, this edition features stylish woodcut-like illustrations from Ian Schoenherr that open each chapter. . . . A Planet of Viruses is a captivating primer to the world of viruses that requires zero background in biology. The brevity of the essays and the small size of this book make it a suitable first introduction to this fascinating part of our world. Even for a biologist such as myself, there is much to admire in Zimmer’s writing: these essays are miniature masterclasses in science communication. If, for some reason, you have so far missed out on this book then what are you waiting for? At this price and this size, you have no excuse not to indulge."
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