The Wild Life of Our Bodies

In his latest book, Dunn (Every Living Thing: Man's Obsessive Quest To Catalog Life, from Nanobacteria to New Monkeys) uses the principles of evolutionary ecology to illustrate how humans have become increasingly disconnected from nature and are sicker because of it. Many books examine human interactions with nature, but Dunn provides interesting new insights by using an evolutionary perspective to illustrate why early humans may have felt the need to control the natural world. As survival became easier, eradication of "pests" and other things perceived as undesirable led to greater susceptibility to disease and to new anxieties. Adding touches of humor along the way, Dunn deftly explains complex biological systems for the general reader. While the topic may seem gloomy at first glance, Dunn offers reasons for hope. From recolonizing our guts with parasites to creating urban agricultures, he shows how reconsidering our current philosophies while continuing to learn from other species may save us yet.