Bacteria and viruses texts

March 21, 2012 6:05 PM

Please suggest texts about bacteria and viruses.

Broad, I know. Extent of my knowledge: the Wikipedia pages on bacteria, viruses and antibiotics. I'm aiming for texts that sit in the middle of academic and laymen (not too jargony, but also not so simplified that I miss the nitty-gritty). History, drug developments, philosophies - I'm up for anything. Thanks.

posted by Laura Macbeth to Education (9 answers total)

The Ghost Map
posted by adamrice at 6:12 PM on March 21, 2012

Reading A Field Guide to Bacteria would give you a really solid understanding. I used it as a reference for a homeschool unit on bacteria after it was suggested in response to my question last month.
posted by richyoung at 6:21 PM on March 21, 2012

Pox: Genius, Madness, And The Mysteries Of Syphilis
posted by scody at 6:53 PM on March 21, 2012

oh, also: The Cholera Years
posted by scody at 6:57 PM on March 21, 2012

Hans Zinsser's Rats, Lice and History is a perennial favorite, more about epimeliogy in general, but with lots of info on bacteria and viruses.
posted by stinker at 7:33 PM on March 21, 2012

Microcosm is pretty good.
posted by pullayup at 8:44 PM on March 21, 2012

Laurie Garrett's The Coming Plague is excellent.

Another with a historical bent is Guns, Germs and Steel.

Lastly, a classic of fiction based on fact. Albert Camus' The Plague describes the epidemic that killed 1/3 of all humans in Europe in the 14th century.
posted by yclipse at 5:12 AM on March 22, 2012 [1 favorite]

The Hot Zone is a really entertaining read.....until you realize it is non-fiction. Then it freaks you out. But you'll definitely learn something.
posted by magnetsphere at 12:18 PM on March 22, 2012

Response by poster: Perfect suggestions. Thanks. I'll let you know which ones I liked.
posted by Laura Macbeth at 8:35 PM on March 22, 2012