On Immunity

In this bold, fascinating book, Eula Biss addresses a chronic condition of fear fear of the government, the medical establishment, and what may be in your childrens air, food, mattresses, medicines, and vaccines. Reflecting on her own experience as a new mother, Biss investigates the metaphors and myths surrounding our conception of immunity and its implications for the individual and the social body. She extends a conversation with other mothers to meditations on Voltaires Candide , Bram Stokers Dracula, Rachel Carsons Silent Spring, Susan Sontags AIDS and Its Metaphors, and beyond. On Immunity is an inoculation against our fear and a moving account of how we are all interconnected our bodies and our fates.