Leech

Animal Series

by Robert G.W. Kirk, Neil Pemberton

A friend and a fiend, the leech is one of nature’s most tenacious yet mysterious animals. Armed with razor-sharp teeth and capable of drinking many times their own volume in blood, these formidable worms are an unlikely candidate to turn to as a cure for sickness. Yet that is the role leeches have played in both Western and Eastern medicine throughout history. Today they continue to be used in post-operative care, helping to heal the body after reconstructive surgery. Leech explores how these surprising animals have helped us to overcome illness, forecast the weather, and better understand how our brains and bodies work.

However, for every leech that brings hope, there has been a sinister twin. From Bram Stoker’s Dracula, through twentieth-century film, to twenty-first-century video games, leeches have come to represent the worst in human nature.

In Leech, Robert G. W. Kirk and Neil Pemberton reveal how these fascinating creatures have been one of humanity’s most enduring and peculiar companions.

Robert G. W. Kirk is a Wellcome Research Fellow in the Centre for the History of Science Technology and Medicine, University of Manchester.

Neil Pemberton is a Research Associate in the Centre for the History of Science Technology and Medicine, University of Manchester.

Genres: Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2012

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had a morbid obsession with leeches for many, many years. About 15 years ago I ordered about a dozen leeches from a biological supply house to keep as pets to try and get over my squeamishness. Didn't work. When I saw this in the "new books" section of the library I was thrilled. I thought maybe if I learned a ton about leeches that would do it. Um, nope. HOWEVER, this is a fantastic book written in a conversational tone by someone really advocating for the leech. It has sections on the leech in history, medicine, popular culture etc and a large number of photos, some of which will probably make your stomach a little flip-floppy. My favorite sentence of the book: "Though it was not known to be a communist, the U.S. declared war on the leech in the 1960's..."

[DonutKnow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting fact: there are leeches in every continent of the world except in Antarctica. They are so widespread, and they could have existed even in prehistoric times- their history is unknown because of their body structure since they cannot fossilise like dinosaur bones can. 😲🤔🤔

[Rachel (Sfogs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUCH a great book!
Very interesting, I learned so much about Leeches.
They are very fascinating creatures.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched, easy to understand, and provides many interesting angles on the leech that I hadn’t considered. Not quite sure I can quite match the author’s unbridled enthusiasm for loving the leech, but reading this did very much give me a new and much more charitable perspective on them! I greatly enjoyed this.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. A great mix of natural history, history and cultural analysis. The physiology of leeches, their uses in ancient Egypt, their appearance in resident evil, it’s all in there