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What the Body Knows: A Guide to the New Science of Our Immune System
A leading scientist’s guide to the way our immune system protects us—but only most of the time
What is our immune system, and how does it work? A vast array of cells, proteins and chemicals spring into action whenever our bodies are damaged, but immunity is not something you can see, touch or feel. It can fight off malicious bacteria and viruses, locate cancerous growths, and even re-wire our brains – but sometimes our own tissues can get caught in its crossfire, with catastrophic consequences.
Humans may be the most disease-ridden animals on the planet. Professor John Trowsdale shows how the immune system protects us, and how our bodies invest huge resources to keep it running. Immunity influences how we age, and controls how we learn to fight off recurring diseases, and how our bodies respond to chronic conditions such as heart disease and dementia. But, in the case of allergies and autoimmune conditions, it can also easily get things wrong.
What the Body Knows is a hugely readable account of a fascinating phenomenon—one which, for good or for ill, impacts every aspect of our lives.
What is our immune system, and how does it work? A vast array of cells, proteins and chemicals spring into action whenever our bodies are damaged, but immunity is not something you can see, touch or feel. It can fight off malicious bacteria and viruses, locate cancerous growths, and even re-wire our brains – but sometimes our own tissues can get caught in its crossfire, with catastrophic consequences.
Humans may be the most disease-ridden animals on the planet. Professor John Trowsdale shows how the immune system protects us, and how our bodies invest huge resources to keep it running. Immunity influences how we age, and controls how we learn to fight off recurring diseases, and how our bodies respond to chronic conditions such as heart disease and dementia. But, in the case of allergies and autoimmune conditions, it can also easily get things wrong.
What the Body Knows is a hugely readable account of a fascinating phenomenon—one which, for good or for ill, impacts every aspect of our lives.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published November 5, 2024
17 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 10, 2025
I really love how the author states at the beginning of the book that, unlike many other functions of our body that are performed by specific organs, there is no such thing as an "immune organ" dedicated solely to an immune function. This isn’t to say that other parts of our body are trivial, but rather that they are generally far less complex than the immune system as a whole.
So, what is the immune system, how does it work, and who actually does this work? As someone who isn’t an immunologist but has a high-level understanding of human biology, including blood composition and cell structure, I still found much of this book to be new and eye-opening. Every single chapter unraveled myths I previously believed and replaced them the with well-explained facts. The level of detail mixed with a chunk of humour make this book both interesting and informative to the extent that by the time you finish, you won’t have any open questions left. You’ll learn about why we need bacteria, viruses and fungi. You’ll get to know key components of the immune system, such as macrophages, B cells, T cells, among many others. You’ll discover the hidden role of the appendix and tonsils, as well as what happens if they are removed. These are only few of the topics covered in the book, but you can also find insight about cancer cells, autoimmune deceases, transplantation, fasting, and so on and so forth.
As I was listening this as an audiobook, I’d like to additionally highlight that the narration of the book by Mike Cooper is wonderful. He reads in a highly engaging manner, varying his intonation, tempo, and volume, which is something you wouldn’t necessarily expect for such a technical book. That being said, I still found the subject matter difficult to absorb while multitasking. I had to make a conscious effort to find time and place where I could fully concentrate on the book without distractions. Otherwise, it was easy to lose a thread due to the complexity and so many of in-depth biological explanations.
So, what is the immune system, how does it work, and who actually does this work? As someone who isn’t an immunologist but has a high-level understanding of human biology, including blood composition and cell structure, I still found much of this book to be new and eye-opening. Every single chapter unraveled myths I previously believed and replaced them the with well-explained facts. The level of detail mixed with a chunk of humour make this book both interesting and informative to the extent that by the time you finish, you won’t have any open questions left. You’ll learn about why we need bacteria, viruses and fungi. You’ll get to know key components of the immune system, such as macrophages, B cells, T cells, among many others. You’ll discover the hidden role of the appendix and tonsils, as well as what happens if they are removed. These are only few of the topics covered in the book, but you can also find insight about cancer cells, autoimmune deceases, transplantation, fasting, and so on and so forth.
As I was listening this as an audiobook, I’d like to additionally highlight that the narration of the book by Mike Cooper is wonderful. He reads in a highly engaging manner, varying his intonation, tempo, and volume, which is something you wouldn’t necessarily expect for such a technical book. That being said, I still found the subject matter difficult to absorb while multitasking. I had to make a conscious effort to find time and place where I could fully concentrate on the book without distractions. Otherwise, it was easy to lose a thread due to the complexity and so many of in-depth biological explanations.
February 24, 2025
In a parallel universe I would be an immunologist because I love this ish. I loved the 4-week unit we had on immunology in my college microbiology course (and my microbio course was pretty awesome in general). I don't know why I didn't spend more time diving into it in academia (well, yeah I do....I didn't want to take more chem courses). I digress.
This book is A++++. At least for nerds like me. I love learning more about how the immune system works. This book is all science all the time, but it's not overly jargony or hard to follow. It's technical but it doesn't require knowing exactly what particular receptors or acronyms stand for to be able to follow it (although it is helpful if you do).
I love that it touches on a little bit of everything (from viruses, fungi, and bacteria, to cancer, to vaccines, to autoimmune issues, to animal evolution of diseases, to a bunch of other things), going just deep enough into the molecular biology of it without going too into the weeds to start becoming "boring" for the average Joe. And, it does a nice job explaining why advances in immunology work the way they do and how research works....e.g., explaining why there aren't yet vaccines for some diseases while other vaccines can be developed very quickly (spoiler: different viruses, diseases, etc. react and behave differently from each other. It's not a one size fits all solution. "Cancer", for example, is not one disease. Even "breast cancer" is not one disease. There are hundreds and thousands of variations even if they're all grouped under the same umbrella, which is why we have a vaccine for the most common cause of cervical cancer but not for ovarian cancer).
For anyone interested in science, immunology, human physiology, evidence-based public health, etc., it's a great read.
Thanks Libro.Fm and Yale University Press for the ALC. The narrator is great -- I felt like I was listening to one of my favorite college professors give the most engaging lecture ever.
This book is A++++. At least for nerds like me. I love learning more about how the immune system works. This book is all science all the time, but it's not overly jargony or hard to follow. It's technical but it doesn't require knowing exactly what particular receptors or acronyms stand for to be able to follow it (although it is helpful if you do).
I love that it touches on a little bit of everything (from viruses, fungi, and bacteria, to cancer, to vaccines, to autoimmune issues, to animal evolution of diseases, to a bunch of other things), going just deep enough into the molecular biology of it without going too into the weeds to start becoming "boring" for the average Joe. And, it does a nice job explaining why advances in immunology work the way they do and how research works....e.g., explaining why there aren't yet vaccines for some diseases while other vaccines can be developed very quickly (spoiler: different viruses, diseases, etc. react and behave differently from each other. It's not a one size fits all solution. "Cancer", for example, is not one disease. Even "breast cancer" is not one disease. There are hundreds and thousands of variations even if they're all grouped under the same umbrella, which is why we have a vaccine for the most common cause of cervical cancer but not for ovarian cancer).
For anyone interested in science, immunology, human physiology, evidence-based public health, etc., it's a great read.
Thanks Libro.Fm and Yale University Press for the ALC. The narrator is great -- I felt like I was listening to one of my favorite college professors give the most engaging lecture ever.
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February 10, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ALC copy of this fully informative scientific exploration! As an adult, I find I have a persistent and curious quest for knowledge that needs to be fulfilled. Couple that with a very serious case of anxiety and undiagnosed hypochondria, it can be a perilous task actually fulfilling this quest and need. Even as an adolescent, I was either bored or freaked out by certain things, specifically topics related to biological sciences.
Enter “What the Body Knows”— and I am sat and ready for the information. It may be that I would consider the narrator’s voice and anecdotal way of telling a story to be quite soothing, or maybe, now as an adult, certain things are sticking.
This was a very long and involved way to say: this was great, I learned a lot and if you are interested in the topic, please do not hesitate to listen. It’s giving a very big NG/Animal Planet/OG documentary style of storytelling coupled with anecdotal and evidentiary evidence.
Enter “What the Body Knows”— and I am sat and ready for the information. It may be that I would consider the narrator’s voice and anecdotal way of telling a story to be quite soothing, or maybe, now as an adult, certain things are sticking.
This was a very long and involved way to say: this was great, I learned a lot and if you are interested in the topic, please do not hesitate to listen. It’s giving a very big NG/Animal Planet/OG documentary style of storytelling coupled with anecdotal and evidentiary evidence.
January 27, 2026
John Trowsdale took on a mammoth task when writing about a topic like the immune system. What The Body Knows is a well written and interesting deep dive into the immune system. Each chapter built nicely on the information from the last and the pacing was steady. However, I did find the large amount of information included to be difficult to fully process through just the audiobook. I would definitely suggest a physical copy in addition to the audio, if possible.
Mike Cooper does a great job narrating this book. It has been a struggle to find narrators who speak at a normal, steady pace lately, and I feel like Mike did a good job here. He speaks clearly and varies the tone of his voice in a natural way, making the narration feel conversational. I would definitely listen to another of his narration in the future.
I received an advance review copy from Libro.fm, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Mike Cooper does a great job narrating this book. It has been a struggle to find narrators who speak at a normal, steady pace lately, and I feel like Mike did a good job here. He speaks clearly and varies the tone of his voice in a natural way, making the narration feel conversational. I would definitely listen to another of his narration in the future.
I received an advance review copy from Libro.fm, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 10, 2025
This book discusses serious scientific topics but it is neither a detailed textbook nor a dumbing down of immunology. For readers who are fans of a great book in the biological sciences, give this one a go. I learned a great deal and the writing style, which was engaging and factual, held my attention.
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April 2, 2025It is sobering to remember that progress in research quite often takes great leaps through technology rather than careful experimentation and deep thought.
March 21, 2025
I will say, I love this topic and hoped it might be more easily digestible for the general public. I found it was definitely easier to understand than what I received in my own medical training. However, it felt a little like the extensive info of immunology was condensed and slightly rushed with a lot of info to cover in much less time than it deserves.
I did love the narrator and found the analogies and explanations to be helpful and easy to understand, it just felt like a lot of info to cover in such a short amount of time.
I did love the narrator and found the analogies and explanations to be helpful and easy to understand, it just felt like a lot of info to cover in such a short amount of time.
April 4, 2026
Książka, która prowadzi przez świat odporności, od podstawowych różnic między mikroorganizmami, bakteriami, pasożytami, przez historię chorób, aż po złożone mechanizmy stanów zapalnych, nowotworów, alergii.
Dowiesz się z niej, jak nasz układ odpornościowy prowadzi nieustanną walkę o przetrwanie i jak bardzo to, co jemy, gdzie i jak żyjemy i czego doświadczamy, kształtuje naszą własną, niepowtarzalną „armię” obronną.
Łączy narrację popularnonaukową z akademicką precyzją, korzysta z wielu przykładów z historii medycyny i współczesnych badań oraz z obrazowych metafor (makrofagi jako Pac‑Many czy białko C3 jako szwajcarski scyzoryk).
Największym atutem książki jest dla mnie jej przejrzystość: wyraźna struktura rozdziałów, logiczny porządek i grafiki, które pomagają zrozumieć skomplikowane procesy.
Doceniam też szerokie spojrzenie na temat, bo obok biologii pojawiają się wątki społeczne, historyczne i etyczne, co sprawia, że całość jest bardziej wielowymiarowa.
Trzeba jednak zaznaczyć, że po pierwszych, bardzo przystępnych rozdziałach pojawia się więcej terminologii naukowej.
Nie jest to poziom, który przytłacza, ale wymaga większego skupienia, zwłaszcza jeśli ktoś na co dzień nie obraca się w języku biologii czy immunologii. Osoby związane z tą tematyką prawdopodobnie przejdą przez te fragmenty bez wysiłku, ale dla reszty czytelników to moment, w którym trzeba zwolnić i czytać uważniej.
Uczy, zaskakuje i sprawia, że zaczynamy patrzeć na własną odporność z zupełnie innej perspektywy. Zostawia czytelnika z poczuciem większej świadomości własnego ciała i z zupełnie nową ciekawością wobec tego, co dzieje się pod skórą.
Dowiesz się z niej, jak nasz układ odpornościowy prowadzi nieustanną walkę o przetrwanie i jak bardzo to, co jemy, gdzie i jak żyjemy i czego doświadczamy, kształtuje naszą własną, niepowtarzalną „armię” obronną.
Łączy narrację popularnonaukową z akademicką precyzją, korzysta z wielu przykładów z historii medycyny i współczesnych badań oraz z obrazowych metafor (makrofagi jako Pac‑Many czy białko C3 jako szwajcarski scyzoryk).
Największym atutem książki jest dla mnie jej przejrzystość: wyraźna struktura rozdziałów, logiczny porządek i grafiki, które pomagają zrozumieć skomplikowane procesy.
Doceniam też szerokie spojrzenie na temat, bo obok biologii pojawiają się wątki społeczne, historyczne i etyczne, co sprawia, że całość jest bardziej wielowymiarowa.
Trzeba jednak zaznaczyć, że po pierwszych, bardzo przystępnych rozdziałach pojawia się więcej terminologii naukowej.
Nie jest to poziom, który przytłacza, ale wymaga większego skupienia, zwłaszcza jeśli ktoś na co dzień nie obraca się w języku biologii czy immunologii. Osoby związane z tą tematyką prawdopodobnie przejdą przez te fragmenty bez wysiłku, ale dla reszty czytelników to moment, w którym trzeba zwolnić i czytać uważniej.
Uczy, zaskakuje i sprawia, że zaczynamy patrzeć na własną odporność z zupełnie innej perspektywy. Zostawia czytelnika z poczuciem większej świadomości własnego ciała i z zupełnie nową ciekawością wobec tego, co dzieje się pod skórą.
March 25, 2026
To książka, która pokazuje, jak niesamowicie złożony i jednocześnie sprytny jest nasz organizm. Już sam tytuł dobrze oddaje jej sens. Ciało naprawdę „wie lepiej”, tylko my często tego nie rozumiemy albo nie zauważamy.
Autor tłumaczy trudne rzeczy w prosty sposób. Układ odpornościowy przestaje być jakimś tajemniczym mechanizmem z podręcznika biologii. Zaczyna być czymś żywym, dynamicznym, co cały czas działa w tle i chroni nas przed zagrożeniami. Czytając, miałem momenty, w których łapałem się na tym, że nagle wszystko zaczyna się układać w całość.
Książka nie jest typowym poradnikiem, który mówi, co masz robić, żeby być zdrowym. To raczej spokojne wprowadzenie do tego, jak działa odporność i dlaczego czasem coś idzie nie tak. Sporo miejsca poświęcone jest chorobom autoimmunologicznym, starzeniu się czy wpływowi stylu życia. I to są jedne z ciekawszych fragmentów, bo pokazują, że organizm nie jest czarno-biały.
Nie jest to też książka całkiem lekka. Są momenty, gdzie trzeba się bardziej skupić, bo wchodzi trochę więcej naukowych szczegółów. Ale nie odbiera to przyjemności z czytania, raczej daje poczucie, że obcujesz z czymś wartościowym, a nie tylko zbiorem ciekawostek.
Po przeczytaniu „Ciało wie lepiej" zostaje takie wrażenie, że nasze ciało to naprawdę dobrze zaprojektowany system. I że warto mu trochę bardziej zaufać, zamiast ciągle z nim walczyć. Wiele wyniosłem z tej lektury.
Autor tłumaczy trudne rzeczy w prosty sposób. Układ odpornościowy przestaje być jakimś tajemniczym mechanizmem z podręcznika biologii. Zaczyna być czymś żywym, dynamicznym, co cały czas działa w tle i chroni nas przed zagrożeniami. Czytając, miałem momenty, w których łapałem się na tym, że nagle wszystko zaczyna się układać w całość.
Książka nie jest typowym poradnikiem, który mówi, co masz robić, żeby być zdrowym. To raczej spokojne wprowadzenie do tego, jak działa odporność i dlaczego czasem coś idzie nie tak. Sporo miejsca poświęcone jest chorobom autoimmunologicznym, starzeniu się czy wpływowi stylu życia. I to są jedne z ciekawszych fragmentów, bo pokazują, że organizm nie jest czarno-biały.
Nie jest to też książka całkiem lekka. Są momenty, gdzie trzeba się bardziej skupić, bo wchodzi trochę więcej naukowych szczegółów. Ale nie odbiera to przyjemności z czytania, raczej daje poczucie, że obcujesz z czymś wartościowym, a nie tylko zbiorem ciekawostek.
Po przeczytaniu „Ciało wie lepiej" zostaje takie wrażenie, że nasze ciało to naprawdę dobrze zaprojektowany system. I że warto mu trochę bardziej zaufać, zamiast ciągle z nim walczyć. Wiele wyniosłem z tej lektury.
February 18, 2025
Wow! I feel smarter after reading this!! Thank you NetGalley for the Advanced Copy!
As someone without a medical background, I found What the Body Knows both fascinating and educational, even if some of the more complex details went over my head. The book explores the incredible scope of our immune system, touching on how it influences not just our ability to fight disease but also metabolism, gut health, and even wound healing.
I particularly appreciated the historical perspective and the insights into how far research has come. The book was long, but the author’s clear organization and the engaging voice of the narrator made it an enjoyable listen. I may even go through it again to absorb more of the details I missed the first time.
I listened to this while recovering from an appendectomy, so I found the discussion on the appendix’s role in immunity especially relevant. As someone with celiac disease and asthma, I also gained a deeper understanding of those conditions and their connection to the immune system.
Overall, this was a well-researched and compelling book that gave me a new appreciation for how interconnected our body’s systems truly are. Highly recommended for anyone curious about the science of immunity!
As someone without a medical background, I found What the Body Knows both fascinating and educational, even if some of the more complex details went over my head. The book explores the incredible scope of our immune system, touching on how it influences not just our ability to fight disease but also metabolism, gut health, and even wound healing.
I particularly appreciated the historical perspective and the insights into how far research has come. The book was long, but the author’s clear organization and the engaging voice of the narrator made it an enjoyable listen. I may even go through it again to absorb more of the details I missed the first time.
I listened to this while recovering from an appendectomy, so I found the discussion on the appendix’s role in immunity especially relevant. As someone with celiac disease and asthma, I also gained a deeper understanding of those conditions and their connection to the immune system.
Overall, this was a well-researched and compelling book that gave me a new appreciation for how interconnected our body’s systems truly are. Highly recommended for anyone curious about the science of immunity!
February 15, 2025
This book is chock-full of tidbits, research, and insights about the immune system: what it is, how it functions, and why we haven’t (until recently) know much about it. Unlike the circulatory system, there isn’t a clear set of organs and “pipes” that make it up. There isn’t one single test that tells doctors that your entire immune system is working fine. From allergies to infections, Lupus to Fibromyalgia, our immune system is complex and small things can cause big problems.
If you have an interest in medicine and science, I recommend this book. Some things I already knew but much more (ok, most) was new information for me, illustrated in clear and interesting ways and often with a bit of humor.
Sometimes, because I multi-task while listening at a fast speed and my TBR is very long, I would lose the thread or feel I missed something, but I also know I would not make the time to read this as a physical book. I might, however, listen to this one again. Excellent narration! 4.5 rounded up.
My thanks to the author, publisher, producer, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #WhatTheBodyKnows for review purposes.
If you have an interest in medicine and science, I recommend this book. Some things I already knew but much more (ok, most) was new information for me, illustrated in clear and interesting ways and often with a bit of humor.
Sometimes, because I multi-task while listening at a fast speed and my TBR is very long, I would lose the thread or feel I missed something, but I also know I would not make the time to read this as a physical book. I might, however, listen to this one again. Excellent narration! 4.5 rounded up.
My thanks to the author, publisher, producer, and #NetGalley for access to the audiobook of #WhatTheBodyKnows for review purposes.
February 17, 2025
The Body Knows So Much!
I love when books can be used to keep up with current literature and "What the Body Knows" is informative and factual. In addition, the information is really easy to digest (wink wink there is talk about the gut microbiome).
I highly recommend everyone pick this up. It is well written for those who have a background in science and those who do now.
Thank You to John Trowsdale, Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the audio-digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I love when books can be used to keep up with current literature and "What the Body Knows" is informative and factual. In addition, the information is really easy to digest (wink wink there is talk about the gut microbiome).
I highly recommend everyone pick this up. It is well written for those who have a background in science and those who do now.
Thank You to John Trowsdale, Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the audio-digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!
August 5, 2025
DNF. I don't think it's a bad book, but I picked it up for general interest, and I guess I wasn't interested enough. I kept losing focus. He tries to make it accessible, and I have a decent general background in biology, but it was somehow both overly simplified (with valid but somehow annoying analogies) while also being too complex/deep for the things I, as a lay-person, would want to know.
February 15, 2025
ALC from NetGalley
I have no medical or scientific background but for some reason medical nonfiction is my jam. This book was no exception. It was easy to understand for a non science major and I learned a lot.
I have no medical or scientific background but for some reason medical nonfiction is my jam. This book was no exception. It was easy to understand for a non science major and I learned a lot.
March 23, 2025
I loved this book really entertaining, it had all the somewhat advanced sciences that I wanted and it was in an accessible format, which allowed for a really fun reading experience
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews