“Forget Orson Welles, and heed Walt Whitman: “I am large, I contain multitudes.”

This was a delightfully nerdy book to read, and I believe some of you delightful nerds might agree!

“Speaking of palms, your right hand shares just a sixth of its microbial species with your left hand.”

Every creature on Earth (yes, even you!) is home to millions of bacteria and other microbes. Ed Yong wants to explain why that’s a good thing. Microbes work together to shape our bodies and minds, to keep us healthy and protected, and many other duties. In some species, microbes help the animal eat, or hide, or attack. He lists many, many examples, all the while reminding us that there’s so much that we still don’t know.

I loved Yong’s writing style — interesting and illuminating and rarely dull. He reminds me of a more subdued Mary Roach. I have not read any of his other works, but I plan to seek some out soon.

I also apparently need a pangolin in my life.