I Contain Multitudes

The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life

By: Ed Yong

Narrated by: Charlie Anson

Joining the ranks of popular science classics like The Botany of Desire and The Selfish Gene, a groundbreaking, wondrously informative, and vastly entertaining examination of the most significant revolution in biology since Darwin - a "microbe's-eye view" of the world that reveals a marvelous, radically reconceived picture of life on Earth.

Every animal, whether human, squid, or wasp, is home to millions of bacteria and other microbes. Ed Yong, whose humor is as evident as his erudition, prompts us to look at ourselves and our animal companions in a new light - less as individuals and more as the interconnected, interdependent multitudes we assuredly are.

The microbes in our bodies are part of our immune systems and protect us from disease. In the deep oceans, mysterious creatures without mouths or guts depend on microbes for all their energy. Bacteria provide squid with invisibility cloaks, help beetles to bring down forests, and allow worms to cause diseases that afflict millions of people.

Many people think of microbes as germs to be eradicated, but those that live with us - the microbiome - build our bodies, protect our health, shape our identities, and grant us incredible abilities. In this astonishing book, Ed Yong takes us on a grand tour through our microbial partners and introduces us to the scientists on the front lines of discovery. It will change both our view of nature and our sense of where we belong in it.

©2016 Ed Yong (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Narrator Charlie Anson brings out the dry humor in British science journalist Ed Yong's fascinating and accessible treatise on the world of microbes. Anson also does admirably pronouncing the many scientific names and words, and his smooth and lively delivery helps keep listeners from getting bogged down." ( AudioFile)

If you're the least bit curious about microbes...

This book wasn't exactly what I thought it would be. I thought it would focus on the human microbiome, but instead, it's about microbes in a wide variety of environments. You will learn more than you ever needed to know about microbes on pangolins, in insects, on plants, etc. It was interesting to learn that there are microbes in clouds that seed them for rain and snow, and how microbes have evolved along with life, and how they were discovered by scientists who sometimes guarded their secrets and often were ridiculed. I have a vastly greater appreciation for our microbial companions now than I ever did. However, if you're interested in learning about human gut flora specifically, this may not be the book for you. The narrator did a great job with some potentially dry material. Overall, I'm glad I listened to I Contain Multitudes.

A Summary of Our Future

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes! There is an emerging understanding of how microbiological systems can work to address some of the challenges of civilization. In a world that has declared war on the microscopic, I highly recommend this fairly approachable discussion of applied multitudes.

What was one of the most memorable moments of I Contain Multitudes?

I enjoy the contrast between awareness and speculation, with clinical experiment. Although humanity has been studying our microscopic environment for several generations, it is starting to feel as though we're on the verge of a multitude of important, and in some case miraculous applications.

Which scene was your favorite?

The discussion of coral reefs was especially enlightening. In this story, the impact of microbes is seen to be much more foundational for complex environments than I had previously understood.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No - not at all. I'm not especially familiar with microbes, and there are a number of varieties and rules (and exceptions) to sink in if I would have raced through the book.

Any additional comments?

There are starting to be a lot of different books on the microbiome. I enjoy the author's approach - he clearly distinguishes between speculation, correlation, and causation. The microbiome is getting a lot of hype, and this book acknowledges the hype and goes beyond into the facts, theories, and outlines information that still eludes the experts.

great insight into the world in us and around us.

This is an incredibly well written, easy to follow audio book. I feel like a curtain was lifted and I see the world in a different light

Good story, bad editing

Though I enjoyed the story, and learned quite a bit from this book, the number of edits or re-takes spliced into the recording was so high as to be distracting. The narrator's performance was fine. The relatively low rating is due to the recording.

Symbiosis, microbe and Man

Wonderful and fascinating journey into the world of microbes and their symbiosis with other loving creatures.
Well worth the listen.

Thought this book would officially tip me into mysophobia, but thankfully not!

If anything, this book made me appreciate and like bacteria more. I read about how we all have “germ clouds” back in 2016, and I was not thrilled about it, so when Covid made its appearance, I was definitely more prepared than most. But certain bacteria can be our friends and a we wouldn’t survive in a completely sterile world as exampled by the octopus study outlined in this book.

Ed Yong is the most readable contemporary science writer and this is one of my most favorite science books. I can only describe it as a children’s science book for adults. Also as an American, I happen to just adore British narrators.

It covers the evolution of bacteria since the beginning of time all the way to how the future of medicine might be envisioned based on targeted probiotics containing specific strains depending on the individual.

It is widely accepted these days in the medical community that a significant part of our immunity is based in our guts, so a healthy and balanced microbiome is fundamentally important for our health. I am one of those people that needs to experience things myself before I believe in them and in my experience the right probiotic does indeed work. Better if you have a proper diet with the correct prebiotics too.

Fantastic book and something I am planning on listening to again as I am sure I did not catch everything the first go around.

Good primer, poorly edited audio

Audio was clearly done in multiple takes. Good intro, last three chapters are most interesting / relevant to having a better understanding of the recent explosion of interest in the microbiome. Recommend, but only because I haven’t found a better pop science book on the same materials.

Perfect for a 16 yr old, a bit too flowery and unstructured for my taste.

Well worth the read!

GREAT information, occasionally dry, but mostly very interesting with good illustrative examples. I like the running story about Walbackia.

Fantastic and fantastical

life is stranger than fiction and the world this book reveals is doubly awesome because it is real.

me encantó

De mucha utilidad para comprender virus y bacterias en tiempo de pandemia. El autor lo explica simple, directa y con ejemplos que permiten una mejor comprensión de ese mundo al que por desconocimiento le tenemos tanto miedo. me quedo con la convicción de que podemos creceremos como civilización en la medida que comprendamos mejor a estos seres y podamos beneficiarnos de su inmenso aporte.