The Angel and the Assassin

The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine

By: Donna Jackson Nakazawa

Narrated by: Melinda Wade

Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

A thrilling story of scientific detective work and medical potential that illuminates the newly understood role of microglia - an elusive type of brain cell that is vitally relevant to our everyday lives.

"The rarest of books: a combination of page-turning discovery and remarkably readable science journalism." (Mark Hyman, MD, number one New York Times best-selling author of Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?)

Named one of the best books of the year by Wired

Until recently, microglia were thought to be helpful but rather boring: housekeeper cells in the brain. But a recent groundbreaking discovery has revealed that they connect our physical and mental health in surprising ways. When triggered - and anything that stirs up the immune system in the body can activate microglia, including chronic stressors, trauma, and viral infections - they can contribute to memory problems, anxiety, depression, and Alzheimer’s. Under the right circumstances, however, microglia can be coaxed back into being angelic healers, able to make brain repairs in ways that help alleviate symptoms and hold the promise to one day prevent disease.

With the compassion born of her own experience, award-winning journalist Donna Jackson Nakazawa illuminates this newly understood science, following practitioners and patients on the front lines of treatments that help to “reboot” microglia. In at least one case, she witnesses a stunning recovery - and in others, significant relief from pressing symptoms, offering new hope to the tens of millions who suffer from mental, cognitive, and physical health issues.

Hailed as a “riveting”, “stunning”, and “visionary”, The Angel and the Assassin offers us a radically reconceived picture of human health and promises to change everything we thought we knew about how to heal ourselves.

©2020 Donna Jackson Nakazawa (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"A fascinating deep dive into the unsung heroes (and villains) inside our skulls.... Donna Jackson Nakazawa has a journalist’s eye for story, a scholar’s understanding of the research, and a patient’s appreciation for how high the stakes truly are." (Susannah Cahalan, New York Times best-selling author of Brain on Fire)

“In a stunning show of precision and heart, Jackson Nakazawa offers a captivating, page-turning story of scientific discoveries that overturn centuries of medical dogma and fundamentally reshape psychiatry, medicine, and the treatment of mental and physical illnesses. The Angel and the Assassin offers extraordinary promise and heralds hope in a time of skyrocketing rates of ‘microglial’ diseases - including depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s, and addiction. It is paradigm-shifting reading for us all!” (Christina Bethell, PhD, MPH, director of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative and professor at Johns Hopkins University)

“I can think of no topic more fascinating or exciting than microglia, the long-misunderstood brain cells whose power over brain health may hold the promise of cure for so many. The Angel and the Assassin is riveting, engaging, and visionary.” (Terry Wahls, MD, author of The Wahls Protocol)

Highly recommended!

What a genius book, using every day language plus medical language to bring the excitement and thrills to real science. Recommended for everyone. People who know and love anyone who’s had depression or neurologic symptoms may especially enjoy this. This might even change your life for the better while being entertained. Medical people need to be tolerant of the non-standard pronunciation by the narrator. Narrator is very good and the narration lens itself to comfortable listening at a faster playback.

Fantastic

Such a fascinating book! The author weaves together the latest science showing how microglia affect our brains with real life stories of people struggling with mental health issues and the treatments that helped them.

THE BEST most life changing book I have ever read!!

The narrator is superb. The writing is superb. The content is of such importance I feel like buying a book for everyone I know and asking them to read it!
The book provides data that offers so much hope for so many medical issues, especially mental health (the costs of which are 200+billion yearly. I believe I am quoting the author correctly) and a new way to understand why people suffer as they do. There are solutions on the horizon that will advance treatment in ways that will make current treatments seem so limited in outcomes. There is not anyone who will come away without new empathy and understanding of others after reading this book.

Engaging and hopeful

I found the information presented in an engaging and thoughtful manner allowing anyone to digest and stay focused as the information and processes were presented. I’ve already downloaded her all of Ms. Nakazawa’s works!

Fascinating, Intriguing, Grateful

I am incredibly grateful to Donna Jackson Nakazawa for writing this book. I also read Childhood Disrupted. Both books are beyond stellar. These books read like stories. I can feel her passion for her subject matter. And both books apply to my life. She truly cares about traumatic childhoods and brains that seem to be beyond repair. For people who have suffered greatly and feel like there’s no hope. If I could give these books 1000 stars I would. It truly brought understanding to my complicated world. Thank you so much for your beautiful writing and your dedication to mental health!

An amazingly worthwhile read

A very well written and very interesting read. I’ve learned so much about so much. It is helping me see myself and so many other people that I know in a new light. I can’t recommend it enough. It is totally worth every enjoyable minute.

Absolutely fascinating

Thoroughly engrossing book on microglial cells-immunity cells that are neurons. Implications for depression, Dementia, Parkinson’s and more. Solution oriented, with discussions on the latest research and newest techniques.

Informative and Well Explained

This book contains a wealth of information about a new frontier in neuroscience. The case studies really supported the meatier parts of the text.

Microglia pronounced wrong by narrator

The book itself is excellent. Donna Jackson Nakazawa turns scientific information into an interesting and understandable story, and it wholeheartedly deserves five stars.

HOWEVER, the narrator mispronounced “microglia” throughout the book and it drove me crazy. I understand a new version is in process..I hope that Audible automatically replaces earlier purchases when it is completed. But seriously Audible, you should have better quality control than this!

pronunciation of scientific terms is important!!!

this is an interesting review of the theory of microglial induced neuroimflammation and synapse destruction. Donna has highlighted a number if prominent scientists in the field and their peer reviewed work. some of the evidence she presents is weak though she does acknowledge these weaknesses often and emphasizes the need for ongoing research in the field.
she uses anecdotal experiences of individuals with applicable conditions like autoimmune diseases and psychiatric illness as a way to illustrate the principles she puts forth. i am less impressed with this aspect of her book.
she also presents some speculative treatments for microglial activation, again, with limited evidence.
the most annoying aspect of this audiobook is the narrator's mispronunciation of almost EVERY scientific term, including microglia (which is frequently mentioned). the term is pronounced pronounced mīcrō-glēa. it is absolutely painful to listen to for this reason. How do you avoid doing homework on the pronunciation of words you've never heard when narrating an entire book?! so sloppy and careless. despite this, the book is interesting and worth the listen if you're interested in neuroimflammation, though is certainly not a Bible for the topic.