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March of the Microbes: Sighting the Unseen Paperback – May 7, 2012

by John L. Ingraham (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 48 ratings
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Though nothing in the natural world would be quite the same without them, microbes go mostly unnoticed. They are the tiny, mighty force behind the pop in Champagne and the holes in Swiss cheese, the granite walls of Yosemite and the white cliffs of Dover, the workings of snowmaking machines, Botox, and gunpowder; and yet we tend to regard them as peripheral, disease-causing, food-spoiling troublemakers. In this book renowned microbiologist John Ingraham rescues these supremely important and ubiquitous microorganisms from their unwonted obscurity by showing us how we can, in fact, see them―and appreciate their vast and varied role in nature and our lives.

Though we might not be able to see microbes firsthand, the consequences of their activities are readily apparent to our unaided senses. March of the Microbes shows us how to examine, study, and appreciate microbes in the manner of a birdwatcher, by making sightings of microbial activities and thereby identifying particular microbes as well as understanding what they do and how they do it. The sightings are as different as a smelly rock cod, a bottle of Chateau d’Yquem, a moment in the Salem witch trials, and white clouds over the ocean. Together they summarize the impact of microbes on our planet, its atmosphere, geology, weather, and other organisms including ourselves, to whom they dole out fatal illnesses and vital nutrients alike.

In the end, Ingraham leaves us marveling at the power and persistence of microbes on our planet and gives credence to Louis Pasteur’s famous assertion that “microbes will have the last word.”

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  1. Print length
    336 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Belknap Press
  4. Publication date
    May 7, 2012
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.84 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0674064097
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0674064096
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“March of the Microbes is an impressive, entertaining tour of life's invisible realm. Combining history with new scientific discoveries, John Ingraham shows how microbes make their presence felt everywhere. You just have to know how to look for it. After reading this book, you will.”―Carl Zimmer, author of Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life

“Traverse the eclectic landscapes of soil, champagne, a Yellowstone spring, Italian salad dressing, and even the human stomach with microbiologist John L. Ingraham as your guide. This remarkable tour will transform novices into keen microbe-watchers in a mere 300 pages--which sounds like a lot, until you realize how much ground there is to cover in humanity's relationship with our most minuscule "friends." For instance, it was microbes that transformed the entire face of our planet, via the "Oxygen Revolution" some 3 billion years ago. We have them to thank for literally every breath we take. This is but one example. With the Earth estimated to have a nonillion (that's one followed by 30 zeros) microbes in and around it, we might as well get to know our tiny neighbors.”―Seed

“From the mundane (a smelly fish, a child with earache) to the exotic (hydrothermal vents), Ingraham presents the microbes behind so much of the world around us. He drives home the point that without these overlooked life forms we wouldn't be here at all...Ingraham's fresh perspective makes it an engaging read.”―Jo Marchant, New Scientist

“Though most people are only familiar with microbes that cause disease (germs, etc.), those "felonious" microbes actually constitute a tiny percent of all microbes, and just a single chapter in this fascinating survey of single-celled organisms and their role in shaping life on Earth...Among other processes, Ingraham explains how vaccines have been developed, frequently with the aid of other microbes; the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles which make life possible; and how microbes give us cheese, wine, and other foodstuffs (though some, like xanthan gum, readers may not want to know about). Ingraham also discusses recently-discovered microbes inhabiting extreme environments (hot, cold, salty, etc.) that promise to tell us much about the evolution of life on Earth and what life on other planets might look like. Ingraham's entertaining, breezy style makes even difficult topics accessible, and every chapter contains intriguing anecdotes about microbes in history (did the CIA try to poison Castro's cigars with botulinum toxin?). Highly readable, engrossing, and endlessly informative, this is a standout example of science writing for general audiences.”―Publishers Weekly online (starred review)

“In this engaging treatment, the microbiologist shows readers the invisible world through observations about its macroscopic manifestations in a range of environments, from the kitchen to the abyss of the sea...Ingraham describes some of their malicious cousins who blight crops, kill trees, and sicken humans. Ingraham's clarity, plus touches of humor, augments the appeal of this fine contribution to popularizing science.”―Gilbert Taylor, Booklist

“John Ingraham has written the definitive field guide for microbe watching, a branch of natural history that, to the uninitiated, might seem oxymoronic. Microorganisms being, by definition, creatures too small to be seen by the unaided eye, one might wonder...why anyone would need a guide to seeing the unseeable. Read just a few pages, however, and the puzzle is solved. Sure, microbes are tiny, but they are so prolific that their effects on the world are both profound and highly visible--from the black mold on bathroom walls to the red tide that sporadically discolors and poisons long expanses of shoreline...He blends the deep knowledge of an academic with the passion of a microbe watcher extraordinaire--which makes this guide as entertaining as it is informative.”―Laurence A. Marschall, Natural History

About the Author

John L. Ingraham is Professor of Microbiology, Emeritus, at the University of California, Davis.

Roberto Kolter is a Professor at Harvard Medical School and Co-Director of Harvard’s Microbial Sciences Initiative. He is also co-blogger at Small Things Considered.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Belknap Press; Reprint edition (May 7, 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0674064097
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0674064096
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.9 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.84 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 48 ratings

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John L. Ingraham

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
48 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Lisa
5.0 out of 5 stars Needed it for class but read the whole thing on my own
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2016
Verified Purchase
I'm a microbiology major and when I was a sophomore, I was able to take a brand new Intro to Microbes class. At that point, I was already knees deep into microbio and I knew a lot -- but not a lot of the chemistry, molecular biology, etc. The class was boring because it told me things I already knew from PBS, academic papers were too hard because I didn't understand the basics. This book was juuust right.

I don't leave reviews for books often (this is my first) but this one really stayed with me. It had a lot of stories that told me things I never knew, -- astonishing facts that further fueled my love for microbiology.

It's a great read for people getting into microbiology or want to learn about something that is in every day life.

Also, the picture on the cover are diatoms. That chapter blew my mind and I never thought about the ocean the same way again. This books can be difficult to read at times, but it's so interesting that it really is worth your time. I'm graduating soon but I can't bear to sell this book.
4 people found this helpful
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R. F. Terpening Jr.
5.0 out of 5 stars Easy read
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2013
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I like John's book because it isn't written like a text book, but it has the information of a college text and with a reasonable price. John explains what microbes are and how significant they are to life. In fact, microbes are the building blocks of life. He describes the fascinating process of changing an environment when they aquire energy. Microbes are invisible creatures to the naked eye, but John gives us examples of how we can sense them. The book also includes a glossary for the biology terminology.
2 people found this helpful
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Michael A. Cox
5.0 out of 5 stars A World to be Discovered!
Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2014
Verified Purchase
If you want to know about the world of microbes I cannot think of a better place to roam than this book. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and learned a great deal. Science moves so quickly now that one must read constantly to keep up with any speciality. This book is written in an easy to understand but still lightly technical manner. I highly recommend it.
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed the number of applications of microbes within every day ...
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2016
Verified Purchase
Well written, covering a diverse number of relatable fields within microbiology. Simplified for people with a general understanding or education in biology. I enjoyed the number of applications of microbes within every day life that are often forgot about or over looked. I would suggest March of the Microbes for anyone that is interested in the field especially students considering studying microbiology this can demonstrate the diversity of sub-fields with the subject matter.
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drsoriano
5.0 out of 5 stars Great introductory book on microbiology.
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2013
Verified Purchase
Ingraham does a great job explaining the wonders of microbiology even for people with a basic background in biology. This book is a must have for the microbiologist enthusiast!
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Shannon
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2017
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I would give it 5 stars
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UP
5.0 out of 5 stars Well written and informative
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2020
Excellent overview of microbes for the scientifically curious reader. The beginning chapters on food and drink microbes were not very engaging for me personally but I’m glad I persisted with the book. Information on fungi is specially interesting and informative. I’m not a biologist so some of the details are beyond me but I’ve learned a lot from the rest.
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Gary Odom
3.0 out of 5 stars decent subject matter, but not especially well written
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2017
Verified Purchase
The authors aim at storytelling, but most of the stories are overwritten (a common error). And rather rambling storytelling at that, not especially well organized.

The writing style is often off-putting, with frequent reliance on overlong, run-on sentences. In other words, they are not very good prose writers. Further, the authors don't seem to know how to properly punctuate their points. Nor do they understand the concept of paragraphs (though they have enough of them, the paragraphs are not in divided by logical topic as they should be).

There are also numerous factual errors (such as canines eating rumen). And there are some silly statements (pea plant roots are red because they have hemoglobin, leading to the statement: "Sometimes it is hard to deny our kinship to microbes.").

Certainly worth reading if the subject matter is of particular interest.
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Cecilia B.
5.0 out of 5 stars bel libro
Reviewed in Italy on February 20, 2020
Verified Purchase
libro molto interessante, sicuramente occorre essere un minimo appassionati per poterlo apprezzare appieno. E' anche carino come regalo. L'articolo è arrivato nelle tempistiche previste, in imballaggio perfetto e condizioni ottime.
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Cecília S.V.
4.0 out of 5 stars Book well written but with bad quality material
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 23, 2017
Verified Purchase
Book well written and informative. However, papper and book cover have unsatisfactory quality. Too expensive for the bad quality material. Purchase is worth for content of the book.
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mansoor mostofi
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on June 22, 2016
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Very informative book and interesting subject.
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