Parasite Rex

I’m currently reading Carl Zimmer’s book: Parasite Rex. If, like me, you tend to think that parasites are not Nature’s noblest creations, you should read this book. You may not actually fall in love with parasites (one researcher wrote: "Trypanosoma bruceii has many enchanting features that make this parasite the darling of experimental biologists"), but I’ll wager that you’ll come away having a new-found respect for them.

Zimmer puts a persuasive argument that parasites have been a dominant force, perhaps the dominant force in the evolution of life. He documents case-studies that demonstrate how parasites influence ecosystems, often by affecting the behaviour of the host organisms. He writes well, too.