On Immunity: An Inoculation

In this bold, fascinating book, Eula Biss addresses a chronic condition of fear ¿ fear of the government, the medical establishment, and what may be in your children¿s air, food, mattresses, medicines, and vaccines. Reflecting on her own experience as a new mother, Biss investigates the metaphors and myths surrounding our conception of immunity and its implications for the individual and the social body. She extends a conversation with other mothers to meditations on Voltaire¿s Candide , Bram Stoker¿s Dracula, Rachel Carson¿s Silent Spring, Susan Sontag¿s AIDS and Its Metaphors, and beyond. On Immunity is an inoculation against our fear and a moving account of how we are all interconnected ¿ our bodies and our fates.