In 'On Immunity,' Eula Biss explores the complex interplay between individual health, societal responsibility, and the controversies surrounding vaccines. Through personal anecdotes and philosophical reflections, she examines the fears and misconceptions that fuel anti-vaccine sentiments. Biss weaves scientific insights with poignant narratives, pushing readers to confront the nature of immunity, both personal and communal. The book raises pressing questions about trust, choice, and the invisible ties that bind us to one another. This thought-provoking work invites readers to reconsider what it truly means to protect ourselves and our communities from preventable diseases.
By Eula Biss
Published: 2015
"We are not just individual bodies; we are part of a larger community, and our health is intertwined with the health of others."
“On Immunity is a book I’ve recommended too many times to count—a searching, empathetic, ultimately unassailable argument, not just for vaccination but for thoroughly acknowledging our interdependence, and for all that becomes necessary and possible once we do. Written before COVID, it nonetheless speaks directly to the concerns of the pandemic era—to the fact that we are dangerous as well as vulnerable, to the way collective well-being and individual self-interest are configured at odds to one another when they are fundamentally intertwined.”—Jia Tolentino In this bold, fascinating book, Eula Biss addresses our fear of the government, the medical establishment, and what may be in our children's air, food, mattresses, medicines, and vaccines. Reflecting on her own experience as a new mother, she suggests that we cannot immunize our children, or ourselves, against the world. As she explores the metaphors surrounding immunity, Biss extends her conversations with other mothers to meditations on the myth of Achilles, 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.
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“We are not just individual bodies; we are part of a larger community, and our health is intertwined with the health of others.”
On Immunity
By Eula Biss
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Eula Biss is an acclaimed American author known for her thought-provoking essays and innovative exploration of complex themes such as race, illness, and social justice. Her notable works include 'Notes from No Man's Land,' which received critical acclaim for its poignant insights into American culture and identity, as well as 'On Immunity: An Inoculation,' a personal and philosophical examination of vaccination and fear. Biss's writing style is characterized by its lyrical prose and deep introspection, often blending memoir and research to engage readers in meaningful dialogue about contemporary issues.
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