Biologist Rob Dunn shows in this book the influence* of wild species on our well-being and the world and how nature is still part of us — and always will.

    We evolved* in a wilderness* of parasites*, mutualists*, and pathogens*, but we no longer see ourselves as being part of nature and the broader community of life.

    In the name of progress and clean living, we scrub* much of nature off our bodies and try to get rid of whole kinds of life — parasites, bacteria*, mutualists, and predators* — to allow ourselves to live free of wild danger. Nature, in this new world, is the scenery outside, a kind of living painting that is pleasant to look at.

    The truth, though, according to Dunn, is that while “clean living” has benefited us in some ways, it has also made us sicker in others. Our bodies have evolved to deal with the presence of hundreds of other species. As Dunn points out, our modern life has resulted in effects that scientists are only beginning to understand.

    Diabetes*, autism*, allergies*, many anxiety disorders, and even tooth, jaw, and vision problems trouble our bodies that have been taken away from the ecological* context in which they existed for millions of years.

    In this eye-opening, fully researched, and well-written book, Dunn considers the crossroads* at which we find ourselves. We can create a richer nature, one in which we choose to surround ourselves with species that benefit us, not just those that, despite us, survive. (SD-Agencies)