Commotion in the Blood: Life, Death, and the Immune System

I thoroughly enjoyed Hall's account of the development of immunotherapy. I read it cover to cover. You need not be an immunologist to enjoy this book, but you might want to become one after.

I read this book a while ago but now I recalled that I should write my impressions as this is one of the best books about general science I ever read.I am a scientist (Ph.D.), I work in biomedical research and I know from first hand how biomedicine research is done in Academia and in Industry. This book is an outstanding description for the general public (anyone will understand it, even if you don't know anything about science) of a part of Cancer Research (from the beginning of the century to present); the application of Immunology to treat cancer ending in recent attemps of using gene therapy. The book is extremely well researched and very well written and therefore I believe that anyone interested in understanding why it is important to do "basic" research should read it.Importantly the book also explains the happenings "behind the scenes"; the book talks about the human beings that do research. Researchers are human beings, with strong egotistic attitudes, and "scientific credit" is not always given to the ones that deserve it, the "researchers that do the actual work" the postdoctoral fellows. Examples are given in the book. Many "notable" and "famous" scientist have constructed their career with good research but also with despotic attitudes, envy, and fratricide fights with other scientists. Scientific research is extremely competitive and therefore effective and this situation gives little margin for "good human values". Most times the driving force in biomedical science is not to cure people but to gain credit, power and reputation. Of course success benefits all of us.I strongly recommend this book.

Hall tackled a complex subject, poised after many years of failure to play a major role in cancer treatment. He details the rich history and scientific struggle that lies at the heart of the current clinical trials using vaccines to treat cancer. A great read for scientists, physicians and the general public. Robert Bazell, Chief Science Correspondent NBC News

This four-part book tells of cancer immunotherapy with: (1) Coley's toxins around the turn of the century; (2) interferon after its discovery in 1957: (3) T cell growth factor (interleukin-2) after its cloning in 1983; and (4) tumor vaccines in the 1990's. There is more detail than you think you want to know; but after getting into the book, you don't want it to end. Readers looking for additional insights might consider "Biotechnology Backstage" from Kabel Publishers, which covers the rise and fall of Cetus Corporation (a story Steve Hall does not tell but says is worth telling) and the dawn of gene therapy (which spun off the use of interleukin-2 to grow tumor infiltrating lymphocytes at the National Cancer Institute).

In his utterly absorbing narrative, Steven Hall brings to life the developments in immunology that have taken place in stops and starts over the last century. Keenly perceptive about human behavior, Hall also has a great talent for explaining science very clearly. This fascinating account needs to be read widely. You are missing out if you don't get it.