Count Down: How Our Modern World Is Threatening Sperm Counts, Altering Male and Female Reproductive Development, and Imperiling the Future of the Human Race by Shanna H. Swan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"The status quo has persisted for too long—and it’s endangering the reproductive health and survival of human beings and other species. The time to correct course is overdue and more important now than ever."

In late July of 2017, Dr. Shanna Swan went viral. Leading media publications from the BBC to the Financial Times to Newsweek ran shocking headlines based on Dr. Swan's research findings that sperm counts have dropped by a precipitous 50% in the last 40 years. Speculation abounded: Will this problem continue? What does this mean for our future here on Earth? The findings of Dr. Swan's research were indeed astonishing, but like every other sensational story, Dr. Swan's research disappeared from the news cycle, eventually to be forgotten. The problem, however, persists.

Count Down builds upon this and a plethora of other research findings that all point to one terrifying fact: our modern lifestyles are having deleterious effects on fertility and reproductive health, not only in humans, but in other species as well. Persistent chemical pollutants in our households, air, oceans, drinking water and food supply are having measurable effects on our ability to reproduce. Left unabated, this will inevitably have tragic consequences for our future here on this planet.

The findings presented in Count Down are unsettling, and Dr. Swan doesn't shy away from ringing the alarm. She makes it clear that the problem is urgent and backs up her claim with research that is presented in an organized, easy to follow, and easy to read manner. Leaving no stone unturned, Dr. Swan also presents a range of solutions, from individual tools for mitigating pollutant exposure (a "personal protection plan") to regulatory recommendations for bridging the gap between science and unchecked corporate practices.

Count Down is an important resource in the ongoing conversation on the destructive effect that Westernized, hyper-consumptive lifestyles are having on our bodies and our ecosystems. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is concerned about the future of life here on this planet.

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Plagued: Pandemics from the Black Death to Covid-19 and Beyond by John Froude
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In Plagued: Pandemics from the Black Death to COVID-19 and Beyond, Dr. John Froude takes us on a historical and scientific journey through the world of pathogenic diseases. On its face, such a description may cause some eyes to glaze over, but this book isn't simply a list of facts about plagues. Nor is it simply a scientific exploration of how pathogens interact within bodies and throughout populations. We're given a little bit of everything, which makes this a book that readers from a variety of backgrounds can enjoy.

Froude does get into the genetic and biochemical intricacies of each pathogen, and while some may find this information to be easy to follow, other readers may feel a bit bogged down by it. However, this doesn't characterize the book in its entirety. Froude presents himself as scientist, doctor and storyteller all once, painting a narrative that in its totality is quite accessible. He deftly transports the reader to the places and times where viral and bacterial plagues ravaged populations, tracing each pathogen from its source and taking us along its journey from cell to full blown pandemic.

Froude also does a great job of illustrating how plagues themselves shape culture. He includes poetry, art, anecdotes, and excerpts from letters to give the reader an on-the-ground perspective of just how different peoples and nations dealt with plagues throughout time. I also appreciated the thread he weaved throughout the centuries, showing the intimate connection between war, colonialism, and the spread of pandemics around the world. This gave the book a more well-rounded narrative that makes it more enjoyable than your average science-based book.

This book was informative, entertaining, and terrifying all at once. I would recommend it to anyone hoping to expand their knowledge of how pandemics start, spread, and sustain themselves across spaces and throughout time.

Thanks to NetGalley, BenBella Books & John Froude, MD for an ARC of this book.

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