The Biology of Death: Origins of Mortality (Comstock Books)
"The Biology of Death provides an engaging travelogue for aging and death, from ancient mythology, the swamps of vitalism and the higher roads of the 'Copernican revolution' of experimental gerontology, to today's Societé de Thanatologie with its fixation on the ontology of death. . . . The book's style and level of explanation are highly suitable for a general audience. The broad overview of gerontological fact, fiction and theory is basically sound and provides a useful introduction to the perplexities of biological aging. . . . The Biology of Death belongs on the same shelf as other recent popular books on aging."—Nature, March 11, 2004"Biology seems to reject the idea of the utility of natural death. Because the possibility of accidental death is never completely ruled out, the priority of living organisms cannot be to devote all of their efforts to their own survival; they must also keep resources to reproduce, to transmit their genes. Aging and natural death arise from this compromise, not automatically directly, but through the work of natural selection, as adverse side effects. Through The Biology of Death, these mechanisms are studied in a new vein that will enlighten the reader and expand their understanding of life and death from a cellular viewpoint."—Biology Digest 30:6, February 2004"This book, by two French neuroscientists, relates the history of scientific and other ideas concerning death in an engaging and lucid account. Their reach encompasses some psychology and philosophy, as well as demography, comparative life histories, biochemistry, and evolution. . . . Klarsfeld and Revah's survey of aging across the biosphere is the book's best feature. . . . Evolutionary theories of aging are not idle abstractions, but provide essential guidance in a high-stakes game for medical advances that even now are pushing back against cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegeneracy to extend our active and healthy life spans. These two neuroscientists have done an admirable job of collecting facts and explaining theories far from their core fields."—Joshua Mitteldorf, Temple University, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Volume 79"Klarsfeld and Revah have written what could be called a popular book about an unpopular topic—death. . . . A fundamental human question permeates the discussion by Klarsfeld and Revah: Why do we fear mortality? The authors focus on the science that describes and explains the processes of aging preceding death. Science is an assault on ignorance (Ridley, 1991), and in new knowledge, wisdom can follow. This book, written (and beautifully translated) in an open style, will facilitate public discussion and awareness. It has the potential to reduce ignorance, to bring wisdom, and to reduce fear. . . . In their carefully detailed approach and reflections, Klarsfeld and Revah have served us bravely and well."—Charles R. Scriver, McGill University, American Journal of Human Biology (2004)"Authors André Klarsfeld and Frédéric Revah look upon aging and death as natural processes, involving mechanisms intrinsic to the life of all cells. They explain that methods may exist to delay and even eliminate some of the less desirable baggage of human aging. To the extent that death is demystified by reading this book, the fear of death by the reader may be lessened."—Antonie Blackler, Professor Emeritus, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University"I found The Biology of Death very well written, easy to read, and well documented, not only in terms of earlier concepts about this subject, but also up to date with the latest in molecular biology."—Roger Guillemin, Distinguished Professor, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies