In 1973, the distinguished medical scientist Lewis Thomas published a collection of his essays from the New England Journal of Medicine as a very successful book, The Lives of the Cell. Bernard Dixon has now done the same with essays from the ASM publication Microbe. The vocabulary is more technical than that of Thomas, but this should not be a problem for microbiologists or their students. Dixon has a talent for spotting important developments for his interestingly written and scientifically sound essays. Most microbiologists will find much that is new to them, and students material that will help with their own essays and projects, as well as a lesson in lucid writing. The book will be a valuable addition to the libraries of individuals and universities.