Self Defence

Dan Davis is a world class scientist and one of the best science communicators of his generation. From the role of tobacco scientists in promoting stress to why astronauts take antihistamines, Self Defence will answer every question you have about your immune system and many more. It is deeply absorbing, wise and beautifully written. Packed with astounding science, compelling stories and ideas, it will change the way you think about your body and live your life

CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN, author of Ultra-Processed People

Utterly absorbing. Nearly every paragraph brings a revelation

BILL BRYSON, author of The Body

Expertly cutting through all the myths, marketing hype and simple slogans, this is the best book on immune health I have ever read

ALICE ROBERTS, author of Crypt

A beautifully written overview of our immune system. But perhaps even more importantly, this book is an instruction manual which guides the reader through the blizzard of popular science and pseudoscience that obscures discussions about our health

BRIAN COX, world-renowned physicist

As renowned immunologist Davis argues, the immune system is extremely complicated and widely misunderstood … [Self Defence] offers an illuminating picture of a fascinating area of science

Daily Mail, Best Health Books of 2025

A fascinating guide to the immune system, cutting through the myths with clear, evidence-based science. Daniel M. Davis empowers readers to make informed choices about their health in a world of so much misinformation

RHIANNON LAMBERT, author of The Science of Nutrition and co-host of The Wellbeing Scoop

An engaging and thorough look at the factors affecting our immune health. If you’ve ever been tempted to take steps to ‘boost your immunity’, read this first!

SARAH GILBERT, author of Vaxxers

Self Defence ... bridge[s] the gap between the scientific research of [Davis'] day job and what people want to know about immunity .. The immune system can be hard to unravel ... Daniel M. Davis follows the twists and turns of the evidence and offers nuanced responses to immune health questions ... Above all, his friendly tone and clear writing give the reader a much deeper appreciation of the complexity of the human body

Times Literary Supplement

Professor Davis unravels one of the most complex and vital elements of human biology: our immune system. Disentangling the science of immunity and addressing the key questions we all want answered, this book is a masterclass in science communication and essential reading for anybody who wants to understand their health

RUSSELL FOSTER, author of Life Time