In the Company of Microbes: Ten Years of Small Things Considered

With more than 1,000 posts and 2 million views, the esteemed blog Small Things Considered has been sparking the imagination of microbiologists for an entire decade. Throughout the years, Elio Schaechter and his team of dedicated bloggers have shared exciting, unexpected, and unusual stories from the microbial world.

In the Company of Microbes is a carefully selected treasure chest of wise, amusing, and even profound statements about the ubiquity and relevance of the microbial world. Schaechter, past ASM Presidents, and distinguished microbiologists from around the globe reflect on personal, sometimes historic interactions with microbes and unexpected discoveries, each essay conveying the excitement and sense of surprise that microbiology holds for them. This is the reason that Small Things Considered is a scientific and social media phenomenon that has impacted scientists at every stage of their careers and shared the magical of microbes with world.

Join Schaechter in discovering a never-ending pageant of astounding variations on the theme of microbial life. Enjoy!

“Since Elio Schaechter’s blog, Small Things Considered, first appeared 10 years ago, I have looked forward to each edition. I have read, smiled, laughed, and always learned something new about the microbial world. Elio’s style is uniquely engaging and makes microbiology come alive. This new book, In the Company of Microbes, captures all the best of Elio’s magic. It is a must-read for students of microbiology of any age.” - Lynn W. Enquist, Henry L. Hillman Professor in Molecular Biology and Professor in the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University