Bugged: The Insects Who Rule the World and the People Obsessed With Them Hardcover – 3 July 2017

What a wonderful read. I normally prefer to get my fill of insect info via documentaries, but this is a real gem. I've read other books about insects, but even with them being well done, I rarely get through them. The author writes from the point of the view of a layman who is finding out about bugs and their people, which makes for a nice balance. And this fits in perfectly for me as the reader, since I'm an amateur bug person whose mind starts to drift if it gets too scientific on me. The perfect amount of humor, wit, and research make this a wonderful book.

My son, David, has created an anthology of stories that stimulate the mind. His narrative is as if he is in your living room telling stories about his adventures. I can vouch that he went to all of these amazing places and met all of these interesting people. Towards the end of the book (Chapter 9) you will see just how adventurous he was. I know I am a bit biased, but I truly found the book to have just the right mixture of science and personality. Some reviewers have mentioned that this book is written well enough to be used as a reference book for beginning entomology classes at a university or college because his two years of research led to a bibliography with 21 pages of references that can be accessed to further your knowledge in specific areas of entomology. A fascinating read with humor, honesty, and loads of bug facts.

I have gotten more and more involved in the study of insects, both through observation and literature, so looked forward to 'Bugged.'. Bugged was a little different than I expected. I learned a lot about insects and entomological history....that alone makes the read well worthwhile. The subtitle is really appropriate because that is the heart of the book...insects that rule and those obsessed. MacNeal picks about ten topics (chapters) to showcase current entomological problems/concerns including natural sources for medical products, honeybee collapse, the bedbug outbreak, the black market insect trade (who knew?) and much more. Each topic is thoroughly researched and referenced. However, interviews with those 'obsessed' left me feeling like I was reading a script for a "reality show." I'm ambivalent about how I liked this technique, but it's his style and perhaps an endearing one. Some turns of phrase, I must say, put me off. In places he seems gratuitously crude e.g., 'gigantic-ass cockroaches', 'pissed me off', and such phrases. scattered throughout the work. I'm not a prude and may use similar language myself but I don't enjoy seeing it in print. I think it distracted from scientific objectivity. All-in-all an engaging and on the whole, a scholarly read. I will most likely re-read it.

I really, really wanted to like this book, but the author needed an entomologist to clean up the factual errors (repeatedly conflating non-insect arthropods with insects, and even, occasionally moving beyond arthropods), an etymologist and a copy editor to clean up mistakes, and a few careful readers to tighten up the writing of this journalist.The author's passion for the subject came through. I wish he had had more help as indicated above; those errors were maddening.Also maddening was the author's admitted smuggling of arthropods (and, likely, fellow travelers) through customs. We know how these stories often end. Those laws are there for a reason, and anybody who knows about insects (or any invasive species at all) ought to be angered.I am glad I read the whole thing. The section on bees was the best, I thought.

I love reading about insects , and I love reading books from authors that can entertain me at the same time. The Author does a good job at both. I wish there were more books written in this style. I read a couple of reviews from some entomology elites , that were middle of the road, don't let those reviews throw you off. If you like to read about the natural world and insects and have a sense of humor , read this book , you won't want to put it down.