“Kirk and Pemberton are . . . fond of their subject . . . but they are particularly interested in its cultural symbolism. While there is plenty of solid science in this book, the most distinctive sections deal with the psychology of being bled, and our temerity for daring to equate the leech with all things nasty in ourselves.”

Times Literary Supplement

“This book shies away from the facile association of leeches with parasites to view them, instead, as a symbiotic relationship with humankind, whereby both man and leech have benefited from the creature’s extraordinary abilities. This short but rich volume thus explores the leech as both animal and symbol, from ancient medical remedy to modern horror film, from emblem of capitalism to biomedical tool . . . Well illustrated and engagingly written . . . the authors ably tie their historical and cultural research to the natural history of the leech, offering an interesting perspective on the history of science.”  

British Journal for the History of Science