Jennifer Reich examines why some parents reject vaccines, drawing on extensive interviews with families who have made this choice. Reich, a sociologist, resists the temptation to dismiss vaccine-hesitant parents as ignorant or irrational. Instead, she explores their worldviews: their skepticism of expertise, distrust of pharmaceutical companies, preference for 'natural' interventions, and commitment to individual parental autonomy. Reich finds that vaccine refusal often reflects broader cultural currents rather than specific misinformation about vaccines. The parents she interviews believe they are better positioned than doctors or public health officials to assess risks to their own children. Reich examines how this individualistic framework conflicts with the communal logic of vaccination, which depends on widespread participation to protect the vulnerable. The book was published before COVID-19 made vaccine hesitancy a central political issue, but its analysis illuminates debates that would intensify. Reich writes without condescension about views she does not share, offering understanding as a prerequisite for engagement.