Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

30 reviews

isabeldotml's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Medical content, and Violence

Moderate: Child death and Child abuse

moniipeters's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Domestic abuse, Incest, Racism, Violence, Abandonment, Ableism, Alcoholism, Blood, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Infidelity, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Cursing, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Child abuse, and Child death

grboph's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

I had to read part of this book as part of a project on bioethics for an anatomy and physiology class, but it was so interesting and well-written that I decided to read the entire thing. I'm very glad I did!! The story of Henrietta Lacks, her cells, and her family is a very fascinating one, and Skloot tells it very well. I really liked that she included herself as a secondary "character" in the book - this served to make the rest of the events of the story and the people she met seem more real because her interactions with them were documented. I learned so much from reading this book about cell biology, genetics, bioethics and its history, medical racism, and so many other things. It's very important this book exists, as it tells the story of a woman whose life affects everybody (due to how ubiquitous HeLa cells are) and how the way she was treated by Johns Hopkins doctors affected her and her family. It also raises a lot of very important points about informed consent and financial compensation, and how attitudes about these things have shifted over time. This was a very informative and well-crafted book, and I would recommend it to just about anyone, but especially anybody who is interested in medicine, biology, and bioethics.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Classism, Death, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Ableism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Slavery, Child death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Antisemitism, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Racial slurs

cdoubet's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Blood, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Incest, Murder, Slavery, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Medical content, Child death, Mental illness, Cancer, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Addiction, and Alcohol

nicoleslaw's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Murder, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Incest, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Racism, and Rape

librarymouse's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is the type of book that sticks with you and sits in the back of your brain, being relevant in the least expected situations. The writing draws the reader in and tells the story in a way that makes it feel personal to each individual. More than that the lives and struggles of Henrietta and her family being immortalized as they are in this book, shine a light on the parts of history the written record strives to forget.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicide, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Child death, Sexual harassment, Cancer, Classism, Grief, and Incest

rebekah_l's review against another edition

challenging hopeful informative inspiring sad slow-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Racism, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Classism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Death, and Incest

Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual harassment

hshinn21's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Truly one of the best, most informative, and gut-wrenching books I've ever read. I'm glad it's become famous because I think everyone should know this story. 

But you should know: this book might be difficult to read. It was for me at some points. It talks frankly, but not grotesquely, of many terrible things: and this is part of what makes it so important. I started listing content warnings below and the list looks a little bit overwhelming at first glance. So know your limits, and be prepared. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual violence, Racism, Medical content, Cancer, Violence, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, and Medical trauma

maya_reads_books's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious tense medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Cancer

Minor: Child abuse

betttyy8's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Grief, Racism, Terminal illness, Death, Medical content, Mental illness, and Cancer

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

Minor: Incest