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summeryoder's review against another edition
5.0
"But before she died, a surgeon took samples of her tumor and put them in a petri dish. Scientists had been trying to keep human cells alive in culture for decades, but they all eventually died. Henrietta's were different: they reproduced an entire generation every twenty-four hours, and they never stopped. They became the first immortal
human cells ever grown in a laboratory."
Henrietta Lacks never knew that her tissues had been taken for research. She never found out that her cells were used to study cancer, to formulate the polio vaccine, or that they were sent into outer space.
Her family didn't find out for over 20 years and the discovery put them on a journey of confusion and pain.
"When I go to the doctor for my checkups I always say my mother was HeLa. They get all excited, tell me stuff like how her cells helped make my blood pressure medicines and antidepression pills and how all this important stuff in science happen cause of her. But they don't never explain more than just sayin, Yeah, your mother was on the moon, she been in nuclear bombs and made that polio vaccine. I really don't know how she did all that, but I guess I'm glad she did, cause that mean she helpin lots of people. I think she would like that." -Deborah Lacks as told to Rebecca Skloot
Meticulously researched, this book gives much food for thought on the topics of racism, medical ethics, grief, trauma, and more. It's not a feel-good read, but it's an important one.
Graphic: Medical trauma and Medical content
Moderate: Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Incest, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Alcoholism
beccaj11's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Medical trauma, Racism, Medical content, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, Violence, and Mental illness
Minor: Suicide and Slavery
parasolcrafter's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Sexism, Violence, Classism, Infidelity, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Incest, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Ableism, Addiction, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Grief, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racism, Racial slurs, Abortion, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Rape, Slavery, and Terminal illness
bearikatherika's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Violence, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Infidelity, Drug abuse, and Incest
kk_gotit_goinon's review against another edition
5.0
Minor: Classism, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Medical trauma, Mental illness, and Racism
moniipeters's review against another edition
5.0
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
kirstenpod_'s review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Medical content, Racism, Death, Cancer, Forced institutionalization, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Child abuse
Minor: Incest, Physical abuse, Slavery, Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Murder
rumay's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Violence, Vomit, Incest, Infertility, and Infidelity
cdoubet's review against another edition
5.0
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
creationwing's review against another edition
4.25
There were moments when the book seemed a little too voyeuristic for my taste; I'm not sure that all the details included were necessary for me to learn about this historic figure, her family's struggles, and have understanding of the suffering and unjustice.
Graphic: Medical content, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Murder, Child death, Violence, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Classism, Body horror, Cancer, Medical trauma, Racism, and Confinement
Moderate: Vomit, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Self harm, Pedophilia, Rape, Death of parent, Slavery, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Infidelity, Gun violence, Suicide attempt, Incest, Drug abuse, and Deadnaming
There are detailed descriptions of the autopsies of