Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

Lab Girl by Hope Jahren

15 reviews

kylosten's review against another edition

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informative reflective slow-paced

3.5

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zunn's review

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challenging informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

Loved this book! It feels like a fiction book because the writing style makes the characters very endearing! Also loved the rhythm between the science info and the biography!
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chemeducator's review against another edition

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adventurous informative reflective medium-paced

4.25

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celinegaghadar's review

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emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

Beautifully written and touching on many aspects of the author’s life, she passionately weaves together information about plants and soil, a platonic love story about her and her lab partner and the challenges of being a scientist with bipolar disorder. I liked how she told stories to illustrate and highlight the  different points in her career and personal life. I think the author did a good job of conveying her love and commitment to her work while still explaining how motherhood brought a different kind of meaning to her life. At times the language bordered being too metaphorical and flowery for me but for the most part was descriptive and poignant. It made me reflect on my own love for science and awe for the world around me. To me, some key parts of the her story remained unclear (ie why was Bill always employed by the author) and I would’ve liked maybe one more short chapter summarizing what she learned from her life this far and writing this book to pull it all together but overall I really enjoyed this book. 
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idesofmarch's review

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adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

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satsumaorange's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

Wow. Just....... Wow. This was perhaps the best book I've read in YEARS. I am currently a STEM student about to enter grad school, and I swear, this is EXACTLY the book I needed to read at this point in my life. If my loved ones wish to understand me, they only need to read the annotations in my copy of Lab Girl.

Jahren writes with sublime devotion to the natural world that she and I both love. Her way of seeing the world... Her scientific mindset that, despite all sense of self-preservation, she can never turn off... Her stories of struggle and stress and the endless clawing fight to the top of the pile... And the love, the pure undiluted passion for her craft. Every word of this book resonated with me to my core. 

Over and over I found myself moved to tears because the challenges she faced were the same ones I'm facing every day as an incoming graduate student. Her words scared me, and comforted me, and showed me exactly the kind of scientist I want to be one day. I am comforted by the fact that she has "made it" through this line of work alive, despite all the hardships she's faced. Reading this book has assured me that there is a future for me in my field. I cannot express how much this book has moved me. 

As soon as I finished it, I wanted to start over again right back at the beginning. I wish I could sit down with Jahren and listen to a thousand more stories from her career as a scientist. I wish I could work in her lab for a day; heck, I wish I could meet the ever-eccentric Bill! I could read hours upon hours of her exploits and scientific pursuits. Jahren illustrates the world of science so vividly, so affectionately, that her love is infectious. Wherever they are (probably in the Jahren lab), I hope she and Bill doing well. 
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candleclaudia's review against another edition

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informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

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nsnider2214's review against another edition

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informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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roaringmamalion's review

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emotional informative slow-paced

3.75

A really good blend of plant science (geobiology, in this case), personal narrative, some heavy mental health conversation, and general reflection on the author’s growth and life. I learned a lot, and this was a good read to end one year and begin another.
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cammiem8's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

3.5

Surprisingly heartfelt, though a few ethical issues kept me from enjoying this more. Hope’s relationship with Bill is moving one moment, yet seems exploitative the next. I simply cannot understand how she could justify letting this man work 12+ hour days in her lab while paying him such an egregiously low wage that hes literally homeless and sleeping in the lab. 
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