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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
Loved the science and ethical dilemmas presented... but I feel so ashamed of what doctors did to people (especially black and low SES people)! It was a powerful story and made you think!
A book that will have you looking at every DNA strand, cancer report, biology factoid and doctor's visit with fresh eyes, Skloot's narrative weaves emotional tragedy with fascinating scientific discoveries seamlessly. A book of family and faith, politics and science it leaves you with a fervent need to evangelize to the world the story of Henrietta Lacks in response to a promise you only become conscious of having made after you close the book and prepare to put it away.
Starts strong, and it's a fascinating subject, but about a third of the way in my attention started to wander. There's a lot of what feels like extraneous detail included, and the true story - with nuances intact - probably could have been covered in a New Yorker-sized article, with more impact. Still, I learned something I didn't know, and I added another nonfiction (gasp!) book to the list of books read this year.
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Sexual harassment
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
emotional
informative
inspiring
I liked the way the story was told and I appreciated the book's simplicity and straightforwardness. There was so much about the story that really frustrated me, though. By the end of the book, I was quite perturbed.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
tense
I know I'm late to the Henrietta Lacks party but that makes my praise no less enthusiastic. The science and the ethics case study are interesting for sure. However, it the Lacks family story esp. the focus on Deborah (and Henrietta, of course) that is so captivating and emotional. I may have shed a tear or two. If you haven't read it yet, move it to the top of your TBR! #readharder