Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

31 reviews

mels_reading_log's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

5.0

This book tells the true story of Henrietta Lacks, a black woman who had her cells taken when she went into Johns Hopkins Hospital for cancer treatment. The cells which were taken without her consent were then sold and distributed around the world for medical research and are still used today. The fact that this story is real is so troubling. The way the medical community has taken advantage of poor, black and handicapped people in the name of medical advancement is atrocious and it makes perfect sense that many do not trust doctors because of this. 

I did like the way the book was written like a podcast, where we went along with the author to do research and meet with the family members. This keeps the information accessible and easier to understand than dense science talk. I believe this information should be required knowledge in this country, so people, especially the non black can know the depths of racism that exist and understand that this was less than 100 years ago.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Alcohol, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Incest, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Classism, Death, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual assault, Cancer, Chronic illness, Blood, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Racial slurs, and Terminal illness

Minor: Suicide

muppetymelody's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective sad

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma and Medical content

Moderate: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, Ableism, Addiction, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Chronic illness, Classism, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Cancer, Confinement, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Pedophilia, and Racism

hayreading's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective slow-paced

4.75

A good and informative book. Not my usual read, but very well written. Points off for slow pacing.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Child death, Cancer, Medical trauma, Slavery, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Addiction, Sexism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Infidelity, Child abuse, Terminal illness, Grief, Sexual harassment, Death, Murder, Mental illness, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Drug abuse, Confinement, Chronic illness, and Adult/minor relationship

cj13's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Medical content, Grief, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Child death, Cancer, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Alcohol and Alcoholism

Minor: Suicide

sztokfisz's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Death, and Cancer

Moderate: Incest, Mental illness, Addiction, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, Slavery, Medical content, and Sexual violence

parasolcrafter's review against another edition

emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

5.0

this book....i really dont know what i can say about it. i learned SO MUCH about something i had never even head of before picking it up, and it was both fascinating and heartbreaking to read about all of it. i wish all the best for hentrietta lacks family and hope that her and those of her family who have passed are resting easily <3

---

Content Warnings

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

marioncromb's review against another edition

challenging dark informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

Easy to read, very informative. Empathetic and meticulously researched. Tells the story of Lacks' family alternating with the story of her cells. Maybe a little long with unneccessary detail. Quite US centric - would have been nice to know about laws surrounding tissues etc worldwide for comparison.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Medical content, and Death of parent

Moderate: Classism, Racism, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death

Minor: Child death, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Violence, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Slavery, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Addiction, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Suicide, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Rape, Mental illness, Incest, Infidelity, Forced institutionalization, and Murder

jessicayaun's review

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Misogyny, Racism, Terminal illness, Medical trauma, Child abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Body horror, and Classism

aubreystrawberry's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Cancer, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Incest, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Racism, Sexual harassment, Chronic illness, Sexual assault, Child death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Physical abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Suicide, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Racial slurs, and Addiction

memento_vivere's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Medical content, Racism, Chronic illness, and Rape

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Blood, Slavery, Ableism, and Alcohol