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tmowery's review against another edition
4.0
Good mix of a scientific non-fiction book & one about trying to heal from inter-generational trauma. Has been on my TBR for like 13 years & I'm glad I never removed it & took the time to read it.
andy_bookworm5137's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.25
ashleyehooker's review against another edition
3.0
I tried to read this book one time prior to this and just couldn't get into it. But this time, something stuck. I think it's a fantastic story about cancer and about the Lacks family. It doesn't quite go far enough though with either so it left me wanting a little bit more, especially on the science side. I certainly think it probably got some people to rad about cancer history that wouldn't otherwise but since I had read The Emperor of All Maladies I was wanting something more from it.
elba__'s review against another edition
3.0
3.5⭐️la historia que hay detras de la familia de henrietta es apasionante pero lo habria sido mucho más contado de una forma breve y menos repetitiva. tiene su gracia que el enfoque vaya mas hacia los años posteriores a la muerte de la protagonista del libro y a las consecuencias de su vida, pero no deja de hacerse pesada. es una historia que no da para más de la mitad de paginas de las que tiene, de este modo llegaria mucho mas y se incidiría en sus puntos importantes
infogdss29's review against another edition
4.0
I really want to love this book! I've seen great reviews of it, and
think it's an important topic - a culture of one African America
woman's cancer cells have divided and multiplied at a phenomenal rate
since the 1950s, and they are still used today for a number of
important medical tests and procedures. Although the HeLa cells are
named for her, she was never asked permission for those cells to be
cultured and used, and never received a dime for them. Henrietta
Lack's biography is interspersed with author Skloot's tale of first
hearing about these amazing cells, researching them, and tracking down
family members and medical personnel to get the full story, and the
tale is interwoven with biology, civil rights and the medical science.
I'm finding it absolutely fascinating and highly readable, but I'm a
former biology major. I'm finding it a little disorganized to boot.
think it's an important topic - a culture of one African America
woman's cancer cells have divided and multiplied at a phenomenal rate
since the 1950s, and they are still used today for a number of
important medical tests and procedures. Although the HeLa cells are
named for her, she was never asked permission for those cells to be
cultured and used, and never received a dime for them. Henrietta
Lack's biography is interspersed with author Skloot's tale of first
hearing about these amazing cells, researching them, and tracking down
family members and medical personnel to get the full story, and the
tale is interwoven with biology, civil rights and the medical science.
I'm finding it absolutely fascinating and highly readable, but I'm a
former biology major. I'm finding it a little disorganized to boot.
nevad_23's review against another edition
5.0
An incredibly powerful and emotional read
If you have ever wondered about the history behind the creation of vaccines, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a good starting point. It's a powerful read and a reminder that the life we have now was only possible because of the sacrifices of others.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is also a reminder that racism is not as dead as we like to think. This entire story spanned over just fifty years or so. And we're still seeing a lot of bias in the medical field.
If you have ever wondered about the history behind the creation of vaccines, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a good starting point. It's a powerful read and a reminder that the life we have now was only possible because of the sacrifices of others.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is also a reminder that racism is not as dead as we like to think. This entire story spanned over just fifty years or so. And we're still seeing a lot of bias in the medical field.
madeupclub's review against another edition
5.0
Oh my god, this book is so bloody good! Why did it take me two years to finish it??? (I don't know)
snideghoul's review against another edition
4.0
I was actually surprised with how much this book kept up its momentum, simultaneously telling and becoming the story of the research done to write the book. One of the blurbs on the cover was someone saying that they "couldn't put it down" and for the first half, I didn't understand why. But as the author meets Deborah, Henrietta Lacks' daughter, and the book becomes about their time together, I got it, and had to force myself to set the book down at 4am.
I felt like the book brought out questions that need to be discussed about science and ethics, but there is an unstated question also, one about education. I wonder... how many public school kids today don't know what cells are?
I felt like the book brought out questions that need to be discussed about science and ethics, but there is an unstated question also, one about education. I wonder... how many public school kids today don't know what cells are?
kmthornfeldt's review against another edition
4.0
I sincerely appreciated how much this was a story of our humanity as it was about science.
kaydio's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. It is not just a history of HeLa cells and a description of their importance to medical research, but it also delves into the history of African American medical treatment and testing. Henrietta Lacks was treated in the "colored" ward of Johns Hopkins, and her family today are still suffering from a lack of medical treatment and access to education.