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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
Wow! What an interesting story of how one ladies DNA can be used and re-used through many years and many experiments without their knowledge.
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
I really enjoyed "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks." It was informative, interesting, and touching to see Rebecca and Deborah's journey to learning more about Henrietta's life, before, during and after the development of HeLa.
The book covers a wide range of issues and topics, a positive and a negative in my opinion. All the pieces of information Skloot gives her reader provides a better overall story to piece together Henrietta's Life. There were quite a few characters who I lost along the way and had to flip back to figure out who they were in relation to Henrietta, but you come to learn that each of these people plays a pretty important role in Henrietta's life and the span of her cells.
One of my major issues is that Henrietta's descendants still live in poverty, even after the publication of the book and subsequent HBO film. While reparations from Hopkins are well deserved, and quite frankly in my opinion, owed to the family, it's interesting to me that Skloot simply sets up a scholarship for Henrietta's descendants. She had direct contact with a great deal of Henrietta's family and while they're the only ones who can take advantage of the Henrietta Lacks Foundation scholarship, I wish more could be done for these people.
Overall, an incredibly interesting and engaging read. It is science heavy, but not beyond the scope of understanding. The race, science, and privacy issues raised in the life of Henrietta Lacks and the HeLa cells will make you think and appreciate the laws in place now to protect your information.
The book covers a wide range of issues and topics, a positive and a negative in my opinion. All the pieces of information Skloot gives her reader provides a better overall story to piece together Henrietta's Life. There were quite a few characters who I lost along the way and had to flip back to figure out who they were in relation to Henrietta, but you come to learn that each of these people plays a pretty important role in Henrietta's life and the span of her cells.
Overall, an incredibly interesting and engaging read. It is science heavy, but not beyond the scope of understanding. The race, science, and privacy issues raised in the life of Henrietta Lacks and the HeLa cells will make you think and appreciate the laws in place now to protect your information.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Such a sad story but informative
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
Really interesting premise and investigation into the HeLa cells, the woman they originated from, and her family. I really appreciated the insights and discussion about medical ethics, the commercialization of research, and the exploitation of minorities for research.
I didn't give it a higher score because I found the author/investigator to be unlikable which distanced me from the book a little bit and at times it felt like she just really wanted praise for her investigative journaling, Even when it wasn't necessarily warranted. But I will say it's commendable that she followed through with the topic and story for 10 years while writing this book.
Overall, I would still recommend this book to anyone interested in medical ethics or human science in general because I think the content is very interesting even if the book is a whole is not the best.
I didn't give it a higher score because I found the author/investigator to be unlikable which distanced me from the book a little bit and at times it felt like she just really wanted praise for her investigative journaling, Even when it wasn't necessarily warranted. But I will say it's commendable that she followed through with the topic and story for 10 years while writing this book.
Overall, I would still recommend this book to anyone interested in medical ethics or human science in general because I think the content is very interesting even if the book is a whole is not the best.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Rape, Medical content, Medical trauma
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I knew immediately when I read the synopsis of this month’s book club pick that by the end of it I would be seriously pissed off…….. Mission accomplished!
This book is broken down into 2 stories, the story of Henrietta Lacks’s family and the devastation that was left in the wake of her death and the story of HeLa the name given to the cells that cause her death, but were the reason so many of us are alive today.
I was never a huge science fan having completed the classes I needed to complete in school and moving on. What I found exceptional about this book was how the author explained the science, at no point was it over my head. It was clear, concise and at no point did I feel my eyes close only to be I startled awake with my iPad hitting my face. While the author had me intrigued with the science she also flipped that switch and told the story of the Lacks family with all their problems, their mistrust and their gigantic personalities.
Like a lot of non-fiction books, this is another one that shows the depravity of what one group of people are willing to do to another under the guise of science or it's for their benefit. It's a book that yet again shows the disparity between the haves and the have nots. It is a book that needs to be read but unfortunately probably not by the people that should.
One thing.....unlike me who had no idea who Henrietta Lacks was until this book, I asked my daughter if she knew who she was and was so happy when she said, yes and explained to me who she was and how she heard of her.
This book is broken down into 2 stories, the story of Henrietta Lacks’s family and the devastation that was left in the wake of her death and the story of HeLa the name given to the cells that cause her death, but were the reason so many of us are alive today.
I was never a huge science fan having completed the classes I needed to complete in school and moving on. What I found exceptional about this book was how the author explained the science, at no point was it over my head. It was clear, concise and at no point did I feel my eyes close only to be I startled awake with my iPad hitting my face. While the author had me intrigued with the science she also flipped that switch and told the story of the Lacks family with all their problems, their mistrust and their gigantic personalities.
Like a lot of non-fiction books, this is another one that shows the depravity of what one group of people are willing to do to another under the guise of science or it's for their benefit. It's a book that yet again shows the disparity between the haves and the have nots. It is a book that needs to be read but unfortunately probably not by the people that should.
One thing.....unlike me who had no idea who Henrietta Lacks was until this book, I asked my daughter if she knew who she was and was so happy when she said, yes and explained to me who she was and how she heard of her.
If history and the story of where things come from is something you like to learn about, then this is a good book. If a personal story about a family and their struggle to figure out what happened to their mother is your thing, then this is a good book. If a latent discussion of social justice and ethics is what you're into, then this is a good book. I happen to love all those things so for me, this was a fantastic book.