Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

104 reviews

foreverinastory's review against another edition

emotional informative sad

5.0

Everyone should read this book, but especially the scientific field.

CWs: Abandonment, ableism, addiction, blood, cancer, child abuse, chronic illness, death, death of parent, drug abuse/use, emotional abuse, fatphobia, forced institutionalization, grief, incest, infidelity, medical content, medical trauma, mental illness (PTSD), physical abuse, pedophilia, pregnancy, racial slurs, racism, rape, sexual assault, sexual content, sexual harassment, terminal illness, vomit. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

angelaf's review against another edition

challenging informative sad slow-paced

2.0

The story of Henrietta Lacks and HeLa cells is a very important story to tell due to its historical significance and the ethical issues it raises. However, I often felt bogged down in all the details and felt like I would have been more engaged with the book if it was 75-100 pages shorter. Also, I felt somewhat icky while reading about the Lacks family since the narrative felt rather invasive at times. I think the story could have been told without exposing the family so much. In some ways, the book feels like more white people profiting from and exploiting the Lacks family. Read if you enjoy: medical history, narrative nonfiction, untold history

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse

vampiretree's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

Moderate: Chronic illness, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, and Physical abuse

vgartner's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, and Medical trauma

marenk's review against another edition

informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

This book was so informative! It talks about Henrietta Lacks, her life and the life of her family, but also about so much more. It discusses racism in medicine and the rights of patients and doctors (mostly regarding tissue samples).
Before reading this book, I expected it to be very scientific and hard to read, but that honestly wasn‘t the case at all! It is easy to read and you really don‘t need to know a lot about medicine (I didn‘t either).
I recommend this book to everyone who is interested in medicine, genetics and/or the ethical code of medicine!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, Racism, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Violence, and Death of parent

Minor: Incest

spellbound's review against another edition

emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault

peachani's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Death of parent

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Gun violence, Infidelity, and Stalking

fgeary's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Slavery

competencefantasy's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective tense medium-paced

4.5

 

So I have a science degree

And would have had a chemistry PHD from a big deal institute if my health had held (and advisor was less abusive)

I teach science. 

I knew none of this

None of this at all. 

And I am just shocked and appalled by that. 

Sure I can claim that biology is not my area. 

But come on I took a senior undergraduate drug discovery course. 

I should know this 

Frustrated arm wave. 

I mean not just *relevant* it’s fascinating. 

The concept of consent for studies

Medical ethics

That we argue necessity for public good but then have inaccessible care 

I probably would have talked more about the sister thing

Really easy to read writing style, not sure about some of the framing

Other Things I’ve looked at/read for this

Review by Colorful Book Reviews (This makes some points about the white reporter writing about a black family thing that I’m not qualified to comment on but did notice)

Book & Movie Review - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks  Rachel Rae Youtube (makes some interesting points about Deborah as a source)

Review: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot  by Starzbooks Youtube

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - A USF Faculty Discussion  USF Libraries Youtube

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, and Forced institutionalization

ericadansereau's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative sad medium-paced

4.5

Incredible story I couldn’t put down. I appreciated the insight into Henrietta and her family, I felt like I got to know them. The author did a wonderful job with her thorough report detailing facts about the HeLa cell line and all of the ethical and legal concerns surrounding it. Some of the book was quite shocking and disturbing to read when it came to medical care and general treatment of this family and black patients. This is such an important subject and I definitely recommend this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Incest, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, and Death of parent