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mels_reading_log's review against another edition
5.0
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.
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
3.0
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
4.75
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
ejthephoenix's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Moderate: Drug use, Incest, Murder, Pregnancy, Slavery, Racism, Rape, Cursing, and Sexual assault
Minor: Suicide, Vomit, Outing, and Blood
alliejuve's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Terminal illness, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Incest, Medical content, and Misogyny
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Death, and Sexual violence
Minor: Slavery
shantellelandry's review against another edition
4.25
Minor: Incest
danileah07's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Death, Medical trauma, Cancer, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Grief and Racism
Minor: Incest and Medical content
oceanwriter's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Cancer, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Sexual assault, Racism, and Child abuse
Minor: Incest
tieflingmom's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Hate crime, Cancer, Incest, Racism, Sexual assault, Medical content, Death, Sexism, and Terminal illness
summeryoder's review against another edition
5.0
"But before she died, a surgeon took samples of her tumor and put them in a petri dish. Scientists had been trying to keep human cells alive in culture for decades, but they all eventually died. Henrietta's were different: they reproduced an entire generation every twenty-four hours, and they never stopped. They became the first immortal
human cells ever grown in a laboratory."
Henrietta Lacks never knew that her tissues had been taken for research. She never found out that her cells were used to study cancer, to formulate the polio vaccine, or that they were sent into outer space.
Her family didn't find out for over 20 years and the discovery put them on a journey of confusion and pain.
"When I go to the doctor for my checkups I always say my mother was HeLa. They get all excited, tell me stuff like how her cells helped make my blood pressure medicines and antidepression pills and how all this important stuff in science happen cause of her. But they don't never explain more than just sayin, Yeah, your mother was on the moon, she been in nuclear bombs and made that polio vaccine. I really don't know how she did all that, but I guess I'm glad she did, cause that mean she helpin lots of people. I think she would like that." -Deborah Lacks as told to Rebecca Skloot
Meticulously researched, this book gives much food for thought on the topics of racism, medical ethics, grief, trauma, and more. It's not a feel-good read, but it's an important one.
Graphic: Medical trauma and Medical content
Moderate: Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Incest, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Alcoholism