jay_the_hippie 's review for:

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

4.0

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I picked up this book because my son had to read it for class. (I'm thinking of reading all the books he reads this year... except the ones I have already read.) He dislikes non-fiction, which is most of what his class will be reading, and so I want to be able to talk to him about the books, maybe make them a little more interesting to read.

I didn't start this book with any interest in the subject matter, but I found it engaging and well-written. I learned a lot about HeLa cells that I never knew before. That was the best part of the book, to me. I also learned a lot about scientific ethics of dealing with human tissues, and Henrietta Lacks' life, which held my attention. The sections about the family of Henrietta were interesting at first, but seemed to go on too long as the book wound down. Overall, it was a really good book, and I admire the author for spending about a decade gathering the materials to bring the story of Henrietta Lacks, and her HeLa cells, to light and life.

"It's good to know stuff... to be educated so you understand life and reality," is one of my takeaway discussion points from this book.