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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
by Rebecca Skloot (Goodreads Author)
by Rebecca Skloot (Goodreads Author)
Mag's review
bookshelves: non-fiction, medical-ethics, science
Dec 18, 10
bookshelves: non-fiction, medical-ethics, science
Read from December 12 to 16, 2010
It reads like good crime fiction. It chronicles the life of the woman whose cancerous tissue became the first tissue in history which could be successfully grown as culture and used in various, and countless, experiments from vaccine research to cloning. Her tissue was so successful in fact that it became virtually immortal, surviving in various environments and proliferating at prodigious rates. Yet, very little was known about the woman herself, her life, her family, her history, and this is what Skloot set out to uncover. What she found out is absolutely stunning from the point of medical ethics, American history and American healthcare. Fascinating. Highly recommended.
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Cynthia
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Dec 17, 2010 11:56am
Mag you read FAST!!!!
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It sure looks good. And imo reading and listening take an equal amount of time.....though for some reason I don't take in as much when listening as when reading. Other people have completely opposite learning abilities. Reading feels so personal to me. The weird thing is I love movies. Who knows?????
Yes, in the end they do. Listening is longer imo, but you can listen anywhere- doing the dishes and driving a car. Reading the print is faster for me, but I find it more difficult to find the time to sit down and read. For some weird reason I remember more when I listen to something, as well, but then with some things, as with some scientific explanations here or names, I really want to see them written down. We are actually discussing Henrietta next month in the science bookgroup, so I got a pdf copy of it on my computer as well, and I am going to look through it again before we start. By the way, I don't like electronic copies as much as I like paper copies, either. Funny with all those available formats, isn't it? :)
Nice review, Mag. I probably won't read it, despite all of the praise. I heard a lengthy interview with Skloot on NPR and I have read several reviews, so I already know the story.Do you think I will be missing something?I never listen to books on tape. I prefer to "lose myself" in a book when reading. I reserve my listening time to NPR for news and info and classical music at other times.
Thanks. It all depends on how much you are interested in medical ethics. Henrietta's story is one thing, but then there is a lot on cell research and patient rights in the book too. And a lot about the living conditions of Black people in the 50s and 60s, which I found mind-boggling to tell the truth.
As a long time medical professional, I am quite interested in medical ethics and procedures, etc. I remeber traveling through the South in the early 60's and observing many of the deplorable living conditions there. Perhaps I should revise my decision!
Hmmm.....I was thinking to give it a miss for the same reason you state Barbara but Mag you make a good point about the medical ethics angle. Makes me want to fit it into my schedule.....somehow. (hand to forehead)
