From the Bookshelf of Cafe Libri…

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Rebecca Skloot

Start date: February 1, 2014

Finish date: February 28, 2014

Discussion: 2014 Book of the Month Reads

Why we're reading this: February 2014's Book of the Month…more
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2014 Book of the Month Reads

October: Mr. Mercedes (Bill Hodges Trilogy, #1) by Stephen King
By Shelli , Co-owner of Cafe Libri · 5 posts · 13 views

last updated May 03, 2015 06:25AM

December 2014 & January 2015: The Confessions of Nat Turner by William Styron
By Shelli , Co-owner of Cafe Libri · 6 posts · 13 views

last updated Feb 01, 2015 10:54PM

What Members Thought

Jan 21, 2014 Nikki rated it liked it · review of another edition

The book is a mixture of science, history, and biography rolled up into one. I was fascinated by learning about HELA cells and the breakthrough medical technology that was tested on HELA cells including the polio vaccine. I'd definitely recommend this book to everyone to read because it shines a light on the brilliance of science and the unethical practices of those scientist and medical practitioners. I was less impressed with the biography portion of the book and wish that a lot of it was left ...more

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Jul 01, 2017 Jeffrey Taylor rated it really liked it

The story seemed to lose focus and became more about the discovery of the story and the decendants of Henrietta than about Henrietta herself. The reporter became part of the story.

It does tell the story embeded in the report well. It is amazing and entirely wrong that the law fails to protect the donor of cells which become used in research without the protection of informed consent while it does protect pharmacital companies who discover a test or a cure form such research and permits them to p ...more

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Feb 14, 2012 Judi rated it really liked it

An amazing book! well written and liked how close she was to the subject, but stii remained unbiased. I wont forget Henrietta Lacks or her family; not many books effect me this deeply.

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Sep 15, 2010 Nannie Bittinger rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Amazing, and in many ways, horror story of a family and the scientific communitee written with much detail but at a level the layperson can understand.

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Jan 22, 2011 Lisa Kessler rated it it was amazing

Wow! I don't usually read non-fiction, but this book read like a novel. There were many times my jaw dropped and I couldn't believe this was real...

Read this book! It's haunting, shocking, and eye-opening to the world of medical research and immortality... ...more

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Apr 17, 2014 athenaowl rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics

In light of Planned Parenthood harvesting and selling fetus body parts, this book investigates and sheds light on HeLa cells that were harvested by a woman with cancer on her cervix without her knowledge and sold for the greater good of mankind. Herself and her family never received a dime from the huge profit market of her own HeLa cells. Thought productive read.

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