Hello Kind Reader,
Just a quick note that I've registered this book at BookCrossing.com, so that I can keep up on where it goes, who reads it, and what they thought of it. Please visit www.BookCrossing.com to make a quick journal entry, then pass the book along to someone else who will appreciate it. We can all track this book's journey and the lives it touches forever more!
Thank You!

Arrived this morning but I have just arrived home now (almost midnight!) to find this lovely surprise. Can't wait to read it! Thank you so much.

Information: fascinating;
execution: not as polished as it deserved to be

Skloot spent an enormous amount of time, energy and angst bringing this story together. She helped the Lacks family understand what happened and what is still happening to Henrietta's cells and helped them all, especially Deborah (Henrietta's daughter) to come to terms with everything. It was a mammoth, incredibly difficult task; however, too much space was given to Deborah's repeated anxiety attacks, without explaining why she was having them. Deborah was an amazingly strong and determined woman who came across as a lunatic until the end of the book.

I also think a basic science lesson about cells and the processes that were used to keep them alive in culture, as well as a little chart to see how, where and why the HeLa cells have been used would have been a valid contribution to the story and made it much more interesting.

But it was a fascinating read and I'm glad I read it. I had never, ever, heard anything about HeLa cells. Absolutely incredible. Thank you for sharing leamhliom.

Starting now, and will send it on its way in the next
Reserved for ythan

Hello Happy Reader!!

Finally on its way to you.

Arrived safe and sound.

Thanks very much.

Amazon Synopsis:

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells—taken without her knowledge in 1951—became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and more. Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can't afford health insurance. This phenomenal New York Times bestseller tells a riveting story of the collision between ethics, race, and medicine; of scientific discovery and faith healing; and of a daughter consumed with questions about the mother she never knew.
________________________________________________________________________________
My Review:

I'd never heard of Henrietta Lacks or HeLa before, when I initially saw the title of this book I assumed this was a fantasy book. After reading the synopsis I obviously discovered that it wasn't. It's been a long time since I studied science and quite honestly don't remember much of what I had studied. I would have assumed that cells died pretty quickly after they had been extracted from the human body, much like human organs can only be moved from one human to another in a short space of time before they are no longer of use. I could never have imagined that cells could live/replicate that long and be used in so many different ways.

I found this book easy to read but due to the subject matter it was hard going at times, so much information from so many sources. So much deception, injustice and loss this family had to suffer through/still suffers through. I hope that Deborah and her family did receive enough answers and closure before she/they died. Part of me wishes that Deborah would have lived another year so she could have met up with Rebecca and have her read this book to her as she wanted her to do, for them to celebrate the completion of it together.

I hope to find out more about how the money from this book was used for scholarships for her family.

Off to surprise a HGG participant.

I received this beautifully wrapped wishlist book, as well as a sparkly Christmas card with some lovely postcards inside, from Ythan as a Christmas gift. Thank you so much! I look forward to reading it.

When I'm through with this, I need to save it for the Nonfiction VBB.

I'm not sure what initially enticed me to put this on my wish list---I'm not really a super sciency person. But, the book is very well written and engaging for the not-so-scientific-minded and I was hooked at the first couple paragraphs. More specifically, I was furious.

After the very first chapter, I wrote these thoughts: "I think the idea of doing research on tissue samples is fine IF the person understands and agrees to the research. I don't think the family should have much say if the individual has already decided."

After reading through the book, I would revise that statement a bit as it occurred to me that some of the donor DNA would also match that of the children; so yes, I do believe the children should also have a say on what kind of research is being done. Is this feasible or even possible? I doubt it.

The saddest part of this story was the fear the family dealt with while struggling to understand the science involved in all this. The underlying attitude of the medical establishment that was never actually voiced seemed to be something like, "Yes, we feel kinda bad for what we did---but not a lot bad---and as long as this family remains ignorant, all will be well." It seemed those culpable were interested in appeasing the family but not properly fixing the root of the problem. I do have to give kudos to Christoph, though, for his great compassion....and to the author, too, really. Both seemed to genuinely see the heart of the Lacks family and want to help them find peace about the situation.

Throughout the book, I kept thinking---not meanly but frankly---how ignorant the Lacks' were to the ways of science and medicine. Then I read the afterward and realized my own ignorance about my lack of rights to my own "discarded" tissue. I have no more rights to any part of my appendix that was removed two years ago than I do to the gum wrapper I threw into the trash can at the public park downtown. Once I "give up" my tissue, it's free game to whomever wants it. There is something very terribly wrong with that. Lots wrong with that, actually. But that's not an argument anyone is going to win any time soon.

Sending to Shroffland. Enjoy!

To the finder of this book:

This book is gift, no strings attached, from me to you. You may keep it forever, pass it along to a friend, or release it into the wild to be found by someone else.

If you are new to BookCrossing, welcome! Enjoy the site, the book, and the BookCrossing community. I hope you'll join us...it's free! If you do, please consider using me, elizardbreath, as your referring member. You can even remain anonymous if you wish!

I hope you'll make a brief journal entry so all the previous and future readers can track this book's journey.

Thanks, and Happy BookCrossing! :)

Fhanks, elizardbreath. I’vewanting to read this bookfor a long time; it sounds intriguing!