Friday, February 26, 2010

Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Nonfiction
This a book which should be read by everyone. Well written, thoroughly researched. This is a book of faith, science, medical science and medical ignorance, racism, poverty, with issues that are being discussed today. Henrietta Lacks was a 31 year old black mother of five in Baltimore when she died of cervical cancer in 1951. Without her knowledge, doctors treating her at Johns Hopkins took tissue samples from her cervix for research. they spawned the first viable, indeed miraculously productive, cell-line known as HeLa. These cells have aided in medical discoveries from the polio vaccine to AIDS treatments. Skloot writes in a clear understanding fashion and makes no judgments.

Submitted by Patron