Edwardsville Public Library discussion

Discussion for this book will begin July 7th.

Of all the page-turning non-fiction books that have been on this discussion group, the human subject played some active role in the events that happened to them or around them.

In the case of Henrietta Lacks, she simply showed up to the hospital because she 'had a knot on her womb.' From there, Henrietta and her family haplessly enter the world of medical science.

The surviving members of the family are left to field countless questions Henrietta and her health. The first time Rebecca Skloot calls Day Lacks, the children that answer the phone immediately know that this woman is calling about Henrietta's cells. Imagine being a widower, receiving phone calls about your life 60 years after her death.

How odd must that be, to constantly be subjected to questions from people involved in a field that you have little to no knowledge of?

I read this book a few months ago but was excited to see it as one to discuss! I found the story very interesting. It really shows how people are treated differently based on their race, during Henrietta's treatment, and socio-economic status, which was how she was treated as well as her future family. I kept finding myself thinking how this situation would have been different if Henrietta had been white or middle class. I feel the outcome may have been changed greatly.

This book was quite an interesting human interest story. It gives us a glimpse into what Henrietta's life was like thanks to Rebecca Skloot. It has raised ethical issues for the family and the medical community. It is amazing that the cells of one woman have amassed so much in the wake of her death. There are both negative and positive feelings people have toward the author and her research. The story of Henrietta is riveting and heartwrenching. I could hardly stand to put it down! The research and narrative were spun in such a way that I was constantly tethered. It is a rare glimpse into a time that some of us can only imagine.

I found this book very fascinating, and it really gave me a new point of view. It really makes the reader think about some of the problems that Henrietta went through. You can definitely see how much work the author put into this story. What a great summer read.