Non-Fiction

hoosierspud

(175 posts)

35. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Reply to DisgustipatedinCA (Original post)

Fri Dec 23, 2011, 01:05 AM

Dec 2011

This a biography of a poor African-American woman who died of cervical cancer in the 1950's. Her tumor cells are the longest lasting cell line ever cultivated and have been used in research in many different areas.

The book brings up issues of bioethics, for instance, can a person claim profits on his or her body tissues that have been used for research or by industry, and patient confidentiality. It also offers a glance into 1950's medicine near the Mason-Dixon Line. And it is a story of a family who soldiers on in hope of a better life for their children in spite of death, poverty, racism, and failing educational and health systems.

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Highlight:

What's the best nonfiction you've read this year? (bonus if it was published in 2011) [View all] DisgustipatedinCA Dec 2011 OP

America's Quarterback: Bart Starr and the Rise of the National Football League ScreamingMeemie Dec 2011 #1

Cool. I'm not much of a sports book reader, so the disclaimer... DisgustipatedinCA Dec 2011 #2

Justice for Hedgehogs - Ronald Dworkin. Jim__ Dec 2011 #3

that's really interesting DisgustipatedinCA Dec 2011 #6

Dance of Dragons Viva_La_Revolution Dec 2011 #4

You know what makes me happy? DisgustipatedinCA Dec 2011 #7

"The Strangest Man: The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Mystic of the Atom" eppur_se_muova Dec 2011 #5

this is now on my Goodreads list of books to read DisgustipatedinCA Dec 2011 #8

I have been wanting to purchase a book like this truedelphi Dec 2011 #21

It's much more of a biography than a physics book, so it probably won't anwer your questions. eppur_se_muova Dec 2011 #22

2 titles: Green is the New Red and Black Flags and Windmills idiotgardener Dec 2011 #9

John Dos Passos "The Americans" jerseyjack Dec 2011 #10

"Life" by Keith Richards... RevStPatrick Dec 2011 #11

Unbroken mgc1961 Dec 2011 #12

Yep, Unbroken iamjoy Dec 2011 #44

Vultures picnic by Greg Palast... prairierose Dec 2011 #13

Sounds like a good read. And did you know that truedelphi Dec 2011 #25

+1 RoccoR5955 Dec 2011 #28

I tried to read Vulture's Picnic NJCher Dec 2011 #30

Yes, I found his style in this book annoying but... prairierose Dec 2011 #40

"With Liberty and Justice For Some", by Glenn Greenwald. russspeakeasy Dec 2011 #14

The Disappearing Spoon (nt) usrname Dec 2011 #15

I read that, too secondvariety Dec 2011 #24

Jeffrey Sachs - Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet Lucky 13 Dec 2011 #16

Also Lester Brown - Plan B 4.0 Lucky 13 Dec 2011 #17

I am reading The Price of Civilization ashling Dec 2011 #46

Biopunk: DIY Scientists Hack the Software of Life. That young jtuck004 Dec 2011 #18

History of the Alphabet zipplewrath Dec 2011 #19

Who is the author, pls? dixiegrrrrl Aug 2012 #54

Sorry zipplewrath Aug 2012 #55

you might like Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea dixiegrrrrl Sep 2012 #58

Better Angels of Our Nature by Stephen Pinker mainer Dec 2011 #20

Isaacson's "Benjamin Franklin: An American Life." MADem Dec 2011 #23

The only other book I have read here. It was very infomative. What a diverse and talented person. efhmc Dec 2011 #27

I enjoyed it immensely--was sad to have it end! MADem Dec 2011 #42

Making Haste from of Babylon: The Mayflower Pilgrims and Their World: A New History by Nick Bunker efhmc Dec 2011 #26

The Information by James Gleick pscot Dec 2011 #29

Chaos chervilant Dec 2011 #33

It's on my list pscot Dec 2011 #41

Stauffenberg, by Peter Hoffman. provis99 Dec 2011 #31

I'm working on the Steve Jobs bio DissedByBush Dec 2011 #32

Richard Hofstadter chervilant Dec 2011 #34

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks hoosierspud Dec 2011 #35

A good one. man4allcats Dec 2011 #37

I first read about HeLa cells in the 1970's when I was going through training for my job. hoosierspud Dec 2011 #43

A People's History Of The United States man4allcats Dec 2011 #36

"Crazy Like Us: the globalization of the american psyche" tomp Dec 2011 #38

I'm mostly through "The Crash Course", scary stuff... drynberg Dec 2011 #39

A Primate's Memoir by Robert M. Sapolsky Neoma Dec 2011 #45

23 things they don't tell you lwo Jan 2012 #47

Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class by Owen Jones TomClash Jan 2012 #48

Wrongfully accused and the reality of prison life xrayvision2005 May 2012 #49

interesting post... fe6252fes Jun 2012 #50

"Life" by Keith Richards Teamster Jeff Jun 2012 #51

Willful Blindness by Margaret Hefferman. PDJane Jul 2012 #52

Incognito: The secret lives of the brain. Yavapai Jul 2012 #53

One I just started reading that seems like it will be interesting is white_wolf Aug 2012 #56

The Goldilocks Planet: The 4 Billion Year Story of Earth's Climate Odin2005 Sep 2012 #57

Treasure Islands, by Nicholas Shaxson - closeupready Oct 2012 #59

Le Freak, Nile Rodgers trailmonkee Nov 2012 #60

A Journey In to Divine Love Michelle311 Nov 2012 #61