Another Terrific Read

Just finished reading ‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot. I am very, very picky when it comes to reading non-fictions. This one captivated me so much that I ordered it on Amazon within minutes of reading an excerpt.

If you haven’t yet read it, go get it. It is a compelling read that will make you marvel at the mysteries and discoveries of medical science but will also compel you to question the ethical ramifications around research that includes human subjects.

What is amazing about the author is that this is her debut novel. She spent a decade researching the book’s central character, Henrietta Lacks-her illness, her family and of course her now famous cell line. It is a story of love, hope and friendship. It is a story about perseverance, of healing. It is a story that forces us to reflect upon the sacrifices made by individuals, both humans and animals that have allowed us to benefit so much from modern medicine.

I cried while reading some portions of the book, especially the element of racism, the inhuman, squalid, degrading conditions in which blacks (and in some cases, other minorities) were treated, the poverty surrounding it all but it was also uplifting, heart-rendering, full of compassion, even witty at times.

I tip my hat to Ms. Skloot for the awareness, for honoring the black woman behind the HeLa cells.