Now, I do read it, once in awhile. Especially if it is something I am especially interested in. Or, as in the case here, so many recommend the book to me.
"The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks" is well written, and impeccably researched. It is also a hard read, because the suffering, with cancer, that Henrietta goes through, which is chronicled in all its detail, is something no one deserves. And how this came to influence her children and further relations. The money spent, the money lost. The good her cells did. The thanks hardly any of the Lackses got.
Also, not having a science background, I found those sections of the book dense. If I had studied more science, or if Skloot could have made those sections more accessible to the general reader, it could have made a difference. It also would have made the book longer,.and reading what was written was hard enough.
I can't not recommend this book; it is too good.
But I can issue a warning.
When you pick it up, darlings, be sure you know what you are in for!
I have always enjoyed non- fiction.
ReplyDeleteWell, not Scientific nonfiction.
Biographies, that sort of thing.
Actually memoirs more so than straight-up autobiographies.
ReplyDeleteVictoria,
Bios and memoirs of those of interest
to me I enjoy. This was just a bit
too scientific for me!