TakingTime reviewed on 12/15/2011 + 1072 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

I really enjoyed this book. Not the happenings, but the story.

I found the back and forth of the chapters - the human story and the Lacks - against the factual story of legalities was done very well. Personally I enjoyed the factual portion almost as much as the family story. I know a number said they glossed over the factual stuff to get back to the more readable family information, but for me there is just such a good balance that I enjoyed all of it. I think reading the factual part tends to more fully explain the injustice and suffering that the family has had to endure.

Am I grateful that those cells were harvested - I must admit that I am. I was in that first surge of children getting the new polio vaccine. My mother and a number of my paternal aunts and uncles had bouts with cancer that was put in remission prior to their death. The information and research learned by those cells was phenomenal.... but I am also thoroughly disgusted with the method that brought it about.
I believe this book will stay with me for a long time. I really liked this book - even the medical factual stuff. Actaully that medical factual stuff probably made more of an impact on me. I emphathized with the Lack family, but I am having more of a lingering effect with the unethical and lack of laws that allowed this type of thing to even happen. I think what worries me most is that not a whole lot has changed - laws are still not in place and there does not seem to be much ethical advancement when it comes to taking and storing body parts, blood or tissue without our consent. We think we are advanced - maybe in some ways we are - but this book makes me wonder... just how advanced are we?

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details