Book Reviews - Part 1

I will apologize in advance to those of you who aren't that interested in reading books. It's a big part of my life and even more so lately. Maybe my post will encourage you to visit your local library!

Two of my friends (who don't know each other) kept recommending this book to me. One is a nurse and one is a chemist, so I was a bit dubious . . . LOL! The book was actually fascinating if you can make it through some of the tedious medical descriptions (I did some skimming). Henrietta Lacks was a black woman who had cervical cancer in the early 1950's. She received treatment at John Hopkins, but died shortly thereafter. Cells that were removed from her were kept in a lab and multiplied and were come to be known as HeLa (first 2 initials of her first and last names) cells (referenced in many medical and biology books that I have never read). These cells had an almost superhuman ability to thrive and were studied and used for medical advancement in things such as the polio vaccine. Decades later, her family became aware that her cells were a living thing (which confused them, as they were not very educated) and being used for profit. A reporter writes the book and there are many interviews of family members. The book's real purpose is to pose ethical questions about patient's rights of consent, privacy and property of their discarded tissue. I didn't realize that there were places across the country that store cells. It really makes you think about what happens to your tissues after you give birth, have surgery, or just go for routine bloodwork.

 

 

I picked up this book of historical fiction because of my trip to Hawaii last year.  Moloka'i is a small Hawaiian island where Hawaiians who contracted leprosy were banished to from the late 1860's to the 1960's. The story follows a fictional young girl's life. Though the subject matter may sound depressing, the book is very uplifting and inspirational. It shows that family doesn't necessarily mean relatives. Despite her disease, she goes on to live a full life of love, as well as heartbreaking losses. I loved this book because of the beautiful story and setting, as well as the fact that I learned so much about the disease. The only thing I didn't like was that the author never fully explained why the girl's mother did not try to keep in contact with her by letter or visits (which were permitted on a limited basis).

 

 

What's not to love about a book with a girl named Julie who writes a blog, tries new recipes every day, and has her book turned into a major motion picture? As it turns out, A LOT! I hated the book so much, I quit about halfway through. Even the (very short) chapters about Julia Child's life could not save this book for me. The author never had a good word to say about ANYBODY. This included her parents, siblings, husband, and co-workers. She didn't even seem to like her friends all that much. The worst part for me was that she worked for a government agency building the memorial for 9/11 and her attitude towards the victims' families was deplorable. In addition, her intolerance for anyone not having the same political viewpoints as her was sickening. She's completely self-absorbed and gives New Yorkers a bad name. Maybe if this was fiction, I could have stomached it better!

Stay tuned for Part 2 at a future date.