Randi Hazan Hazan itibaren Texas
I found this book to be disturbing and haunting at the same time.Facts of Henrietta's life and her continued life through the cells are almost unreal. The way it was written made the science more understood. The most striking part of the story though was the family's reaction to the fact that Henrietta's body was used in this way.
If you can find a copy of this, by all means read it. I won't say it's great literature, but it's a fun book for sure. Sometimes her writing gets a bit clunky and she repeats the same phrases over and over, but this is still a big ol' chunk of pulpy paperback fun.
Although not one of my favorite Austen's, the book is so well-written, it is impossible not to give it five stars. The "heroine" is somewhat silly (at the youthful age of 17, there may be some excuse for it) but warm and willing to please and be pleased, which goes a long way in any day and age. Ms. Austen does a particularly fine job of showing how difficult it is to discern the difference between sincerity and hypocrisy. With Catherine Morland, everything must be sincere. With Henry Tilney, much must be hypocrisy. As each explains to the other how they view the actions of Isabella Thorpe, Frederick Tilney, John Thorpe, and the General, the reader gets a two-sided view that is rich in social commentary.
This was really good. I enjoyed it very much. It was easy to read and the characters were enjoyable. Maybe 3.75 stars. Whitney, this would be a GREAT book for teaching I think (not having ever taught highschool literature mind you). It was a good thought provoker for 'religion' while not being a religious book or specific in anyway. Also could be a good book for a discussion of relationships amongst heterogenious individuals (some people call this diversity, but that is actually an inappropriate use of the word "diversity".)