5 comments about The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

1. from the first page I was hooked and stayed up too late many a night because I didn't want to put it down.



2. I found the beginning of this utterly captivating, very hard to put down. Skloot does a good job of addressing the science behind the subject without making it too technical. The part where the story derails is when the family gets involved, particularly the time spent with Mrs. Lacks' daughter, Deborah. The author seems to focus more on the struggles of Deborah and her apparent disabilities, maybe in a human-interest sort of way, but I felt that it began to become a bit more exploitative. I think it is very important to shine a light on the unethical way the black population was treated by the medical profession and how shameful it is that the Lacks family has not benefited in any way from the massive scale of production of the HeLa cell line. If this book had merely contained the first half, or left the drama of the second half out or at least shortened it some, I think this book would have appealed to me more as a whole. I would certainly recommend this to friends, but with a disclaimer of the soap-opera like drama that comes in at the end.



3. This was a book order for my son. He started school on the 25th.
   Item was ordered on the 23rd of August.
   Amazon sent shipping information to FedEx on the 23rd of August.
   FedEx did not receive the actual item from Amazon until August 30th.
   Today is 9/1/2010 and shipment estimated to arrive 9/4/2010.
   
   Amazon's systems should have alerted someone that an order is too late. Someone at Amazon should have called me the customer on the front side to notify me of the delay, and the plan to fix the issue.
   
   I will not be using Amazon for purchases going forward. Amazon should learn about QUALITY customer service from companies like Wal-Mart.



4. I as others have stated can't believe that this is her first book. I was moved to tears because once again we african americans have been deprived of our rightful place in history/research. I wonder with the politically hateful climate we find our in today, how many white folks have benefited from this research. I daresay that not many would turn down treatment developed from this research. will be giving this book as a christmas gift. should be added to black history and research classes.



5. Well researched and an intriguing story, but the book is bogged down and mired in unnecessary details and asides. The author's passion for the subject shines through, and her strong, clear sentences help, but overall, the book was a let-down.

5 comments about More Blood, More Sweat and Another Cup of Tea.

1. Lots of short stories about the adventures in health care of an ambulance crew. I enjoyed the short stories as quick reads at work.



2. True mediocrity. We kindle owners don't have the time to waste. One of the few books I abandoned.



3. This book is really just series of diary entries. I could not get through it because that's not my sort of thing.



4. I really like that this is told in short story form. You can easily put it down for several weeks, and pick up where you left off with no trouble, and you can also skip around if you like. the stories are told well by our author. Some of them are funny, sad, sweet and touching. Many emotions are invoked b/c each story has a different flavor. In addition, as an American, I'm not too familiar with London's heathcare system. Reading Tom Reynolds's book gave me a little insight as to how it works. I would recommend this!



5. I enjoy reading blogs - generally they are snapshots of a person's life, and rarely look very deeply into that life. They're a fun way to kill a few minutes.
   
   That's OK - most of the blogs I read aren't for their insights into human nature.
   
   Unfortunately, when a blog is published as a book all those not-so-deep snapshots are ... boring and unengaging.
   
   You'd think the life of an EMT would be more exciting than this, and perhaps it is, but not when the "voice" is flat, bland and detached.
   
   Writing a successful blog doesn't necessarily mean somebody is a successful author.
   
   Like other reviewers, I'm very glad this one was free.

5 comments about Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World (Random House Reader's Circle).

1. Tracy Kidder is an amazing writer. I wish I could write this review 1/10 as well as he writes a book. This is a complex subject which he thoroughly understands. This book reads more like fiction than a non-fiction book pulling you into a story which needs to be told.



2. I wansn't totally satisfied with this product. I thought it would look better without much worn-out marks. Well, it wasn't too bad. It wasn't like it had any missing pages or ripped covers. So I give it rating for so-so.



3. Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World (Random House Reader's Circle) is not light reading. It forced me to examine my own conscience and values - made me look at my own life's work in a really honest way - and, at the same time, it inspired me - affirmed my long-held belief that our purpose while we're here is to use our gifts and energies to help one another.
   
   The hero of this book, Dr. Paul Farmer, tells the author, "I have fought the long defeat and brought other people on to fight the long defeat, and I'm not going to stop because we keep losing...You know, people from our background...we're used to being on a victory team, and actually what we're really trying to do in PIH is to make common cause with the losers... We want to be on the winning team, but at the risk of turning our backs on the losers, no, it's not worth it. So you fight the long defeat." Where many people seem to think it makes the most sense to write off the sick in poor countries as hopeless and, instead, focus money and energies in the more-developed nations, Farmer takes the completely opposite view - that the world health community should START with the poor when it considers where to spend limited monies and energies - that the poor should be given the preferential treatment, not the rich.
   
   Mountains Beyond Mountains is thought-provoking and disturbing. It also is full of hope. It shows the potential one person has for making a real difference in the world.
   
   Karen Molenaar Terrell
   author of Blessings:: Adventures of a Madcap Christian Scientist



4. Wow! Talk about an amazing human being. I felt so unaccomplished, and yet very inspired.



5. This book reads like a thriller; you can't put it down. The depressing thing is that years after it was written, the situation in Haiti has not improved! Will it ever? Can we ever do enough? Even if we spend as much time, energy and resources on it as Dr. Farmer?

5 comments about My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey.

1. My Stroke of Insight can completely change the way you look at life! Not only is it extraordinairily informative regarding stroke victims, but it's amazingly insightful in regard to how we all deal with life, love, family and friends. I've never read a better book about caring for the injured or sick and about approaching life knowing that happiness is a choice! I highly recommend this book (and the audiobook is WONDERFUL!) to anyone under any circumstances. A MUST read for families and caretakers of stroke victims. This should be required reading for any medical professional! And don't be intimidated by the first section - brain anatomy - it's not neccessary that you fully understand/retain all those details in order to comprehend the rest of the book. Believe me, you'll get the message by the time you finish it.



2. I was disappointed that the author, a woman of science, would look at her vascular incident in such a subjective manner. This book was hailed as a breakthrough in the field of neuroscience. It seems to me to be just a thinly veiled religious text that, like others of its type, proves that God does, in fact, exist. If I wanted to read about religion, I would go to the religion section of the store. I enjoy reading books on psychology and neuroscience, but I don't feel that this book should be found in the science section.



3. I enjoyed this book, but the first third or so drags a bit. The author does a great job bringing up examples of how resilient the brain is, and how it can heal itself even when severely damaged. The key to this seems to be through a program of repetitive learning and sticking with it long after conventional medicine would right you off. Probably a good lesson in other areas of life as well. There are some amazing stories of recovery in this book. Quite inspirational to my father who suffered a stroke two months ago.



4. I was disappointed with the book. I would have been content with the video as it seemed to cover everything. I also questioned discrepancies between the book and the video.



5. I absolutely loved this book. I could read it over and over again and again. She was so fortunate to get help in time. Another moment later and she might not be here today to tell her story. This book will have you laughing, crying, and on the edge of your seat. She had been through so much and yet her mother never left her side. She constantly challenged her mind so that she would one day be able to function again in this world. If you think the book is great, you should look her up on youtube and hear her miraculous story. It will have you laughing, crying and then crying again. The tears I cried were a resounding cry of joy. She is a very brave and strong woman to survive what she had been through. I guarantee if you buy this book you won't be disappointed.

5 comments about Strength in What Remains (Random House Reader's Circle).

1. Compelling! It is hard to believe that one who endured what Deo did in his youth, could achieve so much.



2. I expect this book will wind up on a lot of high school and college reading lists and it should. It communicates very concisely and memorably conditions that are far removed from the mainstream of American life yet life as millions must face it. As Tracy Kidder is quoted above, "I would not have survived it." Nor would many of us. But, even away from its simple, unvarnished description of the Tutsi/Hutu conflict and the poverty of the countries in which it occurred, the book can open the reader's eyes to the life of an illegal immigrant in the United States, which is a subject both in the current news but also one that recurs throughout American history. Finally, it presents several very lovely examples of people who extended helping hands to the subject of the book and helped, in the way that only Americans can, put him in a position to fulfill his talents, which he now apparently devotes to helping his native country inch closer to some of the basic benefits of modern life. Terrific book for peoiple of all ages to read.



3. A period of bloody Tutsi-Hutu conflict occurred in Burundi following the assassination of the president in October 1993, pushing many refugees over the border into Rwanda. The Rwandan genocide of 1994 pushed many refugees back into Burundi. Some 300,000 people were killed in Burundi. This book Stells the story of one refugee who managed to escape to America.
   
   Arriving in New York with just $200 in his pocket, almost no understanding of the English language, and no-one to turn to, Deo soon experienced New York-style slum living and homelessness. The book goes on to describe both the acts unspeakable cruelty that Deo had witnessed and fled from in his own country and the enormous daily living difficulties faced by illegal immigrants in the US. Finally, Deo's lot took a turn for the better as a result of the generosity of others.
   
   The story is encouraging and disturbing at the same time. How is it that people in the West can bury their heads in the sand and ignore it when innocent people in other countries are suffering savage brutality? And closer to home, why do wealthy people tolerate the existence on their very doorsteps of an underclass living in abject poverty? What happens to the majority of homeless people who do not encounter rich benefactors?



4. 
   This book tells an exceptionally valuable story and for that reason if for no other, the book should be read by all. However the writing isn't Kidder's best. I wish it had been written by someone who allowed a more powerful style to creep in. Kidder sticks stubbornly to a conversational, informal voice. He may have been afraid of losing neutrality. However we are beholden to him for making the story known and accessible, and beholden to the characters who gave vastly more than most of us have given toward the wellbeing of others.



5. Tracy Kidder is one of those very gifted writers who can bring the experiences of deep emotions and social awareness to the readers and also leave them with the room for more questions about our existence/roles/places in the good and evil of the world. His writing is not excessively detailed, very efficient to generate curiosity and interest in the person and the political/social phenomena. Throughout this book, the resonating question in my mind is about the existence of the evil--"structured violence", and of the goodness--providence(?)-of Deo and the wonderful individuals in his life. The author asks this very question to Sharon, (and to be honest, I didn't find her answer acceptable to me personally), but her real answer is not in what she thinks, but how she lives her convictions.

5 comments about My Own Country: A Doctor's Story.

1. As a TN native, I thoroughly enjoyed Abe's writing on his time as a practicing physician in E. TN. I came across this book only after reading his later fictional work "Cutting For Stone. He is a wonderful story teller. If medicine interests you, pick up one of his books.



2. Abraham Verghese has a most engaging writing style. He brings a wealth of experience and philosophical observation to his writing. He shows such an understanding of what is needed in improving our health care delivery system. His descriptions of Appalachian life, from an outsider's perspective,are perceptive and humorous. A thoroughly enjoyable work. I look forward to reading Verghese's other novels.



3. After reading Cutting for Stone I was compelled to read something else by this author. My Own Country is his own account of his experiences during the onset of the AIDS epidemic. Written without 'icing' but without maudlin sentiment, he recounts the perception of the beginning of awareness of the disease and the effects on him as a doctor and a human being.
   This is a good read, and for those who have lived through this period, a reminder of what those days could be like. For those too young to remember when AIDS was a stigma as well as a death sentence this book provides some background as to what has been and could very well be again.



4. I love Abraham Verghese! A great communicator, speaking or writing, and what an important message about humanity and the role of medicine and healing. Vivid descriptions of people, landscape, his feelings. Couldn't put it down. Heartwrenching. Maybe some readers would not enjoy descriptions of AIDS symptoms and medical terminology, but I was glad to learn about it.



5. I was not expected to love this book as much as I did. I started reading, and just couldn't put it down. The memoir is a detailed acocunt of Dr. Vergese's HIV-infected patient cases over a 6 year period, with specific medical information and an extremely humane point of view. His honest account of the human emotions he experienced, along with the patient stories, made for a 360 degree point of view of a national and local epidemic during that time. I was most impressed with his fluid style of writing which seemed to capture so much of the human experience.
   
   As someone who also lost someone to the AIDS disease during that time, this book shed a new light for me on the struggle faced by so many which largely went unreported. I would highly recommend this book to those looking for an emotional and medical perspective on the AIDS epidemic. I think it will also open your eyes to the struggles, both emotionally and physically, experienced by the doctors and patients affected by the disease.

5 comments about Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story.

1. this book was in good conditions for being a used book and less than 5o cents ! great book as well i highly recommned it for anyone tht has a loving heart and mind



2. This is the phenomenal story of a young black man raised in Detroit in the 1960-1970s. His mother was his coach and mentor. Ben had some tough times in school not because he was stupid, but because he did not how to do many things. His mother was a great force in his life. Ben learned and learned and became the top student in everything. He received a scholarship to Yale, graduated with honors and went on to enter medical school.
   
   He actually is a genius and accomplishes everything he sets out to do. He decided he wanted to be a Neurosurgeon but not just any Neurosurgeon--a PEDIATRIC neurosurgeon. He became a member of the medical staff at John Hopkins Medical Institute.
   
   Dr. Carson pioneered surgery to separate siamese twins joined at the head. Before, they all died.
   There is much more.
   
   This book touched my heart and will yours, too. Now Dr. Carson is the best Pediatric Neurosurgeon in the entire world. I love this book.
   
   Sara Howard, Author of Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Moon



3. The book arrived in decent time, and was in the exact condition the seller said it would be. Simply put, excellent business.



4. Gifted Hands is a poorly written and unsophisticated autobiography which does little more than praise its author as second only to the god he so ceaselessly invokes. It is by far the worst book of its kind I have yet read. Try Katrina Firlik or Frank Vertosick's similar books instead.



5. I'm surprised this book received such a good rating. I thought it read like a cookbook... "I did A. Then I did B. etc.". He's clearly a gifted surgeon and a bright man but I think his writing skills are mediocre.

5 comments about The Pact: Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream.

1. This is a really good book. I brought this book for my son in high school and he simply loved it. I would recommend this book to a friend.



2. I gave this book to every member of the group I'm working with, and am encouraging them to form a "pact" with others and stick to it.



3. This book came way before the promised date and it was in excellent shape for a used book!



4. I purchased this audiobook because my juniors are reading it in their English class. What I like is that this audiobook is the unabridged version, so my kids are able to open up their book and follow along with the reading as they're listening. The second thing (probably the best thing) I like is that this audiobook is ready by the authors themselves. It'd added an air of authenticity and realism to my lessons, because the kids are listening to the actual people; for some reason, they're able to better visualize the story, knowing they're listening to the real people in the story. It's been so quiet on days that I play the audiobook, and not because the kids are sleeping! It's because they're so intent on the reading! AWESOME!



5. The book was overall pretty good. It's not very intriguing but motivational nonetheless. I would recommend it to those who enjoy inspirational type things.

5 comments about The Tennis Partner.

1. I had read "Cutting for Stone" and loved it! I actually purchased multiple copies and gave them to my daughter and two friends. I also recommended it to many of my patients. I found The Tennis Partner to be self-indulgent---more of an autobiography than a novel. The first chapter was a grabber--totally fascinating-- and then it was downhill from there. I finished it because I kept waiting for it to improve based on the Cutting for Stone novel which had incredible dimension. I felt that the characters in The Tennis Partner lacked depth but it did educate me about drug addiction in physicians.



2. The tennis metaphor may be a bit excessive, but the story and the writing are the natural step from My Own Country to Cutting For Stone. Verghese is a wonderful story teller who only gets better in Cutting for Stone. The mysterious and cunning disease of addiction is explored in this book. As another book states, addiction is"...cunning,baffling, and powerful." The deception of the addict not only breaks his own spirit, but also the spirits in those around him. The reader meets the tennis player, watches and learns from him, then sadly shakes his/her head at the choices of an addict/liar. Verghese faces some sad truths about his own life as well and gives the reader a sanitized version of his own pain and denial.



3. i had fast delivery, the book came, as promised, in excellent condition and it was also a fabulous read!



4. I purchased this book because of editorial reviews. I found it so boring I couldn't even get half way through it. I guess if you are a tennis fan it would be interesting. Otherwise, it plods thru at such a boringly slow pace that I just had to put it down, something I never do. The backround stories about the narrator's life growing up were just as tedious as imagining the sound of a tennis ball bouncing back and forth, over and over and over... Sorry I bought it. I've donated it to a charity, so maybe someone else will find it interesting.



5. The Tennis Partner was an incredible read--honest, lovely and raw that deals with friendship, loss and letting go and the painful destruction of addiction. I am an avid reader and decided to read it after reading Verghese's Cutting for Stone. Verghese is a writer like no other. While this review was initially to say The Tennis Partner is a must read, I will go on to say don't miss the beautifully written novel--Cutting for Stone.
   
   I would rate Cutting for Stone as one of the top ten books I have ever read. Verghese's every word captured on paper are a true gift to the world of readers. It was a timeless, beautiful novel that will penetrate your soul in many ways and whose characters you will love and remember long after you have finished the book. I am about to read My Own Country and cannot wait to savor every written word of Verghese. Never stop writing for us Mr. Verghese. You are one of the best writers of all time!

5 comments about Autobiography of a Face.

1. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I picked this book up. I knew it was an autobiography and that was about it. I knew from the picture on the back of the book that the author had lost a portion of her jaw. I had no idea what an impact the book would have on me.
   
   Words cannot describe the power of this book. Many parts were hard for me to read, especially the parts about her reaction to chemotherapy as my mother had undergone chemo and I had no idea how she did it. It is amazing to me that someone can have such a cynical and yet sometimes hilarious outlook on life and human behavior. In the end, it was certainly a roller coaster emotional ride that I'm glad I went on. For better or worse, I now see the world through slightly different eyes.



2. Autobiography of a Face was Lucy Grealy's first book and an inspiring insight into her battle with cancer, and life in the years afterward. The majority of the story takes place during her earlier years of life intermixed between her suburban home and hospital care.
   From the science side of things, not much information is given about her cancer or the biology involved with it. But, the book gave me a clearer understanding of what it's like to live with cancer. The detailed descriptions of the pain and suffering involved through chemotherapy treatment was something you can't get from a purely informational source, and I believe the book's emotional vie of cancer helped with my understanding of specifically Ewing Sarcoma Tumors and other types of cancer as well. When compared with the technology available at the time of her diagnosis and the aspects of Ewing sarcomas in general, Lucy's story is truly remarkable. EWS are very rare, and the chance of survival, especially at the time, make Lucy's case even more of a miracle.
   Because Lucy Grealy's cancer scarred her teenage years the most, I was able to place myself in her position and imagine being treated the way she was. I admire her strength and courage to face the dramatic world of high school, day after day while people constantly criticized her facial scarring. I also admire her ability to control herself so well while in immense pain. I would never be able to keep a complacent composure while receiving chemotherapy. I also admire her strive to surpass physical beauty, by understanding the true inner beauty in seemingly ordinary things.



3. I really wanted to like this book. I had become interested in Lucy Grealy's life after reading her friend Ann Patchett's book, Truth and Beauty, an excellent thorns-and-all memoir on Lucy and their friendship. I also am interested in body image issues, so I thought I'd love this one.
   
   This book had great potential--Grealy has quite a story to tell. Diagnosed in childhood with a rare and often fatal form of cancer, she triumphed only to face disfigurement when the cancer caused her to lose part of her face. She then had to deal with surgery after surgery to fix her disfigurement, and none of those surgeries seemed to really work. She is teased by children, must deal with the possibility of never falling in love, has a family tragedy in the middle of it all. Most horrific is that Grealy got hooked on painkillers and died less than a decade after this was written.
   
   And yet...this memoir is incredibly boring. Grealy keeps us at arm's length, rarely letting us in on her emotions. Most of the time, she focuses on the gruesome medical details of the operations. (Don't read this while you're eating.) Or she'll write about something that happened to her and at the end of it, you'll go "What? What does this have to do with anything?" I don't understand how you can make such an interesting life so boring, but somehow, Grealy manages it. I hate to write a bad review, because she led such a tough life and you've got to give her props for getting through that, and this book is not without some literary merit, but this is not the great memoir it could have been. If you want to know more about Grealy, I would go with Truth and Beauty, literally one of the best books I've ever read.



4. Grealy is honest without being sorry about it, and amazingly doesn't come across as feeling sorry for herself at all. In fact, she told her story with candor and dark humor.
   
   I didn't like it as well as Truth & Beauty - Ann Patchett writes in a style I prefer, and she was easier to relate to in general, since she's more like all of us than Lucy Grealy ever had the chance to be.
   
   Nonetheless, Grealy's autobiography was moving, and a worthwhile read.



5. Lucy Grealy writes poignantly and poetically about the way her battles with cancer
   of the jaw have affected her life since childhood. This autobiography chronicles
   her surgeries, struggles, denial and, finally, acceptance of herself as the mirror of
   her face. Facing things might be an apt metaphor here.
   
   The metaphor of face, along with her identification of self as she deals with the
   ravages wrought on her face, are examined from many different vantage points.
   At first, Ms. Grealy is in denial that she has become different looking. She then
   avoids any acknowledgment of how she's changed post-surgeries.
   
   The story shows no self-pity. Rather, she shares the evolution of her life, family,
   and growing self-awareness in a chronology of events marked by treatments and
   surgeries. This is a beautiful book!!!!