Melody Murray's Books

I liked the afterword best, with its discussion and analysis of the murky ethics of tissue donation and tissue ownership. For me, that was the strongest component of the book.The story of Lacks is a sad one, and the story of the HeLa cells is fascinating. The intersection of those stories is very odd. The book is very involving and frankly a little draining to read. I felt sorry for the family for all sorts of different reasons, not the least of which was their portrayal in this book. The reportage on the Lacks family members was a little disconcerting although I believe Skloot was being very accurate in her descriptions. Well worth reading, but overwhelming and strange.