Recommendation

Based on the combination of scientific aspects and personal outlook that this book provides I would definitely recommend this book to other AP Langers. The author does a magnificent job of taking technical science and making it become readable for everyday individuals. The morals it teaches as well as this history it contains makes it a good choice if your looking for some variation in writing.

Summary

Most know her as HeLa, but her actual name is Henrietta Lacks. She was a poor southerner working the tobacco fields and was of no importance until a mysterious pain began  to occur below her waist. Scientists had took Henrietta's cells without asking and know have helped advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by billions. In addition to Henrietta not knowing, her family also didn't know until 20 years later when a woman by the name of Rebecca Skloot made a difference.

Best Chapter

Actually Ch.1 was by far the best chapter in the book. It had such a catcher that the book is almost impossible to set down initially and really keeps you reading. The Imagery once again is amazing as it honestly feels like a movie or reality.

One Page One Tone Pg. 86

Rebecca Skloot demonstrated good variation throughout her book, but on page 86 you could really notice the authors tone sorrowful. At this particular moment Henrietta is dying and making her last words clear and understood. She mentions to Gladys " Don't you let anything bad happen to them children while I'm gone." Without giving away all the details of the page the author does an excellent job of setting the scene here and really establishes her use of imagery. 

10 Significant Events

1. A pain feeling going through Henrietta's sexual parts. This was just the beginning of when Henrietta was later going to be used for a medical and scientific revolution.  
2. First Hospital visit. Determine that there was something unusual with Henrietta and that some more examining should take place. 
3. Signing contract to John Hopkins Hospital. Allowed for procedures to be taken on Henrietta, but little did she know that what the doctors found was actually being used for scientific research.  
4. The delivery of Henrietta's cells to Gey's lab. This was just the start of astonishing discover to be made about her and truly transform science and medical fields.  
5. Henrietta's blindness to the whole situation of her cells being evaluated. Made the whole purpose behind the book.    
6. Rebecca Skloot's first information on Henrietta. This once again made the book, because there was need for someone to dig up the past and she was the one to do it.                  
7. Henrietta's Death. Was the moment wen she passed on October 5, 1941 and was significant in the fact that this was in all retrospect the beginning of the end.     
8. The Hela Factory. This is actually chapter thirteen in which Henrietta's cells were now pronounced as HeLa and were a massive operation to help stop Polio led to many other discoveries down the road. 
9. The Headlines. This section of the book demonstrated the public awareness of the whole situation and a debate was taken whether if this was fair or not. 
10. Deborah's first chance to see her mothers cells. This part was touching and emotional as Deborah would now see and understand what really took place. 

Places in the book

A few of settings that took place in Skloot's book were John Hopkins Hospital, Crownsville Hospital, and the laboratory. The two hospitals mentioned were the destinations in which Henrietta went to in order to find out what was wrong with her. After the fact her cells were taken to Gey's laboratory and examined until finally scientists discovered that  her cells were vital for developing things the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects.

Important People

As a individual who was unable to finish the book some of the most significant people were obviously Henrietta, in addition to her surgeon Wharton and Dr. George Gey. The two doctors assisted finding out what was going on with Henrietta, as well as beginning the process of discovering Henrietta's never dying cells. Along with Henrietta being in the spotlight, her family was also mentioned, because they were the one's observing all these events. Skloot demonstrated a great equality trait in each of the characters, because she was fair in her examples and reasoning.  

Title In Relation to Book

Rebecca Skloot's book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is extraordinary and the title couldn't have been anything different. The book is centered around this African American woman named Henrietta Lacks in which her cells were taken unknowingly and have created some of the best leads in science and caused for a medical revolution.

A Little about Henrietta Lacks

Rebecca Skloot is an award winning science writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine; O, The Oprah Magazine; Discover; and many other publications. She specializes in narrative science writing and has explored a wide range of topics, including goldfish surgery, tissue ownership rights, race and medicine, food politics, and packs of wild dogs in Manhattan. She has worked as a correspondent for WNYC’s Radiolab and PBS’s Nova ScienceNOW.

Source :Bio « Rebecca Skloot

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks MLA Doc.

Skloot, Rebecca. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Vol. 1. Broadway. 

Life as we knew it evaluation

Jacob Strawsine

Mrs. West

Ap Lang 6^th Hour

February 27, 2012

FCA's
1.  Identify a position (5)
2.  Explain your criteria, application, reasoning for your position with quoted evidence as support. Please indicate the page number of your quote in parenthesis following the quote. (10)
3.  Explain the position of the opposition and provide counterargument.  (10)

Life as we knew it Evaluation

The decision to have Life as we knew it as our “one book one school” program was a rather good choice, because it offered several different factors that represented solid writing. Susan Beth Pfeffer wrote well towards here directed audience, as it not only could be for teenagers, but the average scientific fanatic. The book demonstrated good educational value which made it an excellent choice for the program, as it contained many moral values that everyone should know. For example when Pfeffer says “Just in case the world ends tomorrow," "We might as well enjoy today.” This represents how people should live their day to day life and not just wait around for things to happen, but embrace each moment. Other factors that make this a good book are how she was satirical, and that this had created an identifiable tone throughout it. She also tried to give a sense of change through her writing, for instance when she says “I have no privacy. But I feel so alone.”  The author meant that someone could have all the friends in the world, but feel also isolated at the same time. Other interpreters of the book may view this writing as unnecessary, because it scares readers that these events are in fact possible and may lead to fear in some people. Other then that I believe the book is superb and is by far one of the best in previous years, because of the imagery and sense of reality it contains.