One of the most groundbreaking discoveries in the past century was a most peculiar phenomenon known as HeLa cells. While other cultured cells shortly died in a traditional lab setting, HeLa cells continued to multiply continuously, earning them the title of the first immortal cells. This gave scientists around the world the ability to conduct a variety of experiments that would lead to life-changing discoveries such as the polio vaccine and the study of HPV/HIV. However, few are aware of the woman behind the cells: a black tobacco farmer from Virginia named Henrietta Lacks.
Who Are Venus and Serena Williams? by James Buckley Jr. is a non-fiction book. This book goes over real events in Venus and Serena William’s lives. They are both tennis stars, and this book reflects on the story of how they got there. They had to work very hard along with their father. They also had to get over tough situations they had to witness when they were younger. However, they rose and worked hard to gain the reputation they have.
Louis Zamperini was a runner, a captive, and a fighter. Louie grew up causing problems, so he picked up a hobby of running. Soon this hobby spiraled into a possible career. Louie continued his life as a runner and became very talented in this field. Then WW2 broke out. Louie went out to fight for the United States, until disaster struck. His plane crashed. Louie became helpless and hopeless, while floating in the middle of the ocean. Louie and Phil, who was with him, were found, but were they found by their friends or enemies.
This is a review about “Steve Jobs,” a biography about the late Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. And before I go on, I would like to point out that I’m currently typing this on a MacBook, and I will soon be waiting for the mail that this review has been confirmed on my iPhone, and then I’ll be listening to music on my Air Pods while my brother is playing games with our iPad.
The book begins by describing Albert’s childhood and experience in school. While most kids wanted to play games outside and have fun, Albert enjoyed spending his time solving puzzles and learning about science. In school he would ask a lot of questions; in fact, he asked so many that his teachers got annoyed with him and expelled him. Albert was then forced to learn things on his own. Although it took him time to gain respect in the science community, Albert published many theories and equations which were proven correct, and he became one of the most successful scientists of all time.
In The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot explores the history of race and its relation to science, HeLa, and the woman behind the famous cells. While Skloot clearly details the scientific aspects of Henrietta’s story, she makes a nonfiction story read as though it is fiction by transforming a story about cells into one about family. This book was fantastic! It was filled with in-depth scientific accounts, legal research, and history lessons while still being entertaining.
