The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks would never have been my first choice for a book to read, but the old adage rings true with this one - you can't judge a book by its cover. The author does a wonderful job of explaining just enough of the science to keep you informed while sharing the lives of Henrietta and her family so that you remain intrigued throughout. The story is told in layers, jumping back and forth in time to address the sometime painful, sometime joyous and always interesting relationship between the Lacks family and the medical establishment. Our group ended up having a great discussion around issues of race, class and ethics as they pertained to the situations presented in the book, but also as they have touched our lives.