JacobkoshGamble a stamp.I can show you how to be a real man!Moderatormod
edited September 2011
I think the Mule stuff in Foundation was great, as well as being largely necessary. Asimov wasn't interested in writing "there's a problem, but it magically resolves itself" over and over again, and I think his instincts here as a plotter were dead on; he showed us how the Foundation was supposed to work, and then threw a wrench in the works - that's drama 101. And while he is not a writer anyone would accuse of being a great characterizer or literary stylist (though I maintain he has his moments of both), some of the scenes with the Mule are memorably perverse, and the Second Foundation is presented in a way that makes them feel both heroic and creepily amoral at the same time, which is almost a cliche now but was a real achievement for Golden Age SF.
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Grudgeblessed is the mind too small for doubtRegistered Userregular
DynagripBreak me a million heartsHoustonRegistered User, ClubPAregular
I'm reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. It's about the poor black woman that died of cervix cancer and her tumor cells were cultured and become the first "immortal" line of human cells. They've been used for all sorts of shit. Like vaccine testing, radiation studies, counting chromosomes, etc.
And it's a true story! Well written and the human element is well done.
Picked it up because of an alumni book club that I'm going to start trying to attend.
Mojo_JojoWe are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourseRegistered Userregular
So I finished Mistborn. The writing and ideas continued to oscillate up and down, but it averaged out okay. I then moved on to the second, now this is a book I can believe was written by one person. Sadly, it was written by the weaker half of the writing team from the first book (although it's not as bad). I was kind of stuck on a train for a hell of a long time, so I got a good two thirds in quite quickly. I may as well finish it now.
I think the Mule stuff in Foundation was great, as well as being largely necessary. Asimov wasn't interested in writing "there's a problem, but it magically resolves itself" over and over again, and I think his instincts here as a plotter were dead on; he showed us how the Foundation was supposed to work, and then threw a wrench in the works - that's drama 101. And while he is not a writer anyone would accuse of being a great characterizer or literary stylist (though I maintain he has his moments of both), some of the scenes with the Mule is memorably perverse, and the Second Foundation is presented in a way that makes them feel both heroic and creepily amoral at the same time, which is almost a cliche now but was a real achievement for Golden Age SF.
True, I just wish it had been done in some other way. I found the shift in focus between the first book and a half and the last book and a half to be quite jarring.
Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
I'm about halfway through Assassination Vacation, by the girl who can turn invisible in the The Incredibles.
I don't judge books by their covers but I do find myself judging them by their first sentences. So when I read "Going to Ford's Theatre to watch the play is like going to Hooters for the food." I was like oh no what a lame joke, this book is going to be terrible.
But things really picked up after the first sentence! The book is delightful so far and her enthusiasm about presidential assassinations is infectious. (I know you're thinking: "what's wrong with that sentence? I liked it!" Well, see, you only liked it because I complained about it. If I said the sentence was brilliant you'd be like "what! it was superlame.")
I just read the entire Felix Castor series - 5 books - by Mike Carey. Very enjoyable. Think Dresden Files+Hellblazer in London.
Now I'm rereading ASOIAF, because my conversations with friends about it are throwing up so many questions and I want to check the original lines myself.
It's very good, of course, but also surprisingly enjoyable in the light of later events and revelations - much closer to the feeling of reading a new book than I expected.
I figure I could take a bear.
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VanguardBut now the dream is over. And the insect is awake.Registered User, __BANNED USERSregular
edited September 2011
The Art of Recklessness: Poetry as Assertive Force and Contradiction by Dean Young is fantastic.
I think the Mule stuff in Foundation was great, as well as being largely necessary. Asimov wasn't interested in writing "there's a problem, but it magically resolves itself" over and over again, and I think his instincts here as a plotter were dead on; he showed us how the Foundation was supposed to work, and then threw a wrench in the works - that's drama 101. And while he is not a writer anyone would accuse of being a great characterizer or literary stylist (though I maintain he has his moments of both), some of the scenes with the Mule is memorably perverse, and the Second Foundation is presented in a way that makes them feel both heroic and creepily amoral at the same time, which is almost a cliche now but was a real achievement for Golden Age SF.
Eh, I really disliked the idea of the Second Foundation. Especially because they basically undercut what made the Mule interesting.
I mean, the whole point of the Mule is that he's unique and unpredictable. It was a great concept for the story. The whole series was about the greater movements of history being, essentially, uneffected by the individuals involved. It doesn't matter who specifically was where at what time, everything works out roughly the same in the end.
And then you get the Mule as the antithesis of this. A thing unpredicted. He's a man of such personal power that he essentially violates the tenates of psychohistory. It was a great and interesting move.
And then suddenly it feels like he had no idea where to go from here. So he pulls a solution out of his ass. "Um, more psychics!" Which made no damn sense since the whole point of the Mule was his powers were unanticipated. And overall it was just a weak move.
So I finished Mistborn. The writing and ideas continued to oscillate up and down, but it averaged out okay. I then moved on to the second, now this is a book I can believe was written by one person. Sadly, it was written by the weaker half of the writing team from the first book (although it's not as bad). I was kind of stuck on a train for a hell of a long time, so I got a good two thirds in quite quickly. I may as well finish it now.
I thought the second book was definitely a step back, and was kind of a bother to get through. Third book improves, in my opinion, and felt it wrapped up the series pretty well.
Of course there's another book coming out now, but I'm ok with that since it seems to just be set in that world, rather than attached to the original trilogy in a tacked-on sort of way.
I'm 2/3 through Dance with Dragons and am enjoying it after some fits and starts. At this point I don't see anything topping book 3. Once done I may begin again again which would be pretty weird for me as I don't typically like to reread books.
“Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears.”
― Marcus Aurelius
Just going to grab my post from the TWB reading thread, because I feel people who like YA Fantasy even a little should read these books...
Got the urge to read some YA fantasy, ended up reading all the books of the Last Apprentice/Spook's Apprentice/Wardstone Chronicles (apparently they couldn't decide on a damn name). Holy crap are they great. Great atmosphere, great worldbuilding, actually scary at times (it's dark fantasy), and perhaps most unusually for a YA series, a good romance. Really establishes the many shades of moral grey well too, while keeping the hero a good guy in a believable way.
What a coincidence, I'm reading the second Mistborn book too!
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baronfelWould you say I havea _plethora_?Registered Userregular
I've started reading Gaiman's American Gods. In short, I'm loving every terse line. I am very confused about Shadow's backstory, and although things are becoming slightly more clear I still don't feel like I know the character really. Something about his descriptions and style is very evocative. About 2/5 done, and as of right now would suggest it to anyone who wonders where the gods are these days.
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pyromaniac221this just might bean interestin YTRegistered Userregular
I've started reading Gaiman's American Gods. In short, I'm loving every terse line. I am very confused about Shadow's backstory, and although things are becoming slightly more clear I still don't feel like I know the character really. Something about his descriptions and style is very evocative. About 2/5 done, and as of right now would suggest it to anyone who wonders where the gods are these days.
I'm about halfway through it so far, and I feel like (so far) that Shadow lacks motivation. He kind of just drifts around and stuff happens to him, and he just goes along with it. I enjoy the prose and I'll definitely finish it, but I feel like it's lacking something.
I loved American Gods, I was always very big on mythology as a kid. Won't spoil anything, but definitely keep reading.
Finally getting around to reading Kafka on the Shore, by Haruki Murakami. I think it's his most famous one, which is kinda funny because I've read all his others. Love his style, or rather, Jay Rubin's interpretation of his style - I remember reading one that felt a little off then realised someone else had translated it.
I loved American Gods, I was always very big on mythology as a kid. Won't spoil anything, but definitely keep reading.
Finally getting around to reading Kafka on the Shore, by Haruki Murakami. I think it's his most famous one, which is kinda funny because I've read all his others. Love his style, or rather, Jay Rubin's interpretation of his style - I remember reading one that felt a little off then realised someone else had translated it.
Kafka on the Shore was released around the time he became truly famous outside Japan, but Norwegian Wood seems to be his most famous book... and his worst, unfortunately.
I've read some of his stuff in Japanese, because I'm pretentious like that, and I think Jay Rubin is an excellent translator. The books read very similarly in both languages. There's a book written by Jay about translating Murakami, which was a very interesting read for me.
I'm 2/3 through Dance with Dragons and am enjoying it after some fits and starts. At this point I don't see anything topping book 3. Once done I may begin again again which would be pretty weird for me as I don't typically like to reread books.
I don't re-read much either, but these books reward re-reading so much. At the moment, I'm finding anything Varys or Littlefinger says very interesting, and even Ned's idle daydreams about Jon make you think a lot.
Shadow in American Gods is kind of meant to be how he is. Gaimen feels that this was the only way to write the character. So I'll spoil his character for you. No plot spoiler. But it literally takes like half the book for Gaimen to get around to "Oh yeah, this is why he's being this way"
He's kind of completely wrecked by losing his girlfriend, and the weird things happening to him he's going along with because he can't bother to fight it, and part of him isn't accepting any of it to begin with. Also important, despite his size and strength, he is very intelligent, but was used to, all his life, being regarded for his size rather than brain, so he has grown used to be used that way, and being judged based on appearence. He grew silent and taciturn as a result.
That's also why he's so quiet, and doesn't monologue much. Gaimen felt (told this in an interview), that's just how he was. "He was a very difficult character to write."
Dance gets better later on, to be sure.
I never read Kafka. I got it from the library, but didn't get around to it by time it was due back. The first few chapters seemed all right. I have heard it gets better. But I've also heard it's not the best exmaple of his work. What would be the best book of his to read. It was the Wind-Up Bird, right?
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baronfelWould you say I havea _plethora_?Registered Userregular
edited September 2011
I didn't read your spoiler, but your pointing out when we get some more information on Shadow has me very excited for reading tonight!
Shadow in American Gods is kind of meant to be how he is. Gaimen feels that this was the only way to write the character. So I'll spoil his character for you. No plot spoiler. But it literally takes like half the book for Gaimen to get around to "Oh yeah, this is why he's being this way"
He's kind of completely wrecked by losing his girlfriend, and the weird things happening to him he's going along with because he can't bother to fight it, and part of him isn't accepting any of it to begin with. Also important, despite his size and strength, he is very intelligent, but was used to, all his life, being regarded for his size rather than brain, so he has grown used to be used that way, and being judged based on appearence. He grew silent and taciturn as a result.
That's also why he's so quiet, and doesn't monologue much. Gaimen felt (told this in an interview), that's just how he was. "He was a very difficult character to write."
Dance gets better later on, to be sure.
I never read Kafka. I got it from the library, but didn't get around to it by time it was due back. The first few chapters seemed all right. I have heard it gets better. But I've also heard it's not the best exmaple of his work. What would be the best book of his to read. It was the Wind-Up Bird, right?
The Wind-up Bird Chronicle is definitely my favourite Murakami, followed by Dance Dance Dance (which I think is a sequel to A Wild Sheep Chase). Dance Dance Dance is one translated by Alfred Birnbaum, so now I kinda want to re-read them all with a more analytical eye, haha. That book by Jay Rubin sounds like it'd be an interesting read too.
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Mojo_JojoWe are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourseRegistered Userregular
What a coincidence, I'm reading the second Mistborn book too!
How was it for you so far? I'm sure it was this thread that recommended the series, but when I point out they aren't great everybody seems to agree! I'm still reading I suppose, so that counts for something.
Mojo_Jojo on
Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
I must have seen that list before and raged about it, but Terry Goodkind, Terry Brooks and the frigging Drizzt books are rated above the Culture novels? Also, Star Wars novels on a 100 best list and the Book of the New Sun is one place above it? Oh, wait. It's a list by internet vote. That explains it.
Mojo_JojoWe are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourseRegistered Userregular
So, I am now on the third Mistborn book. The second was pretty long. I think they could have cut a fair old amount of it and that would have really helped.
Book 3 is limping off the starting blocks, which is a damn shame given how the second one actually ended in a fairly interesting manner (until the epilogue).
Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
I must have seen that list before and raged about it, but Terry Goodkind, Terry Brooks and the frigging Drizzt books are rated above the Culture novels? Also, Star Wars novels on a 100 best list and the Book of the New Sun is one place above it? Oh, wait. It's a list by internet vote. That explains it.
I largely agree, but the Zahn novels are an odd beast.
They came out at a time when there weren't Star Wars novels - with a few exceptions that were more than a decade old at that point. They were very good - fast moving, entertaining and featuring a really excellent villain. They hit the bestseller lists, got a lot of media attention and proved that there was still high public demand for new Star Wars material. I honestly believe that they were a major influence in Lucas deciding to produce the prequels.
They aren't great literature, but they are undeniably influential books that effectively restarted the franchise. Whether that's a good thing is a matter of debate.
I must have seen that list before and raged about it, but Terry Goodkind, Terry Brooks and the frigging Drizzt books are rated above the Culture novels? Also, Star Wars novels on a 100 best list and the Book of the New Sun is one place above it? Oh, wait. It's a list by internet vote. That explains it.
Internet poll man. The Way of Kings fucking made the list.
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lonelyahavaCall me Ahava ~~She/Her~~Move to New ZealandRegistered Userregular
What a coincidence, I'm reading the second Mistborn book too!
How was it for you so far? I'm sure it was this thread that recommended the series, but when I point out they aren't great everybody seems to agree! I'm still reading I suppose, so that counts for something.
So far I am enjoying it, but I am not too far in. I'll let you know what I think when I get further along.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is fantastic, moving and fun and I recommend it to everyone.
The library is doing a thing on school book bans, so the book had a paper cover that said "I was banned because...My book includes harsh language and was said it had the possibility to 'polute' young minds." I tried to figure out what the heck might pollute people - I wondered if they worried that kids would catch autism from the book. But then I remembered that the main character is an ardent atheist who talks about why there's no such thing as god and the afterlife.
I read a review which claimed Christopher "ruined the lives of his tortuously stressed-out working-class parents". I think that's going a bit far. Chris is a handful but then what 15 year old isn't?
At one point in the book Christopher looks "left right then left again" before crossing the street, and I was like, "bwuh? This book is set in England!" I guess they changed the american edition so as not to confuse american kids. (I would've changed it to looked "both ways")
BobCescaIs a girlBirmingham, UKRegistered Userregular
So, after rereading the Vorkosigan books (which was fun), I then went on to Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch, which was not as good as my friend who recommended it said, but still well worth reading and I'll probably pick up the second book at some point.
Now reading Garret P.I. books, just finished the third and about to start the fourth. I love these books so much; they're well-written, have engaging characters and interesting plots.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is fantastic, moving and fun and I recommend it to everyone.
The library is doing a thing on school book bans, so the book had a paper cover that said "I was banned because...My book includes harsh language and was said it had the possibility to 'polute' young minds." I tried to figure out what the heck might pollute people - I wondered if they worried that kids would catch autism from the book. But then I remembered that the main character is an ardent atheist who talks about why there's no such thing as god and the afterlife.
I read a review which claimed Christopher "ruined the lives of his tortuously stressed-out working-class parents". I think that's going a bit far. Chris is a handful but then what 15 year old isn't?
At one point in the book Christopher looks "left right then left again" before crossing the street, and I was like, "bwuh? This book is set in England!" I guess they changed the american edition so as not to confuse american kids. (I would've changed it to looked "both ways")
That's a great book, which I've often recommended to people learning English, with great results.
People who ban books are idiots, so it's unsurprising that their reasons are idiotic. Both conservatives and liberals ban books for opposing reasons, and if you read a list of banned books the choices are astonishing.
I tried to read Superfreakonomics today and gave up. Not rigorous at all, full of correlation=causation problems, and smug smug smug. A section on terrorist profiling was so politically unaware that it made me quite angry.
Also, they seem to not have realised they're doing sociology. Original sociology, sure, but sociology. There's a nauseatingly smug intro where it wibbles on about how analysing society using statistics is this mindblowing idea.
Shadow in American Gods is kind of meant to be how he is. Gaimen feels that this was the only way to write the character. So I'll spoil his character for you. No plot spoiler. But it literally takes like half the book for Gaimen to get around to "Oh yeah, this is why he's being this way"
He's kind of completely wrecked by losing his girlfriend, and the weird things happening to him he's going along with because he can't bother to fight it, and part of him isn't accepting any of it to begin with. Also important, despite his size and strength, he is very intelligent, but was used to, all his life, being regarded for his size rather than brain, so he has grown used to be used that way, and being judged based on appearence. He grew silent and taciturn as a result.
That's also why he's so quiet, and doesn't monologue much. Gaimen felt (told this in an interview), that's just how he was. "He was a very difficult character to write."
Dance gets better later on, to be sure.
I never read Kafka. I got it from the library, but didn't get around to it by time it was due back. The first few chapters seemed all right. I have heard it gets better. But I've also heard it's not the best exmaple of his work. What would be the best book of his to read. It was the Wind-Up Bird, right?
The Wind-up Bird Chronicle is definitely my favourite Murakami, followed by Dance Dance Dance (which I think is a sequel to A Wild Sheep Chase). Dance Dance Dance is one translated by Alfred Birnbaum, so now I kinda want to re-read them all with a more analytical eye, haha. That book by Jay Rubin sounds like it'd be an interesting read too.
Yeah, I think Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is generally considered one of the best things Murakami has written. Norweigan Wood is also very popular with people in my circle of friends.
I'm reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. It's about the poor black woman that died of cervix cancer and her tumor cells were cultured and become the first "immortal" line of human cells. They've been used for all sorts of shit. Like vaccine testing, radiation studies, counting chromosomes, etc.
And it's a true story! Well written and the human element is well done.
Picked it up because of an alumni book club that I'm going to start trying to attend.
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Oh, the memories.
And it's a true story! Well written and the human element is well done.
Picked it up because of an alumni book club that I'm going to start trying to attend.
True, I just wish it had been done in some other way. I found the shift in focus between the first book and a half and the last book and a half to be quite jarring.
I don't judge books by their covers but I do find myself judging them by their first sentences. So when I read "Going to Ford's Theatre to watch the play is like going to Hooters for the food." I was like oh no what a lame joke, this book is going to be terrible.
But things really picked up after the first sentence! The book is delightful so far and her enthusiasm about presidential assassinations is infectious. (I know you're thinking: "what's wrong with that sentence? I liked it!" Well, see, you only liked it because I complained about it. If I said the sentence was brilliant you'd be like "what! it was superlame.")
I'll check it out.
Now I'm rereading ASOIAF, because my conversations with friends about it are throwing up so many questions and I want to check the original lines myself.
It's very good, of course, but also surprisingly enjoyable in the light of later events and revelations - much closer to the feeling of reading a new book than I expected.
:^:
Eh, I really disliked the idea of the Second Foundation. Especially because they basically undercut what made the Mule interesting.
I mean, the whole point of the Mule is that he's unique and unpredictable. It was a great concept for the story. The whole series was about the greater movements of history being, essentially, uneffected by the individuals involved. It doesn't matter who specifically was where at what time, everything works out roughly the same in the end.
And then you get the Mule as the antithesis of this. A thing unpredicted. He's a man of such personal power that he essentially violates the tenates of psychohistory. It was a great and interesting move.
And then suddenly it feels like he had no idea where to go from here. So he pulls a solution out of his ass. "Um, more psychics!" Which made no damn sense since the whole point of the Mule was his powers were unanticipated. And overall it was just a weak move.
I thought the second book was definitely a step back, and was kind of a bother to get through. Third book improves, in my opinion, and felt it wrapped up the series pretty well.
Of course there's another book coming out now, but I'm ok with that since it seems to just be set in that world, rather than attached to the original trilogy in a tacked-on sort of way.
― Marcus Aurelius
Path of Exile: themightypuck
Got the urge to read some YA fantasy, ended up reading all the books of the Last Apprentice/Spook's Apprentice/Wardstone Chronicles (apparently they couldn't decide on a damn name). Holy crap are they great. Great atmosphere, great worldbuilding, actually scary at times (it's dark fantasy), and perhaps most unusually for a YA series, a good romance. Really establishes the many shades of moral grey well too, while keeping the hero a good guy in a believable way.
So yeah, if you ever read YA, read that series.
Finally getting around to reading Kafka on the Shore, by Haruki Murakami. I think it's his most famous one, which is kinda funny because I've read all his others. Love his style, or rather, Jay Rubin's interpretation of his style - I remember reading one that felt a little off then realised someone else had translated it.
Kafka on the Shore was released around the time he became truly famous outside Japan, but Norwegian Wood seems to be his most famous book... and his worst, unfortunately.
I've read some of his stuff in Japanese, because I'm pretentious like that, and I think Jay Rubin is an excellent translator. The books read very similarly in both languages. There's a book written by Jay about translating Murakami, which was a very interesting read for me.
I don't re-read much either, but these books reward re-reading so much. At the moment, I'm finding anything Varys or Littlefinger says very interesting, and even Ned's idle daydreams about Jon make you think a lot.
That's also why he's so quiet, and doesn't monologue much. Gaimen felt (told this in an interview), that's just how he was. "He was a very difficult character to write."
Dance gets better later on, to be sure.
I never read Kafka. I got it from the library, but didn't get around to it by time it was due back. The first few chapters seemed all right. I have heard it gets better. But I've also heard it's not the best exmaple of his work. What would be the best book of his to read. It was the Wind-Up Bird, right?
― Marcus Aurelius
Path of Exile: themightypuck
The Wind-up Bird Chronicle is definitely my favourite Murakami, followed by Dance Dance Dance (which I think is a sequel to A Wild Sheep Chase). Dance Dance Dance is one translated by Alfred Birnbaum, so now I kinda want to re-read them all with a more analytical eye, haha. That book by Jay Rubin sounds like it'd be an interesting read too.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
Book 3 is limping off the starting blocks, which is a damn shame given how the second one actually ended in a fairly interesting manner (until the epilogue).
I largely agree, but the Zahn novels are an odd beast.
They came out at a time when there weren't Star Wars novels - with a few exceptions that were more than a decade old at that point. They were very good - fast moving, entertaining and featuring a really excellent villain. They hit the bestseller lists, got a lot of media attention and proved that there was still high public demand for new Star Wars material. I honestly believe that they were a major influence in Lucas deciding to produce the prequels.
They aren't great literature, but they are undeniably influential books that effectively restarted the franchise. Whether that's a good thing is a matter of debate.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
I'm curious, have you actually read them or are you just raging because they're Star Wars books?
I've read them. They were a present. I felt obliged. They aren't very good.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
He just tweeted this.
...
Welp, I'm off to re-read Dragon Reborn now.
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Internet poll man. The Way of Kings fucking made the list.
dammit.
I don't have enough money to get them all on kindle.
gods I want them though. I do enjoy rereading.
Democrats Abroad! || Vote From Abroad
So far I am enjoying it, but I am not too far in. I'll let you know what I think when I get further along.
The library is doing a thing on school book bans, so the book had a paper cover that said "I was banned because...My book includes harsh language and was said it had the possibility to 'polute' young minds." I tried to figure out what the heck might pollute people - I wondered if they worried that kids would catch autism from the book. But then I remembered that the main character is an ardent atheist who talks about why there's no such thing as god and the afterlife.
I read a review which claimed Christopher "ruined the lives of his tortuously stressed-out working-class parents". I think that's going a bit far. Chris is a handful but then what 15 year old isn't?
At one point in the book Christopher looks "left right then left again" before crossing the street, and I was like, "bwuh? This book is set in England!" I guess they changed the american edition so as not to confuse american kids. (I would've changed it to looked "both ways")
Now reading Garret P.I. books, just finished the third and about to start the fourth. I love these books so much; they're well-written, have engaging characters and interesting plots.
That's a great book, which I've often recommended to people learning English, with great results.
People who ban books are idiots, so it's unsurprising that their reasons are idiotic. Both conservatives and liberals ban books for opposing reasons, and if you read a list of banned books the choices are astonishing.
Also, they seem to not have realised they're doing sociology. Original sociology, sure, but sociology. There's a nauseatingly smug intro where it wibbles on about how analysing society using statistics is this mindblowing idea.
Argh.
Yeah, I think Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is generally considered one of the best things Murakami has written. Norweigan Wood is also very popular with people in my circle of friends.
Henrietta Lacks was also the focus of a segment on Radiolab. I've been meaning to pick up the book since I heard it: http://www.radiolab.org/2010/may/17/henriettas-tumor/