Finally. I finally settled down with this tragic true crime story and it's one I won't soon forget. While there were pieces here and there I didn't care for, In Cold Blood is simplistic and terrifying, sharing an alarming and unsettling story set amidst cornfields and blue sky America in the late 1950s. Perhaps this is when the phrase "it could happen here, it could happen anywhere" was first born.

In a small section of rural America, a prominent family, the Clutters, well-known and liked in Holcomb, Kansas were brutally cut down and murdered in their own home. Two killers used a shotgun and killed all four of the family members one night in 1959, and left with almost no trace.

Within the first few pages, it's clear why this book is a classic in the true crime category - while in some moments there is a small sense of pomp and glorified grandeur similar to other books in its genre, it feels like it's only on the top. Deep below that, the dark story of a ruthless crime steers left and right, bringing you immediately to whom the killers are and to the officers following the trail to capture them. It is an unbelievable story, and so beautifully written.

Capote maintains this sincere polish of writing, so pure and thorough that the contents of it all, the meaningless act, the victims, sat with me for weeks. It is a disturbing night, truly harrowing final hours for this family and what happens after: the difficult attempts to understand just why they were so remorselessly executed, the search for the killers, the killers' backgrounds, and more.

This is unquestionably one of the premiere and integral books to set the stage for the true crime genre. And I loved the way Capote told the tale, I do. I simply wanted more about the Clutter family, equal amounts of the sweet and strong husband, the ailing wife, the young Nancy at sixteen-years-old who loved animals and had a high school sweetheart who worshiped the ground she walked on, and just as young Kenyon, at only fifteen-years-old who was making a chest for one of his older sisters as a present. While I am as fascinated as any other true crime reader on exactly what compels a murderer and why they ultimately conduct the act, In Cold Blood lacked in its tender and loving detail and description of the Clutter family. It felt almost, dare I say, obligatory, the inserted sections of Herb, Bonnie, Nancy, and Kenyon. I found myself sickeningly sad for the two murderers at one point. Of course, each criminal usually has a severely horrible upbringing, but I was upset that I was reading in slight empathy for the criminals, when I felt an almost absent connection to the Clutters. It took me Googling away to uncover more of the details of the family, the older sisters, or Nancy's boyfriend, to find the pieces that made them the whole of who they were together, and it was then that I felt the respect for the loving family, more than the book offered. I did read that there will be a Netflix documentary soon entitled Cold Blooded, and it is supposed to fill that gap on Capote's family insight. Another article I read alluded to the Clutter family not being very welcoming to Capote, finding him to be jumping on the story just to make money. It's understandable why they would feel that way. I would imagine it might not have felt very decent for the older sisters to discuss their family, so soon after the tragedy. Instead, Capote focused on the killers, which was detailed, shocking, saddening, and thoughtfully written. There might never be a true understanding on why the killers did what they did, but Capote was able to address the very real issue that there is a reason why some grow up to do what they do. It is frightening how easily led a person can be, and how easily corrupted a person can become.

Without a doubt, this will be one of my top favorite true crime stories. It's so extraordinarily written, a story told so well, that it's no surprise that after almost fifty years since its publication, it understandably known as the best true crime book of all time.

About the Author (from Wikipedia)

Truman Capote was an American novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, playwright, and actor. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) and the true crime novel In Cold Blood (1966), which he labeled a "nonfiction novel". At least 20 films and television dramas have been produced from his work. Several of his short stories, novels, and plays have been praised as literary classics, including the novella

My husband and I lived in Virginia Beach for a short time, and we would frequently travel up and down the 23-mile bridge on US 13 to get over to Annapolis, and many a time I made the drive alone for work. I preferred when my husband was driving because I am one of those people who love gazing at passing towns, wondering about the people who live there. And the Eastern Shore of Virginia is beautiful, and seemingly quiet. Unfortunately, we never stopped, even though we planned to. The next time I'm back in Virginia, you can bet I will stop, even if it's just the jam and fruit stand on the side of the road, or to take a picture of an aging motel. I remember one having a funky art deco vibe (I'm still trying to find out if the Whispering Pines Motel was off of US 13 or another road). Either way, if you look up the Virginia map, you'll find a hidden segment of the Commonwealth  of Virginia that is right across a bridge and a part that no one ever thinks of. Most assume it's part of Maryland.

I'm so glad this local library featured this book, all the way down here in Florida. I happened to walk by the shelves while my four-year-old son tore through to the kids' section. I obviously had to check it out because it was about THOSE fires.

I remember when it first started and thought how random they were, how they would sprout up. No one was ever hurt and they were usually old houses or buildings, abandoned for some time. Of course, rumor had it that it was just a bunch of kids, because hey, kids in the middle of nowhere always get blamed for stuff like this. Then, after one fire after another started, the news became real. There was an arsonist in the area. And then, when all the fires fizzled out and the highs and lows of watching the news concluded after about six months, one woman and one man were arrested. A couple, supposedly madly in love, were an arsonist pair. Charlie had previous infractions with the law as a recovering addict, and Tonya really had nothing on her record. They both had their own businesses and were trying to make a life together, but something made them do this. Although Tonya is adamant that she had nothing to do with it, they were both charged, and Tonya was looked as the one with all the ideas. Together, they completely freaked out the area, with everyone wondering which building was next. 

No one ever really understands the amount of man hours and dollars that go into catching a suspect, with trying to profile, stake out, and call on resources from all over the area, from other law enforcement to professors. Monica Hesse, the author, spent this time with each individual reviewing those items, and it's clear she has much respect for the work they did to catch this very oddly-paired Bonnie and Clyde arsonist team that made horrible choices that still have not been understood. Since Charlie was the only who talked to law enforcement and admitted to everything, details are really only from him; Tonya kept herself aloof and closed off, so it was easy to pin her as their ringleader. Charlie wasn't creative enough to come up with good lies, so he just told it as it was, and Tonya, with her way with words, and her quick poetry posts on Facebook, made it crafty and bizarre by staying silent and maintaining her innocence.

I don't read a lot of true crime or non-fiction books and this one was awesome, so I started getting nosey and probably thinking too much. I wonder what would have happened if a woman interrogated Tonya. If a woman who had it all together, and acted like Tonya couldn't possibly have been the one with the ideas, who would give credit to Charlie. Would that have threatened Tonya's ego and would she have confessed? Tonya seemed confident enough to manipulate people, maybe bored with life, or annoyed in her relationship with Charlie that I believe if a woman had questioned her, and gave credit to Charlie, Tonya may very well have gotten angry by a confident female officer and just spilled the truth to gain the credit.

And then, to add more interest, an anonymous book, Burned, by Z. Jasmine BelFord happened to be published on Amazon. It came out while Tonya was out on bail. It was about a couple, not named Tonya and Charlie, but named... Sonya and Harley. It took place in Accolake County, not Accomac County. Yeah... I don't think it's a stretch to assume Tonya wrote it. And then because I'm fascinated by it all, I called the main number for the publishing company and the call center representative said that the author account was in the name of "Mr. Dickerson." Wouldn't you know it, there is a Frank Dickerson in this whole story, and he happened to be Tonya's only character witness during her trial. Interesting, huh?

I bought the book. I'm reading it now. It's got a similar sense of Tonya's poems every few chapters and so far is solely from the perspective of after "Sonya" was arrested.

This was an interesting book and I'm probably more into it because I lived in Virginia Beach when it happened and I remember the news reports. I wish this book included a map with a pin for where all the fires occurred, and I still want to know why Accomac County and Accomack the city are spelled the way they were. Enjoy and read away! It is fascinating.

About the Author (from her website)

Monica Hesse is the national bestselling author of the true crime love story American Fire and the Edgar Award-winning young adult historical mystery novel Girl in the Blue Coat, which has been translated into a dozen languages and was shortlisted for the American Booksellers Association's Indies Choice Award. She is a feature writer for the Washington Post, where she has covered royal weddings, dog shows, political campaigns, Academy Awards ceremonies, White House state dinners, and some events that felt like a mixture of all of the above. She has talked about these stories, and other things, on NBC, MSNBC, CNN, CSPAN, FOX and NPR, and she has been a winner of the Society for Feature Journalism's Narrative Storytelling award, and a finalist for a Livingston Award and a James Beard Award. Monica lives in Maryland. with her husband and a brainiac dog.

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When once I proudly proclaimed I would never read a self-help or self-awareness book, or any type of non-fiction that would steer me in any one particular direction, I now cannot put them down. I always stayed away from self-help sections in the bookstores, and now, in my early forties after battling breast cancer, with a toddler who runs my day and life chapters changing each minute (most recently for some really amazing opportunities!), I am easily drawn towards any book that will help actualize my fears, anxieties, change behaviors, learn more, deal more, live better and live happier.

It's been an interesting and absolutely challenging four years. I used to blog all the time and had a decent readership. I was excited about the books I would select to read, finish in a week or less, and then spend time putting together quality content for a thorough review. I then had a baby, was diagnosed with breast cancer when he was seven months old, went through a double mastectomy, chemo, and radiation, and two reconstructions, and while I still (obviously) take medicine every day, I'm thankfully rounding the corner to having it further and further away in my rear view mirror. I have grown more in my faith, learned a lot about patience (that's mostly because of hello, a toddler and all...!), and generally just really begun to appreciate life and living. Now. Now when I'm at the age I am now, I finally think I appreciate more things and recognize more than I ever have before on the toxic things I need to let go off, and the positive aspects I need to make more regular actions in my life.

The Power of Habit (listen to an audio sample by clicking here - the narrator was awesome, by the way) was eye-opening. Find the trigger, or the cue that makes you delve into your habit, and change that cue, and then give yourself a reward for that change. Do it, make yourself do it - even if it means tying your running shoes on first thing in the morning when you really don't want to run. Change the cue to change the routine. 

The last few chapters unexpectedly went down a different route a bit with extremely detailed examples of social habits and crowd influence, which while I found interesting, didn't relate to what I thought the general idea of the book was intending to focus on, which was how habit can be debilitating or positively life-changing, and how the smallest change in the pattern of your behavior can change any of your habits. It's an excellent overview, a fascinating peek into the whys and hows of what we do and how we do it, and I highly recommend it overall. It certainly changed my perspective on what I want to do with the rest of my life, what I want to instill in my son, and how I want to behave for my own personal growth and health. I want to enjoy this life and not be held back by any old habits that walk me down the path of fear and anxiety. I'm done with that, folks.

FTC Disclosure: I downloaded this audiobook through my membership on Audible.com

About the Author

Charles Duhigg worked at the New York Times, won a Pulitzer Prize, studied at Yale and Harvard, and is the author of a multitude of articles and books, including The Power of Habit and Smart Faster Better.

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Before I started this blog many moons ago, I fell in love with Shadow Divers, the bestselling book by Robert Kurson. Never once would I have thought that a non-fiction tale of deep sea divers would hold me spellbound, but before I knew it, the story of these divers who discovered a German U-boat submarine sunk off the coast of New Jersey had me along for the ride and imagining the adventure. I've never scuba dived once in my life as I've always been fearful of dark water and sharks, but something about this book knocked me off course completely and reminded me that I come from a family who thrives and lives off the water in a variety of ways. Not only was my husband in the Coast Guard and is a certified diver, but my father was also in the Coast Guard and my sister graduated from the Naval Academy. Even my husband's family runs a boat chartering business in Boston. My husband and I live in Florida, and the world of diving is right around my corner. I've still not tried it, though. I've been on a boat several times, but never once wanted to dive deep under the surface; fear has kept me away, but with a family so used to the water, perhaps I need to rethink this. No excuses.

On one of the hottest days of the year in Neptune Beach, Florida, I passed by one of my favorite indie bookstores, The Bookmark. I already have more than enough books to be read, but what book lover can resist "just one more?" Not this one. In I went and the display for Pirate Hunters drew me in with the title alone. When I realized who the author was, there certainly wasn't any question on what I was going to do: I had to buy it and begin it immediately. After all, the author himself was going to be at that same store in just a week.

Pirate Hunters tells the story of two men who, on the eve of their start to find a sunken Spanish galleon off the coast of the Dominican Republic, divert their mission to help another treasure hunter locate the pirate ship known as the Golden Fleece, which was operated by a captain whose story alone was enough to convince them to look. The fact that only one other pirate ship from the Golden Age of Piracy (1650s to 1720s) has ever been officially identified and confirmed just made it even more desirable, and the quest these two men take on is, I assure you, every bit as captivating and thrilling as Shadow Divers. The adventures of John Chatterton (one of the main divers and featured in Shadow Divers) and John Mattera, a once mob man turned police officer turned exclusive celebrity bodyguard, absolutely delivered and it brought to mind the reality that fiction can never be as thrilling as real life. Robert Kurson's skillful and perfectly paced retelling of each moment in the adventure to secure a treasure more important than gold or silver was as clear and distinct as any major motion picture. Better, even.

Both Chatterton and Mattera each have their own stories to contribute, becoming characters of hotheadedness and commitment (Chatterton) and dogged determination and research (Mattera) to continue pursuing the location of the Golden Fleece, even in the face of skeptical partners and lazy treasure hunters/claim robbers. Leading the way and working hard by researching in archives and libraries around the world was the only way they could uncover the secrets behind a pirate captain and his crew relentlessly battling the Royal Navy, and the reason why this one man, Captain Joseph Bannister, a seemingly honest man, would leave a life of security as a legitimate merchant ship captain, and decide to become an elusive pirate. It was incredible. I could just picture what life in the Golden Age of Piracy was like in the Caribbean. Standing strong and determined, one man making the decision from the bow of his ship, to steal it and to then pursue a life that could only get him hanged, if ever he was caught. (Pulled into this adventure tale, I wasted no time to head to the Jacksonville Public Library to pick up a copy of The Buccaneers of America, by Alexandre Exquemelin, a Frenchman who rode with the pirates for a period of time, even sailing with the infamous Henry Morgan. This book was mentioned often in Pirate Hunters, and I had to have my reading material lined up after finishing Pirate Hunters.)

Whether it's Captain Bannister's story, or the fierce and determined diving and researching from Chatterton and Mattera, there is no doubt that the book will keep you intensely dedicated to finding out what happens next. Through the investigation of sailor's logs and accounts of battles, Kurson parses through it all to leave you with the amazing and sheer bravado of a man fighting the Royal Navy to keep his stolen ship and save his head. Captain Joseph Bannister was a renegade, a man who threw a lifetime of rules and obedience to the wind and rushed onward into a world of piracy. Whatever made him choose this new life might be forever covered by the clear waters off of the Dominican Republic, but the ship itself is there, and these are really the only two guys who deserve to find it. And only a writer like Robert Kurson can tell it.

I loved this book. Can you tell? And now I need to put scuba diving back on the list of things I can't be afraid to do anymore.

Side note: Robert Kurson is an engaging and vivid speaker and is quite the storyteller. My husband and I went to dinner afterwards and couldn't stop talking about him. And also making plans to go on our own adventure.

The author, Robert Kurson, speaking at The Bookmark

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Release Date: 06/16/15
Pages: 262

About the Author (from his website)
Robert Kurson is an American author, best known for his 2004 bestselling book, Shadow Divers, the true story of two Americans who discover a World War II German U-boat sunk 60 miles off the coast of New Jersey. Kurson began his career as an attorney, graduating from Harvard Law School, and practicing real estate law. Kurson’s professional writing career began at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he started as a sports agate clerk and soon gained a full-time features writing job. In 2000, Esquire published “My Favorite Teacher,” his first magazine story, which became a finalist for a National Magazine Award. He moved from the Sun-Times to Chicago magazine, then to Esquire, where he won a National Magazine Award and was a contributing editor for years. His stories have appeared in Rolling Stone, The New York Times Magazine, and other publications. He lives in Chicago.

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I am the type of reader that reads fiction most of the time. It's books like this (like Erik Larsen and his brilliant The Devil in the White City) which remind me that truth is much stranger, and many times much more interesting, than fiction.

The full title of this true crime non-fiction book is American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century. A fitting and dramatic title of results following the terrorist attack on the building of the Los Angeles Times on October 1, 1910. In the months that followed, the war between capital and labor was brought to the forefront in not just the world of case-making and detection, but in legal battles in the courthouse, and with silent film and the birth of Hollywood. Three men would become involved in the "crime of the century," either directly or on the periphery of the labor movement, at the time in America's history when unions and capitalists were battling for victory.

As the dust was settling on the collapse of the building that housed the plant supporting the Los Angeles Times, it was discovered that at least twenty-one people, if they had survived the explosion, had subsequently perished in a horrible and suffocating fire. It was a terrorist attack of paramount proportions and the city of Los Angeles was left reeling, searching for an answer and looking for help. The city didn't expect that history would be made yet again.

• Billy Burns, a world-famous detective often compared to America's version of the fictional Sherlock Holmes, was hired by the Mayor to find the perpetrators.
• Clarence Darrow, the famous lawyer who fought for the poor, would represent the culprits.
• And the infamous D.W. Griffith, the man whose talents as a filmmaker and initiator of the eventual land of Hollywood, would forever be overshadowed by a sweeping epic movie of racism.

What follows is Howard Blum's readable and effective narrative of the "crime of the century." Put simply, it is non-fiction that is actually interesting. Easy to understand. And most importantly, generates the type of enthusiasm for a reader to research more. I spent my night looking up pictures and reading annotated papers...

I was caught up in the story and fascinated by the early fights and battles between the unionists and capitalists. Granted, I know enough about that history to answer a question here or there in a game of Trivial Pursuit, but for the most part, it's a fairly foreign history for me and I regret that. Howard Blum's book has motivated me to read more non-fiction. While we all know bribery and corruption exists, it's always fascinating to read how casual and accepted it can be. And public displays of dramatic behavior? Who better than a brash bruiser of a detective and an alcoholic lawyer later in history to get into a public fist-fight in a courthouse? I can just imagine the dramatics of the time, the flurry of reporters rushing to phone booths to put their story in. I need to read more about this time, no excuses.

Alexandria Hotel

The only subjects I wanted more information about were the Alexandria Hotel and the journalist Mary Field. The hotel just seemed majestic and fascinating. I love design from the turn of the century and the face of the city as told by its buildings. The Alexandria Hotel was *the* place where everyone who was anyone stayed, which I found intriguing. I wanted to feel the luxury of it more, and I wanted to get a better sense of how it could ironically fit into the landscape of this war between capital and labor. It certainly was the complete representation of all things rich. How D.W. Griffith and Clarence Darrow could stay in such splendor when they were apparent advocates of the poor and downtrodden struck me as bizarre. I could completely appreciate that Billy Burns would stay there; after all, he never made any pretense about his enjoyment of fame and money. But, it just struck me as odd for the other two, most especially for Darrow, then Griffith, I guess. Griffith told the stories of the downtrodden only to serve his own purposes of achieving fame. But Darrow?

And what about Mary Field's history? Mary Field was a journalist in the early 1900s, who covered stories near and far from New York. A successful female journalist in the 1900s! To me, that is exciting. I wanted more. Instead, that seemed to be less interesting compared to the fact that she was Clarence Darrow's lover and confidante. A shame to not explore her backstory, even just a few pages more. (I couldn't find a picture of her anywhere, so I included the actress Mary Pickford, who was Griffith's muse.)

Griffith's muse, actress Mary Pickford

And while I thought D.W. Griffith was definitely an important part of movie history, for all of his eclectic and egomaniacal ways, I thought the subject of his most known and epic film that cost so much money seemed a bit glossed over in the description of how racist it was. Cinematic talent, sure, but D.W. Griffith certainly etched himself in history as representative of early preconceptions and stereotypes, inflaming audiences with even more discrimination and depicting the Ku Klux Klan with a "fairytale" gallantry. It was easy to see that Howard Blum is by trade a reporter, so he definitely retains his objectivity, but I wanted something to be included that showed how, while Griffith's film-making was ahead of its time, it still continues to affect us today when we watch its blatant disregard for real history.

Even for those minor moments, the true core of the story kept me motivated to pick up the book at each break and evening. For those who read much quicker, you'll finish it easily in a day. Howard Blum does not dive into confusing moments with too many annoying words getting in the way of the actual story; in that, he's like a modern-day Hemingway. It is what it is and he will not extrapolate ridiculously to flower up the language to tell you what happened. (Kinda like what I did in that sentence, huh?)

I enjoyed this book and I suspect that those who enjoy true crime and non-fiction will enjoy it, too. I'll definitely pick up his other books, which are listed below.

Publisher: Crown Publishers

Release Date: 2008

Pages: 321

FTC Disclosure: Straight off my bookshelf.

About the Author

Howard Blum is the author of the New York Times bestseller and Edgar Award winner American Lightning, as well as such bestselling books as Wanted!, The Gold Exodus, and Gangland. He is currently a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. While at the New York Times, he was twice nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting. The Floor of Heaven: A True Story of the Old West and the Yukon Gold Rush was released in April 2011. Twentieth Century Fox is developing FLOOR as a major motion picture.

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Well, my, oh my. It's been a while since I put together a Sunday Salon post. I wish I could be more consistent with this, but it's been a crazy five months (is it really May?), and I've got a few things to share:

• Work: is crazy and I got a promotion, which is great, but the new role requires a lot of new things that I've never done before and I'm held to a much different standard and I. Am. Nervous. I really hope I can do well.
• Smash: Has anyone been watching the TV show, Smash? I had the entire season recorded on the DVR and took a lazy weekend to watch and now I'm all caught up. I watched The Voice this year and kept meaning to watch Smash and never did until now. Hello, Ellis? You sleaze.
• Non-Fiction is just the ticket: To cure the "I-just-read-a-book-I-didn't-like-at-all" issue. I love old movies, silent films, and Old Hollywood so American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century by Howard Blum is helping pull me out of that reading funk. Apparently, it's going to combine the birth of Hollywood and a major crime that happened in Los Angeles in 1910. I have a sense it might be a little like The Devil in the White City by Erik Larsen and I am A-ok with that type of non-fiction.
• No review commitments: I have no review commitments for two months! I CAN READ ANYTHING I WANT! Woot-woot!

Okay, that's all. Have a Happy Mother's Day to all.

People. I am not kidding when I tell you that I LOVED this audio book.

Hailed by Burkhard Bilger of the New Yorker as the "funniest science writer in the country," Mary Roach delivers a fascinating, engrossing, and shockingly delightful account of the "life" of the human cadaver. A history of everything from body-snatching, public autopsies, crash test dummies, crucifixion experiments, and...medicinal cannibalism, this will absolutely make my list of Top Books of 2012. Written in 2003, the hilariously brilliant and easy-to-understand approach of Mary Roach's writing, combined with the stellar narration of Shelly Frasier, was unquestionably a grand slam listening experience for me.

The full title is Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. And curious, it is. Non-fiction at its finest, Mary Roach has done what most authors may not be able to make a reader feel: take the emotion out of death and look at it clinically; even sometimes, laugh at it. Other than watching shows like The First 48 on A&E, I don't know what happens to bodies once the person is no longer alive, nor am I aware of the good our bodies can provide for science. I also had no idea that there were so many people in the world who were experimenting with creative and alternative ways for body disposal (note: only in legitimate and natural circumstances, not in a Mafia-esque type of way) that are outside of the "standard" options like cremation and casket burial (how about composting your body and being used as fertilizer? That's one way to "recycle" yourself). While some sections made me cringe and I made a note to stop eating any food right before, during, or right after listening to my copy, I loved every single second of this experience, and cannot imagine anyone not enjoying it.

Like most people, I'm humbled by the experience of dealing with the aftermath once someone we care about passes away. With this book, I got a chance to take the emotional aspect out of it, and was able to reflect on moments in my own life dealing with death. For example, my mother passed away after complications from a heart transplant eight years ago, and those last few weeks were painful. In listening to this audio, though, I removed quite a bit of the sad memories and ultimately was absorbed in several chapters, particularly by the theories presented later on as to "where" in the body the soul may reside, either the brain or the heart. Mesmerized, I was.

This is exactly what this book is: an experience. It's such a completely insightful snapshot of the history of a cadaver that I was disappointed when it came to an end. While I giggled, cringed, and gasped through chapters, it gave me quite a bit to think about, even so much as changing my own opinion on my plans for when my time comes (provided there are no available organs that are usable for donation). Maybe I will have to donate my body to science. I can't imagine not. At least right now.

As I mentioned earlier, this will make my Top Books List for 2012. Mary Roach delivers successfully an engrossing, hilarious, and humbling account of all the many things a cadaver can do, and you may recognize her most recent book making the blogging rounds, Packing for Mars. I cannot wait to snag that one next. She's got a bunch of other books out there, even one about sex called Bonk. I think I might get that one first. (After all, one of the questions presented in that book is whether or not one can "think" themselves to org*sm.)

What are you planning on doing when the time comes? Are you like me and just thought a standard burial or cremation would be the way to go?

Audio Notes: The narrator was spectacular! Shelly Frasier is a new-to-me narrator and my goodness, she delivered the humor remarkably. Her voice perfectly resonated, even through a few of the later squeamish discussions on "medicinal cannibalism." Click here to go to the Audible.com page and click the play button below the book cover for a five-minute sample. 

Others said (let me know if I missed your review):

The Infinite Shelf

Lakeside Musing (Audio Review)
Rebecca Reads

Publisher: Tantor Media

Release Date: 9/28/2003

Audio Time: 7 hours, 59 minutes

Narrator: Shelly Frasier

About the Author

Journalist and former Salon.com columnist Mary Roach didn't leave readers and critics cold with her first book, Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers. In fact, the comical-yet-scientific look at the "life" of the dead body throughout history earned her a spot in the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Program. She is also the author of Spook, Bonk, and Packing for Mars.

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This is another selection for the 2012 Audio Book Challenge hosted by Teresa.

This is one of the best non-fiction books around. Hands down. And for those of you who profess to not enjoy non-fiction? Pshaw, try this one and change your mind you shall. I listened to the audiobook version, narrated by Cassandra Campbell, and listened to this with rapt attention to the 12 hours and 30 minutes within a day and a half. This story will not let you down.

More than sixty years ago, Henrietta Lacks was a young married mother, and was suffering from cervical cancer. She and her husband made the regular journey to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for treatment, and it soon became evident that it was an aggressive form of cancer and she soon died painfully. During one of her treatments prior to her death, her cells were taken to be included in trials to see if they would regrow on their own. Up until that point, the team attempting this was unsuccessful. They didn't have much hope with yet another grouping of cells.

But Henrietta's cells did regrow. What became of those cells, known as "HeLa," have done so much for science that the list of benefits Henrietta's cells provided is innumerable. The only thing was that her cells were taken without her knowledge, or her family's knowledge. Those who did have her cells, these immortal cells that magically continued to regrow, became wealthy while Henrietta's family was never given a dime.

This is a riveting and suspense-filled story of Rebecca Skloot's journey to bring the story of "HeLa" to the center stage, which ultimately showcases Henrietta and her family in the forefront as well. Documenting the progress of science because of the HeLa cells and weaving in this deeply personal family story, this non-fiction book will make you angry as you learn about the injustices brought upon one woman and her body, and more than likely will also leave you in awe of all the things that HeLa helped. The ultimate discussion regarding ethics is also addressed, and if a patient should be informed that their cells or other tissue are taken which may be given over for research and potential financial gain. The ethical questions and debates on whether or not you own your own body's waste and cells is fascinating and frightening at the same time. Arguments against informing a patient have brought up that it would bring science's progress to a standstill because patients will be bartering for the highest dollar for their tissues, and withholding it in order to achieve that. Of course, the debate the other way is that this is your body, your tissues. Shouldn't you have a right to negotiate where pieces of you go and how they are used?

When you sign all of the medical release forms, do you read everything? Probably not. But if your cells or other items were taken from you and science benefited from it, wouldn't you want to also personally benefit from it? I think so. But in the Lacks' family, they never benefited, and in fact, didn't even have health insurance. Can you imagine the travesty of this? The family of the woman who suffered painfully and died from a horrible disease, unknowingly gave her body over to science which benefited greatly (and still benefits as the cells continue to regrow), but her own family rarely visits a doctor because they have no insurance to help them with the payments.

Probably some of the more fascinating and scarier sections of the book actually comes at the end, when recent cases are reviewed in which tissue disposal is debated. I was stunned at what could happen even today, and began to wonder if, while HeLa has helped so much, if we've really advanced at all in the question of ethics. Of course, one side of me thinks that yes, of course we have, but then there are these cases that make the whole foundation of common sense and fairness buckle and tremble.

This is an absolutely amazing story, written with passion and knowledge, and bringing this education to the average person who doesn't know a lick about science. It's easily readable and understandable, and it will generate much debate and discussion. Without question, I highly recommend this book for book clubs, and really for anyone who wants to give non-fiction a try. This will leave you speechless and convert you over to reading even more non-fiction.

And why will you love this via audio? Cassandra Campbell is fast becoming one of my favorite narrators. She has the perfect voice to bring this story to life and, quite frankly, you just can't go wrong when she's leading the charge and voicing a story.

About the Author (from her website)

Rebecca Skloot has a B.S. in biological sciences and an MFA in creative nonfiction. She 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' Nova ScienceNOW. She and her father, Floyd Skloot are co-editors of The Best American Science Writing 2011.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is Rebecca Skloot's debut book, and took more than a decade to research and write. It is being translated into 25 languages and will also be produced into an HBO movie.

Rebecca Skloot currently lives in Chicago, but also heads to the hills of West Virginia to write, save stray animals, and knit. An avid knitter, she continues the family tradition of her mother, Betsy McCarthy, who is a professional knitter.

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