Fiction

Watchtower of Turtle Island
Religious fanatics inform historian Cameron Thorne that a medieval stone tower in Newport, RI is a secret portal—built by the Knights Templar—through which the Antichrist will appear. A group of Native Americans share this belief, claiming that the shape of Turtle Island, their name for North America, was revealed to them by ancient aliens passing through this same portal centuries ago. It all seems utterly ridiculous, until Cam’s teenage daughter Astarte is kidnapped and dragged into an occult ritual designed to bring about the Apocalypse.

This is one of my ongoing archaeology/adventure/series. This is the 10th book in the series. There are Templars, prophecy, relics and artifacts and a wild chase to rescue Astarte.

One of my favorite things about this series is the way the author deals with the artifacts/locations. All of them are real, and he has photos and descriptions of how they contribute to the storyline

In addition to this book, I have been reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks for my book club.
Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine: The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, which are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions.

Henrietta’s family did not learn of her “immortality” until more than twenty years after her death, when scientists investigating HeLa began using her husband and children in research without informed consent. And though the cells had launched a multimillion-dollar industry that sells human biological materials, her family never saw any of the profits. As Rebecca Skloot so brilliantly shows, the story of the Lacks family—past and present—is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of.

It is a good read, but I am having trouble dealing with the family's treatment especially the incredible lack of information the family received. I am also disturbed by the lack of understanding; they were treated in a condescending manner (these were Jim Crow times after all) . I have moments when it appears the author is being condescending. The book club discussion will definitely be interesting

I missed the Frangela book club due to a conflict. We are continuing with Rachel Maddow's book