New Book Talk with AnnArbor.com selection for August, with poll for September

"Immortal Life" is a non-fiction account of a black mother of five who died of cervical cancer in 1951. Lacks' doctor, without asking for the patient's permission, removed tissue both healthy and cancerous from Lacks' body before she died; and while previous attempts to sustain and use cells for scientific research had failed, Lacks' cells thrived, and were subsequently regenerated and used to develop the polio vaccine, chemotherapy, and genetic mapping, among other medical breakthroughs.

Both word-of-mouth and strong reviews have made Skloot's book — which inevitably touches on issues of race, American history, medical ethics and care, biology and more — a bestseller.

Skloot, a professor at the University of Memphis, talked about the project in this CBS Sunday Morning segment, which aired in March.

Intrigued? We were, too. So consider joining us to discuss “Immortal Life” on Tuesday, August 31 at 7 p.m. in AnnArbor.com’s community space, at 301 E. Liberty St.

In the meantime, weigh in with your pick for September. The three books we’re considering are:

“Bright-sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America,” by Barbara Ehrenreich. 256 pages.

Ehrenreich, while being treated for breast cancer, wondered at the myriad pressures placed upon her to “think/be positive,” and in this book, she traces the history of America’s quintessentially sunny outlook — from its origins to its enshrinement as a dominant, almost mandatory, cultural attitude.

The Washington Post offered this positive review; The New York Times featured this profile about Ehrenreich; and this video features Ehrenreich discussing the “myth” of positive thinking’s influence on your health.

“The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America,” by Timothy Egan. 336 pages.

Egan, in “The Big Burn,” tells the story of the largest forest fire in the country’s history, and the tragedy that cemented Teddy Roosevelt’s environmentalist legacy. The Wall Street Journal published this generally positive, but measured, review, and The New York Times offered this mixed assessment.

Here's a video featuring Egan discussing "The Big Burn."

“The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company That Is Connecting the World,” by David Kirkpatrick. 384 pages.

Kirkpatrick’s book focuses on Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and the inception, development and evolution of the world’s largest social networking site. The reviewer for the Washington Post found the book informative but frustrating, while the Wall Street Journal offered a more positive evaluation. Finally, Kirkpatrick briefly talks about his book in this clip.

So please take a moment and vote for the title you're most interested in reading and discussing — and we'll hope to see you on Tuesday, August 31 at 7 p.m.

Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.