Open Books--Open Minds is the Rhode Island College common book program. This initiative brings together first-year students early in their first semester at RIC, and links them with upper classmen, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and the greater Rhode Island community through book discussions and participation in a rich array of programs and activities.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot was the 2012-2013 "Open Books Open Minds" Common Book. The book was one of three selected by the Open Books Open Minds Committee for consideration based on the quality of the writing and in depth coverage of an important topic and multidisciplinary scope. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was then chosen in a campus wide survey. The book and author, HeLa cells, issues in informed consent, medicine and race, and advances in bioethics were explored in projects and presentations throughout the academic year.
Book reviews of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks cited below are linked to the full text in library databases. If you are off campus, a screen will appear where you can login with your User ID (ex: jsmith or jsmith_1234) and password.