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I finished The Colony by John Tayman, I won't repeat everything here since I wrote about it in the discussion thread, but the book ended on a slightly upbeat note (well, not upbeat, but not as hopeless as the rest of the book) by telling how the last residents of the colony decided to stay there after the authorities finally stopped segregating people with leprosy.  They had lived most of their lives there and didn't want to go anywhere else.

I put this book in the "minorities" category because of the fact that, when they were diagnosed,  leprosy patients instantly joined a group that was feared and hated.  As with many other people suffering discrimination, the way they were treated went way beyond any practical precautions necessary; ie, to prevent spread of their medical condition.

I'm glad I read this book but I would still describe it as heartbreaking.

Diane

It does sound like an interesting book.

I decided that The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot fit this category, since Henrietta's race was so applicable to the storyline.  Fabulous book - can't recommend it highly enough.  It's a bestseller, so I assume most of the history forum followers are familiar with it.   I basically ignored all my responsibilities until I finished it, leaving my family rather relieved when I was done :)

I read Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Harriet A. Jacobs.  It is a fascinating slave narrative written by a former slave who eventually made her way to freedom.  The details of her story and the sacrifices that she made for herself and her children made for a compelling read.