#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells — taken without her knowledge in 1951 — became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and more. Henrietta’s cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually … billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can’t afford health insurance. This phenomenal New York Times bestseller tells a riveting story of the collision between ethics, race, and medicine; of scientific discovery and faith healing; and of a daughter consumed with questions about the mother she never knew.
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Great story based in Maryland many of the locations I know where they are. But it’s also a good story about black history showing how poor people were unaware of the things that were done in teaching hospitals to further research without your approval
A moving story of research where one woman’s cells were anonymously AND actually illegally used to promote scientific research worldwide. The author tried to help the family acquire restitution and ultimately piece of mind about their mother’s / grandmother’s death from cancer. There are many questions about whether Henrietta received appropriate …
An amazing true story, significance so relevant today.
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE STORY
Very interesting read.
To think that Henrietta Lacks suffered so and did not benefit from the knowledge doctors and scientists gained from her ordeal. The family most certainly deserves to be compensated for the “stolen” information and its gift to science and healthcare.
One of a kind! Fascinating and informative.
A very tragic story.this is an important part of our history
How medical science can advance but not necessarily ethically.
This was definitely not a comfortable read. I found it shocking, but informative. I’m glad I read it, however.
Who knew how the first cancer cells came to be in the hands of medical scientists? And for how long these cells would serve as primary tools for medical researchers? The Lacks family only came lately to their own realization of how their relative, the hapless Henrietta, was/is essential to modern day cancer research. This is a story worth …
I’ve been teaching students about HeLa cells for many years. It was interesting to learn her life story, although there really isn’t that much known about her. I was disappointed it didn’t include more biology of the cells.
I really liked this book. She left an incredible legacy! The book was well written and hard to put down before I finished reading the whol book!
true stories are beyond interesting
This is an amazing story of scientific discovery based on the body of one person.
History finally revealed. Great information
This is a fascinating read. I’m not generally one to pick up non-fiction all that often (especially science), but this was a good read. It’s part biography part history part science, and it works.
I loved reading about one of the most important medical discoveries in the 20th century, which has lead to saving and improving the lives of just about …
I have seen that the family contradicted some of the authors statements in the book but overall I enjoyed this book and really makes one question the ethical and potential problems with science experiments and a person’s DNA with relation to other family members. Who owns your DNA?
A surprising book centered on researching the person who provided the most widely disseminated cancer cells in the world. The continually replicating HeLa cancer cells have gone into space as well as been shared among scientists for all kinds of research. The author goes into the life and family members of Mrs. Lacks. Surprisingly readable and …
This is such an incredible story. Skloot explores history and science in a way that the layperson can understand, and most importantly, shares the real-life story of who Henrietta Lacks was and what happened to her and her children. This one should be on required-reading lists. Warning: It’s extremely emotional.