#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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This is a book that should be read by everyone. It is a story of medical research and how it intertwines with racism in America. Though she was never asked Henrietta Lacks has contributed to advances in medical science that have saved countless lives. Her story has also caused medical researchers to discuss and make changes in how they obtain …
This book is a true story which took place decades ago. It was written so well, I couldn’t put it down! I read it within less than 2 days. I’m not so hot about nonfiction books but this is one I was REALLY into. Get it! You won’t regret it & don’t forget that this became a movie (with Oprah Winfrey).
I was unaware that someone could have their cells/DNA stolen. This was early on before there were laws made to prevent such a thing. This book is about an ordinary woman whose cells helped to make her genetic material immortal. It is an original story but also true story that makes for an entertaining read. I would also recommend this as a good …
I Am in the medical field. I learned much from this book. Most of use are well aware of Hela cells but really don’t know much about the back story.
This is one of those incredible-but-true stories that sometimes happen in the world of science. Henrietta Lacks, being treated for cancer at Johns Hopkins, never thinks about the biopsy material the doctors took from her body. Years later, her family would find out through a writer that her mother’s cells are being used the world over in …
This is the true story of an African American woman who changed modern medicine. The discovery of a cell line (later named HeLa after its unwitting donor, Henrietta Lacks), and the deliberate attempt by the research establishment to conceal its importance from the Lacks family, is beautifully chronicled by author Rebecca Skloot. A must-read for …
I love books about science, and this was science that reads as easily as fiction. Learn the back story behind the woman whose cells made today’s cell culture possible. It includes a meaningful discussion of ethics in today’s medical research.
Really interesting story of Henrietta Lacks and her life. Her contribution to medical science was amazing — the story of how she affected so many lives is very interesting. This is not the type of book I would normally buy, but it was for a book club and I am glad I read it.
A story of cells and the things they did–but no one realizes where the cells came from or how impactful they’ve become. The story is now out.
I saw this book when I was at the library. It was part of the Women’s History month display and it intrigued me. Immortal life? And it’s non-fiction? I’m game.
This story is so much bigger than I expected. …
This book is horrifyingly fascinating. It’s amazing to me that doctors could get away with so much inhumanity just because of a person’s skin color (I know racism is real; I guess I just still get shocked when such horrific things happen. White privilege). I’m also flabbergasted that, in the name of science, a person should be expected to give up …
This is the true story of the woman who gave us HELa cells although they were taken from her without her knowledge or permission. This was the standard protocol in the 50’s and before in research hospitals in this country. The author gives us a detailed view of Ms. Lacks life and death and the impact of HeLa cells on her family.
I had to read this for school, and I wasn’t very thrilled about it. This story surprised me in so many ways! It was captivating, and it felt like I knew the characters. I found myself not being able to put it down! It’s informative and a little sad, as the book tells the story of Henrietta Lacks and how she shaped modern science.
This family’s story is both amazing and tragic. This book is a must read and needs to be added to schools’ required reading lists due to its historical references and medical acknowledgement of it’s origins and the impact it has had on science and medical development now and in the future.
This is not a book I would have picked up to read on my own. I belong to two
book clubs. One was started over 25 years ago; the other one more recently.
This means that every year I have a list of books that I MUST read so that I can
participate in the discussions. I am so grateful for this as I have been exposed
to so many ideas and subjects …
If you have a love of learning about real people and their impact in this world, you will love The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. In this book the science behind HeLa cells has a story no one ever knew existed, of they conveniently forgot. Rebecca Skloot introduces us to Henrietta, a woman who would come to change the world without ever …
This book is about so many different things that it’s hard to describe. We all owe so much to Henrietta Lacks that her story should be required reading.
an amazing story. Scientific!
Tells the story of how cells from Henrietta Lacks cancer were used and sold for biological research, but her family did not know until 20 years after her death and did not receive any money.
Sounds like it could be very dry, but it is very interesting.
This is a very interesting, non-fiction book about a poor black woman in the fifties in Baltimore, who contracted and died from cervical cancer. Doctors took her cancer cells, without her and her family’s knowledge, for use in cancer and cell research. Her cells, known as HeLa, are immortal and are now used worldwide in cell research and has …
This book has stuck with me and I read it almost 2 years ago. It brought up so many ethical questions that I’m still wrestling with. And I think often of the family of Henrietta Lacks and their story of wrestling with how to best honor their family member. The book is well written and opens up a whole new world and a whole new set of questions. A …