The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

By: Rebecca Skloot

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell, Bahni Turpin

Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

Number one New York Times best seller.

Now a major motion picture from HBO® starring Oprah Winfrey and Rose Byrne.

One of the “most influential” (CNN), “defining” (Lit Hub), and “best” (The Philadelphia Inquirer) books of the decade.

One of essence’s 50 most impactful Black books of the past 50 years.

Named one of the best books of the year by The New York Times Book Review, Entertainment Weekly, O: The Oprah Magazine, NPR, Financial Times, New York, Independent (UK), Times (UK), Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, Globe, and Mail.

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells - taken without her knowledge - became one of the most important tools in medicine: The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, which are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than 60 years. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions. Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.

Henrietta’s family did not learn of her “immortality” until more than 20 years after her death, when scientists investigating HeLa began using her husband and children in research without informed consent. And though the cells had launched a multimillion-dollar industry that sells human biological materials, her family never saw any of the profits. As Rebecca Skloot so brilliantly shows, the story of the Lacks family - past and present - is inextricably connected to the dark history of experimentation on African Americans, the birth of bioethics, and the legal battles over whether we control the stuff we are made of.

Over the decade it took to uncover this story, Rebecca became enmeshed in the lives of the Lacks family - especially Henrietta’s daughter Deborah. Deborah was consumed with questions: Had scientists cloned her mother? Had they killed her to harvest her cells? And if her mother was so important to medicine, why couldn’t her children afford health insurance? Intimate in feeling, astonishing in scope, and impossible to put down, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks captures the beauty and drama of scientific discovery, as well as its human consequences.

©2010 Rebecca Skloot (P)2010 Random House

Critic reviews

Winner of The Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize for nonfiction

"The story of modern medicine and bioethics - and, indeed, race relations - is refracted beautifully, and movingly.” (Entertainment Weekly)

"Writing with a novelist's artistry, a biologist's expertise, and the zeal of an investigative reporter, Skloot tells a truly astonishing story of racism and poverty, science and conscience, spirituality and family driven by a galvanizing inquiry into the sanctity of the body and the very nature of the life force." (

Booklist)

I definitely recommend this book

I love this book and it is now one of my favorites
I definitely think u should read this

A BOOK EVERYONE MUST READ! Thank you Ms. Skloot!

Loved every part of this book from beginning to end. I learned a lot about history for blacks, John Hopkins, Science, A Family that was done wrong, and the strength and courage it took for Debra and Rebecca to keep pushing forward no matter what!

Very enlightening, sadly....

I really enjoyed this novel. I was a Biology undergrad and never heard of Henrietta Lacks. What a shame that her family has been treated as they have. It's also shocking to learn that we do not (still do not) own what happens to things removed from our bodies by doctors. Are we supposed to ask for these items to ensure they aren't used for things we wouldn't approve of. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for bettering the common good. But, unfortunately most doctors are no longer in it for the common good. It's all about money. Anyway, it's very educational while still being an interesting read. Kudos!

Interesting, Educational and True Story

This is the true story of how the biological cells from one woman changed the landscape of medical research. Although the material is at times scientific, the author does an excellent job of keeping such passages brief. Anyone who enjoys reading stories about family will find a lot to like about this book.

Brilliant

Absolutely brilliant and poignant piece regarding medical research and the impact it can have on a family and the world.

Excellent read!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would highly recommend this book. It was an extremely well-written and well-presented story which blended human interest and science superbly. It doesn't just focus on the science of the gene cloning, but interweaves it with Henrietta's life. One of the best books I've ever read.

What other book might you compare The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks to and why?

Not sure.

Which scene was your favorite?

When the author and Henrietta's daughter Debra go to find some the old medical records.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, because it is really a mind-boggling story, especially since it is true. Lots to absorb.

Any additional comments?

This book moved me, awakened me to a part of American medical history I never knew, and made me proud to think I got to meet Henrietta Lacks through this reading. Listening to it also inspired me to find more books narrated by Cassandra Campbell. Hearing her voice added immensely to my first Audible book.

Wonderful read/listen!

I liked this book because it is very well researched. It is well written although it did not follow a linear chronological account of the events--that's impossible unless one focuses on only one aspect of this very complicated and thorny history.
The author brought about the human element of the HeLa cells. This is the story if a woman, her family, and an expose on the evolution of ethics is medical research.
Thank you for a great account and a wonderful narration!

Brilliant and informative

As a nurse, I found this book to be very relevant and interesting. It brings to light many things that healthcare professional forget about when we get so wrapped up in the clinical aspect of our jobs and forget that people their feelings and their emotions are part of our job.

So close to home

This book took me through a mentally stimulating ride with the imagery that makes you feel like you are really there.

Great Read...I was shocked!

This was very different book. I enjoyed that it was a true story and that there was astory within a story. After I downloaded it a friend told me that her highschool student had to read it in their science classes. That made a little nervouse, but it was just enough science and just enough story. Loved it.