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)

Simply must be read!

The nuanced and extensive true narrative of the Lacks family, medical history and ethics. Skloot takes no short cuts in tackling these issues and engaging the reader in the very human tale of Henrietta Lacks.

A Must Listen

I am so glad I listened to this. Cassandra Campbell and Bahni Turpin were marvelous at bringing this story to life. The Author's Note at the beginning of the story set the tone for the book (and many people who "read" the book skipped this)...the afterword tied up many loose ends. And finally, the interview with Rebecca Skloot at the very end anchored the book in reality, where it belongs.

everyone should read her story.

Henrietta has impacted all of our lives. we should all know her story and honor her.

Fascinating True Story of Medical Research

Where does The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best. I found myself going back to listen to parts of it again since I listened on my commute and I would catch part of something and wanted to be sure that I had not missed something

What did you like best about this story?

Although the story is true, at times it seemed to be hard to believe that Mrs. Lacks was treated so casually by the Doctors for research

What does Cassandra Campbell and Bahni Turpin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

the dialects and speech patterns brought the characters to life for me.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was moved by the piece of the book where the woman following the trail of the immortal cells finally was able to meet with and talk to the daughter of Mrs. Lacks..

Any additional comments?

If medical stories and plot shifts are your thing, I think you will like this book.

A book everyone should read

This book brings up many vital issues in ethics of science, and does it amazingly.

Not what I was expecting

This book is written very well! It was a good story and very informative. I think everyone should read it.

must read

I never heard of this book before buying it. I'm incredulous at how long I missed out on this important, timely, engaging, and well written story. This is in the top 10 books I've read in my life.

Who knew

An incredible story. It amazed me that I never new about this. Great book.

Perfect reading voice

Although the subject was technical at times, the author did a great job keeping the storyline interesting.

A Mother's Day Gift for Henrietta Lacks

Where does The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book is one of the most intriguing I have listened to, and I have listened to many.

What did you like best about this story?

What I appreciated the most in the story is the author's dedication to the person of Henrietta Lacks. The story is told without sentimentalizing, but with respect for Henrietta and her family.

What does Cassandra Campbell and Bahni Turpin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrators humanize the story to the point that I feel they are talking with me in my car. I wanted to call and tell them that I know how they feel.

Any additional comments?

I call this a Mother's Day gift for Henrietta because that's how it made me feel. Deborah Lacks wanted the world to know that her mother was important. She did not want her contribution to science to go unrecognized. Any one who has lost someone feels the same. I found myself crying with Deborah for her loss because I know what it feels like to lose a mother.