The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

A True Story of Scientific Discovery, Questionable Ethics, and a Family's Fight for Truth

By: Rebecca Skloot

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

A heartbreaking account of a medical miracle: how one woman’s cells – taken without her knowledge – have saved countless lives. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a true story of race, class, injustice and exploitation.

‘No dead woman has done more for the living . . . A fascinating, harrowing, necessary book.’ – Hilary Mantel, Guardian

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. Born a poor black tobacco farmer, her cancer cells – taken without her knowledge – became a multimillion-dollar industry and one of the most important tools in medicine. Yet Henrietta’s family did not learn of her ‘immortality’ until more than twenty years after her death, with devastating consequences . . .

Rebecca Skloot’s moving account is the story of the life, and afterlife, of one woman who changed the medical world forever. Balancing the beauty and drama of scientific discovery with dark questions about who owns the stuff our bodies are made of, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is an extraordinary journey in search of the soul and story of a real woman, whose cells live on today in all four corners of the world.

Now an HBO film starring Oprah Winfrey and Rose Byrne.

Critic reviews

A fascinating, harrowing, necessary book. (Hilary Mantel)

A heartbreaking account of racism and injustice.

A fine book . . . a gripping read . . . The book has deservedly been a huge bestseller in the US. It should be here, too.

Excellent read through changing ethical practice

I found this a very interesting history about the people involved in changing the face of biology as we know it. From the family and their experiences of being involved in the process to the scientists. Ethical practices have changed over time and it is interesting to consider whether the same thing could happen today.

Wow

What did you love best about The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks?

I loved the layering of experience: the story of Henrietta herself, the utterly compelling narrative of the destiny of the HeLa cells, the story of Skloot's own search, and then the moving narrative of the descendants of Lacks.

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

I also listened to The Help this year, and think there is something to be gleaned from these two extended works about the healing power of storytelling. While I often shrink back from white people telling black people's stories, both these books actually tackle this problem head on, exploring the problem of who is telling whose story and why. Restoration through narrative.

Have you listened to any of Cassandra Campbell???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

She was one of the narrators in The Help apparently (must have been that weird third person section?) Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed her reading.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A story of science that comes from the heart.

great

just wait the first chapters, it don't get to the bottom of it. then it gets exciting!

RHerrera

What a great book. There were several times I got emotional, hands to Rebecca. Thank you

Phenomenal

A beautifully written book, very impactful and perfectly narrated. The story and characters are so alive that one becomes completely absorbed by the fascinating tale of one woman’s journey to find the truth about the mother she never knew.