Cover via Open Library
Matt's pick · not sponsored
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
- medical ethics
- HeLa cells
- cancer research
- race
- family
- bioethics
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Why I'd hand it to you
In 1951, cells were taken from Henrietta Lacks, a Black woman being treated for cancer at Johns Hopkins, without her knowledge. Her cells became the HeLa line, one of the most important tools in modern medicine. Rebecca Skloot tells Henrietta's story and her family's long struggle to learn what happened, especially her daughter Deborah. It raises hard questions about consent, race and who profits from science. One note: Skloot is a big character in her own book, and some readers find that distracting or wish more of the story were told by the family. It is still a moving, important read.
— Matt Jordan
Quick summary
- Book
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
- Who it's for
- Readers interested in medicine, race and ethics who want a moving family story behind a scientific breakthrough.
- Key topics
- Henrietta Lacks and the HeLa cells
- Medical consent
- Race and bioethics
- The Lacks family's search for answers
- Shelves
- Science, History, Health, Biography
