The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-09-19 06:53:03
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Rebecca Skloot
- ISBN：1594134324
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Summary
Henrietta Lacks a poor Southern tobacco farmer was buried in an unmarked grave sixty years ago。 Yet her cells -- taken without her knowledge grown in culture and bought and sold by the billions -- became one of the most important tools in medical research。 Rebecca Skloot takes us on an extraordinary journey from the "colored" ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to East Baltimore today where Henrietta's family struggles with her legacy。
Reviews
Emily
，
I learned so much from this book。 It was concurrently difficult to listen to the depths of abject poverty Henrietta’s family found themselves in and astounding to realize how impactful the HeLa cell line has been。 Skloot interwove first- and secondhand accounts of Henrietta’s family with a brief history of cells and scientific discoveries， and while I appreciated this approach of personalizing the story， it was sometimes hard to follow。
Sharon
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Interesting book overall。 After reading about how much the Lack’s personally family members had suffered and on top of that; the inherited familial trauma （from Henrietta’s cells and Elsie Lacks） made me feel sympathetic toward the Lacks family。 However， this book could have a been summarized shorter and the author’s investigation felt intrusive at times。 What I really gained from this book is that:The Lacks family wanted:1）more recognition and2）some monetary reparationsSadly nothing has changed Interesting book overall。 After reading about how much the Lack’s personally family members had suffered and on top of that; the inherited familial trauma （from Henrietta’s cells and Elsie Lacks） made me feel sympathetic toward the Lacks family。 However， this book could have a been summarized shorter and the author’s investigation felt intrusive at times。 What I really gained from this book is that:The Lacks family wanted:1）more recognition and2）some monetary reparationsSadly nothing has changed and this book and an HBO film tries to give more recognition despite the Lacks family’s continuing disapproval 。。。more
Paul Day
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This may be the best book I read this year and is certainly the most important。 I learned about a person who made incalculable contributions to modern science。I am not a science person。 However Rebecca Skloot did a skillful job explaining important scientific advances in layman's terms so that I could understand it。This book touched me on a personal level by learning how Henrietta Lacks family struggled mightily。 There is something wrong that the family whose cells entirely changed healthcare co This may be the best book I read this year and is certainly the most important。 I learned about a person who made incalculable contributions to modern science。I am not a science person。 However Rebecca Skloot did a skillful job explaining important scientific advances in layman's terms so that I could understand it。This book touched me on a personal level by learning how Henrietta Lacks family struggled mightily。 There is something wrong that the family whose cells entirely changed healthcare could not afford healthcare coverage themselves。 This book appears to have made a difference。 Eleven years since the publication Johns Hopkins is opening a new research building named after Henrietta Lacks。 Her descendents now serve on the HeLa oversight committee。 The family also has received some compensation。 Great book。 I strongly recommend。 。。。more
Leslie
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Some of the sections are very emotionally challenging and may require breaks。 An amazing story。
Hamed Yusuf
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3 。 2 。1
Krystal Hon
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I’m not in the medical field and I’d never heard of Henrietta Lacks or HeLa before but still thought this book was SO interesting。 Very well written， a story that needed to be told。 I thought it was a great reminder how everything we do， every science experiment， every business transaction， etc。 has people involved-people with feelings and people with family， and we need to be better about treating people with respect。 Highly recommend this book and I know it’s one of those books that will stay I’m not in the medical field and I’d never heard of Henrietta Lacks or HeLa before but still thought this book was SO interesting。 Very well written， a story that needed to be told。 I thought it was a great reminder how everything we do， every science experiment， every business transaction， etc。 has people involved-people with feelings and people with family， and we need to be better about treating people with respect。 Highly recommend this book and I know it’s one of those books that will stay with me for many years。 。。。more
Amanda Heapy
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The most interesting & meaningful book I’ve ever read。 A history of scientific discovery & development。 How a devastatingly aggressive cancer in a young woman lead the evolution of medical research， & the human story behind it in which a family struggles to find peace after unfairness， loss & grief。
Bridget Ury
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Still not sure where I stand on the topic of tissue use but I know this book made me feel extremely privileged
LibrarianMel
，
This non-fiction story about how science began using cancer cells from a dying woman is super-fascinating and horrifying at once。 It tells the story of Henrietta Lacks， as best as can be reconstructed from documents and family stories， her life， illness， and death， interspersed with the emergence of using human cells for discovery （and human testing and experimentation。。。yikes）。 We also get the stories of Henrietta Lacks' family and their journey for closure。I sure hope the family sees some mone This non-fiction story about how science began using cancer cells from a dying woman is super-fascinating and horrifying at once。 It tells the story of Henrietta Lacks， as best as can be reconstructed from documents and family stories， her life， illness， and death， interspersed with the emergence of using human cells for discovery （and human testing and experimentation。。。yikes）。 We also get the stories of Henrietta Lacks' family and their journey for closure。I sure hope the family sees some money from the publication and success of this book， because one of the themes is how they were abused and taken advantage of by people profiting off Henrietta。 If they don't see any money from this， it would be more of the same， which is disgusting。 。。。more
Risa
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Fascinating story， but the writing seemed more like a diary entry of the author's timeline of personal research。 It ended up being repetitive in message instead of focused on a chronology of Henrietta's life or unfolding the story as it would make sense to the reader。 Fascinating story， but the writing seemed more like a diary entry of the author's timeline of personal research。 It ended up being repetitive in message instead of focused on a chronology of Henrietta's life or unfolding the story as it would make sense to the reader。 。。。more
Eighmey
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What a tragic story about race， poverty， education and medical ethics。 Beautifully written， I appreciate that this was humanistic and not just a scientific discussion of Henrietta Lacks and her cells。 A must read for anyone in public health， ethics or social justice。
Kathy
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I knew a little bit going in but not very much。。 This book made me angry so many times。 Excellent choice for a book club。
Emily Mae Dilley
，
I read this as part of the Ohio State 2012 Buckeye Book Community read for first year students， but didn’t remember much of it。 I reread it in two days this week and am disappointed so much of it was lost on me the first time through！ Rebecca Skloot is a prime example of how authors should treat their subjects。 The Lacks family was treated with dignity and honor throughout the book while their words help readers to consider complex issues around race， class， ethics and more。 I wish I had spent m I read this as part of the Ohio State 2012 Buckeye Book Community read for first year students， but didn’t remember much of it。 I reread it in two days this week and am disappointed so much of it was lost on me the first time through！ Rebecca Skloot is a prime example of how authors should treat their subjects。 The Lacks family was treated with dignity and honor throughout the book while their words help readers to consider complex issues around race， class， ethics and more。 I wish I had spent more time with this book in college when I had the chance to meet members of the Lacks family and interact with the author， but I’m also glad to have revisited this now。 Still so relevant， especially in the midst of the CoVid-19 pandemic！ 。。。more
Maya Birhiray
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read this book for a bioethics course after my family insisted for years that i take the plunge。 overall very well written and i like the progression of the story focusing on not just henrietta’s untold story but also the rest of the lackes。 definitely recommend for anyone at all interested in the medical field or working close to it！ or honestly anyone who is looking for a good non-fiction story that reads more like a novel
Stefany
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This is an excellent non-fiction account and hard to put down。 I couldn't believe how many medical breakthroughs were discovered by using these cells， with probably more to come。 The medical ethics surrounding Henrietta's cells （and really all tissues used in research） are fascinating; the author did a good job describing this complicated issue。 This is an excellent non-fiction account and hard to put down。 I couldn't believe how many medical breakthroughs were discovered by using these cells， with probably more to come。 The medical ethics surrounding Henrietta's cells （and really all tissues used in research） are fascinating; the author did a good job describing this complicated issue。 。。。more
Anjiebringhurst
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Fascinating but slow。
Risa Christensen
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Fascinating from a scientific/ research point of view， so so sad from a social/ familial point of view。 Good information well worth knowing。
Christina Polidore
，
It was a very educational book。 It helps us understand how far we have come in History and how we can prevent segregation and embrace equality。 I recommend reading this book。
Domiziana
，
Ho faticato molto a digerire alcuni passi， in altri mi accorgevo di aver bagnato la pagina con qualche lacrima， senza neanche rendermene conto。 C'è talmente tanta ingiustizia， che anche le parti più delicate ti colpiscono come un pugno nello stomaco， e non ti mollano più。Questa é LA storia， che prova a rendere giustizia a questa famiglia， ma soprattutto ad Henrietta， che ne rende un esempio sul quale riflettere， empatizzare， imparare。 Un esempio da tramandare。É una calamita dalla quale non riesc Ho faticato molto a digerire alcuni passi， in altri mi accorgevo di aver bagnato la pagina con qualche lacrima， senza neanche rendermene conto。 C'è talmente tanta ingiustizia， che anche le parti più delicate ti colpiscono come un pugno nello stomaco， e non ti mollano più。Questa é LA storia， che prova a rendere giustizia a questa famiglia， ma soprattutto ad Henrietta， che ne rende un esempio sul quale riflettere， empatizzare， imparare。 Un esempio da tramandare。É una calamita dalla quale non riesci a staccarti， forse complice anche la materia trattata， a cui mi sento molto vicina， ma c'è di più， molto molto di più， e mentre le pagine scorrevano una cosa più di tutte volevo che mi restasse impressa， e questa cosa é l'umanitá che scorre in queste pagine e permea l'intero racconto。 L'umanità。 。。。more
Mrs。 Gamblin
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Very interesting book。 I had never heard of HeLa cells before so I learned a lot。 It was not an easy read - it highlighted a lot of awful things that have been done to African Americans over the years。 If someone is interested in science or biology， I would highly recommend it。
Sheri Anne
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I couldn’t put it down and would give this book ten stars if I could。 Who knew cells could be so interesting？ So unethical？ And so important？ The family deserved better than they got。
Emily Ashlyn
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I just couldn’t get into it
J 。 Watkins
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Very interesting， non fiction。
Shelly
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I could not put this down！ I’ve heard of Henrietta Lacks immortal cell because I teach science and try to stay current。 While it did have the major medical advancements that the HeLa cells help to benefit it was more about the history and the family she left behind。 A lot of heart break， but trying to make it right along the way。
Pat Gratz
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A must read。
Toni
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Interesting story！ Loved hearing about the history of tissue research and the problems in the field both ethical and scientific。 23 and me already has my DNA！
Vijay
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This book opened my eyes on the subject of scientific testing using human tissue。 Prior to reading this book， I hadn't realised some of the things we take as given。 For example， when tissue or organs are removed， you'd think they'd be disposed of immediately， but no， they can be used for medical or scientific research without your consent nor knowledge。HeLa was a sad sad case， was her uterus deliberately removed for studying？ Why was she nor her family never informed？The author of the book under This book opened my eyes on the subject of scientific testing using human tissue。 Prior to reading this book， I hadn't realised some of the things we take as given。 For example， when tissue or organs are removed， you'd think they'd be disposed of immediately， but no， they can be used for medical or scientific research without your consent nor knowledge。HeLa was a sad sad case， was her uterus deliberately removed for studying？ Why was she nor her family never informed？The author of the book undertakes a painstakingly difficult investigation， much of it trying to convince the Lacks family to trust in her。 It is such an important book to read and to try and understand the difficulties patients and families face。 There doesn't seem to be recourse for people in this situation。 "For the greater good of society" ， doesn't mean individuals can be sacrificed。 If you and you alone can decide what to do with your money， surely you and you alone should decide on how your body is used。 。。。more
Dawn Stoddard
，
Soo fascinating and equally disturbing！！ The injustice angered me， but the story brings forth to the forefront forth important ethical questions about scientific research and human cells。
Amanda Carlucci
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A true story that's both fascinating & heartbreaking。 It makes me want to learn more about this subject， and， as a matter of fact， I don't think I'll be able to stop thinking about this story and family。 Intelligently put together and entertaining to read。 Skloot has created a compelling story - an impressive feat for the scientific writing / memoir combination（I think I might watch the movie with the same name now。）Highly recommend！ A true story that's both fascinating & heartbreaking。 It makes me want to learn more about this subject， and， as a matter of fact， I don't think I'll be able to stop thinking about this story and family。 Intelligently put together and entertaining to read。 Skloot has created a compelling story - an impressive feat for the scientific writing / memoir combination（I think I might watch the movie with the same name now。）Highly recommend！ 。。。more
Gisele Russo
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