The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
By: Rebecca Skloot
Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Adult Services Specialist
Genre: Non-fiction, Biographical
Suggested Age: Teens, Adults
What is the book about? Henrietta Lacks’ life was short, she only lived to be 31 years old. However, her legacy as the source of the first “immortal” human cell line was something that the world knew nothing about for decades. As a young student, the author (Rebecca Skloot) became fascinated with finding out more about Henrietta Lacks…a person who was only briefly acknowledged by one of her biology teachers, but no other information seemed to be known about her. Skloot wanted to find out more and clung to any nugget of information that she happened upon. Until one day, she was given the chance to talk to the surviving family of Henrietta Lacks, but there was a catch. They were not eager to share with the outside world. This book follows three main narratives: Henrietta Lacks’ disease progression, her family’s history (before and after her death), and the cells cultured from her tumor (cells that did not die) known as “HeLa.”
My Review: I thought this book was an emotional rollercoaster, but a rewarding listen (CD audiobook). The author spent nearly 10 years investigating and working with the Lacks family to find out anything they could about Henrietta and HeLa. Medical researchers gained the “miracle” of the HeLa cells that led to many important medical breakthroughs, including three Nobel Prizes. However, HeLa didn’t benefit Henrietta’s children, children that were thrust into a new life without their mother. I was at times saddened, shocked, outraged, encouraged, and uplifted by this book. For me, knowing that in recent news, her descendants have successfully sued and settled with at least one of the companies that continues to profit from HeLa cells added to my feeling of closure at the end of the book. Henrietta’s story is one that needed to be shared with the world.
Trigger warning: violence, child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic abuse, and the N word.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Tragic, Whirlwind, Invaluable
Give This a Try if You Like…Lab Girl by Hope Jaren, The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee, and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Rating: 4.5/5
