The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks cover art

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

By: Rebecca Skloot
Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
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About this listen

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.

©2009 Rebecca Skloot (P)2010 Random House, inc Americas Biological Sciences Black & African American History History & Philosophy Medicine & Health Care Industry Professionals & Academics Racism & Discrimination Science Science & Technology Social Sciences United States Medical Ethics Thought-Provoking Discrimination Medicine

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All stars
Most relevant  
What an amazing story
Outstanding book , crucially important peace of history !
Worth every minute of the long years spent on making it happen .

Thank you Rebecca Skoolt

Wow

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This topic is fascinating. The author attempts to bring together rather scientifically technical information about how a poor American black women's cells became useful in biomedical science and changed the world against the background of her impoverished society.

The book alternates between science and social history.

As a science orientated person I was impressed to note how clearly and accurately the young writer explained how Henrietta Lack's cells became immortal such that they are still dividing now, over 50 years later. Their ability to proliferate has accelerated cell biology proving useful to mankind in many ways. These were my favourite chapters which unfortunately were in the minority.

The story of Henrietta and her family bring social interest contrasting with a high tech world but I found this too meandering. I felt sorry for the inexperienced author having to deal with Henrietta's family who suffered physical, cognitive, educational and psychiatric disadvantages that she lacked the experience to interpret. Overall they were more a report on how she wrote the book than of the people themselves.

Finally, I would enjoy a little more philosophy which did emerge to some extent during the discussions of tissue ownership.

A little bit of humour would have been my own choice to lift the worrying and depressing passages where she tries to stay on the right side of poor fragile people with paranoid manic psychoses. I suspect she refrained through respect.

Overall, definitely worth a listen.

What did you like best about this story?

Yes

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The narrator relayed the story rather than told it herself.

balance of science and social history

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This is a must-read for all who are interested in how science develops and what is its place in our society. I found Rebecca Skloot's enquiry into the woman (and her family, and the scientists and the labs) behind the cells which have furthered medical and genetic research more than any other fascinating on so many levels: scientific, historical, political, psychological. Here is a woman who has aided medicine immeasuably, but her family cannot afford US health care... And that's just the start. It's beautifully read by Cassandra Campbell, and had me hooked from start to finsh.

Rivetting listening

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I enjoyed this book so much, yet I think I'd struggle to articulate all of the reasons why I loved it so much. There are little elements that focus on cell biology and the advent of cell culture which I find fascinating, but it's the story of Henrietta's children trying to understand what had happened to their mother that gave this book most of its special moments.

The writing is sharp, to the point, but occasionally lyrical and very descriptive. Skloot has a brilliant way of zooming into a character and telling us vivid details about them. And it was also the fact that they aren't characters at all, but real people, that made this book so powerful (and this is coming from someone who almost exclusively reads fiction).

I loved this book and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

A Fantastic Book

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loved the book and the narration. it has really opened my eyes about research. a must read.

remarkable story.

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This book was not what I expected but it is very well written and very sympathetically recorded. It is a tale of a woman born in the very shadow of her ancestors slavery who unknowingly changes the face of modern medicine. At the same time the medical miracles are beginning Henrietta dies in pain and her family are left bereft, poor and traumatized. The tale is equally parts inspiring and tragic.

Exceptional

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really thought provoking, I can't wait to watch the film next. Well written, nicely narrated.

fabulous

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Excellent book very informative, thought provoking and well read. This is a must read for everyone.

Highly recommended

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I was really moved by this book. I had heard of HeLa cells before, having studied and worked in medical science for most of my career, but I had never heard the real story behind them. Apart from being a great read the book raises a lot of questions about bioethics, fairness and the injustices of the past. Definitely a story that needed to be told!

Great Read!

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What a fantastic, mesmerising, emotive, historic and shocking story. beautifully written, diligently research and thoughtfully presented. thoroughly recommend . essential reading for an informed mind regarding the medical world, scientific research and global ethics.

An important And compelling read

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