The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: A Book Review

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: A Book Review

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a 2010 nonfiction book by Rebecca Skloot. It tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, a poor African-American woman whose cervical cancer cells were taken without her consent in 1951 and used to create the first immortal human cell line, HeLa cells. HeLa cells have been used in countless medical advances, including the development of the polio vaccine and the study of cancer. However, Lacks' family was never informed of her contributions to science or compensated for them. Skloot's book is a powerful and moving account of Lacks' life and legacy. She tells Lacks' story through the voices of her family and friends, as well as the scientists who have worked with HeLa cells. Skloot also explores the ethical implications of Lacks' case and the issue of informed consent in medical research. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of medicine, the ethics of medical research, or the life of H…