Ages 18+
When Rebecca Skloot first learned about Henrietta Lacks, she was determined to research all she could about her life and the science advances that her cells made possible. Henrietta Lacks was a poor southern tobacco farmer in the 1950s whose cervical cancer cells were taken and studied without her knowledge. Known as HeLa, the cells took a vital part in discovering the Polio vaccine, unknown information about cancer, cloning, and in vitro fertilization. HeLa is known to today’s scientists worldwide, and continues to grow. However, Henrietta Lacks’ children and grandchildren have seen no profits from this and feel violated. A combination of research and interviews with Henrietta’s family members, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a gripping read.
The Bookish Librarian 