The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

The Story of an African American Woman Whose Cells Changed the Course of Medicine

The book tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, a poor African American tobacco farmer whose cells, taken without her knowledge in 1951, became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and more. Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can't afford health insurance. The book explores the collision between ethics, race, and medicine; of scientific discovery and faith healing; and of a daughter consumed with questions about the mother she never knew.

The 827th greatest book of all time


Published
2010
Nationality
American
Type
Nonfiction
Pages
300-400
Words
128,000
Original Language
English
Alternate Titles
None

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