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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: Young Adult Edition
A middle-grade adaptation of same title with thread on writer's own difficulties. Henrietta Lacks was a poor Southern tobacco farmer whose cervical cancer cells taken without her knowledge in 1951 treatment, have been vital in fighting polio, cancer, and viruses. Topics are race, bioethics, research, rights, family, and whether we control our cells.
- GenresNonfictionBiologyScience
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 25, 2013
28 people are currently reading
882 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 15, 2023
I’m glad this story came out but angry it even exists.
November 5, 2019
Incredibly important subject that I knew nothing about. But the author got in the way at times and I was very confused who all the people were - cousins, aunts & uncles, grandchildren, scientists, doctors, etc.
May 1, 2015
Excellent. It's amazing to see how the author took so many different strands of the story and an immense pile of research and wove it together into a very reader friendly, engaging book.
April 24, 2024
History is nothing but a lesson for the future!
I have heard and read of Henrietta and her HeLa cell line during my medicine undergrad days. Yet all those references were more in depth about the research done based on those cells and very superficially about the owner of those cells. I did want to read, learn, and get to know about the woman behind those cells and still failed to do so for decades. Now that I have read the book, I feel relieved, and have an immense gratitude towards Henrietta and her family because they have done more for the advancement of the human race than any individual so far.
I have diagnosed, operated upon, and treated women with cervical cancer, and I can only shed an empathetic tear for the agony of Henrietta during her last days. Though diagnostics, and surgical techniques have developed in leaps and shown advanced progress, the survival of advanced cervical cancer is still poor. Therefore I request the reader to get the HPV vaccine during your teen years and go for a PAP smear in your adult life if you are a woman.
The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks is an intriguing, informative and very expressive account of the life of a simple woman and how her ever surviving cells impacted the progress of science. The book takes the reader on a journey through time in a well-formulated manner and the narrative builds up in an effortless flow into what seems like an ever-approaching, omnipresent climax.
This book is a biography of a different kind, a biography about a dead woman but each and every word feels and sounds very much alive. Rebecca has done humankind and the science community a favor by filling a void and necessity in our history - humans needed to know of Henrietta!
The book is infused with a heap of scientific jargon and background, and yet the narration is very simple and smartly sequestered, even a lay person wouldn’t have any trouble understanding its content.
Rebecca Skloot had been very thorough and patient in her research for the book. In the buildup of the book the author has done full justice to the facts, and she has apparently been fair and unbiased to all parties involved including Henrietta herself, her immediate family and the scientists who had experimented with her cells.
This book is an emotional roller coaster, but Rebecca has managed to neutralize those strong emotions and maintain the scientific basis of its contents.
I enjoyed this book. It was enlightening, humbling, and fulfilling.
I have heard and read of Henrietta and her HeLa cell line during my medicine undergrad days. Yet all those references were more in depth about the research done based on those cells and very superficially about the owner of those cells. I did want to read, learn, and get to know about the woman behind those cells and still failed to do so for decades. Now that I have read the book, I feel relieved, and have an immense gratitude towards Henrietta and her family because they have done more for the advancement of the human race than any individual so far.
I have diagnosed, operated upon, and treated women with cervical cancer, and I can only shed an empathetic tear for the agony of Henrietta during her last days. Though diagnostics, and surgical techniques have developed in leaps and shown advanced progress, the survival of advanced cervical cancer is still poor. Therefore I request the reader to get the HPV vaccine during your teen years and go for a PAP smear in your adult life if you are a woman.
The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks is an intriguing, informative and very expressive account of the life of a simple woman and how her ever surviving cells impacted the progress of science. The book takes the reader on a journey through time in a well-formulated manner and the narrative builds up in an effortless flow into what seems like an ever-approaching, omnipresent climax.
This book is a biography of a different kind, a biography about a dead woman but each and every word feels and sounds very much alive. Rebecca has done humankind and the science community a favor by filling a void and necessity in our history - humans needed to know of Henrietta!
The book is infused with a heap of scientific jargon and background, and yet the narration is very simple and smartly sequestered, even a lay person wouldn’t have any trouble understanding its content.
Rebecca Skloot had been very thorough and patient in her research for the book. In the buildup of the book the author has done full justice to the facts, and she has apparently been fair and unbiased to all parties involved including Henrietta herself, her immediate family and the scientists who had experimented with her cells.
This book is an emotional roller coaster, but Rebecca has managed to neutralize those strong emotions and maintain the scientific basis of its contents.
I enjoyed this book. It was enlightening, humbling, and fulfilling.
August 30, 2017
The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks was a fantastic book to read. The book itself taught you so many things about science and how unfairly some people can be treated. It gave me so many different emotions, with how these people just used this discovery and never even told the family about it. This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I couldn't even put it down! This book tells the story of how one woman's cells helped scientists find a new discovery and how the family faced hard times while all this was happening. It tells the life line of Henrietta Lacks and her story. This book is great to read if you're into science and love biographies. I promise you won't be able to put it down once you start reading!
August 19, 2018
A fascinating story! But I am still confused by some questions 1) why her cell are so strong and can reproduce so quickly? 2) if her cells are so special, then are all the medical researches against it applied to normal people? I didn't found good answers from the book. But it's great to know the story of this amazing cell that changed the medical world and contributed to so many vaccines and medicines.
January 8, 2023
Henrietta Lacks, born as Loretta Pleasant in Roanoke, Virginia, on August 1, 1920- Died October 4, 1951
October 11th Henrietta Lacks Day
In recognition of Henrietta Lacks & the Lackses for their mother’s contribution to the field of science in regards to the HeLa cells:
THIS BOOK SHOULD BE A REQUIRED READING FOR ALL MED STUDENTS
1. “ since they gone ahead and taken her cells, and they been so important for science, Deborah thought, at least they can do is give her credit for it.”
Contributions Henrietta’s Lacks , HeLa cells have made in the name of science:
Vaccinating girls against (HPV-cervical cancer)
Eradicating Polio
spontaneous transformation
The first standardize culture medium
Mapping the human genome
Creating the field of virology
Space orbit: Discoverer XVIII satellite 1960
Effective Chemo Drugs: Vincristine & Taxol
1st human -animal hybrid cells 1965
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)
FAVORITE QUOTES:
1. We miss you, Mama… I think of you all the time and wish I could see and hold you in my arms, like I know you held me. My father said that you told him on your dying bed to take care of Deborah. Thank you, Ma, we will see you again someday. We read what we can and try to understand. My mind often wonder how things might would be if God had you stay here with me…. I keep with me all I know about you, deep in my soul, because I am part of you, and you are me. We love you, Mama.
2. “You know what’s weird? The world got more pictures of my mother cells than it do of her. I guess that’s why nobody knows who she is. Only thing left of her is them cells”
3. “Everybody always saying Henrietta Lacks donated those cells. She didn’t donate nothing. They took them and didn’t ask...What really would upset Henrietta is the fact that Dr. Gey never told the family anything—we didn’t know nothing about those cells and he didn’t care.”
4. We all black and white and everything else—this isn’t a race thing. There’s two sides to the story, and that’s what we want to bring out. Nothing about my mother is truth if it’s about wantin to fry the researchers. It’s not about punish the doctors or slander the hospital. I don’t want that.”
5. “Yeah , Hopkins pretty much screwed up, I think, Christopher said. Deborah bolted up right, and looked at him, stunned to hear a scientist - one at Hopkins, no less-saying such a thing. Then she looked back into the microscope and said, John Hopkins is a school for learning, and that’s important. But this is my mother. Nobody seem to get that”
6. I don’t know how I’m going to go ?”, she said. “ I just hope it’s nice and calm. But I’ll tell you one thing, I don’t want to be immortal if it means, living forever, because then everybody else just die and get old right front of you while you stay the same, and that’s just sad.” Then she smiled. “ but maybe I’ll come back and some HeLa cells like my mother, that way we can do good together out there in the world.” She paused, and nodded again . “ I think I’d like that.”
My mother Fawn Elaine Dobson born July 03, 1956 -Died January 29, 2014 from complication due to colon cancer. I decided to read this book in memory of those who have lost loved ones to such an unforgiving disease. My sincerest condolences to the Lacks family, and the loss of their mother
October 11th Henrietta Lacks Day
In recognition of Henrietta Lacks & the Lackses for their mother’s contribution to the field of science in regards to the HeLa cells:
THIS BOOK SHOULD BE A REQUIRED READING FOR ALL MED STUDENTS
1. “ since they gone ahead and taken her cells, and they been so important for science, Deborah thought, at least they can do is give her credit for it.”
Contributions Henrietta’s Lacks , HeLa cells have made in the name of science:
Vaccinating girls against (HPV-cervical cancer)
Eradicating Polio
spontaneous transformation
The first standardize culture medium
Mapping the human genome
Creating the field of virology
Space orbit: Discoverer XVIII satellite 1960
Effective Chemo Drugs: Vincristine & Taxol
1st human -animal hybrid cells 1965
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)
FAVORITE QUOTES:
1. We miss you, Mama… I think of you all the time and wish I could see and hold you in my arms, like I know you held me. My father said that you told him on your dying bed to take care of Deborah. Thank you, Ma, we will see you again someday. We read what we can and try to understand. My mind often wonder how things might would be if God had you stay here with me…. I keep with me all I know about you, deep in my soul, because I am part of you, and you are me. We love you, Mama.
2. “You know what’s weird? The world got more pictures of my mother cells than it do of her. I guess that’s why nobody knows who she is. Only thing left of her is them cells”
3. “Everybody always saying Henrietta Lacks donated those cells. She didn’t donate nothing. They took them and didn’t ask...What really would upset Henrietta is the fact that Dr. Gey never told the family anything—we didn’t know nothing about those cells and he didn’t care.”
4. We all black and white and everything else—this isn’t a race thing. There’s two sides to the story, and that’s what we want to bring out. Nothing about my mother is truth if it’s about wantin to fry the researchers. It’s not about punish the doctors or slander the hospital. I don’t want that.”
5. “Yeah , Hopkins pretty much screwed up, I think, Christopher said. Deborah bolted up right, and looked at him, stunned to hear a scientist - one at Hopkins, no less-saying such a thing. Then she looked back into the microscope and said, John Hopkins is a school for learning, and that’s important. But this is my mother. Nobody seem to get that”
6. I don’t know how I’m going to go ?”, she said. “ I just hope it’s nice and calm. But I’ll tell you one thing, I don’t want to be immortal if it means, living forever, because then everybody else just die and get old right front of you while you stay the same, and that’s just sad.” Then she smiled. “ but maybe I’ll come back and some HeLa cells like my mother, that way we can do good together out there in the world.” She paused, and nodded again . “ I think I’d like that.”
My mother Fawn Elaine Dobson born July 03, 1956 -Died January 29, 2014 from complication due to colon cancer. I decided to read this book in memory of those who have lost loved ones to such an unforgiving disease. My sincerest condolences to the Lacks family, and the loss of their mother
August 28, 2017
This book draws you in with the family history of Hela as well as the history of scientific advancements related to research. Both positive and negative research. Perfect balance of science with the development of real life characters.
July 16, 2020
The story of an African American woman who died of cancer in the 1960s. They took cell samples of her tumor and these cells are still living today in laboratories all around the world. The family never knew that they had used her cells and this story follows there sad search for answers.
September 26, 2018
My Book club choice book on cd
Excellent nonfiction
Combines science history civil rights medicine and human interest
Excellent nonfiction
Combines science history civil rights medicine and human interest
September 26, 2018
humbling..... I finished the book yesterday and have been thinking about it a lot.
March 7, 2019
Amazing story and even more amazing these cells are still used today.
June 22, 2020
Abandoned
September 21, 2020
Mind blowing!
July 22, 2023
oh my gosh this was actually life-changing, i love this book sm it has my heart except for the lowkey incest and raping <3
September 2, 2023
This was a re read from several years ago for book club, it’s a pretty amazing story.
October 6, 2024
It was not a book I usually read and the writing or book was not bad but it’s just not a book I liked.
December 6, 2017
Great book.
August 20, 2012
As always, truth is stranger than fiction. An unknown poor black woman dies a painful death of cervical cancer in the 50's and her cells go on to flourish around the world and figure in some of the most important medical research ever.
The author weaves 3 strands together: the scientific, the personal lives of Ms. Lacks and her family, and what happened to the author in the writing of this book. The third strand was just as fascinating as the other two in showing the challenges of writing a book.
I'd give it 5 stars except it was a bit too long and could've stood for some judicious editing.
The author weaves 3 strands together: the scientific, the personal lives of Ms. Lacks and her family, and what happened to the author in the writing of this book. The third strand was just as fascinating as the other two in showing the challenges of writing a book.
I'd give it 5 stars except it was a bit too long and could've stood for some judicious editing.
April 14, 2016
I couldn't put down this book. It was so easy to read and fascinating - it is at once a science book, biography, social history and a social commentary. It tells the story of a woman named Henrietta Lacks from whom HeLa cells were 'developed' and charts the proliferation of these cells against the backdrop of her family story before and after her death. Skloot's writing is accessible and engaging on many levels.
January 5, 2021
A must read non fiction book. If you only watched the movie, you don't know the real story. The movie is great but they skipped one of the most important part - science. This book helps readers understand the difference between how ordinary people observe issues and how scientists make decisions to find solutions to problems. The book discussed a lot of questions: morals, ethics, science, soul.
This book changed the way I read and look at scientific discoveries.
Highly recommended.
This book changed the way I read and look at scientific discoveries.
Highly recommended.
Read
April 11, 2015Fantastic book. The author's research was meticulous and her sensitivity to the Lacks family was amazing. Everyone should read this book and really start the conversation about tissue research and everyone's rights and responsibilities regarding it.
April 19, 2015
I think anyone who reads this books would wonder why they had never heard of Henrietta Lacks before. Fascinating and a wonderful book for pondering scientific research and some of the ethical considerations that go into it.
May 25, 2015
The book is really good in telling the before and after story to what happenned to Henrietta Lacks. It was really sad to know how their lives changed after and all their hardship that they went through.
May 1, 2012
it was amazing at first i didnt want to read it because it was about science but wow she doesnt make the book overwhelming or anything it is definetly a most read
June 9, 2012
Re-reading for Book Club!
April 29, 2015
I found it fascinating.
Read
June 3, 2015wrong edition
September 11, 2019
Great story about how Henrietta Laks's genes was used illegally.
September 16, 2024
Thoroughly moving. As an anti-racist, many parts were heartbreaking.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews