The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks cover
Good Books rating 4.25

Technical:
  • ID: 138
  • Added: 2025-09-03
  • Updated: 2025-09-03
  • ISBN: 9780230748699
  • Publisher: Pan Macmillan
  • Published: 2010-01-01
  • Reviews: 3

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors yet her cells - taken without her knowledge - become one of the most important tools in modern medicine.

Reviews


Pull quotes
  • The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a book I wish I had read long ago.
  • It is a fascinating mix of memoir and science.
  • Telling the story of how one woman's cells have saved countless lives.


Pull quotes
  • Reading 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks' was an amazing experience.
  • It allowed me to learn about unity within the Lacks family.
  • The book is emotive and hard going, but it is incredibly important.


Pull quotes
  • The book takes the reader on an incredible journey from the 'colored' ward to research laboratories.
  • It is an important contribution to public understanding of science and ethics.
  • Raises critical questions about consent and exploitation in medical research.
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