The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Rebecca Skloot
February 2010
384 pages
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FTC: This one came from the bookstore, so nothing to confess here, move along.
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If you read one non-fiction book this year, make it this book.
Seriously.
At first, I was a little leery of this book, but only because of the science. I pretty much consider science to be Boring. But this book doesn’t read like a science book. It hardly reads like non-fiction. Skloot focuses on the people, and in doing so, she tells the story of Henrietta Lacks AND her cells.
In 1951, Henrietta Lacks was 31 years old, mother to 5 children, and wife to David Lacks. The Lacks family was descended from both slaves and slave owners. The extended family grew up together, working in the tobacco fields. Henrietta and David were first cousins, both raised by their grandfather in an old slave cabin. In the 1940s David left for Baltimore, to find work in the shipyards, and after a few years, Henrietta and the children were able to join him.
However, by the late 1940s, Henrietta knew something wasn’t right. She felt a knot on her womb, and eventually went to Johns Hopkins. This was a huge step for Henrietta, as Johns Hopkins had a shady reputation among the poor black population of Baltimore. People believed that the hospital would snatch children off the street for use in medical experiments. However, it was the only option available to Henrietta.
Diagnosed with cervical cancer, Henrietta underwent treatment (radium tubes sewn into her vagina, followed by radiation treatments that scorched her skin). Initially, the doctors thought that the treatments were successful, but the tumors soon spread and Henrietta eventually died a very painful death from uremic poisoning (due to the tumors, she couldn’t pee, meaning the toxins built up in her body).
During the ‘40′s and ’50’s, cell research was taking off. Henrietta’s doctor took a sample of her cancer cells. These cells became the first cells to be kept successfully alive in a laboratory. What’s more, they reproduced. The HeLa cell line, as it became known, is still used in medical research today. Henrietta’s cells have travelled the globe (and into space), and were used for research when developing the polio vaccine, in cancer research, and in cloning.
However. And this is a huge however. Neither Henrietta nor her family ever knew that her cells had been “harvested” for research purposes. When her grown children finally heard that their mother’s cells were immortal, they were outraged. And it reinforced the idea that Johns Hopkins was the enemy.
In The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Skloot tells Henrietta’s story through her children’s search for understanding. Skloot had long been fascinated by Henrietta Lacks, ever since she had heard a brief mention of her in a community college class taken as a high schooler. Skloot spent years researching Henrietta Lacks, and convincing her children that she meant no harm in digging into their mother’s past.
While the book focuses on the people (the Lacks family, as well as the doctors and researchers involved), it raises excellent questions about medical ethics. Besides Henrietta’s story, it touches on the Tuskegee syphilis experiment and other individuals who have been unwitting victims of scientific research. It also ventures into the murky area of who owns cells.
This is a fascinating book, as it provides a look into how the scientific study of cells brought about both good (scientific advances) and bad (the trauma and misunderstanding brought upon a family who knew nothing about what happened to Henrietta’s cells).
While Henrietta certainly didn’t intend to become a medical pioneer, that’s what ended up happening with her cells. Her contribution to science and history is enormous, and she definitely deserves her spot in the Women Unbound Reading Challenge.
That’s a very interesting question isn’t it? Surely the cells belong to Henrietta unless she gave her consent, but then medical ethics has always been a murky subject.
.-= chasing bawa´s last blog ..Cinnamon Gardens by Shyam Selvadurai =-.
so happy this book hooked you and was such a big hit. i can’t wait to read it as well. great review on a tough book.
.-= Diane´s last blog ..Friday Finds =-.
I’m so glad you read this one and enjoyed it! I have had my eye on it for quite some time- it sounds fascinating and I’m glad it’s not too “science-y.” Medical ethics is definitely a very murky subject… shudder.
.-= Aarti´s last blog ..With Reverent Hands: The Last Temptation of Christ =-.
I’ll be reading this soon, since it’s the May read for my books club, and I can’t wait!
.-= bermudaonion (Kathy)´s last blog ..Wondrous Words Wednesday =-.
I think when one determines to be on a book buying ban, one should stop reading blogs. Cuz I run across posts like this and I freak out for wanting to buy the blipping book! This is such a fascinating subject that I would enjoy reading a tiny stack of books about it. I’ve heard – and I’m too lazy to do the research right now – that some company owns a large percentage of our DNA. How strange. Great review, but I think you should have to buy me the book since I can’t buy it and you’ve really made me want it.
.-= Trisha´s last blog ..February Films =-.
This sounds really interesting but also like something that will just make me angry. Did you go into it with a particular idea about the ethics in the case and did you feel differently by the time you were done reading?
.-= Dreamybee´s last blog ..What I’m Reading Now-The Handmaid’s Tale =-.
I’ve been avoiding this book because for some reason I thought it was about something else but the way you’ve described it really makes me want to check it now. Great review.
.-= Darlene´s last blog ..Guest Post & Giveaway with Pam Jenoff, author of Almost Home =-.
I wouldn’t say medical ethics have been murky–the ethics are pretty clear to me. Her cells shouldn’t have been harvested without consent. But if scientists paid attention to ethics, we wouldn’t have a lot of scientific advances. Like the atomic bomb.
.-= heidenkind´s last blog ..Novels & Gender =-.
On to the list it goes!
I find medical ethics, and scientific ethics in general, a fascinating subject. Probably because I’ve been subjected to so many doctors! lol
Also, Skloot might be one of those most fun-to-say author names ever.
.-= Eva´s last blog ..Central Asia: the Making of a Booklist =-.
Wow, this sounds really interesting. I’m adding it to my Goodreads list.
.-= charley´s last blog ..The Clothes on Their Backs by Linda Grant =-.
Oooh ooh ooh! I’m so glad I read your review. This one is popping up all over the blogosphere, so of course I was being aloof and ignoring it. HOWEVER, I realized when I read your review, that my college reading class (fundamentals course to get students caught up to college level reading) had a blurb about it in their textbook. From that point I was fascinated by hela cells! Yay! I have to put this one on my library holds now.
.-= Andi´s last blog ..Raven Stole the Moon, by Garth Stein =-.
The story itself floors me. I saw this on NPR and have read some pretty good reviews of it over the past couple of weeks.
.-= Ti´s last blog ..Friday Finds: The Dream of Perpetual Motion =-.
OK … wow. That is pretty heavy duty. I’m putting on the list.
.-= Jenners´s last blog ..Show Me 5 Saturday: "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See =-.
I had to stop reading your review after “If you read one non-fiction book this year, make it this book.” My book club is reading this later in the spring — I’m one of those people who hates spoilers! I’m really looking forward to it.
.-= Beth F´s last blog ..Featuring . . . The Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama =-.
I realize it’s difficult to spoil non-fiction, but I still want to approach the book with little prior knowledge.
.-= Beth F´s last blog ..Featuring . . . The Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama =-.
There were so many thing about this book that shocked me, mostly when it came to who actually owns our bodies. Especially the stuff about how even now, there are no real laws to say once something is removed from us who has ownership over it. At the same time, without these cells we wouldn’t have cures of diseases like the one that killed Henrietta, so a whole lot of good came from one bad decision. It’s really tricky.
.-= Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness)´s last blog ..Comments, Categories, and Social Media — Oh My! =-.
I’ve been avoiding this book because I’m scared it’s going to get me very angry but I think it’s important that I read it. So I will. . . soon.
.-= Vasilly´s last blog ..Library Loot: The Blame Game =-.
Wow, Jill – that’s a strong recommendation! I hadn’t heard of this book, but I think I’d love it. While HeLa cells are familiar, the story behind them is not. This is going on my list immediately, and I will also bring it to my book club’s attention.
.-= JoAnn´s last blog ..Weekend Cooking: Baking as Therapy =-.
I’m so glad you had the chance to read this one, Jill. I saw it sitting on the shelf in the bookstore a couple of weeks ago and looked it over. I was trying to be good and didn’t get it, but it made it into my little notebook to be added to my wish list later. I’ll definitely have to give this one a try.
.-= Literary Feline´s last blog ..Review: The Fairest Portion of the Globe by Frances Hunter =-.
Yes, I will read this. It boggles my brain to think that if I even just tried to keep up with you in books-read, and not just count but COOL-books-read, … sigh.
You deserve a medal. Somebody give Fizzy-T a medal!!!
.-= Care´s last blog ..Love Begins in Winter =-.
I’m reading this for my book club in May (?) and I’m really looking forward to it. A friend of mine is reading it and he sent me an email just to say, If you haven’t read this book, you should! LOL. Okay! Noted! I’ll read the book!
I think this will be a particularly interesting book to discuss!
.-= trish´s last blog ..Which Would You Rather Wednesday =-.
I have this on the pile for next week (I hope), so I stopped after the first line of this review, but dang if that isn’t enough to make me want to read it RIGHT NOW. I’ll be back for the rest later, but thanks for getting me excited about it.
.-= Rebecca @ The Book Lady’s Blog´s last blog ..Open Invitation: Educator Roundtable at Fountain Bookstore =-.
I’ve got this one for my Kindle, and I cannot wait to read it. I’m so glad to hear you loved it! I’ve been on a nonfiction kick, but this one sounds fantastic.
I can’t wait to read this one. I’ve not read one negative review on it yet!
.-= A Bookshelf Monstrosity´s last blog ..The Monstrosity Gazette: A weekly smattering of all things literary… =-.
I’m in the middle of the audio of this book and OMG! So good!
.-= Jen – Devourer of Books´s last blog ..The Opposite of Me – Book Review =-.
Great review. Adding it to my list.
.-= Akilah´s last blog ..Book Review: The Eternal Smile =-.
I’ve been on the hold list for this one at the library ever since I heard the Fresh Air interview with Rebecca Skloot on NPR and your review has me more excited for it than ever.