book-informationThe Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (1)AuthorRebecca SklootGenreScience, Biography, Medical History, Social JusticeSynopsisThe extraordinary true story of Henrietta Lacks, a poor Black tobacco farmer whose cancer cells—taken without her knowledge in 1951—became one of the most important tools in medicine, leading to breakthroughs in vaccines, cloning, and gene mapping. Rebecca Skloot masterfully weaves together the science of the immortal HeLa cells with the deeply human story of the Lacks family, who remained unaware for decades that Henrietta's cells were bought and sold by the billions while they couldn't afford health insurance. This groundbreaking work raises profound questions about medical ethics, race, and the intersection of science and humanity.