THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS BY REBECCA SKLOOT, MACMILLAN, $34.99.
Until Henrietta Lacks’ cancerous cells grew like wildfire in test-tubes and petri dishes around the world, scientists had been unable to grow human cells for any length of time. Her sturdy cells led to the development of the polio vaccine, were shot into space and used to test chemotherapy.
The woman behind the cells was a pretty African-American mother. Henrietta, known to scientists as “HeLa”, was the descendant of slaves and her children are among the poorest, least educated Americans. Her daughter, fearful when she hears “HeLa” cells have been cloned in the UK, imagines hundreds of Henriettas walking the streets of London. As Henrietta’s cells generate billions of dollars for medical companies, her children struggle to pay for a visit to the doctor. Rebecca Skloot weaves a fascinating story of scientific triumph, medical ethics and the hard lives of Henrietta’s children in a fresh and entertaining book.
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