The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. Born a poor black tobacco farmer, her cancer cells – taken without her knowledge – became a multimillion-dollar industry and one of the most important tools in medicine. Yet Henrietta's family did not learn of her 'immortality' until more than 20 years after her death, with devastating consequences ...Rebecca Skloot's fascinating account is the story of the life, and afterlife, of one woman who changed the medical world forever. Balancing the beauty and drama of scientific discovery with dark questions about who owns the stuff our bodies are made of, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is an extraordinary journey in search of the soul and story of a real woman, whose cells live on today in all four corners of the world.

'A heartbreaking account of racism and injustice.' -- Metro
'A fascinating, harrowing, necessary book.' -- Guardian

Rebecca Skloot is the author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Her award winning science writing has appeared in The New York Times Magazine; O, The Oprah Magazine; Discover; and many other publications. She specializes in narrative science writing and has explored a wide range of topics, including goldfish surgery, tissue ownership rights, race and medicine, food politics, and packs of wild dogs in Manhattan. She has worked as a correspondent for WNYC’s Radiolab and PBS’s Nova ScienceNOW. She and her father, Floyd Skloot, co-edited The Best American Science Writing 2011. Cassandra Campbell is an actress, director and teacher who has performed in New York at the Public Theatre, the Mint Theater and the Clurman Theatre. She is an accomplished voiceover artist who has won four Audie Awards from the Audio Publishers Association and has been a finalist for several more. Cassandra has also earned numerous Earphones Awards from AudioFile, who named her a Golden Voice Narrator. In 2018, she was inducted into Audible’s Narrator Hall of Fame. Bahni Turpin is an ensemble member of Cornerstone Theater Company in Los Angeles. She has guest starred in many television series including NYPD Blue, Law & Order, Six Feet Under, Cold Case, What About Brian and The Comeback. Film credits include Brokedown Palace, Crossroads and Daughters of the Dust. Bahni received the AudioFile Earphones Award for her unforgettable narration of Precious by Sapphire. She's also a member of the cast recording of The Help, which won numerous awards.

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