Summary of Rebecca Skloot's the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

PLEASE NOTE: This is a summary, analysis and review of the book and not the original book. Rebecca Skloot's book, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" uncovers the riveting tale of an unknown woman whose cells became the basis for myriad advancements in medical science. Through Skloot's exhaustive journalistic research, the reader is forced to weigh the gravity of Henrietta Lacks story and its implications for society from both a moral and scientific standpoint....
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PLEASE NOTE: This is a summary, analysis and review of the book and not the original book.

Rebecca Skloot's book, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" uncovers the riveting tale of an unknown woman whose cells became the basis for myriad advancements in medical science. Through Skloot's exhaustive journalistic research, the reader is forced to weigh the gravity of Henrietta Lacks story and its implications for society from both a moral and scientific standpoint.

This SUMOREADS Summary & Analysis offers supplementary material to "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" to help you distill the key takeaways, review the book's content, and further understand the writing style and overall themes from an editorial perspective. Whether you'd like to deepen your understanding, refresh your memory, or simply decide whether or not this book is for you, SUMOREADS Summary & Analysis is here to help. Absorb everything you need to know in under 20 minutes!

What does this SUMOREADS Summary & Analysis Include?

• An Executive Summary of the original book
• Editorial Review
• Key takeaways & analysis
• A short bio of the the authors

Original Book Summary Overview
Henrietta Lacks died of cervical cancer in 1951, but her cells did not. Taken without her knowledge by the researchers at Johns Hopkins, the cells, known by the code name HeLa, became the ultimate scientific tool; they replicated and replicated, soon growing large enough to circle the earth more than three times. They were used to develop a polio vaccine, advance in vitro fertilization, research the causes of cancer and study countless other diseases and viruses.

But Henrietta was buried in an unmarked grave in her rural hometown, where she had farmed the same land as her slave ancestors. Her family never received compensation for her scientific contribution-in fact, they only learned about it twenty years later, when a journalist arrived to interview them. Spanning decades of advancement and discovery, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" is a story of science, ethics and race-and where they all collide.

BEFORE YOU BUY: The purpose of this SUMOREADS Summary & Analysis is to help you decide if it's worth the time, money and effort reading the original book (if you haven't already). SUMOREADS has pulled out the essence-but only to help you ascertain the value of the book for yourself. This analysis is meant as a supplement to, and not a replacement for, "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks."