Super Short Summary

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot tells the true story of Henrietta Lacks, a Black American woman whose cancer cells, taken without her consent in 1951, became the first immortal human cell line known as HeLa, contributing to significant medical advances such as the polio vaccine. The book explores the impact on her family and examines scientific ethics, racism, and poverty. The book includes discussions about medical exploitation and systemic racism.