I picked this up after finding it on one bestsellers list or another.  I’m not one for science, but this was fascinating.  And it’s really not about the science.  The book is about the family of the woman whose cancer cells have now lived longer than she did.  Rebecca Skloot did a great job of telling all sides of the story while vividly presenting all characters involved.  Henrietta Lacks’ story is nothing short of heartbreaking and the story of her cells is nothing short of amazing.

Henrietta Lacks died of a very severe form of cervical cancer in the 1950s.  After her death, a doctor at Johns Hopkins took a sample of her tissue.  Over fifty years later, Henrietta’s cells, nicknamed HeLa, are very much alive and have taken part in creating cancer treatments, the Polio vaccine, Hepatitis vaccinations, and they’ve been to the moon.  The evolution of Henrietta’s cells is completely fascinating.

Behind Henrietta’s cells is her family.  She had five children and a husband.  Skloot put a lot of work into this book and it shows.  Very well done and worth the read.