Written by Rebecca Skloot.
The Plot:
Back in the 1950s, when scientists were still struggling to make cells multiply in the lab, a sample of cancer cells were taken from a poor, uneducated black woman. Back then taking patient consent for doing research on their cells wasn’t even a thing. Like many other patients of the time, the woman died of cancer despite all sorts of treatment.
However, the cells turned into a medical miracle. They grew in petridishes and test tubes. The cells enable the advent of a new era of cancer research and cell research. They were packaged shipped to labs across the world and even to space.
While the cells brought about a revolution in science and research, her family remained quite unaware of their mother’s contribution. While companies earned millions out of the cells, the family could barely keep up with medical expenses.
The book is about Henrietta Lacks, often wrongly referred to as Helen Lane, and her family. Through them we peek into a world that holds many, untold disturbing stories in the name of scientific research and ‘the greater good.’
What I thought:
During a project in college (long back) somebody had mentioned HeLa cells. An immortal line of cells. My interest piqued, till I understood that they were just cells that never stopped multiplying.
How quickly I moved on shows why I’ll probably never be a writer.
Rebecca Skloot did not move on. She went on to find more. She found the family of the person behind the cells that has been multiplying for over half a century, that became the back bone of cancer research.
Through her interviews with Deborah, Henrietta’s daughter, and the rest of the family, the book reveals what goes on in the murky waters over which the glorified researchers float.
It covers the shady history of how the black population became research subjects for the whites, being used much like guinea pigs and lab rats are used today.
The book has no element of fiction. It is painstakingly well researched, and it reads much like a long detailed news article. It is simple, with scientific concepts explained well enough, so even a person without any background in science should not have any difficulties.
I don’t really pick up books that are biographies, but this one (suggested by a colleague) is not something I regret.
The books makes you realise that blind faith in anything is never good, not even science and doctors. (Not discouraging anyone from going to doctors).
Like religion, science too is not free of prejudice — that’s the take away from the book.
Very real, down to earth and an honest portrayal of a country that supposedly sets a benchmark in terms of medical research.
Things you should know:
The book was first published in 2010. In the same year, it was announced that a television film project based on the book was in development, and is scheduled to be released soon (This week itself I believe).
Oprah Winfrey will executive-produce and star as Deborah, the daughter of Henrietta Lacks.
Who should read this:
- Science fans, academics: the book gives an interesting human angle to the field otherwise full of jargons. Sometimes it helps to step away from research papers.
- Black activists: Although the book does talk about the past mostly, I can not shake off the feeling that the coloured population is still being taken advantage of, due to lack of education an awareness, especially in the African countries. A huge number of clinical trials take place on black populations. This happens often in research for sexually transmitted diseases, and researchers usually claim that black population is chosen since STDs are more common among them. Perhaps the validity of such claims need to be questioned.
- Journalists, writers: Take inspiration from this woman.
Who should not read this:
- Religious fanatics: Best not to give more fuel on how and why to hate science.
- Fans of fiction: This is not a work of fiction. There is not a dramatic ending to the book, nor any surprise twist of events. It’s one of those WYSIWYG books
Thanks for reading!
Next up: Not sure, will update soon!
Read my previous book rant here: Harry Potter and The Cursed Child
