Journalism student learns from skills from biography author
I first came across the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks through an AP Biology assignment. Each student was to review a book dealing with scientific processes and submit a dialectic journal by the end of the semester. The title interested me, the text was brief and the PDF was online for free. Little did I know that this short biography of a woman long since dead would capture my intrigue and pull me into the real life application of both textbook biology concepts and journalistic skills.
Henrietta Lacks was an average black woman who lived in Maryland in the early 20th century. At this time, the effects of discrimination still rippled across these communities and created deep division between whites and blacks. This division included black and white drinking fountains, restrooms, schools, stores and hospitals.
Henrietta visited one such hospital (John Hopkins Colored Ward) when she began to complain of severe abdominal pain and the formation of a “knot” in her stomach. Doctor’s initially assured her that there were no abnormalities. However, one child later and after continuous pain, doctor’s finally discovered the cause and delivered the ultimate blow. Henrietta Lacks had cervix cancer.
Henrietta struggled against one of humanities most destructive diseases until her 31st birthday when exasperated doctors resigned to defeat and the cancer took her. Her distraught family believed their troubles had ended. Unfortunately, they had only just begun.
Doctors took cultures of Henrietta’s cells and without permission from the family, began to try to grow them. Most cultures of the day died almost instantaneously but not Henrietta’s cells. They kept dividing over and over again, making millions of copies of themselves. They were essentially immortal.
Perhaps the biography’s greatest asset is detail. Skloot spent ten years searching out information about Henrietta from scientist, acquaintances and the family itself. This shows quite clearly in her attention to direct quotes and determination to capture the dialect of the person who is speaking, regardless if it is eloquent or not. — Skyler Lee
Scientist found that with HeLa cells they could test and develop vaccines and study cellular reactions without endangering humans. The cells soon developed a market across the US and eventually the planet, accumulating millions per year. Meanwhile, the Lacks family groveled in poverty, unaware that Henrietta’s cells were still alive.
Scientist refused to mention her name to journalist though Henrietta Lack’s cells had been involved in the formation of the polio vaccine and AIDS vaccine as well as an essential part of nuclear bomb testing and several other headlines worthy steps in the progress of science. Her cells were even the first human ones in space.
This piece written by Rebecca Skloot, an award winning author and reporter, explores not only the biological significance of HeLa cells (the scientific name for Henrietta Lacks cells) but delves into the woman behind the world renowned discovery as well as the journey of the writer herself.
Perhaps the biography’s greatest asset is detail. Skloot spent ten years searching out information about Henrietta from scientist, acquaintances and the family itself. This shows quite clearly in her attention to direct quotes and determination to capture the dialect of the person who is speaking, regardless if it is eloquent or not. There is a thick reference section in the back of the book from the thousands of sources in which she pulled her information.
In addition, there is a firm sense of reality and openness. Skloot spent the majority of a decade in collaboration with the Lack’s family. Along the way, she captured the family’s good and bad, happiness and pain. Rather than leave out the less fortunate aspects of their lives (unless specifically told to by the family), she reports from a factual and realistic view. She does not cater to one side or the other but addresses the emotions and the facts present in both the lives of the scientist and that of the Lacks family.
The story proceeded to sandwich scientific facts between slices of narrative. This served to keep the reader intrigued with the otherwise dull scientific explanations and allows them to interpret these facts in context with the story line.
As a journalism student, I found Skloot’s work very complete and compelling. Her attention to detail and pursuit after all of the facts stood out as a quality I too would like to posses. I admire her determination and willingness to sacrifice time and energy for over more than a decade to tell the true story of Henrietta Lacks. She demonstrates that real journalism comes from getting to know the focal point of the article on a personal level. — Skyler Lee
One of the only negative aspects of this book was its tendency to lean towards irrelevant facts from time to time. Skloot often went on what appeared to be rabbit trails with some of the science. Though the information she presented all connected in some way or another, an excess of details and examples seemed to distract from the overall picture.
The book was also laced with a few cuss words and some descriptions of drugs, sex and violence. In this case however, I believe these usages were warranted since they applied to actual events. These points were not sensationalized or painted as anything other than what they were.
As a journalism student, I found Skloot’s work very complete and compelling. Her attention to detail and pursuit after all of the facts stood out as a quality I too would like to posses. I admire her determination and willingness to sacrifice time and energy for over more than a decade to tell the true story of Henrietta Lacks. She demonstrates that real journalism comes from getting to know the focal point of the article on a personal level.
Perhaps, one of the most beautiful aspects of this novel was Skloot’s decade long assimilation into a black community. The Lacks were very distrustful of white people and Skloot put forth much persistent compassion before they trusted her.
Racial themes ran through this short biography. They like most of the work, was not biased in either direction but stated clearly the feelings and facts of both sides. However, the real life interaction between Skloot and the Lacks family alluded to a main theme of equality.
Overall, I found it difficult to criticize much about this book, other than a slight excess of research. It was no surprise that after its publication in 2010, the biography skyrocketed to the #1 New York Best seller, a title it maintained for three years.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is a thorough and well written biography in commemoration of a regular woman who made an extraordinary contribution to the scientific world.
For another review read ‘The Martian’ brings intensity to the space world.
This writer can be reached via Twitter: @skylerklee and via Email: [email protected].
