The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks
By fishtiger58
@fishtiger58 (29820)
Momence, Illinois
October 9, 2017 7:30am CST
I have a subscription to Sling TV, it's cheap and I get some sports channels that I want. There are also other channels that I like as well. Sometimes Sling gives us a week or so of channels they want us to subscribe to. Last week we got like 5 days of HBO.
I didn't even notice that until the last day so I decided to see about watching a movie on HBO before I couldn't get it anymore. I ran across a Oprah Winfrey produced movie. She was also in the movie. It was called " The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks". Near the end of the movie I was in tears. It was fantastic.
It's about the first immortal human cells. Henrietta Lacks died in 1951 from cervical cancer. Her cells were recovered from a small piece of her cervix before she died. Her cells are still living today and have been instrumental in many scientific discoveries. They are known as HELA the first two letters of her first and last name. It has been said that since her cells became known to the scientific world her original cells have produced 50 million metric tons of cells around the world.They say if you put those cells end to end they would go around the world 3 times.
Not many in the world all these decades knew who Henrietta Lacks was. So a journalist decided to write a book not so much about the cells but about Henrietta Lacks. After watching the movie I wanted to read the book as the movie can't possibly cover everything in the book. I was right. It was an amazing read, it took me only 2 days to read it. It took 10 years to research, talk to family members and write the book. The author is Rebecca Skloot.
If you are looking for something to read I would suggest this book. An amazing lady and an amazing book.
16 people like this
15 responses
@LadyDuck (472060)
• Switzerland
10 Oct 17
@fishtiger58 It is available, but the Italian or the French versions cost 3 times more than the original version. I am not ready to spend 25 dollars for a book.
4 people like this
@just4him (317238)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
10 Oct 17
@fishtiger58 I'll consider it.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
9 Oct 17
I hope you read it sometime it was a fantastic book.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
9 Oct 17
I'll have to look for the book at our library. Not one to read a lot, but am looking for something to read that will hold my interest to the end of the book.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
9 Oct 17
It's a true story and very interesting, I loved the movie as well.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
9 Oct 17
@fishtiger58 I wonder if the move is available on Netflix. Not sure my husband would like to watch it, but he doesn't have to. I can put the DVD in my laptop to play it. He can watch his hunting channel.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
9 Oct 17
@ElusiveButterfly I don't know I would have to look. No it's not. I looked.
2 people like this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
9 Oct 17
@fishtiger58 I may get around to it I have so many back log to read.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
9 Oct 17
Good morning Alfredo, I hope you read it
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
9 Oct 17
I know so very sad, they couldn't even afford health care insurance some of the time.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Oct 17
@RubyHawk I think they finally let it all go. They couldn't afford health insurance, they sure couldn't afford a lawyer.
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99405)
• Atlanta, Georgia
10 Oct 17
@fishtiger58 I don't remember if they sued for some of the profit or if they let it go. I think they should have been paid.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (93946)
• United States
11 Oct 17
I have had that on my list of books to read for some time, but haven't purchased it yet. I have read so many interviews from the author, and am horrified by the negligence to her (no permission) and her family. I mean her family was destitute while the cells taken provided life changing discoveries. It's so wrong.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Oct 17
and it continues today. It's positively shameful how the family was not informed of things.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
13 Oct 17
I watched a news special about this last month. I really want to read the book.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11384)
• United States
13 Oct 17
@fishtiger58 I bet it was a wonderful read. Thank you for sharing.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Oct 17
I loved the movie and the book is a bit more detailed than the movie A good read
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Oct 17
@Shellyann36 It was and you are very welcome.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
13 Oct 17
Sounds like a great story, that Oprah, she does have a way of finding interesting things doesn't she?
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
15 Oct 17
She does, she played a great part in the movie as well.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Oct 17
@DianneN Let me know what you think.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Oct 17
Yes Dianne it's so worth reading.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (20040)
• United States
10 Oct 17
I have thought about reading that and seeing the movie, but haven't yet.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Oct 17
It's really worth your time. Great movie great book.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Oct 17
It's incredibly interesting I just had no idea of this.
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
12 Oct 17
Rest in Peace Henrietta. That is ... mildly disturbing about her cells. But amazing that science has been able to learn so much from those cells
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
13 Oct 17
Something I didn't know about. Just fascinating.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Oct 17
I hope you enjoy it, I loved it.
1 person likes this