The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot, Campbell, Turpin

                                                       
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Rebecca Skloot
Cassandra Campbell
Bahni Turpin
12 hours 30 mins.
Books on Tape

Cassandra Campbell

Narrator, Cassandra Campbell, out does herself in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.
Although Ms. Campbell has a gentle and very feminine voice, she aptly gives the character of our scientist, a good balance between serious researcher and scientist to sensitive and feeling person. Cassandra Campbell's voice is so well suited for romance stories, more so, than most non fiction works. In the case of Henrietta Lacks,  a certain sensitivity is needed to convey the nature and personality of Henrietta Lacks, Ms. Campbell does not disappoint.

Bahni Turpin Narrator

Bahni Turpin, of course goes without saying does an excellent job as Henrietta Lack's daughter. Ms. Turpin, is an accomplished narrator, who skillfully delivers the goods. I love it when narrators are so outstanding that you're completely drawn into the story to another world.

Henrietta Lacks, was a very special woman, of course she had no way of knowing this. Her life was harsh, and full of strife. Nonetheless, Henrietta, was fun loving, kind, and sounds like a thoroughly nice person. Her life was short and she died before she had a chance to fulfill all its promises. When Henrietta gets cancer and is treated at the John Hopkins clinic, it was hair raising and bone chilling to think of what pain and suffering she went through, and I imagine most cancer patients did at the time. I wanted to just weep for her, for what sounds like barbaric treatments.

During one of her sessions they took cells from her cervix, I guess, a common practice at the time, and sent them off to the lab. These cells have a short lifespan, which is what still has the medical and scientific community baffled. Ms. Lacks, cells are still alive. They are still being used in research all over the world today. They've been instrumental in curing diseases and finding treatments. The world has been truly blessed for having Henrietta Lacks in it. I can't argue the justice or right or wrong of them taking her cells. Doctors have been doing many things over the years without permission, and usually the patient never knows about it.

Narrated by Cassandra Campbell and  Bahni  Turpin

I do think her family should have and still should get some financial compensation at least for Henrietta's contribution to the world. Her cells still live and it is only right that the family is remunerated for the use of them. I highly recommend this book, even if you're not interested in science, medicine or non-fiction, it is about the life of a remarkable woman and her eternal gift to the world. Rebecca Skloot, was a diligent and careful researcher, giving a balanced accounting of Ms. Lack. Cassandra Campbell and Bahni Turpin do marvelous narrations of the characters. So, I know you will not be disappointed with The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Who they refer to now as HeLa, so unfeeling and frosty a title, for someone so stunningly important to the world.

Rebecca Skloot Author