The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot; Crown Publishers

“Documents the story of how scientists took cells from an unsuspecting descendant of freed slaves and created a human cell line that has been kept alive indefinitely, enabling discoveries in such areas as cancer research, in vitro fertilization, and gene mapping.”
Robin’s Note: This is a gripping bestseller for a reason: while the summary here emphasizes the scientific side of the story, the engaging part is the story of Henrietta Lacks herself.  The complications of scientific research, racial prejudice, medical ethics, and a personal relationship with the Lacks family drove Skloot to write an astounding, affecting work.