Shortform Books

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: Themes and Key Issues

What are The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ themes? What are the key issues or topics discussed throughout the book? How do the themes reflect on social issues? The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ themes focus on racial issues and ethics in health care and research. The book is as much about Henrietta Lacks and her family as it is about society and biomedical research. Read about The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ themes. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Theme #1: Inequality in Health Care Johns Hopkins had been founded as a charity hospital in 1889. By the 1950s,

Enron Energy Services: How It Contributed to Enron’s Failure

What was Enron Energy Services? How did it contribute to the fall of Enron? Like Enron Broadband, Enron Energy Services was a failed venture with serious consequences. Enron Energy Services was a major money loser and undoubtedly a reason why Enron failed.

Henrietta Lacks’ Medical Records Show the Lack of Privacy

How were journalists able to view Henrietta Lacks’ medical records? What was the status of medical confidentiality and the privacy of patients? How did Henrietta’s family feel about Rebecca Skloot looking at her records? Patient records were not always confidential under federal law, even when codes of ethics required privacy. Henrietta Lacks’ medical records were viewed by her family as well other journalists. Read about the lack of privacy and Skloot’s reading of Henrietta Lacks’ medical records with Deborah’s permission.

David Day Lacks: What Happened to Henrietta Lacks Widower?

Who was Henrietta Lacks’s husband? How did she end up marrying her cousin, David “Day” Lacks? What happened to David Lacks Sr. after she passed? David Day Lacks was the husband and first cousin of Henrietta Lacks. Together, she and David Lacks Sr. had five children. Find out about David Day Lacks and his life with and after Henrietta Lacks.

HeLa Cells for Sale: Some Profit While the Lacks Struggle

If you buy HeLa cells, who profits? Has the Lacks family ever seen any of the financial benefits from HeLa cells for sale? How did companies like Microbiological Associates make money while the Lacks family struggled? HeLa cells for sale show the potentially high profit from the cells taken from Henrietta Lacks. HeLa cells’ price does not include any royalty for the Lacks family. Learn about the inequity of HeLa profits, including how HeLa cells for sale are for commercial profit and not the Lacks family.

Rebecca Skloot and Deborah Lacks: An Unlikely Friendship

How did a science journalist from Illinois and a poor woman from Baltimore become friends? How did Rebecca Skloot and Deborah Lacks meet? What was the relationship between the two women like? Rebecca Skloot and Deborah Lacks met while Skloot was researching Deborah’s mother, Henrietta Lacks. The two women became friends, despite an age gap of more than 20 years. Read about their relationship, including some paranoia that made things tense at times.

Zakariyya Bari Abdul Rahman: The Troubled Youngest Lacks

Who was the youngest child of Henrietta Lacks? Why did Joe Lacks change his name to Zakariyya Bari Abdul Rahman? How did he handle the death of his mother? Zakariyya Bari Abdul Rahman is the youngest child and third son of Henrietta Lacks and David “Day” Lacks. He was born Joe Lacks and changed his name in prison after converting to Islam. Learn more about the troubled life of Zakariyya Bari Abdul Rahman.

Courtney Speed: Fighting to Improve Turner Station

Who is Courtney Speed? What did she do for the Turner Station community? How did she advocate for Henrietta Lacks? Courtney Speed is a businesswoman from Turner Station. She sought recognition of Henrietta Lacks to help raise the profile of her community. Learn about Courtney Speed, Turner Station, and recognizing Henrietta Lacks.

4 Rich Dad, Poor Dad Characters & What They Mean

What are the Rich Dad, Poor Dad characters? What do the characters teach author Robert Kiyosaki about money? The Rich Dad, Poor Dad characters each help Robert Kiyosaki learn valuable lessons. While there aren’t many characters in Robert Kiyosaki’s narrative, each of the the Rich Dad, Poor Dad characters show how you can learn to manage money so that you can be secure and financially independent.

Immortal Cells: Scientific and Spiritual Reasons for HeLa

How can a cell be immortal? What is it about Henrietta Lacks’ cells that made them able to stay alive? How did the HeLa cell line revolutionize research but kill Henrietta Lacks? The immortal cells are cells taken from Henrietta Lacks that do not die in the laboratory. The cells continue to reproduce indefinitely, which is why the HeLa cell line is still in use today. Read more about the immortal cells that are laboratory versions of Henrietta Lacks’ cells.