Skloot's stunning narrative about the use and misuse of medical authority delves into the life of a poor Southern tobacco farmer named Henrietta Lacks, whose cells-taken without her knowledge-became one of the most important tools in medicine.
Rebecca Skloot is a science writer whose articles have appeared in The New York Times Magazine; The Oprah Magazine; and others. She is guest editor of The Best American Science Writing 2011. Her debut book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks an instant New York Times bestseller and was named Best Book for 2010 by Amazon.com. It is currently being being adapted into a young adult book and an HBO film produced by Oprah Winfrey and Alan Ball.
Carolyn Kellogg is an LA-based book critic and the lead blogger for the LA Times book blog, Jacket Copy. She was a judge of the 2010 Story Prize and is on the board of the National Book Critics Circle.