1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• What did you think about the book’s balance between scientific explanation, biography of the Lacks family, and Skloot’s own experiences? Were you expecting this book to be divided into these three strands? 
• How much had you thought about the various ethical questions of scientific research before reading this book? Did it change how you consider these sometimes abstract issues? 
• What genre does this book fall into? Is this investigative journalism? Biography? Science for a lay readership?  

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Which of the figures in the book did you identify with and why: Henrietta herself, members of the Lacks family, patients who benefitted from the advancements made with HeLa cells, and the scientists who pursued the research? Whose perspectives were most compelling?
• Two key ethical issues that the book addresses are informed consent and bodily autonomy, both of which Skloot argues were denied to Henrietta both before and after her death. Which of these concerns speaks to you and why? Have you had experiences touching on these issues?
• Skloot’s research shows the ways cycles of abuse and poverty have played out in the Lacks family. How did reading about their circumstances make you feel? Do the details point to individual responsibility or helplessness in the face of oppressive systems?
• Skloot writes that she was driven to learn about Henrietta Lacks after hearing a small mention of her in a college class. Have you ever felt drawn to a subject in this way almost inexplicable way? 
• How did the story of Elsie, Henrietta’s daughter whose developmental disabilities eventually led Henrietta to place her in an institution, strike you? How did parenting children with disabilities in the middle of the 20th century differ from today?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• Henrietta’s medical treatment highlights the racism and sexism underlying medical care in the early 20th century, when primarily male doctors viewed their female patients with paternalistic disdain. How has medicine changed since that time? How has it not?
• The Lacks family believes they should have been compensated for the medical discoveries that came from the HeLa cell line. Do you agree? If yes, how could the right amount be determined? If no, to whom do HeLa cells belong?
• The immortality of the HeLa cells puts them at the intersection of religious belief and scientific pragmatism. Did the different viewpoints presented in the book change how you thought about what the cells’ existence means?

4. Literary Analysis 

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• How does Skloot make Henrietta Lacks into an individual person with her own inner life, agency, and dignity? What details are particularly effective at elevating her from being just the donor of the HeLa cells?
• The book compares the treatment of the Lacks family during slavery, their experiences in the first half of the 20th century, and their lives during the turn of the 21st century. How are the difficulties they face similar? What has changed in the intervening time? How does Skloot portray these changes?
• Do the scientific and medical advances made with HeLa cells, which are responsible for the well-being and health of many people, make up for the mistreatment of the Lacks family? How does the book approach this utilitarian idea?
• What do the HeLa cells in the novel symbolize to the different people who are aware of them? What do they come to symbolize to you?

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• This book was adapted as a movie. Do you think it is better suited for adaptation as a documentary or a fictionalized movie/TV show? Why? Imagine the scenes that you would include in the trailer if you created an adaptation.
• Should future editions of the book include follow-up information about the Lacks family members it features? Should this be the case for all nonfiction books? Who are you most curious to know more about?