All Urbandale Reads
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Pick up one of our many copies available in multiple formats including ebooks and audiobooks. Find them in our catalog here.
Community Book Discussions and Related Programming:
• June 5-20: African American Museum of Iowa Traveling Exhibit: “The Only One”
• July 31-September 9: National Library of Medicine Traveling Exhibit: “For All The People”
• Thursday, August 3, 6:00 PM: Book Discussion
• Thursday, September 7, 1:00 PM: Book Discussion
• Thursday, September 14, 6:00 PM: What Is Genetic Counseling with Katie Klingamann, Genetic Counselor at UnityPoint Health-John Stoddard Cancer Center.
• Wednesday, September 20, 6:00 PM: Movie Night – The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
• Wednesday, October 4, 6:00 PM: The Legacy of Henrietta Lacks: The History of Racial Inequities in the Health Care System with Dr. Anisa Hansen, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Attend any event listed above to be entered in a prize drawing for a one-on-one consultation with a Hy-Vee dietician!
Additional Resources to Explore
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Timeline
- Bonus photos and videos compiled by Rebecca Skloot related to the novel
- The Henrietta Lacks Foundation
About the All Urbandale Reads Program
All Urbandale Reads is a “one book, one community” reading initiative that attempts to get everyone in a city to read and discuss the same book. The goal of All Urbandale Reads is to unite the community and promote literacy through one inspiring read. All Urbandale Reads feature book discussions and a program or two related to themes found in the selected book.
How is the All Urbandale Reads book selected?
Library staff review a variety of critically acclaimed books based on their themes, readability, and the opportunities for related programs each book may present. A selection committee made up of the Library Director, various representatives from around the community, as well as a representative from the State Library of Iowa, read and review a list of finalists based on this same criteria and make a final selection. In past years, the list of finalists were selected from the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read, a program designed to showcase a diverse range of titles that reflect many different voices and perspectives.
Past All Urbandale Reads books:
- “This Tender Land” by William Kent Krueger (2022)
- “When the Emperor Was Divine” by Julie Otsuka (2021)
- “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien (2020)
- “The Story of Arthur Truluv” by Elizabeth Berg (2019)
- “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” by Betty Smith (2018)
All Urbandale Reads reading material and programming funded by the Urbandale Public Library Foundation