The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

at Random House, who believed in this book and worked hard to help get it into classrooms.
Thanks also to the Random House sales force, particularly John Hastie, Michael Kindness,
Gianna LaMorte, and Michele Sulka, who embraced this book and ran with it.
I’m deeply grateful to Erika Goldman, Jon Michel, and Bob Podrasky, all formerly at W. H.
Freeman, for believing in me and this book from the beginning, and encouraging me to fight
for what I wanted it to be. Thanks also to Louise Quayle for her help early in the process, and
to Caroline Sincerbeaux, for always loving this book, and for bringing it to Crown where it
found a wonderful home.
Betsy and Michael Hurley and the Lancaster Literary Guild deserve far more thanks than I
could possibly convey here. They gave me a key to writer heaven: a beautiful retreat in the
hills of West Virginia, where I was free to write without distraction, often for months on end.
The world would be a better place if more organizations like the Lancaster Literary Guild exis-
ted to support the arts. Along with that retreat house came amazing neighbors: Joe and Lou
Rable kept me safe, full, happy, and loved. Jeff and Jill Shade helped me stay human during
months of endless work, providing friendship and fun, beautiful property to walk my dogs on,
and Baristas and JJS Massage, my favorite café in the world, where Jill kept me well fed and
caffeinated, and Jeff massaged the knots he called “writers’ blocks” from my arms, poured
drinks when I needed them, and talked with me for hours about my book. I thank the town of
New Martinsville, West Virginia, for taking me in. And Heather at The Book Store, who
tracked down every good novel she could find with a disjointed structure, all of which I de-
voured while trying to figure out the structure of this book.
I am lucky to have many wonderful friends who were tireless cheerleaders for this project,
despite the number of times they heard me say, “I can’t, because I have to work on my book.”
I thank them all, particularly Anna Bargagliotti, Zvi Biener, Stiven Foster (Celebration Commit-
tee!), Ondine Geary, Peter Machamer, Jessica Mesman (Foo!), Jeff and Linda Miller, Elise
Mittleman (P and PO!), Irina Reyn, Heather Nolan (who also read an early draft and offered
helpful feedback), Andrea Scarantino, Elissa Thorndike, and John Zibell. I’m grateful to Gual
tiero Piccinini for encouragement and support early in the book process. Special thanks to my
dear friend Stephanie Kleeschulte, who brings me joy and keeps me young. And to Quail Ro-
gers-Bloch, for our history, for laughter, wine, and stupid movies in the midst of madness (Yes
he did, sir!). Without her, I wouldn’t be who I am today. She gave me a home to return to each
night after my work in Baltimore, talked me through the hardest parts of this book, rescued me
when I got stranded or ran out of money, and always offered wise feedback on drafts (some
of which she listened to over the phone). Her wonderful husband, Gyon, fed me mangoes
when I was exhausted, and their son, my godson, Aryo, brought much joy. Quail’s mother,
Terry Rogers, always an inspiration, also provided wonderful feedback on this book.