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Title: The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women
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The incredible true story of the young women exposed to the “wonder” substance of radium and their brave struggle for justice...
As World War I raged across the globe, hundreds of young women toiled away at the radium-dial factories, where they painted clock faces with a mysterious new substance called radium. Assured by their bosses that the luminous material was safe, the women themselves shone brightly in the dark, covered from head to toe with the glowing dust. With such a coveted job, these “shining girls” were considered the luckiest alive—until they began to fall mysteriously ill. As the fatal poison of the radium took hold, they found themselves embroiled in one of America’s biggest scandals and a groundbreaking battle for workers’ rights.
A rich, historical narrative written in a sparkling voice, The Radium Girls is the first book that fully explores the strength of extraordinary women in the face of almost impossible circumstances and the astonishing legacy they left behind.
As World War I raged across the globe, hundreds of young women toiled away at the radium-dial factories, where they painted clock faces with a mysterious new substance called radium. Assured by their bosses that the luminous material was safe, the women themselves shone brightly in the dark, covered from head to toe with the glowing dust. With such a coveted job, these “shining girls” were considered the luckiest alive—until they began to fall mysteriously ill. As the fatal poison of the radium took hold, they found themselves embroiled in one of America’s biggest scandals and a groundbreaking battle for workers’ rights.
A rich, historical narrative written in a sparkling voice, The Radium Girls is the first book that fully explores the strength of extraordinary women in the face of almost impossible circumstances and the astonishing legacy they left behind.
The Radium Girls is one of the most
emotionally devastating, emotionally uplifting, roller coaster reads I
have read in a very long time.
I requested this book months ago and it
took me forever to finish because there is just so much to take in
mentally and emotionally while reading this book that I often had to set
it down because I was both amazed and in tears because of what these
women went through.
Radium for those who don't know is a
radioactive chemical that is very deadly to humans but many years ago
was thought to have many uses both in home goods, health goods and
beauty supplies and thought to be good for you. It was put into baby
food, make up and in house hold objects until very quickly it was
discovered that everyone who was exposed to it either died or became
very ill from it.
Radium Girls were the women who handled radium at the factory they worked and painted it on clock faces.
I couldn't believe how many times they
were assured that everything was fine in a time when they were
discovering just how deadly it was and being allowed to handle it
despite the fact that they actually glowed from it.
The sad poor conditions and dismissal of
such severe sickness and after effects they endured just because they
were women, the company that denied any wrong doing, and the fight they
had to take up to garner any attention broke my heart.
Its sad to think so much of this history
gets forgotten by so many and how the turn of events that led to us
(women) having better treatment in the work place took so much sacrifice
on their behalf.
I would love to see inspiration for this book be turned into a film, I honestly think it would be an amazing movie.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who hasn't read it.
Until next time book lovers...
Krissys Bookshelf Reviews received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
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