A New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon Charts Bestseller!
For fans of Hidden Figures, comes the incredible true story of the women heroes who were exposed to radium in factories across the U.S. in the early 20th century, and their brave and groundbreaking battle to strengthen workers’ rights, even as the fatal poison claimed their own lives…
In the dark years of the … claimed their own lives…
In the dark years of the First World War, radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright. Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these “shining girls” are the luckiest alive — until they begin to fall mysteriously ill. And, until they begin to come forward.
As the women start to speak out on the corruption, the factories that once offered golden opportunities ignore all claims of the gruesome side effects. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America’s early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for workers’ rights that will echo for centuries to come. A timely story of corporate greed and the brave figures that stood up to fight for their lives, these women and their voices will shine for years to come.
Written with a sparkling voice and breakneck pace, The Radium Girls fully illuminates the inspiring young women exposed to the “wonder” substance of radium, and their awe-inspiring strength in the face of almost impossible circumstances. Their courage and tenacity led to life-changing regulations, research into nuclear bombing, and ultimately saved hundreds of thousands of lives…
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A difficult book to read, but worthwhile for its searing look into the experiences of women whose lives were changed by their work with radium. An indictment of corporate self-interest over the need to protect workers. Important for its highlighting of women who used their voices–even beyond the grave–to seek justice not just for themselves, but for all the workers in their industry. Kate Moore’s vivid descriptions of the suffering of the women emphasizes the importance of remembering. About one of the women, she writes, “She is still remembered now — you are still remembering her now.”
The Radium Girls is an absolutely unputdownable, unforgettable, horrifyingly true story.
In the early 1900s, radium was hailed as a wonderful new discovery, put in cure-all tonics and approved medicines. So the factory girls hired to paint glow-in-the-dark watches and clocks, who were instructed to lick the paintbrushes to keep them wet, thought nothing of how it made them glow. And years later when the girls fell seriously ill — and died — from radiation poisoning, the companies denied all wrongdoing.
The author does an amazing job bringing these girls to life and fully illustrating the devastating effects of radium — and the horrible miscarriage of justice when the companies failed to acknowledge any responsibility.
A fascinating look back in history of the mistreatment of the Radium Girls. The amount of lies and cover-ups was astounding to read. I felt the pain of the women who lost pregnancies and those who would never bear children. I cannot imagine not having a say as that dream was snatched away from them. The amount of suffering that each woman endured was hard to read at times, as I found myself putting the book down to catch my breath. It was apparent how profits came before the health of the employees. It was interesting to learn of the final demise of the companies and to learn all the new regulations set in place. Some of these regulations we still use today. This book is a long read that is rich in history. It allowed these women to have their story told from their own perspectives from letters, diaries, and first hand accounts of surviving family members.
Found this book to be quite sad at times, with women being recruited & being led to believe that it’s safe to work around radium. But in the end, it’s at a terrible cost for many. Eventually, they challenge the so-called safety of working with radium before more lives are affected. A must-read as part of women’s history from the past.
This was an exceptional read about once innocent young girls who were so excited about good paying jobs at a time when there were few professional opportunities for females. Tragically they were unknowingly being poisoned by unregulated radium. Worse still when their were enduring crippling health and medical challenges their employer impugned their characters and refused any assistance. Untold bravery met unfeeling arrogance.
This is the true story of the “dial painters” who used radium to make the instrument and watch dials glow in the dark. Beginning in WWI, girls (as young as 15) were able to find employment in the companies who used this deadly element and formed fast friendships. The companies, either out of ignorance or maliciousness, gave no indication of the deadly reaction the body will have from ingesting and being exposed to radium. The girls used their lips to point the brushes, thus taking in a small amount of radium each time. When their bones began to crumble and tumors began to grow the companies fought tooth and nail against these poor young women’s claims. When the cases were finally brought into court so many of them had already died. The actions against the radium companies went on into the ’70s. There is no way that justice could possibly be served.
This is non-fiction. It’s the story of the young women who worked in the watch factories and painted radium onto the dials and watch hands so that they would glow in the dark. They had no idea of the long term effects of radium poisoning. As a modern reader who knows the danger, one is horrified to learn how they brushed the powder on their arms and faces when going on a date so that they could “almost glow”! One gets to know several of the women as humans with families. It is satisfying to learn of the final settlement but sadly frustrating to know that many women didn’t live to benefit. More satisfying to know the women were finally able to shut down the appeal of such watches and the death threat that it was for young women to paint them.
The Radium Girls was an extraordinary book about courage, pride, and tenacity.
The characters thought that their jobs were preparing them for a future, but those very jobs were causing them sickness and slow, painful deaths. It took many deaths and much time for their story to be heard. Many companies changed polices that would forever improve the lives of its’s workers because of these brave young woman who told their story.
Incredible. Just shocking how long it took these women to get anything approaching justice, they are heroes, and the lessons of this book are as relevant as ever. Moore has done a great job of really bringing the women’s personal stories to the front and giving them a voice. She really brings love and passion to this project and I’m so glad I read it.
The true, tragic story of young women whose work with radium caused them to suffer from radioactive poisoning and terrible death, who were betrayed by the very company they worked for still stays with me. It points out the need for strict control of worker’s rights and a healthy work environment.
This book is a must read for those interested in workplace dangers prior to safety regulation laws and enforcement. Also of interest to those in the science and medicine fields that especially deal with radium and X-ray treatments.
What these ladies had to endure before death relieved their suffering was beyond the scope of anything considered normal health
The author has done five star justice to their story and all because she went to a play!!!
I could not put it down. I had to find out if Justice was served ….and it makes thankful that we have so many laws protecting workers today. But we have to be ever vigilant that corporations continue to enforce the safeguards that have been deemed necessary
Loved this book. It was very fast paced even though it had a lot of details about the women impacted by the radium. As an American, I am shocked I have never heard of this issue, and I’m grateful the Kate Moore (who is British) took the time to research the stories of these girls and put them on paper, so everyone can learn what happened, and the girls can get the recognition they deserve for fighting against their employee and the radiumindustry so better working condition regulations would eventually be passed.
This is real life at it best. Very sad what those people went through.
So sad.
Kate Moss has written a riveting homage to the Radium Girls who suffered radiation poisoning by painting the luminous dials on watches .When the young women started suffering loss of their teeth and jawbones ,cancer,anemia and crippling pain their illness was dismissed and attributed to other causes .The author explains by remaining United they triumphed with their friendship and their refusal to give up changed the industry . Their courage brought forth federal health standards which directly led to the regulation of radioactivity in industry and the formation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration .Bussinesses are now required to inform employees if they work with dangerous chemicals and there are now processes for safe handling , and training for protection.of workers .The writer explains the radium girls left us all an extraordinary legacy . They did not die in vain .They made ever second count !
The Shining Girls, The Ghost Girls – The Radium Girls. At first their work painting luminous watch dials for the US military during WW1 was seen as romantic and exciting. Certainly they earned more than most other women in those days. Then odd aches and pains began assailing them. “Radium is safe, it’s not the cause … it will give you rosy cheeks …”
But the technique of lip-dip-paint demanded by the company meant the dial painters ingested tiny amounts of radium. Many of these young women died horrendous deaths as a result of their work, but it took a couple of decades before a courageous group of five former workers, each suffering the effects of radium poisoning, and one very special, humanitarian lawyer, brought and won their case and countless appeals against the company that put “profit before people”.
Thoroughly researched, this book also paints a picture of the brave women whose determination to see their case through so others might have a chance to live also led directly to significant changes in workplace health and safety practices and laws.
Highly recommended.
* Tissues also recommended, especially following the landmark case of Catherine Wolff Donohue as she continued her fight for justice from her bed.
Horrifying. Chilling. Abhorrent. Riveting. Amazing. Fascinating. Deplorable. Incredible—in more ways than one. I am absolutely astounded by this book. The depraved, deplorable ways the owners of the various Radium companies treated their employees is sickening. The bravery of the women who suffered because of their employers is admirable and incredible. I was rooting for them all throughout the book. I was angry when their cases were dropped or dismissed or the corporations appealed, yet again, a decision made. I was fully invested in their stories, aching with them in the heartbreak of being forced to live short lives and leave their families on this earth in so much heartache; I was indignant about the blasé attitudes of their employers and managers; I was hopeful about new laws and lawyers who fought for them and supportive family’s; I am appalled that the damage from these companies have lasted many decades, even into the next century. I’m grateful that those women paved the way to reform for Worker’s Rights but so saddened that it cost so many lives for that to happen. It’s also pretty remarkable that because of what they suffered we know now so much about the effects of radiology on the human body.
It’s a well-written, fast-read book, that I could not put down and will talk to anyone about.
From glowing watch/clock faces to a perceived wonder drug radium brought riches and economic booms to many industries and employees but it carried a horrible secret. What these women, who meticulously painted the numbers on those glowing watches, went through was horrible. Horrible health issues and painful deaths, coverups (for so many to continue profiting), and just sheer ignorance of everyone involved is shocking. A must read to assure history doesn’t repeat itself with similar big corporations today.
This was the BEST piece of historical non-fiction! I rank it right up there with Unbroken! That is saying something. A MUST read!
As with so many issues, this deals with women who worked painting watch faces with radium in order to make them glow in the dark. These women were deliberately misled and lied to. They were told that the radium was not harmful. In order to paint the watch faces, the women were taught to lick the paint brush in order to get a very fine point. This led to massive doses of radiation with horrific results. In my opinion, this book is a must-read!