Friday, January 24, 2020

The Friday 56 (170) & Book Beginnings: The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading.

31409135. sy475 Synopsis from Goodreads...
The incredible true story of the women who fought America's Undark danger...
The Curies' newly discovered element of 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 in the otherwise dark years of the First World War. 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. But the factories that once offered golden opportunities are now ignoring all claims of the gruesome side effects, and the women's cries of corruption. 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. 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...


Beginning: "The scientist had forgotten all about the radium. It was tucked discreetly within the folds of his waistcoat pocket, enclosed in a slim glass tube in such a small quantity that he could not feel its weight."

56: "Peg held the dials in her hand as she carefully traced the numbers with the greenish-white paint, lipping and dipping her camel-hair brush as she had been taught."


Comments: The Radium Girls is my first nonfiction read for 2020, and it was a thought provoking book. What are you reading this week?

28 comments:

  1. Great choice! This book has been highly praised--as it should be!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  2. I've read stories about these ladies. It's both fascinating and sad. I'd love for you and your readers to check out mine! https://lisaksbookthoughts.blogspot.com/2020/01/its-cozy-food-friday-that-means-its_24.html

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    1. I heard about them somewhere else (I believe it was something I was watching), which is one of the reason why I wanted to read The Radium Girls. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  3. Sounds like a wicked read!! Happy weekend!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  5. It sounds intriguing especially since it's a true story.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend! :-)

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  6. How could you forget you had radium in your pocket??? lol Thanks for stopping by :)

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  7. I have not heard of this one. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  8. Whenever I read about the radium girls, I always wonder if we are exposed to anything now that is as unknown a danger as radium was then. Scary and sad, but important to understand.

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    1. I know what you mean. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  9. This is a book I definitely want to read one of these days. Thanks for sharing! Hope you have a great weekend! :)

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    1. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  10. I know of this story, so I'm sure this is an intense read.

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    1. It was an incredibly intense and poignant read. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  11. Oh, this looks like a sad book but a fascinating one. I know only a little about this topic.

    Have a good weekend.

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    1. It was. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  12. I listened to this on audiobook and the production was pretty great.

    Lauren @ Always Me

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    1. I only have the paperback version of the book, but I did listen to a sample of the audiobook. It sounds great. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

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  13. Not big on non-fiction but it does sound interesting.

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  14. That's such an ominous opening! Sounds like a really interesting read, though. Enjoy!

    Here's my Friday post.

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    1. I know what you mean. It is an ominous opening, and it set the tone for the rest of the book. It was a very thought-provoking read. Thanks for stopping by!

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Comments are appreciated and always welcome. :)

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