89 pages • 2 hours read
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women
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Book Brief
496
Book • Nonfiction
United States • 1910s-1920s
2017
Adult
14+ years
980L
Super Short Summary
The Radium Girls by Kate Moore chronicles the devastating effects of radium poisoning on young female workers at the Radium Luminous Materials Corporation and Radium Dial, and their subsequent legal battle against the corporations. The book tells a cautionary tale about the dangers of corporate greed and the lack of health regulations, highlighting the bravery and perseverance of women like Katherine Schaub and Catherine Donohue. The book contains graphic descriptions of medical conditions and procedures.
Dark
Informative
Emotional
Unnerving
Inspirational
Reviews & Readership
179,384 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Kate Moore's The Radium Girls is praised for its gripping storytelling and thorough research, bringing to light the tragic and inspiring stories of the women poisoned by radium in the early 20th century. However, some reviews note that the narrative occasionally gets bogged down by excessive detail, potentially slowing the pace. Overall, it's a compelling read that captivates and educates.
Who Should Read The Radium Girls?
Readers captivated by real-life stories of resilience, women's history, and industrial disasters will find The Radium Girls by Kate Moore compelling. Fans of Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot will appreciate the meticulous research and narrative of triumph over injustice.
179,384 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Grace Fryer
Grace Fryer
An intelligent, politically inclined young woman from Orange who joins the suit with Katherine, Albina, Quinta, and Edna.
Katherine Schaub
Katherine Schaub
An imaginative, sociable dial-painter from Newark who begins work at 14 and aspired to be a writer.
Albina Maggia
Albina Maggia
Sister to Mollie and Quinta; a devoted dial-painter from an Italian family.
Mollie Maggia
Mollie Maggia
A social and friendly dial-painter, her autopsy provided valuable evidence of radium poisoning effects.
Quinta Maggia
Quinta Maggia
A down-to-earth and friendly dial-painter close with Grace Fryer.
Edna Hussman
Edna Hussman
A religious, kind dial-painter who loved music.
Sabin von Sochocky
Sabin von Sochocky
The Austrian-born doctor and inventor of Undark paint; founder of USRC.
Arthur Roeder
Arthur Roeder
A successful businessman who moved from treasurer to president of USRC.
Clarence B. Lee
Clarence B. Lee
A vice president of USRC.
Edwin Leman
Edwin Leman
The chief chemist of USRC who died of radium poisoning.
George Willis
George Willis
Cofounder of USRC with Sabin von Sochocky.
Harold Viedt
Harold Viedt
A vice president of USRC.
Dr. Joseph Knef
Dr. Joseph Knef
Mollie Maggia’s dentist and an expert on rare mouth diseases.
Dr. Walter Barry
Dr. Walter Barry
Dentist who treated dial-painter Irene Rudolph.
Dr. Robert Humphries
Dr. Robert Humphries
Doctor at the Orange Orthopedic Hospital.
Dr. Frederick Flinn
Dr. Frederick Flinn
A company "doctor" without a license who deceived the women.
Dr. Harrison Martland
Dr. Harrison Martland
Newark doctor who invented tests to detect radium in the body.
Dr. James Ewing, Dr. Lloyd Craver, Dr. Edward Krumbhaar
Dr. James Ewing, Dr. Lloyd Craver, Dr. Edward Krumbhaar
Doctors appointed by USRC to examine the women.
Dr. Alice Hamilton
Dr. Alice Hamilton
A professor at Harvard School of Public Health and ally to Katherine Wiley.
Andrew McBride
Andrew McBride
Commissioner of the Department of Labor.
Dr. Cecil K. Drinker and Dr. Katherine Drinker
Dr. Cecil K. Drinker and Dr. Katherine Drinker
Husband-and-wife team at Harvard School of Public Health.
Ethelbert Stewart
Ethelbert Stewart
Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Dr. Frederick Hoffman
Dr. Frederick Hoffman
Investigating statistician at Prudential Insurance Company.
John Roach
John Roach
Deputy commissioner of the Department of Labor.
Katherine Wiley
Katherine Wiley
Executive secretary of the Consumers League in New Jersey, advocate for the radium girls.
Lenore Young
Lenore Young
An Orange health officer and ally to Katherine Wiley.
Swen Kjaer
Swen Kjaer
National investigator from Bureau of Labor Statistics who visited Ottawa.
Dr. Martin Szamatolski
Dr. Martin Szamatolski
Consulting chemist for the Department of Labor.
Raymond Herst Berry
Raymond Herst Berry
The young lawyer for Katherine, Grace, Albina, Quinta, and Edna’s case in Orange.
Josiah Stryker
Josiah Stryker
USRC company lawyer.
Jay Cook
Jay Cook
Lawyer who fought for dial-painters’ workers compensation.
Leonard Grossman
Leonard Grossman
Famous lawyer known for defending poor and working-class people.
496
Book • Nonfiction
United States • 1910s-1920s
2017
Adult
14+ years
980L
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