The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences. 

1. Reflect on the courage and determination shown by the radium girls as they fought against powerful corporations. Have you ever faced a situation where you had to stand up for your rights or values in the face of adversity? How did you respond?

2. The book emphasizes the impact of systemic negligence on individuals and families. Have you or someone you know experienced a situation where an institution failed to protect or support you? How does that relate to the struggles depicted in the book?

3. The radium girls initially trusted the companies they worked for, only to be betrayed by their employers’ denial of responsibility. Have you ever experienced a loss of trust in an organization or authority figure? How did it affect you?

4. The book highlights the physical and emotional toll of radium poisoning on the women and their families. Did their resilience in the face of suffering inspire or resonate with you? 

5. Consider another work that deals with the consequences of industrial negligence and the courage of ordinary workers in seeking justice—e.g., David Von Drehle’s Triangle: The Fire That Changed America. Reflecting on these accounts, how do these stories influence your perspective on the balance between economic progress and workers’ rights?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes. 

1. The Radium Girls highlights the systemic negligence of corporations during the early 20th century and the lack of protection for workers. How do the issues of corporate accountability and workplace safety portrayed in the book resonate with current societal debates about labor rights and ethical business practices?

2. Set during the early 1900s, the radium girls’ story reflects societal norms that often dismissed women’s voices and rights. How does this historical context shape the women’s struggles, and do you see any parallels with ongoing gender equality movements today?

3. Both The Radium Girls and The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore explore the systemic oppression of women, though in different contexts—one in the workplace, the other in mental health institutions. How do such stories highlight the persistence of gender-based injustice, and what lessons can they offer for modern society?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism. 

1. How does Moore’s use of vivid, often gruesome imagery in her descriptions of the women’s suffering impact the emotional resonance of the narrative?

2. Explore the role of the recurring motif of “living ghosts” in the book. How does this metaphor enhance the reader’s understanding of the dial-painters’ plight?

3. Discuss the structure of the book, with its alternating focus on different geographic locations and individual women. How does this approach affect the storytelling and the readers’ engagement?

4. How does Moore balance the legal and scientific aspects of the narrative with the personal stories of the women? How does this balance convey the book’s message?

5. Consider Moore’s use of dramatic irony, particularly in the early chapters where the reader is aware of radium’s dangers while the characters remain oblivious. How does this technique contribute to the narrative?