Radium Girls

By Claudia Clark,

Book cover of Radium Girls: Women and Industrial Health Reform, 1910-1935

Book description

In the early twentieth century, a group of women workers hired to apply luminous paint to watch faces and instrument dials found themselves among the first victims of radium poisoning. Claudia Clark's book tells the compelling story of these women, who at first had no idea that the tedious task…


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Why read it?

1 author picked Radium Girls as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Once I decided to write about America’s Radium Girls, this book provided the scientific background and legal progression of the radium industry. It helped me understand how the tragedy began innocently with scientists believing radium improved health. Yet, when they realized the ill effects, it was difficult to convince big businesses to let go of the profits they were earning. This is a more academic read but is very informative for those who want to dig deeper.

From Samantha's list on Radium Girls.

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Book cover of Who Is a Worthy Mother?: An Intimate History of Adoption

Who Is a Worthy Mother? By Rebecca Wellington,

I grew up thinking that being adopted didn’t matter. I was wrong. This book is my journey uncovering the significance and true history of adoption practices in America. Now, in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, the renewed debate over women’s reproductive rights places…

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