Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks publishing for the non-fictional book The Radium Girls;
The Dark Story of America's Shining Women, by Kate Moore. This true and detailed story, of the dial painting factory workers of this glamorous glowing substance, Radium, is heartbreaking and heroic. Takes place in the early 1900's, when this magical element was gaining popularity. The consequences of the exposure to the radioactive Radium took devastating toll on these bright young ladies and their families. This is a story of their careers, their agony, desperation, and the very long journey to justice. A true eye-opener!

I had never heard about the Radium Girls until given the opportunity to read this book. I was blown away about how everything awful that was happening to these girls was ignored. I read this book in small pieces because honestly it took a lot out of me knowing that these girls were fighting for their lives and for others and were being ignored. I actually recently saw a discussion on facebook about this story and was shocked that people are still to this day saying it is a fake story. These girls' stories need to be told and I am so glad that I could become more educated on what happened to them.

Kate Moore writes a compelling and heart wrenching story about a group of women from New Jersey and Illinois whose job it was to use radium paint to paint watch dials so they would illuminate at night. Little did they know, that every time they would put their brush in their mouth to get the point just right to paint the dial precisely, they were killing themselves. They were told that the paint was perfectly safe and there was no way that the paint could be causing all of their medical problems. But the companies knew that the radium was dangerous. Scientists and others in the radium plant used gloves and had lead aprons on, but the dial painters were not given that luxury.

Slowly the effects of the paint began to show on their bodies. Women who were in the prime of their life were losing their teeth, their jaw bones were falling out, it was difficult for them to walk, and no one could explain it. They went to several doctors and no one could find the reason they were getting sick. The radium companies refused to admit that they were at fault. For years and years, they fought for justice. Justice for women who were dying in their 20s. This book made your heart ache for these women.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it was quite a slow read for me. I wanted to know if justice was going to be served, but it took a while to get to that point. This is quite an interesting story and this was the first that I had ever heard of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I expected a grim record of this industry and it's innocent victims but this is a heart rending and harrowing read . The everyday struggle of families involved in the outfall of such a toxic substance is unbelievable. The suffering of these woman is beyond belief with the struggle to be found disabled and dying in a court of law is chilling in its reality.

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women is not only a cautionary tale or a documentary on what the girls went through after their employment. It is a history lesson properly done, complete with detailed, well-documented research and personages that become more than just names on a page. Ms. Moore tackles the girls' stories as well as adding historical, socioeconomic, legal, and cultural details that provides context to their stories. In so doing, she brings the girls back to life to tell their story one last time.

Reading The Radium Girls in our post-Cold War era is an exercise in separating one's current knowledge and experiences from one's reading experience to avoid letting them taint one's feelings or reactions to the girls' actions. After all, just as laudanum and cocaine were popular medicines in their day, we cannot fault the girls for getting excited about working with radium all day or the rest of the country for the popularity of radium-filled beauty products. The casualness with which everyone, including scientists, handled radium is cringe-inducing to the modern reader but perfectly acceptable during the time of the events. We cannot condemn them nor find fault with them for their actions. It is a surreal reading experience though to read their story and how they would paint their nails and eyelids with radium powder and eat their lunches next to their work stations, etc., and not shudder at their innocence. This then makes you wonder what we are currently doing or using or eating that future generations will view in a similar light. It is a sobering thought.

Where the story takes off though is in the legal battles the girls fight in order to obtain a modicum of financial relief. Again, the modern reader is at a disadvantage because the idea of workers' compensation or of a company liable for the long-term health and welfare of its employees is an ingrained right in our minds. We have plenty of modern-day context in which companies are held responsible for the ill effects of chemicals or processes used in everyday work environments. To not hold a company responsible is inconceivable to our modern mind. Yet, most of the Radium Girls did feel this way for a long time. Whether their lack of litigious nature (at least initially) is a sign of their innocence or a commentary on the suspicious nature of modern society, that is yet to be determined.

The story is not all innocence though, for the businesses for which the girls worked went to great lengths to prove their own innocence in the lawsuits and protect themselves from culpability. Their actions are simultaneously disturbing and yet not surprising, as a company's sole purpose is to make money and the radium dial business was big money. Seen from their perspective, they were just trying to maintain their profitability. However, the callousness of capitalism is still disturbing to watch unfold, especially when a company's employees' lives are on the line.

Throughout the book, Ms. Moore showcases the girls' resilience in the face of unspeakable pain and disfigurement. She packs no punches in her descriptions either, assaulting the reader with sparse, take-no-pity descriptions of their illnesses. Even readers with cast-iron stomachs will find themselves nauseous at times, not just because of the descriptions but also because this is not a horror story but real life. Still, feeling sick to one's stomach is only mildly inconvenient when compared to everything the radium girls faced and suffered at the hands of the court as well as with their health. In The Radium Girls, Ms. Moore makes sure that the legacy of the Radium Girls lives on not just in OSHA-mandated policies and procedures but in the knowledge of their dreams and battles that all readers take away of the girls who once thought their future was a bright and shiny as the powder they painted onto watch dials.

I received a copy of "Anything is Possible" from NetGalley for an honest review. I wish to thank NetGalley, Simon & Schuster UK, and Kate Moore for the opportunity to read this book.

This story was appalling, heart-breaking, and seemed to be reminiscent of what is happening in U.S. now. These girls were painting watch dials and the similar with RADIUM during the 1920's. I had never heard about their stories and was eager to do so once I knew of the premise.

I could not put down the book for the last 1/3 as I just HAD to know what happened and stayed up until 2:00am to finish. The writer's style was not easy for me to follow at times as it seemed too "choppy" for me. But, the important thing was that the story was told - horrible as it was. I definitely wish that it has been told sooner, but am grateful that Kate Moore did so. This would make a great documentary or movie! Thank you!!

I would definitely recommend this book!!

Incredible. In so many shapes and forms. The Radium Girls is a very true story of the resilience, tenacity, and perseverance of the women (and their families) who faced insurmountable odds, defeats, and ill-treatment for the sake of profits.

If there's one book you'll read this year (non fiction or otherwise) make it this one. The Radium Girls is downright fascinating as much as it is informative and frustrating.

With insightful interviews and thorough well-done historical research and documentation, Kate Moore has brought this social and labor history to light. It follows two groups of women in New Jersey and Illinois. Young women, independent, and attracted to the well-paid jobs as dial-painters. Assured countless times that the luminous, radium filled, paint was safe, the women worked, laughed, and enjoyed their lives. That is, until they began to fall apart.

Instructed to lip-point their brushed, these women began to showcase the ill and unfortunate effects of direct exposure to radium, a radioactive and destructive element.

Moore's writing is compelling and slowly guides the reader into the lives and many difficulties these women faced. There were so many hurdles and setbacks these women faced, it was frustrating and heartbreaking to rad at times.

In the end, despite the difficulties I came out feeling inspired and proud of these women, who trusted themselves, knew something was wrong, and demanded change. They made America better for it and I can't be thankful enough.

Thank you, Kate Moore, for writing such a compelling historical narrative. And thank you, Catherine, Grace, Marguerite, and the countless women and young women, the radium girls, for persisting.

All the stars for this well researched nonfiction that is just infused with emotion. Kate Moore writes in such a manner that I quickly became immersed in the stories of the American women in the 1920's and 1930's that were exposed to radium poisoning. What these women and their families went through to have the truth heard in the courts and in the country! I felt so furious at the company that refused for so long to admit their wrongdoing. Imagine implying that all these women had died of "Cupid's disease" aka syphilis. A definite must read on the 2017 TBR list.

This book was fascinating, poignant, and heart-rending. A true story that inspires you with tales of almost super-human courage in the face of unspeakable suffering, while also filling you with a righteous indignation to right the wrong that was done to these innocent young girls by their callous employers.

While I was familiar with the story of the young women painting the luminous watch dials with radioactive radium and then dying afterwards, I never knew the depth of their agony or the horrors that they went through before they finally, mercifully, died. Although the last of them died over fifty years ago, the mark of their destruction remains visible as their bones are still radioactive and still glow in the dark and will for thousands of years (radium has a half-life of 1,600 years)!!

I wholeheartedly recommend this book: both for its message of courage in the face of adversity and for its cautionary advice against taking the word of any authority unquestioningly.

When I finished "The Radium Girls: They paid with their lives. Their final fight was for justice' by Kate Moore, I decided to wait before writing a review because I wanted my emotions to settle down. I wanted to be able to write a calm and clear review without my own emotions becoming involved. I even read three unconnected books so I would have clarity. I have discovered that there is no way that I can write a review about this without all the emotions coming back. In retrospect, I think the radium girls deserve all of that passion and emotion. They went through so much and are responsible for not only the labor laws we have today protecting workers but also a much more clear understanding of the effects of radiation on the human body.
During World War One, everyone wanted to help with the war effort in any way they could. One way was to paint watches, military dials, and clocks with a luminous substance that was made from radium. The military dials were vital for the soldiers serving overseas because they could see the time on the watch without showing their position because of the luminous glow that had been painted on them by the radium girls. These girls not only helped with the war effort but the pay was extremely good too. The girls had no idea that they were working with a very dangerous form of radiation and were even taught to shape the tip of the brush in their mouths in order for it to become a fine point. Rags and other ways were not used because it would waste the radium paste. They were employed by United States Radium Factory who knew how dangerous radium was. Upper management and scientists generally used protection but no one told the girls at all. Then one by one, the girls became very sick, usually starting with jaw pain but other ailments came up as well. The end result was a very painful death. The company knew this was happening and took an active role in actually hiding the evidence to the point of isolating one young lady from her family until she died and burying her before her family could become involved. The answer came years later when she was exhumed: her jaw had been removed to hide evidence. If you take a Geiger counter today to their graves, the needle will jump even 80 years after their deaths. They were also known as ghost girls. They actually glowed in the dark and played games like painting their teeth and nails because they had been told it was harmless and it looked so "pretty". They had no idea they were seeing the signs of their own death sentences.
There have been a few books written about the radium girls but never any that took the time to research who these girls actually were. They were mothers, daughters, sisters and they each had dreams and a story to tell. Kate Moore actually visited with family members and their graves and did so much research so we could know who these brave women were. The girls had to fight long and hard for justice and they probably had no idea how far reaching their fight would become. The reason why inspectors come to a company or you have to fill out a form if the accident happened at work is all because of these women's efforts and suffering. One of the girls even said if she could prevent one person suffering as she did then it was worth the fight. It is very hard and emotional reading to learn about a girl who was so happy to start working at 14 only to die a painful death at 21, a woman who was never able to bear children, a mother taken from her young children way too soon, and the actual facts about what exactly these women went through. We all owe these women a great debt and they should be remembered. Kate Moore has paid them the highest respect by making sure their stories are told and they are remembered. If there is one meaningful book to pick up this year, I highly recommend you read this one. I guarantee that the radium girls will stay with you and you will be grateful for having read it.
I received a copy from the publishers (thank you so much!) via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A heartbreaking look at early radium workers and the terrible side effects they suffered. Some parts were difficult to read and was very sad

I almost started this with “Oh my gosh, you need to read this.” Oh my god, you do need to read this. Kate Moore’s Radium Girls exemplifies why strong worker protections are vital in the work force. There are so many people around the world who are taken advantage of by corporations, and it is sickening to hear what a company is willing to allow people to suffer in order to make a profit.

This story is absolutely heart wrenching. It almost reads like a fiction story. It’s amazing how much has changed in just a few decades regarding scientific discoveries. Now, anyone dealing with radioactive materials has many safeguards they are required to implement. Can you even imagine being instructed to swallow radioactive materials? I really recommend reading this, as it outlines why there is a need for strong regulations on corporations. The experience of these women show why profit making corporations can not be trusted to self-regulate or care for their employees.

I highly recommend this novel. Moore is a gifted writer, and her talent shows in this novel. I could not believe I never heard this story prior to reading Radium Girls.

Please be advised that I received this novel for free from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Radium was considered a magical cure-all back in the early 1900s, and companies produced all sorts of things to give people that enchanting glow. The rich ingested high-dose radium waters. People wore it on their clothes. And the workers at the radium companies were encouraged to tip the brushes of their brushes with their mouths while painting dials on everything from watches to dashboards on military vehicles. These workers glowed: hair, clothes, skin. There were no safety measures protecting them from this radioactive material. Their companies told them the radium was perfectly safe; it was s wonder drug after all. Supervisors would stare sick employees in the face and declare they were perfectly healthy. Even when these workers teeth and jawbones began to fall out, months or years after they stopped working, and odd growths and pains developed and mystified doctors, the radium companies persisted: radium was perfectly safe.

And we ask why we need regulations protecting workers, residents and the environment, when companies value profit over safety time after time after time. These women faced years of excruciating pain, mountains of debt and the indifference of their former employers. As one husband stated, "There are humane societies for cats and dogs but not human beings with souls."

This was an informative and excellent read into the radium poisoning that established precedents for workforce protections. I just had a couple of relatively minor issues that prevented it from being 5 stars.

1. Looking for an objective book on the issue? Don't read this. The writing is emotional and impassioned, which makes sense as the author is telling the story of the affected women, but I was not a fan of how she broke the fourth wall and continually assigned emotions to the reader.

2. Girls, girls, girls! If I never see this word again, it'll be too soon. I get it, it was the language at the time, but continually calling these women girls turns them into feeble children incapable of making their own choices, not strong, capable women who fought for justice against unethical companies and a legal system without precedents on their situation.

However, despite these minor flaws, it's a good read, and very timely during this period of industrial and environmental deregulation--to support businesses and short term profit. But who loses?

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

So interesting. Great insight into history.

Highly recommend

A part of history we should all know…

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you NetGalley for this opportunity.

Kate Moore’s telling of the times and struggles of the young women who meticulously painted dials with radium paint does their legacy justice. This all-encompassing recount of the multiple plants and locations, the agencies involved, and heart-rending accounts of these women takes you through their journey to seek justice in a time where compassion and clandestine activities pose nearly insurmountable challenges as they face an inescapable reality. Of particular import is their connection with the birth of OSHA, and what stands as no surprise is the attitude of corporate executives of the time. What this book leaves you with is the good people who stepped up to take on the task to do the right thing despite the obstacles presented.

This eye-opening read loses no impact to the span of time that has passed. These women live once again in these pages to share their joys and sadness, family sorrows, and a legendary show strength in character for all the “ghost girls”.

The research is extensive and impeccable in this historical, non fictional account of the use (misuse and abuse) of radium at the turn of the century. I was unaware of the radium girls and the factories that employed them. Therefore, I feel enlightened, if not enraged, by the corporate greed, the lack of safety standards, and the poor communication between scientists, management, and doctors. Consumer advocacy has improved greatly in the last 100 years, thank God. The lower rating is due to the execution of the facts. The author is said to have written an historical narrative, yet it seemed to be more of a longitudinal parade of facts, which became repetitive and redundant. Transitioning between Ottawa and New Jersey was choppy and confusing. Transitioning between the various girls was also tedious. There was just so much back and forth! It did not read as a narrative at all. The book would have been more engaging, and the facts more interesting, if fewer girls were portrayed, and only one setting was used. The play, Radium Girls: a Play in Two Acts does just that. In the play, the characterization is dynamic and the story haunting. Regrettably, such is not the case in Ms. Moore's book.

In fairness, I think I prefer historical fiction ( ex:The All Girls Filling Station, Hidden Figures, Nightwitches, The Nightengale) which still inform and enlighten the reader, but with a narrative that is more engaging than a text-book-like series of facts.

Not surprisingly, this is a highly upsetting read. I had nightmares. But – it’s a true story and these women should not be forgotten. To think that they were told all was safe and it wasn’t, along with feeling that they were fortunate to be in these jobs that eventually killed them – well, this was one read that I won’t forget any time soon.
Some of my theater friends were in a fantastic musical theater production of Radium Girls here in the Boston area and won several awards for it. I recommend it if you come across it. I don’t know if this is the same play as the one cited above.
Thank you for my review e-copy.

This was a fascinating but emotionally packed book to read. The author was very thorough in her research and really made me care about these women. I found myself cheering these women on and appreciating their courage, legacy and grateful that they fought a fight I would not have to fight, now. However, it also made me wonder what is our "radium" in the 21st Century?