From the Bookshelf of Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge…

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

Kate Moore

Discussion: 2017 Read Harder Challenge

Why we're reading this: A moving and unflinching account of the many young women in the radium dial industry stricken with mouth …more
[close] A moving and unflinching account of the many young women in the radium dial industry stricken with mouth cancer and how their fight for justice led to changes in workplace safety and compensation.

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2017 Read Harder Challenge

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What Members Thought

Mar 09, 2018 Nadine rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

This book was anguishing to read. Not because of the writing, which was stellar and compelling, but because of the story itself. A truly dark event in American history that I knew nothing about going in, but am glad I know about now. It speaks to the power of corporate America when it decides to dig in its heels and prioritize money and power over the health and well-being of its employees and the citizenry at large...themes that are still all too important in this day and age. And it speaks to ...more

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Apr 12, 2021 Talia rated it really liked it

Shelves: adultnon-fic, audio-books

3.5 stars. Another case of "surprise! Corporate America doesn't care about you!"
I started out reading this book thinking the story could've been wrapped up in 150 pages. But surprisingly, there was enough material to make for a pretty lengthy narrative. I was shocked that the second part of the book focused on the radium painters of Ottawa, IL, as I lived about 70 miles away from there for several years and hadn't heard anything about this story.

There is also a movie version, but the book is bet ...more

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Nov 02, 2017 Mary rated it really liked it

This was one of the hardest books I’ve ever read. Kate Moore details every trial and tribulation received by the girls who first painted glow in the dark watch dials. These women innocently placed their selves into harms way by ingesting the radium with which they painted the dials. Moore graphically enumerated their sarcomas, bone loss and general malaise, so much so that I grew physically sick.
Their fight for justice would, in the end, lead to the creation of OSHA.

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May 01, 2020 Ally rated it liked it

Shelves: truth-stranger-than-fiction, 2020-challenge

This was a fascinating story unfortunately told by a not great writer. I'm a little ashamed that I didn't know this story (it's really crazy) but the author's writing style really detracted. I sort of had to force myself to finish. ...more

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Dec 29, 2018 Jennifer Kronk rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, kindle

"That was the tragedy. Radium had been known to be harmful since 1901. Every death since then was unnecessary."
This book is infuriating and heartbreaking. This book shows what happens when companies value profit over people (as if we needed more evidence of that.) And this book is so well-written. Every woman comes to life on the page and it is crushing to watch the next of these glowing girls be slowly murdered by the company that they used to love and trust. There is a reason that it took me ...more

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