On Fridays I often join in with two book memes:
Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.
This week I’m featuring The Radium Girls: They paid with their lives. Their final fight was for justice by Kate Moore, one of my TBRs. It’s the true story about dial-painters, girls and women who painted the numbers on clocks, watches and other instruments using radium-infused luminous paint in the 1920s and 1930s. The girls shone brightly in the dark, covered head to toe in dust from the paint.
The scientist had forgotten all about the radium. It was tucked discreetly within the folds of his waistcoat pocket, enclosed in a slim glass tube in such a small quantity that he could not feel its weight.
Also on a Friday The Friday 56 is hosted by Freda’s Voice, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an eBook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.
56%:
‘Every week there seemed to be some emergency order that required an extra pair of hands. Then Catherine would slip her brush between her lips, dip it in the powder and paint; the girls all still did it that way at Radium Dial, for their instructions were never changed.
BooksPlease 
This reminded me I still need to read this book as well! I heard a podcast episode about it a while ago and it’s just such a fascinating but tragic story. I hope you enjoy it! I hope you have a lovely start to the weekend and do drop by my Friday post if you have the time! – Juli @ A Universe in Words
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This sounds really interesting, Margaret! I do like learning about history, and I don’t know much about these women and what they did. I’ll be really keen to know what you think of this one.
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I have been eyeing this book, and now I want to read more! Love the cover, too. Here’s mine: “THE BREAK-UP BOOK CLUB”
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This does sound interesting, thank you it’s on my list!
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This was such a tragedy.
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Such a sad story. Makes you wonder what we have around us today that we consider safe, but really isn’t. There’s a young readers version, too.
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I read The Radium Girls a while ago. It’s an important part of history to know, but it was tough to read.
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Well, this book just sounds horribly tragic.
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I bet this is fascinating!! Happy Memorial day weekend!
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I just read Zorrie by Laird Hunt. This novel follows the course of a woman’s life; early in her life the woman had worked as a ‘radium girl’. I liked it very much. It made me interested to know more, so Kate Moore’s book goes on the ever increasing TBR. Thanks for your review.
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I have a copy of this one on my TBR shelf to read. It sounds like such a heartbreaking story. You make me want to pick it up soon. I hope you have a great weekend!
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