A review by ravensandlace
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore

4.5

Title: The Radium Girls

Author: Kate Moore

Genre: Nonfiction

Format: own paperback book

Series: NA

Star Rating: 4.5 stars

tw: parental death, radium poisoning, horrific injury from radium poisoning, blood, death, stillborn, graphic pictures included in the book, spousal abuse

I have been fascinated with the radium girls since I read a book about one of them from Coffee and Thorn. I truly did not know anything about them until I read that book and then I wanted to read all about them. Hence why I found this book. I think they are incredibly brave and what they went through was absolutely horrific. But I never realized just how awful their lives truly were, and the companies they worked for? Terrible! I have never been more disgusted while reading a book.

What truly boggled my mind was how often all these girls were dying. And how horribly they were dying. The number of ailments they had was a lot, and it was frustrating to read that nobody was putting the dots together or the doctors outright refused to. The companies they worked for disgusted me. I was so angry. The entire time I read this book, they actively denied they were dying due to radium poisoning. It’s sickening. But of course, I can't be too surprised. Cooperate greed at its finest. Even as I am writing this review, I can’t help but feel so angry. 

I learned a lot from that book, though, and that is always a goal when I read nonfiction books. Because of the radium girls, OSHA was formed. OSHA essentially makes sure your workplace is safe or as safe as it can be, depending on what you do. It is nice, in a way, that their sacrifice was not in vain. I know that those girls would be happy to see others not suffer while working.

Overall, I think this is a book everyone should read. It’s pretty graphic, but I think that’s a good thing. It shows just how awful the radium girls suffered and how we need to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. It will make you feel grateful that you don’t have to deal with that. A must read for everyone, in my opinion.