#18 The Radium Girls by Kate Moore (Meanwhile), hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these "shining girls" are the luckiest alive — until they begin to fall mysteriously ill.
But the factories that once offered golden opportunities are now ignoring all claims of the gruesome side effects, and the women's cries of corruption. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America's early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for workers' rights that will echo for centuries to come.
I was aware of this situation, referring to it in some of my classes. Yet this book revealed how truly horrifying it was. The torture these women endured with their bodies falling apart and no one able to help them. The years of law suites and the company denying any liability. Very sad.
