The Radium Girls Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Name: The Radium Girls
Rating: 4.6 (29 reviews)
Author: Kate Moore
ISBN: 9781492649359

The Radium Girls

The Dark Story of America's Shining Women

by Kate Moore

BookBrowse Review:

Critics' Consensus (9):

Readers' Rating (29):

First Published:
May 2, 2017, 496 pages

Paperback:
Mar 2018, 480 pages

Book Reviewed by:
Kim Kovacs
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- History, Current Affairs and Religion
- USA
- Mid-Atlantic, USA
- Midwest, USA
- New Jersey
- Illinois
- 1920s & '30s
- Debuts
- Adult-YA Crossover Nonfiction
- Strong Women
- LibraryReads Picks
- Top 20 Best Books of 2017
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Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Radium: The Dangerously Radioactive Element and our BookBrowse Review of The Radium Girls.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

The Radium Girls is filled with both triumph and tragedy. Which part of the story affected you the most, and why?
Is there a figure in The Radium Girls that resonates more strongly with you than others? If so, what part of their story or character stood out?
Even after radium was proved poisonous, and the illness verified as work-related, the radium companies stood fast by their convictions. Why do you believe they were so resilient, and can you imagine modern companies behaving with such similar ruthlessness?

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How does the author develop themes of identity and belonging throughout the narrative?
What role does the setting play in shaping the characters' decisions and relationships?
Discuss how the ending reframes the events of the story. Were you surprised?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Sourcebooks. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.

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Beyond the Book:
Radium: The Dangerously Radioactive Element

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