Book summery

Radioactive: A tale of love and fallout In a book that offers an illustrated historical account of love and scientific advancement, Lauren Redness used the book “ Radioactive: A tale of love and fallout” to depict the life of Mare Curie and Pierre, whose partnership and research changed the world, both for better and for worse. In the first chapter of the book, the author dedicates the chapter to Curies’ life before their discovery of radioactivity. According to this chapter, in 1891, a young lady of 24 years (Marie, née Marya Sklodowska) moves to Paris from Warsaw where she got employed in a the laboratory of Pierre Curie. The two fell in love and took their honeymoon on bicycles. The chapter punctuated with illustrative accounts depicts the nature with which a romantic relationship can be intertwined to brood a healthy work relationship. It peeks with the two expanding the periodic table by discovering two new elements, radium and polonium, which they recognize to be having radioactive properties.
In the second chapter of the book, the duo progress with their work on the discovery of the new elements and embark on rigorous laboratory tests to ascertain the chemical properties and worth of the elements. This chapter is presented in a manner of dialogue between the characters giving the reader the significance of love in their relationship. Marie and Pierre Curie recognizes radioactivity as an atomic property leading to a new way of thinking in the scientific era. This earns the lovers a Nobel Prize. This is the point the newspapers mythologizes the story of Marie and Pierre Curie beginning with “ once upon a time…” as an indicator of the importance of their scientific discovery. In relation to the current significance of the nuclear technology, the discovery can be appreciated and scorned with equal measure as it has helped in the production of clean energy as well as adding threat to the global peace. Chapter two of the book culminates with the tragic death of Pierre through a freak accident, opening a new phase of struggle in Marie’s life.
Following the death of Pierre Curie, the third chapter, Marie is left alone to jungle multiples of roles. She acts as a mother, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist and a professor. Nevertheless, despite the challenges, she persists in her scientific work and wins a second Nobel Prize in 1911. During this period, Marie falls in love again with a married physicist, Paul Langevin. The love to the physicist reenergizes the work of Marie as the author puts it, “ After four years of steady labor … they managed to extract one-tenth of a gram of radium chloride.” (Redniss L., 2010). In this chapter, the author relates radioactivity to period development such as Spiritualism, X-ray and Art Nouveau. Lauren (the author) makes a frequent leap forward in time to visits the contemporary use and the misuse of radiation. These leap forwards of radiations include a child being treated for cancer using the radiations as well as the bombing of Hiroshima, a portrayal of the two sides of the discovery. The chapter is punctuated by eye captivating illustrations of the theme of the book depicting love and fallout.
Work cited
Redniss, L. (2010). Radioactive: Marie And Pierre Curie: a tale of love and fallout. New York, Harper Entertainment.