Radioactive!

How Irene Curie and Lise Meitner Revolutionized Science and Changed the World

By: Winifred Conkling

Narrated by: Andrea Gallo

The fascinating, little-known story of how two brilliant female physicists' groundbreaking discoveries led to the creation of the atomic bomb.

In 1934, Irene Curie, working with her husband and fellow scientist, Frederic Joliot, made a discovery that would change the world: artificial radioactivity. This breakthrough allowed scientists to modify elements and create new ones by altering the structure of atoms. Curie shared a Nobel Prize with her husband for their work. But when she was nominated to the French Academy of Sciences, the academy denied her admission and voted to disqualify all women from membership.

Four years later, Curie's breakthrough led physicist Lise Meitner to a brilliant leap of understanding that unlocked the secret of nuclear fission. Meitner's unique insight was critical to the revolution in science that led to nuclear energy and the race to build the atom bomb, yet her achievement was left unrecognized by the Nobel committee in favor of that of her male colleague.

Radioactive! presents the story of two women breaking ground in a male-dominated field, scientists still largely unknown despite their crucial contributions to cutting-edge research, in a nonfiction narrative that reads with the suspense of a thriller.

©2016 Winifred Conkling (P)2016 Recorded Books

Young Adult book

Any additional comments?

The description sounded interesting, but I was fooled because it does not say this is a "young adult" book. The stories were fine, and I learned some new things, but I kept having the feeling the author and narrator thought I was in the 8th grade-- and then I figured out why. This may be a nice resource for young kids

Both interesting, notice the cover, bonus MCs

I like this book and its focus on the two women. In the end, what's posited is met. You also get all of the Curies and other scientists and politics of the times as bonuses. In some ways, both the narration and the narrator sound more like a classroom presentation, though it's too long for only one and there' s no chapter breakdown that pulls you into a classroom feeling. No continuous long introductory statements and hardly any repetition. One thing this book is not is dry--sounds more like a novel in two parts.

After getting a good historical brief on the Curies, you almost wonder why Lise Meistner enters the reading. Then I began to appreciate the Lise Meitner story much more. I was newly engaged. Though focused on these two, this is a good biography inclusive of a number of well known scientists of their time without all the stiffness or time consumption. I came away feeling like I learned all of the major points, and much more. Quite enjoyable without turning sensationalist.

Praise for Radioactive!

I see why this book received the 2017 notable science trade book award from the NSTA. At first I was a little apprehensive to read this book because I had to do it as make up work for an assignment in one of my education classes. But as I read and followed along with the narration I enjoyed the book and all the little things in it like the start of chemotherapy, the names of notable scientists that we know today, find out that the son of Max Planck was apart of Operation Valkyrie, and many other cool historical tidbits. I would totally recommend this book.