The Curies' newly discovered wonder drug shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War, and hundreds of young girls toil amid the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories-until they begin to fail mysteriously ill. As the factories try to cover up the shocking secret, these determined "shining girls" suddenly find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America's early twentieth century. Written with a sparkling voice and breakneck pace, The Radium Girls illuminates the courage and tenacity of these incredible women, whose determination to fight back led to life-changing regulation, advanced nuclear research, and ultimately saved thousands of lives.