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Dava Sobel, acclaimed and bestselling author of Longitude, chronicles the life and work of the most famous woman in the history of science – and the untold story of the young women who trained in her laboratory.
For decades Marie Curie was the only woman in the room at international scientific gatherings, and despite constant illness she travelled far and wide to share the secrets of radioactivity, a term she coined. She is still the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two scientific fields.
Her ingenuity extended far beyond the laboratory walls; grieving the death of her husband, Pierre, she took his place as professor of physics at the Sorbonne, devotedly raised two daughters, drove a van she outfitted with x-ray equipment to the front lines of World War I, befriended Albert Einstein and inspired generations of young women to pursue science as a way of life.
Approaching Marie Curie from a unique angle, Sobel navigates her remarkable discoveries and fame alongside the women who became her legacy – from Norway’s Ellen Gleditsch and France’s Marguerite Perry, who discovered the element francium, to her own daughter, Irene, a Nobel Prize winner in her own right. Elements of Marie Curie deftly illuminates the trailblazing life and enduring influence of one of the most consequential figures of our time.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 336
Imprint: Fourth Estate UK
Publication date: 10/10/2024
The Elements of Marie Curie
by Dava Sobel
Review by Kazia
Sobel exquisitely illuminates the life and work of Marie Skłodowska Curie in this well-crafted biography. Before reading this book, I admittedly knew little about this pioneering figure outside of her discovery of radium. The portrait that Sobel paints is of a scientific powerhouse who contributed far more to society than she is commonly credited for, but also of a humble, determined woman who loved both her family and her research deeply.
I loved that this book provided a glimpse into Marie’s personhood in addition to her professional feats: her love for her home country of Poland, her grief over her husband’s death, her care for her daughters, and her dedication to providing opportunities for young scientists to pursue their research were all given due attention. I appreciated that Sobel did not divide Marie Curie the scientist from Marie Skłodowska Curie the woman, daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, friend, and mentor.
Excellently and accessibly written, the details of the scientific research are simplified enough for the not-so-scientifically-minded (like me) to understand while leaving the reader completely in awe at the accomplishments. Perhaps the greatest gift of this book is that it is not simply a biography of Marie Curie but also devotes space to highlighting and honouring the women who studied under her care. Each chapter of this book is named after and explores someone in Curie’s life, with most chapters representing the female scientists who worked with her, however briefly. This is an absolutely fascinating read from start to finish and a true credit to the non-fiction genre.
You can also listen to Kazia's review from RDU below:
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