Product Description
As a poor student in Paris, Marie Curie piled clothes -- and furniture -- on top of herself to keep warm at night. But Marie went on to become the first woman to win a Nobel Prize -- and also the first person to win this award twice. Marie Curie's discoveries in radiation changed the world. She became one of the most important women in science and her research is still important to scientists and doctors today. Radiation is used as a treatment for cancer and to produce electricity, kill organisms that spoil food and detect smoke in homes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Perfect for the Classroom Library
I teach 6th grade reading. This book is perfect for the classroom library. Students need to read a variety of non-fiction. I have found that most students love reading biographies. This is a must buy for the classroom.

Excellent chldren's introduction
I pulled this book from the university library shelves as I was searching for a good example of a children's biography. For the photobiography genre, it is the best I've seen. The layout and design are excellent. It is informational, engaging and inviting. The layout breaks down a potentially boring subject and bridges the gap between dated photographs and modern sensibilites. This book is a good choice both for casual reader and student seeking information for a report. ... Read more

Product Description
Marie Curie discovered radium and went on to lead the scientific community in studying the theory behind and the uses of radioactivity. She left a vast legacy to future scientists through her research, her teaching, and her contributions to the welfare of humankind. She was the first person to win two Nobel Prizes, yet upon her death in 1934, Albert Einstein was moved to say, "Marie Curie is, of all celebrated beings, the only one whom fame has not corrupted." She was a physicist, a wife and mother, and a groundbreaking professional woman. This biography is an inspirational and exciting story of scientific discovery and personal commitment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good biography
Good biography of this remarkable woman of science. As many writters, this author presents a moving and interesting reading. Don't forget the main Marie Curie's biography written by Eve Curie.

Not for Adults
I thought this was the new book on Marie Curie that received a rave. Later I found out that the book I wanted was Obsessive Genius:The Inner World of Marie. This one is OK for kids, but not for adults and it is not very accurate.

A concise, complete biography of an amazing women!
If you are looking for a concise, straight to the point biography of Marie Curie, then look no further. The book is an easy read that will keep you interested. Mainly focusing on Curie's study and discoovery of radioactivity, this book is great for a science research paper, whether it be a biography on Curie or on the science of Radioactiviy. A very well written book, highly recommended!! ... Read more

Product Description
Tells the story of Marie Curie's discovery of radium and radioactivity. Written in graphic-novel format. ... Read more

Product Description
Explores the life of the Polish-born chemist, with an emphasis on the role played by curiosity in her discovery of radium. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

From the dawn of electricity to the nuclear age
This book is not a standard-issue biography of Marie Curie because it goes beyond her life to encompass that of her husband, her daughters, and her famed son-in-law. The book's title actually undestates the case: It should be Madame Curie and the World She Helped to Create.

Marie Curie's story is remarkable. From modest origins as the daughter of a Polish educator who was forced out of one job after another by Russians, Curie finally got her chance at age 26 to attend college in Paris. Within 10 years, she had won the Nobel Prize (with her husband) for discovering new elements and for discovering the radioactivity that they produced. She did this while enduring poverty, hunger, national and gender prejudice, and many more hardships. Then, she won an unprecedented second Nobel a few years later for extending her findings.

The breakneck pace of her life and her husband's life is well-chronicled in this book. The intellectual capabilities and work ethic Marie and Pierre are incomprehensible. They were literally moving the frontiers of science forwards, while working with toxic chemicals in crude conditions. They wrote scores of scientific papers and managed the careers of hundreds of promising scientists. And yet, they'd hold intellectual salons every Sunday, and find time for mountain hikes each summer.Oh, and they raised a Nobel Prize-winning daughter who married someone who also won a Nobel in physics.

The book does a good job of explaining the challenges that the Curies faced and the determination that was the source of their triumphs. It wonderfully evokes an era of all-in-this-together spirit that was science at the start of the 20th century. And it gives a moving description of Marie's work with her daughter Eve to bring Xray technology to use at the front in World War I.

But the book changes course and falters to some degree when it strays from Marie and Pierre. Indeed, Marie dies about two-thirds of the way through the book, and her son in law takes over as the primary figure. His story is fascinating, but it doesn't belong in this book, and his tale is not told nearly as well as the Madame Curie material.

Two other nitpicks with the book. First, the author uses the [sic] symbol in many of the quotes of people's letters, as if to imply they were making mistakes. But I don't see mistakes in the letters, and yet I found several typos in the book. If you're gonna criticize others, you should get it right yourself.Second, the writing is awkward at times. I think the author is a native French speaker, and some of the awkwardness in the book comes from her lack of complete fluency with American-style English.

Overall, I would not recommend starting one's reading about Marie Curie with this biography. It covers too much other ground, and yet its coverage of the science behind the Curies' work lacks sufficient detail. And while the information about the politics of science is interesting, the author assumes that the reader will have a working knowledge of WWI and, especially, of WWII and the politics of the Occupation, Resistance, and post-war period. Frankly, the author should remove the non-Marie material and use it as a jumping off point for a better book about science in Europe during and after WWII.

A Workmanlike Biography
This is a good basic biography of Marie Curie. The writing is generally a little flat, punctuated with outcroppings of some rather odd word usages. For example, Pflaum consistently refers to Marie Curie being "enceinte," instead of simply saying she was pregnant. And we read about things like "the flairing of the wind." Not wrong - but something a little off about the phraseology here and there. It's as if Pflaum spent too much time in France researching her subjects and became distanced from the English language in the process.

However this book will certainly add to your knowledge of Marie Curie's amazing career. I found the chapter on her activities during World War I to be especially interesting. Curie and her daughter went out into the battlefields with the first mobile X-ray machines. They saved untold lives by being able to locate bullets and shrapnel in soldiers, and the exact site of breakages and other internal damage. I'd never realized Curie's brave contribution to that War effort.

Then you will find some unexpected insights into world politics here. In the course of discussing the Curies' contribution to the World War II effort, Pflaum explains how the Communists became an increasingly popular political alternative during the 1940s and 50s. They were so active in the wartime resistance, they gained the respect of a large percentage of the French and Italian peoples. Their heroism in defeating Fascism/Nazism no doubt played a part in establishing the Communist Party as a viable political faction in a number of European countries. Again, this was a larger back-story to the Cold War and succeeding geopolitical dynamics than I expected to find in a book simply about Marie Curie.

I wish though that Pflaum had supplied more scientific detail. You won't find much about the nature of radioactivity here so it's difficult for the reader to fully appreciate the Curies' achievement. You will probably want to check out some book of popular explanation of the atom to accompany your reading of Grand Obsession.

This book does convey Marie Curie's dedication to her work. She kept an unfailing schedule in her laboratory - through difficult personal times, through her own failing health. Because Pflaum's writing is not very inspired, this book will probably not inspire any young readers to similar heights of dedication to scientific pursuit. Grand Obsession may not have a very long half-life in your memory. But it radiates some of the spirit of Marie Curie.

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Product Description
"Excellent book! As his text moves from the discoveries of Madame Curie to the immense benefits that radiation processes provide to mankind, Alan Walter shows how her words, 'Nothing in life is to be feared, it is to be understood,' guided her work and those of later researchers. . . . From her pioneering work to a broad-based range of industries contributing more than $400 billion annually to the US economy and over 4 million jobs, Dr. Walter weaves a fascinating narrative of human exploration and technology utilization."US SENATOR PETE DOMENICI, Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee

"The importance of this book is immeasurable. Dr. Walter's engaging discourse broadens our understanding of the impact and value of radiation technology in every realm of our lives. His insights reveal the humanity of the history and application of Marie Curie's science and may ultimately provide the essential knowledge we need to deliver us from our fears."THE HONORABLE J. BENNETT JOHNSTON, Former US Senator, 1972-1997

"Dr. Walter takes us on an incredible journey through a vast universe of beneficial uses of radiation that contribute to abundance in our supply of energy, water, and food; protect our health, our homeland, and the environment; and make possible our scientific exploration of the human genetic map and the far reaches of space. His narrative style makes this vitally important story accessible and interesting for us all."JOE F. COLVIN, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nuclear Energy Institute, Washington, DC

"Alan Walter has written an invaluable and highly readable book. Readers will be stunned by the indispensable role radiation has come to play in our contemporary lives, from awe-inspiring medical and agricultural uses to everyday consumer and safety applications. It's hard to imagine how anyone could be nuclear-phobic after this."SUSAN EISENHOWER, Chairman of the Eisenhower Institute, Washington, DC. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Used as Textbook
HAd to have this as a Textbook for ME136N at the University of Texas via correspondence study from Oklahoma State University as ENGR 4211.I learned little from it, if you don't know anything about nuclear engineerng, you can learn a great deal from this book.

Excellent background book on radiation and nuclear power
Dr Waltar has writen an excellent book on radiation, its sources and uses. It is a very easily understood introduction for anyone interested in the subject and is especially useful in understanding the medical uses of radiation.The chapter on Electricity and nuclear power puts into perspective the costs and issues related to its expanded use. Other uses of radiation in industry are also well described. The book should be read by any person wanting to get a reasonably balance view of this phenomenon in which we live, how it affects our lives and has been put to beneficial use - perhaps aleviating some of the fears that not knowing has promoted.

Very interesting book
Very interesting book for someone who are interested in the history and applications of radioactivity. Very good as element of motivation to study this specific field of science. Good source for preparing a lecture.

Excellent Overview of Applications of Nuclear Technology
I have worked as a physicist in the nuclear field for just over 30 years. Since my work has been of a very narrow specialized nature, I never kept myself fully up-to-date on the incredible diversity of uses for nuclear technology. Consequently, reading this book was indeed an eye-opener for me. The author, a nuclear engineer, discusses a variety of uses of nuclear technology in a wide range of areas, including agriculture, medicine, power generation, industry, transportation, space exploration, public safety, arts and sciences, environmental protection and modern economy. Writing in a very chatty style, the author is quite detailed in most of his descriptions, but he interspersed them with several personal anecdotes, thus adding to one's reading enjoyment. Although an early chapter contains basic information on radiation, i.e., its nature, sources, means of measurement and health risks, a reader who is completely unfamiliar with the subject matter may find a few passages in the book a bit harder to follow. However, these passages are few such that this most informative and well-written book can be enjoyed by a very wide audience. I highly recommend it!

Pro Radiaton, not Con - One thing at a time!
The tenor of the book is sincerely enthusiastic.It reminded me of my youth, when from a yearbook of science and technology I learnt that with nuclear power plants, we could expect electricity for practically no fuel.As an engineering student I learnt, as if that was a law of the solar system, that electricity consumption increases immutably, by 8% per year.Also familiar from my youth, over half a century ago, is the idea of desalination plants to irrigate deserts in proximity of oceans.Waltar reports that desalination requires a lot of energy, but that nuclear power can now provide that, and even produce nuclear-based electricity and drinking water simultaneously in one integrated plant.Other ideas that could not fail to impress me are the elimination of most of the nuclear waste disposal problem by using breeder reactors which recycle waste into new fuels, and the use of antimatter power in space flight, which would be ten billion times more efficient than chemical power like from a Saturn V booster rocket.Fission power as now used in some places on Earth is only ten million times more efficient.
What the cost of all that efficiency might be, Waltar does not aim to explain.Opposition to radiation technologies is mentioned rarely and mostly condescendingly.To convince consumers that radiation in our lives cannot be rolled back, he lumps informational applications of radiation and nuclear power together into the radiation technologies industry, which is bigger than General Motors (in terms of "economic impact", by plain sales it would not be).Jobs created by radiation technologies are shown off, but jobs lost with the industries or occupations displaced are not mentioned.And he points out that radiation is all over the universe.This is a fact - but not a relevant one:We humans are here, with other living beings, only because we have an atmosphere that protects us from the harshness of the rest of the universe.Waltar covers many technical and historical details by referring to other publications, keeping the book reasonably easy to read for ordinary literate people, though rich in scope.Studies cited about the harmlessness and even purported health benefits of low level radiation were typically done in remote countries (or in military secrecy) under difficult record-keeping circumstances, and are viewed sceptically by careful life scientists, in contrast to physicists and engineers like Waltar.In potential public impact, the book is a major challenge.

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Product Description
Marie and Pierre Curie remain two of the most important scientists of the 20th century. Their pioneering work in the study of radioactivity led to the discovery of the elements radium and polonium. Later, they identified how atoms give off, or radiate, energy which would be the foundation for modern nuclear physics.

But for as successful as they were as scientific partners, theirs was also a love story. Coming from vastly different backgrounds, Marie grew up in politically repressed Poland and suffered the loss of a sister and her mother as a young girl. Pierre enjoyed an idyllic childhood and was educated at home by his brother and father. Although their friendship was initially based on their shared passion for science and research, it soon grew into a romantic love that would lead them to a personal relationship and professional partnership that would literally change the world. ... Read more

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The "Easy Biographies" series focuses on the childhood and young-adult years of famous men and women who overcame obstacles to achieve greatness. Inspirational and informative reading for students with big dreams. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

great introduction.
i had the easy biography series as a young child in the 80's and can still to this day, recount most of it's characters' life histories and accomplishments. my husband coincidentally read the same series as a child and remembers them as well. these books are timeless andwill undoubtedly influence children today as they did in the 1980's. ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of the chemist whose work with radium laid the foundation for much of today's scientific knowledge. ... Read more

Product Description
When most women were not even attending college, Marie Curie earned degrees in physics and mathematics. When she began studying rocks, she soon discovered elements that gave off an invisible energy called radioactivity. Because of her amazing discoveries, in 1903 Marie Curie became the first woman to receive a Nobel Prize for Physics. Today, she is remebered as one of the most important scientists of all time. ... Read more

Product Description
Professional biographer Carl Rollyson has pioneered a new kind of biography for children and adults alike. His narrative of Marie Curie's life is rendered in simple, precise prose, but he also includes material addressed to adults--especially to parents who wish some guidance in discussing what their children read. This home schooling biography also includes a timeline, sources for further study, a glossary, and an index.

Vivid quotations from those who knew Marie Curie as well as a "points to ponder" section in each chapter are designed to provoke further discussion and research into the life and career of one of the century's greatest scientists and--as Rollyson shows--one of the most important figures in human history.

At a time when the ethics of science and of scientists has been called into question, Rollyson's searching examination of Madame Curie's methods and morality makes this a sharply focused and challenging biography.

The Marie Curie that emerges from this account is a woman of great integrity and self-discipline, acutely conscious of her historic role, keenly devoted to protecting her private life, and yet willing to shape her personality to the public roles demanded of her. ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of the brilliant scientist whose work with radioactivity caused her death, but gave life to others. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Amazing
I love this book!I had to do a project on Marie Curie and this helped me a lot!I love how she was a women physicist and how brave she was.And to be one of the first physicists, wow.I think this woman rocks! ... Read more

Product Description
Perhaps the most illustrious women of her era, Marie Curie is well-known for her Nobel Prize-winning research in physics and chemistry and for her discovery with husband Pierre of polonium and radium. Less familiar is the complex character of this renowned woman. While grounding her work in a historical context, the author provides a fresh human perspective on the life of this famous yet enigmatic precursor of today's atomic scientists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

"Marie Curie A Life"
Francoise Giroud's "Marie Curie A Life" is an inspirational biography on the significant accomplishments made by Marie Curie. The book addresses aspects ranging from her influences, her fame, her scandals, and the impression she left on society. Francoise Giroud was compelled to recount Marie's stories because of Mme's many great achievements that she made, including two Nobel prizes, in a male-dominated society as well as their vast influences upon society. It explains in great detail the resistance and hardships that Mme Curie had to go through to finally accomplish herself as a woman scientist. In addition, there is much information about how she influenced the many people in her presence as well as society today. This story should be read because it is inspiring to see how a young, middle-class Polish woman made her way to the top. Also, it is astonishing to see the attitude and determination of this scientist that found a cure for cancer. ... Read more

Product Description
Discusses the life of Marie Curie, whose work in physics helped to change the world. ... Read more