Sterling Biographies®: Marie Curie

Marie Curie triumphed over political tyranny, poverty, gender bias, personal tragedy, and scandal. Her influence is beyond measure: through her discovery of radium, she changed not only the course of science but the course of the world. Janice Borzendowski tells Madame Curie’s remarkable story, exploring:

-   Marie’s many firsts, including becoming the first woman awarded a Ph.D. in physics and the first woman to win a Nobel Prize 

-   Her amazing personal and professional relationship with husband Pierre Curie, with whom she worked side-by-side

-   The tragedies that affected Marie deeply, including the loss of her mother and brother at a young age

-   The difficulties she had establishing herself in Parisian scientific circles, both as a woman and a foreigner

-   The importance of Marie’s work—and the tragic consequences of not understanding the dangers of the radioactive materials she was researching