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I’m happy that I read this in honor of Women’s History Month and at the suggestion of an earth science book club I joined. Marie was so intelligent and hardworking and I really loved the earlier parts of the book that humanized her, especially talking about her family and relationships. Her relationship with her spouse Pierre was especially Goals. Also, who knew there were so many mentees and other women working alongside her in these pioneering scientific efforts!


On the down side, I was painfully reminded that my own public elementary school and junior high were very behind the times with STEAM in general and for girls especially, and the expectations of us were low - and we met them. I was really interested in science, but I needed some additional help and support and encouragement that I didn’t get. By the time I got to a pretty academically sophisticated Catholic high school, I was too behind to catch up, especially as science began to incorporate math, and the teachers also weren’t especially interested in catching up the laggards given they had many Advanced Placement children of doctors (many themselves future doctors) in class. To be fair, I don’t think they assumed I was interested and I don’t think I knew how to ask them for help, or that it was even an option to be supported in learning about something and getting good at it: I pretty much assumed that we were all just stuck with what we were naturally good at, and for me that was things other than science and math. (Basically anything other than science and math!)


As a result, I have to admit that some of this book seemed a bit dry and out of my scope. Sometimes it sounded like those old Charlie Brown cartoons where the teachers and adults talking are like “Wah-WAH-Wah…� and it just didn’t register. I just heard science science science elements. And I never even knew pitchblende was a thing before, and now I feel like I’ve heard that word more than I’ve heard many other words in my life. However, I persevered, and if Marie could do it and if I can do it, than so can you! And you should!