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. 'A fresh and feminist study of the pioneering Nobel laureate reveals
her impact on the women she mentored and set on the path to prominence' Observer 'It is a novel
lens through which to view Curie's story and Sobel paints her tale with characteristic
deftness and eloquence' Financial Times 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. The Elements of Marie Curie
deftly illuminates the trailblazing life and enduring influence of one of the most
consequential figures of our time. 'A lucid literate biography celebrating a scientific
exemplar who for all her fame deserves to be better known' Kirkus 'As expected from a
Pulitzer Prize finalist Sobel writes beautifully and with clarity about the science that Curie
specialised in making clear the achievements that her lab brought about' Daily Mail 'This is
an essential read capturing both [Curie's] genius and her legacy' New Scientist 'Sobel's book
is a luminous and illuminating contribution to the cause' Literary Review
