Really interesting look at the life of Marie Curie and her daughters. I had no idea her eldest daughter continued working on the same sort of stuff and won a Noble Prize as well. I know that Marie and I would have been good friends when I read that she despised the French school system for bogging children down too long in the classroom and not providing enough physical exercise and fresh air. 100 years later and that is still a problem, probably even worse.

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An unevenly written account of the Curie women and their relationship. I liked reading more about Marie and the woman behind the scientist, and I really enjoyed learning more about Irene. I'm glad I got a chance to read this book.

sorry it took me so long to post this review - I thought I had already added it! ( )

In the beginning I was concerned I wasn't going to be able to finish the book. It didn't seem to be grabbing me. But before I knew it, I was completely involved in the story of Marie Curie. I was touched by her humility (her daughters reported that they didn't know their mom was famous until her initial tour of the US), her drive, her single-mindedness, her gift to science and mankind, her passion... What a feat that her husband, daughter, and both sons-in-law were also Nobel Prize winners. Great read... left me wanting to learn more. ( )

Review copy provided by LibraryThing

In this short, but fascinating book, Shelley Emling tells the story of one of the most renowned science families, Marie Curie and her daughters. Often portrayed as an introvert or subservient to her husband Pierre Curie, Emling shows that Marie was a power to be reckoned with, not only redefining science for generations to come, but being a humanitarian as well. Emling draws on personal letters and interviews from Curie's only granddaughter, providing an in-depth look into this family as never before seen.

Emling provides a fantastic look into the life of a science pioneer and her influence and relationship with her two daughters. Both of whom were instrumental in their own ways, Irene for her involvement in nuclear fission, and Eve as a writer and humanitarian. Emling's writing style is engaging and makes the reader feel like they're sitting across from the Curie's having a conversation with them. Even better the style and tone is casual, so that a reader doesn't need a scientific background to enjoy the book.

Emling holds nothing back, allowing readers to see the good and the bad of the Curie women, and provides a truthful look into their lives. I would highly recommend this book to all readers, as there is something in it for everyone. I give the book 4 out of 5 stars. ( )

Marie Curie and her Daughters is a compelling and fascinating account of Marie Curie's personal life and the lives of her daughters. Many books about the quintessential female scientist focus on her prodigious scientific achievements, but this one delves a little deeper into her relationships with her daughters and other family members.

I find it fascinating how little has changed in 100 years when it comes to the dilemmas women face when they are faced with a career in science and raising a family... and not much has changed in how we are judged when we choose to prioritize one over the other!

I was really captivated by the lives of Marie's daughters Irene and Eve, maybe even more so than the life of Marie, who by this point I've read a lot about. Irene was an equally capable scientist and also won a Nobel Prize, Eve was an incredible globe-trotting journalist. It's incredible to read about such outspoken women, and I owe them an awful lot for paving the way for future women in science (or really, in any career field). ( )