The Elements of Marie Curie
How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science
Published on 6. November 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
336 pages
978-0-00-853695-4 (ISBN)
Description
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
'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
Reviews / Votes
'Sobel's elegant prose and thoughtful use of personal and historical accounts bring Curie to life, offering a nuanced portrait of a woman whose contributions to science were matched by quiet strength, humility, and commitment to humanity' New Scientist'As Dava Sobel amply demonstrates in her warm, moving and effervescent biography, there is much more to Curie's life than one staid paragraph ... so long as women still battle to achieve equal status in science, Curie's trailblazing life will remain a powerful inspiration'Literary Review
'The Elements of Marie Curie beautifully illuminates the science and the scientists that Curie devoted her life to developing ... Sobel gives us a chance to share in the excitement and delight of the work that made Curie and her dozens of scientific offspring glow so brightly'Nature
'Marie Curie is one of the greatest scientists of all time and a pioneer for women. In this book Dava Sobel has brought her and those she inspired to life, with her characteristic accessible and scholarly writing. A book for our times celebrating both science and women' Sir Paul Nurse, geneticist and Nobel Prize winner
'[Curie's] influence irradiated the futures of 45 women who worked in her laboratory. By restoring these pioneers to visibility, acclaimed historian Dava Sobel casts fresh light on the life and achievements of the first scientist to win two Nobel prizes' Dr Patricia Fara, Emeritus Fellow, Clare College, University of Cambridge
'Hard to put down! A wonderfully written biography of Marie Curie, that does not step away from the physics but also includes her life outside the lab, even including the black and white cat!' Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, astrophysicist
'[Dava] is skilled at explaining complex science clearly and has chosen an artful way to structure her material'Guardian
'Among the great delights of The Elements is how vividly Dava Sobel has touched in the warm-hearted ordinariness of the young Maria Sklodowska'The Tablet
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers
Product notice
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 195 mm
Width: 128 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
310 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-00-853695-4 (9780008536954)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
10/2024
Fourth Estate Ltd
€9.95
Available for download
Person
Dava Sobel is the author of the international bestseller Longitude, the bestselling Pulitzer Prize finalist Galileo's Daughter, The Planets, A More Perfect Heaven, And the Sun Stood Still and The Glass Universe, and co-author of The Illustrated Longitude. She is the recipient of the Individual Public Service Award from the National Science Board, the Harrison Medal from the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, and the Klumpke-Roberts Award from the Astronomical Society of the Pacific among other honours. A former New York Times science reporter, she originated and continues to edit the monthly Meter poetry column in Scientific American.