Marie Curie

Professional biographer Carl Rollyson has pioneered a new kind of biography for children and adults alike. His narrative of Marie Curie's life is rendered in simple, precise prose, but he also includes material addressed to adults--especially to parents who wish some guidance in discussing what their children read. This home schooling biography also includes a timeline, sources for further study, a glossary, and an index. Vivid quotations from those who knew Marie Curie as well as a "points to ponder" section in each chapter are designed to provoke further discussion and research into the life and career of one of the century's greatest scientists and--as Rollyson shows--one of the most important figures in human history. At a time when the ethics of science and of scientists has been called into question, Rollyson's searching examination of Madame Curie's methods and morality makes this a sharply focused and challenging biography. The Marie Curie that emerges from this account is a woman of great integrity and self-discipline, acutely conscious of her historic role, keenly devoted to protecting her private life, and yet willing to shape her personality to the public roles demanded of her.