Atomic Women
The Untold Stories of the Scientists Who Helped Create the Nuclear Bomb
-
- $11.99
-
- $11.99
Publisher Description
Meet the female scientists who served as both developers of the atomic bomb—and the first line of criticism against it—in this nonfiction narrative in the tradition of Bomb and Code Girls.
They were leaning over the edge of the unknown and afraid of what they would discover there…
Recruited from labs and universities from across the United States, and even from countries abroad, a little-known group of female scientists were invited into the secret sites of the Manhattan Project. During World War II these women worked on—and in some cases initiated—the development of the atomic bomb, taking starring roles in one of history’s most infamous scientific feats. But despite their involvement, critical to the project’s success, many of them weren’t made fully aware of the consequences.
This book explores not just the steps toward the creation of a successful nuclear bomb, but also the moral implications of such an invention—and how female scientists of the time grappled with the fallout. In an eye-opening revisionist history, this book celebrates the diversity and complexity of a watershed moment in history.
The atomic women you’ll learn about include: Lise Meitner and Irène Joliot-Curie (daughter of Marie Curie), who laid the groundwork for the Manhattan Project from Europe Elizabeth Rona, the foremost expert in plutonium, who gave rise to "Fat Man" and "Little Boy," the bombs dropped over Japan Leona Woods, Elizabeth Graves, and Joan Hinton, who were inspired by European scientific ideals but carved their own paths
Perfect for…
★ Fans of Oppenheimer and Hidden Figures
★ Women in STEM
★ Readers of Elizabeth Wein, Steve Sheinkin, and Kate Quinn
★ History lovers
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
On a July morning in 1945, Joan Hinton saw a world-changing explosion: "It was like being at the bottom of an ocean of light." Hinton, a physicist, was one of the many women scientists integral to the development of the atomic bomb whose stories anchor Montillo's (Fire on the Track for adults) narrative in two sections. The first, set in Europe, traces the origins of nuclear science, introducing Marie Curie, whose findings "would have... devastating consequences in the rush to build the atomic bomb," and Lise Meitner, whose theory of fission underpinned the bomb effort. The second section, set in the U.S., focuses on the women scientists developing the bomb, including Hinton. In blunt, declarative prose, Montillo sketches lives and careers. Sexism (" noticed that female students... were tolerated more than included") and deep ambivalence about the bomb ("How would she be able to live with it herself?") recur as themes. Nonchronological editorial choices, a full-to-bursting cast of characters, and a tendency to breeze past scientific concepts (including beta decay, Brillouin zones, and even the workings of the bomb itself) without explanation make understanding the scope and impact of these women's contributions difficult. Still, Montillo's woman-centered narrative fills a major gap in the popular understanding of how the atomic bomb came to be. Ages 12 up.
