One Book Author Kate Moore and "The Radium Girls"

Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources announces the return of the popular One Book, One Community program for 2020 with the selection of Kate Moore's "The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women." 

Author Kate Moore will speak and sign books at 7 p.m.. Friday, Jan. 31 at Selby Public Library in Sarasota.

Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources Director Renee Di Pilato said the book was an inspiring choice for the One Book program, because of its honest look at the country's history.

"The purpose of the One Book, One Community program is not only to encourage discovery of new literary voices, but to shine a light on historical topics from which we can learn," said Di Pilato. "This true story, as written by Kate Moore, is probably one that most of us have never heard, but that's exactly why it's such an important story to share."

 The book details the true story of unsafe and deadly workplace conditions for female workers during World War I who painted radium on watch dials, and later military equipment at factories in New Jersey and Illinois. Many experienced painful, disfiguring and fatal cancers as a result of their exposure to radium. These young women began a race-against-time fight for justice that would forever change US labor laws.

No Registration is Required, Seating limited, books will be available for purchase.