This month's title: "The Radium Girls" by Kate Moore. The Curies' newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War. Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these "shining girls" are the luckiest alive—until they begin to fall mysteriously ill. Please register to receive the zoom link, or join us in person in the History Room. Print books are located on the shelves near the Circulation Desk.

The topic of New Jersey is broad. While obviously included in the non-fiction genre, New Jersey is also found within fiction, poetry, and visual works. There are classics written by New Jersey authors, and others who use the state as the setting for their stories. Join us as we explore numerous depictions of the Garden State by native and non-native New Jersey writers across multiple genres, all while strengthening an appreciation for the impact our state makes in literature and in the telling of its history. Meetings will be hybrid - both in person and via zoom. Co-sponsored by the New Jersey Studies Academic Alliance.