Radioactive, the Book

A new "graphic novel" biography of the Curies, Marie and Pierre, is getting rave reviews. The Press Release:

A VISUAL JOURNEY INTO THE LIFE OF MARIE AND PIERRE CURIE AND THE HISTORY OF RADIOACTIVITY, AS TOLD THROUGH THE DAZZLING ARTWORK AND WRITING OF

ACCLAIMED AUTHOR AND ARTIST LAUREN REDNISS.

To create the visuals for the book, she combines vibrant backgrounds captured on photographic paper via the rays of the sun and her stylized line drawings. And she is a powerful storyteller, as her work is described in this NYT review: "... it’s a deeply unusual and forceful thing to have in your hands. Ms. Redniss’s text is long, literate and supple." The review continues: "The electricity in “Radioactive,” however, derives from the friction between Ms. Redniss’s text and her ambitious and spooky art. Her text runs across and over these freewheeling pages, the boundaries between word and image constantly blurring. Her drawings are both vivid and ethereal."

Here's two examples from her book

Like all powerful artists, she offers a new way of seeing and thereby new insight into the world we live in. Not to mention that the Curies themselves make a fascinating story. And coupling her distinctive visuals with a talent for language should put Radioactive high on anyone's reading list. And, hey, the cover glows in the dark.