THE SIGNAL FLAME by Andrew Krivak

So, the first thing I must say about this book is that A: It was not the book I thought it was and I'm not sure how it made it onto my list and, B: I would never have chosen a book that is the second book of a trilogy, even though it proclaimed to be a stand alone book. That's where I stop apologizing for bringing this book to group.

For the four of us that met, THE SIGNAL FLAME was a lyrically written, quiet read and, we found that it offered up great character development and delivered an intimate portrait of the relationships between the characters. The themes of loss, love and, redemption were profound. It covered the devastating impact of war on the soldiers, their loved ones and, the community. It was laced with symbolism throughout and made a powerful impression on us, touching our emotions and enabled us to experience the sounds and smells of the Pennsylvania landscape, through the written word.

We had a lengthy and wonderful discussion and, as a result, the four of us are very much interested in reading the third book, especially given the ending. We will do this independently though, so fear not, those of you who did not like this book. Susan has already started the first book in the series, SOJOURN and, is enjoying it.

The ratings ranged from a 2 to 4.5. 

RADIUM GIRLS by Kate Moore

This is Library Journal's summary and review of the "The Radium Girls" - 

"Moore (Roses Are Red...) details the tragic stories of dozens of young women employed as dial painters during World War I. Often the daughters of immigrants, these women were lured to these prestigious and well-paying jobs unaware of the dangers of the radioactive paint present in their workplace-which caused their bodies and clothes to glow, even outside of work. With America's entry into World War I, demand for painted dials and painters skyrocketed. Soon, many employees suffered aching teeth and jaws, sore joints, and sarcomas. As their ailments worsened, many sought answers from their employers. They were met with denials and misinformation even as evidence mounted that radium poisoned these women. After nearly 20 years, several trials, and thousands of dollars in doctor and attorney fees, the women won a small measure of justice, but for some, it was too late. Moore's well-researched narrative is written with clarity and a sympathetic voice that brings these figures and their struggles to life. VERDICT A must-read for anyone interested in American and women's history, as well as topics of law, health, and industrial safety.-Chad E. Statler, -Lakeland Comm. Coll., -Kirtland, OH © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc."

The following are some thoughts we shared at book club this morning:

   * the radium companies had complete disregard for anything but profit

   * even though there were indicators of radium poisoning early on, the companies hid medical reports and lied to their workers

   * these women were disrespected in multiple arenas..by medical professionals, the legal system and their communities

   * labor laws and workers' rights were advanced because of this tragedy  

   * older people do not seem to react to radioactive poisoning in the same life threatening way that younger people do

   * some modern organizations still behave in ruthless ways, they care only about the money

   * there are products currently sold that are poorly affecting people's health (examples talked about were cigarettes and Teflon)

   * the use of radium and radioactivity in modern medicine continues to improve

   * how is the use of modern technology currently affecting our heath?  Will we someday regret we regularly look at screens on our phones, TVs and computers?

The overall rating of the book was a 3.4, with a low of 2.0 and a high of 3.75.  

Many felt the book was too long and should have focused on fewer characters.  Some felt the book was verbose, tedious and not compelling. We agreed it was an important story and that the author's research was excellent.  One question we asked was, "Why didn't we know this happened?"