Radium Halos: A Novel about the Radium Dial Painters [Paperback]

Shelley Stout (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 13, 2009

Radium Halos is historical fiction based on the true events of the Radium Dial Painters, a group of female factory workers who, in the early 1920s, contracted radiation poisoning from painting luminous watch and clock dials with radium paint. Our narrator is Helen Waterman, a 65-year-old mental patient who worked at the factory when she was 16. She tells us her story through flashbacks, slowly revealing her past, the loved ones she's lost, and the dangerous secrets she's kept all these years. Includes a Foreword by Leonard Grossman, son of the attorney for the Radium Dial painters. FOREWORD Five years before I was born, my father, Leonard J. Grossman, represented women from Ottawa, Illinois in litigation against the Radium Dial Corporation seeking not merely damages but also recognition of what had been done to them. I grew up in the shadow of the Radium Dial case, a landmark in workers' rights in this country. I was deeply proud of my father and infuriated, as he was, by the injustice inflicted on these women. I am sure this background is one reason I became a government lawyer enforcing workers' rights. So when I came across Radium Halos by Shelley Stout I was very excited. Sometimes fiction can speak truth in ways that the bare facts cannot. Ms. Stout has found a unique voice in which to tell the tragic story of the Radium Dial workers and at the same time to say much about life in this country. The story goes beyond the Radium Dial case and reflects much about our attitudes toward work, women, mental illness and aging. Along the way it speaks of fear and loyalty and truth itself. Leonard Grossman September 2009

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Originally from Annandale, Virginia, Shelley Stout resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she enjoys spending time with her two grown sons. She also enjoys volunteering at a local homeless shelter. Shelley is a contributing writer for Parent Teacher Magazine, and her award-winning fiction has appeared in anthologies, The Storyteller Magazine and online at WordRiot.

Product Details

• Paperback: 226 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (October 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1448696224
• ISBN-13: 978-1448696222
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #758,646 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Originally from Annandale, Virginia, Shelley Stout resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she enjoys spending time with her two grown sons. She also enjoys volunteering at a local homeless shelter. Shelley is a contributing writer for local and regional magazines, and her award-winning fiction has appeared in anthologies, The Storyteller Magazine and online at WordRiot.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific!, January 5, 2010

By 

Lynn ODell "Red Adept Reviews - A Blog" (Carolinas) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Radium Halos (A novel about the Radium Dial Painters) (Kindle Edition)

Plot/Storyline: 5 Stars

Told from the viewpoint of Helen Waterman as an elderly woman, this was a novel to tug at the heart. Her cavalier, almost oblivious attitude, at the abuse she has suffered and continues to have heaped upon her made it seem even more horrific. Helen is not just old; she also suffers from a mental problem stemming from her time working at the factory.

The storyline flowed evenly with flashbacks out of time. Both storylines, from young Helen to current day older Helen, were each riveting in their own way. Usually, when I read a novel written in this manner, with two seperate storylines, I find myself rushing through one to get to continue the storyline I am enjoying most. In this case, that didn't happen as both were of equal interest.

The author did a terrific job of staying `in character' with Helen, never deviating from her viewpoint. Helen is a little slow at times, uneducated, and confused. However, she still managed to convey all events in their entirety.

Character Development: 5 Stars

Helen was such a joy to read about and see through the eyes of that it will make readers fall in love with her. She is a sweet soul who has intermittent insights of brilliance into the character of others. She will make you laugh and cry.

The other characters were amazingly well developed for the format. Each character had depth and unique personality.

Writing Style: 5 Stars

Ms. Stout has done a wonderful job of capturing the spirit of the times with her writing style. Helen's voice shines with her accent that is just right for the story. You can truly hear every voice in this novel.

The descriptions are concise, yet vivid. The sentence structure flows easily for a smooth read.

Editing/Formatting: 5 Stars

Both were of professional quality.

Rating: PG-15 for Adult Situations

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read, July 21, 2009

By 

Sandra M. Buffie - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Radium Halos (A novel about the Radium Dial Painters) (Kindle Edition)

Since everyone else has already given a description of what this book is about, I will jump to my review. This story captured and held my attention from the very first paragraph. I became personally attached to Helen as if I knew her. I gasped out loud when her mysterious secret was unveiled and laughed and cried throughout the whole story. I didn't know how it was going to end, actually I didn't want it to end. I have recommended Radium Halos to many friends as a must read. It is a well written, fast paced, educational novel. It would make a fabulous movie.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important history in a surprisingly light and colorful story, July 6, 2009

By 

Laura - See all my reviews

This review is from: Radium Halos (A novel about the Radium Dial Painters) (Kindle Edition)

In the 1920s the Radium Dial Company opened a factory in Illinois producing luminous paint made from radium. This paint was used to paint clock faces, safety signs, even watches for soldiers-anything that needed to glow in the dark. The primarily female workers at this factory and a similar one in New Jersey were told that the paint was harmless and were even encouraged to lick their paint brushes to sharpen them. This ingestion of the radioactive paint led to severe health problems and sometimes death of many of the workers. Five of them, known in the media as the Radium Girls, sued their former employer and won, thereby establishing several legal precedents in the U.S. regarding individual worker rights and labor safety standards.

Radium Halos is a fictional story based on these true events. The narrator is Helen Waterman, a 65-year-old mental patient who worked at the Radium Dial factory when she was 16. While the subject matter is intense, the tone of the novel is surprisingly light. Thanks is due to Helen who adds humor through her naive and bluntly honest outlook. Her periodic flashbacks introduce the people who have moved in and out of her life in the past 50 years. Author Shelley Stout excels in making these characters feel real, never sacrificing detail in favor of stereotypes. We feel for the characters as Helen does: we are irritated with nagging niece Pearl but understand why she's that way; we feel affection for young friend Adrienne but are anxious about some choices she's made; we defer to big sister Violet's decisions but secretly wonder if she's right after all.

Ideally for me, a novel will impart new knowledge and introduce characters I can quietly observe for a few days while reading and who stay with me for many more after that. Radium Halos does both. I've been introduced to some important history that I knew nothing about, and I've met a variety of colorful and interesting characters who will no doubt stay with me for quite a while.