'Sobel's elegant prose and thoughtful use of personal and historical accounts bring Curie to life, offering a nuanced portrait of a woman whose contributions to science were matched by quiet strength, humility, and commitment to humanity' New Scientist

'As Dava Sobel amply demonstrates in her warm, moving and effervescent biography, there is much more to Curie's life than one staid paragraph ... so long as women still battle to achieve equal status in science, Curie's trailblazing life will remain a powerful inspiration'Literary Review

'The Elements of Marie Curie beautifully illuminates the science and the scientists that Curie devoted her life to developing ... Sobel gives us a chance to share in the excitement and delight of the work that made Curie and her dozens of scientific offspring glow so brightly'Nature

'Marie Curie is one of the greatest scientists of all time and a pioneer for women. In this book Dava Sobel has brought her and those she inspired to life, with her characteristic accessible and scholarly writing. A book for our times celebrating both science and women' Sir Paul Nurse, geneticist and Nobel Prize winner

'[Curie's] influence irradiated the futures of 45 women who worked in her laboratory. By restoring these pioneers to visibility, acclaimed historian Dava Sobel casts fresh light on the life and achievements of the first scientist to win two Nobel prizes' Dr Patricia Fara, Emeritus Fellow, Clare College, University of Cambridge

'Hard to put down! A wonderfully written biography of Marie Curie, that does not step away from the physics but also includes her life outside the lab, even including the black and white cat!' Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, astrophysicist

'[Dava] is skilled at explaining complex science clearly and has chosen an artful way to structure her material'Guardian

'Among the great delights of The Elements is how vividly Dava Sobel has touched in the warm-hearted ordinariness of the young Maria Sklodowska'The Tablet