Professional biographer Carl Rollyson

has pioneered a new kind of biography for children and adults alike. His narrative of Marie Curie's life is rendered in simple, precise prose, but he also includes material addressed to adults—especially to parents who wish some guidance in discussing what their children read. This home schooling biography also includes a timeline, sources for further study, a glossary, and an index.

Vivid quotations from those who knew Marie Curie as well as a "points to ponder" section in each chapter are designed to provoke further discussion and research into the life and career of one of the century's greatest scientists and—as Rollyson shows—one of the most important figures in human history.

At a time when the ethics of science and of scientists has been called into question, Rollyson's searching examination of Madame Curie’s methods and morality makes this a sharply focused and challenging biography.

The Marie Curie that emerges from this account is a woman of great integrity and self-discipline, acutely conscious of her historic role, keenly devoted to protecting her private life, and yet willing to shape her personality to the public roles demanded of her.