 Listening Library presents Ordinary People Change the World I am Marie Curie by Brad Meltzer Read for you by Saskia Marlowe with Jonathan Davis, Danny Campbell, Graham Halstead, Oliver Wyman and Robin Miles I am Marie Curie When I was four years old in Poland, this was one of my favorite treasures My dad's glass cabinet, filled with scientific instruments I used to stare at it, wondering about each item This is a physics apparatus Physics? Apparatus? I didn't know what the words meant, but I'd never forget them As a science teacher, my father needed these tools But the Russian government soon shut down laboratory classes in our schools They didn't want Polish kids to learn about science They thought education would be dangerous, that it would make us powerful They were right I really liked learning One day, when my older sister was struggling to read I picked up her book and read the first sentence easily From the looks on everyone's faces, I thought I'd made a mistake How'd you do that? You're only four years old I don't know Did I do something wrong? No, it was amazing Back then, men didn't think girls could be good students And they certainly didn't think we could be scientists So boys were always trying to challenge me Okay, I'm going to read you this poem If you're so smart, you should be able to write the whole thing from memory You ready? I guess so Think she'll be able to do it? Not a chance How's this? She believed it! She didn't miss a word From the very start, there was one person who always believed in me My dad When my mom got sick, he took care of us kids Since he was a teacher, even if we were just taking a walk He'd give us a new scientific lesson Sample complete Ready to continue?