1 Introduction
1.1 Why am I writing this book?
1.2 An essential tension
1.3 A few words on names
2 Cecilia Payne
2.1 Beyond Curie
2.2 No insuperable objections
2.3 The Harvard Computers
2.4 Starstuff
2.5 Two astronomers from Cambridge
2.6 Reactions
2.7 Blocked paths
2.8 Love (of science) levels all ranks
2.9 Science summary: stellar spectra
References
3 Lise Meitner
3.1 Making up for lost time
3.2 Questions of credit
3.3 A scientiric powerhouse
3.4 Tumult
3.5 How Nobel Prizes are selected
3.6 Beyond uranium
3.7 The breakdown of science
3.8 Our Madame Curie
3.9 Science summary: nuclear fission
References
4 Chien-Shiung Wu
4.1 Mighty hero
4.2 Exile
4.3 Pushing back
4.4 Rising through the ranks
4.5 'Wasting her time'
4.6 Instant Nobel
4.7 Honors
4.8 Science summary: parity
References
5 Maria Mayer
5.1 The seventh generation
5.2 From nuisance to necessary
5.3 A new era
5.4 Magic
5.5 A different way to win a race
5.6 Quarterloafs
5.7 A typical genius
5.8 Science summary: nuclear shell model
References