It’s more than past time for me to write a little update - the last few months have just flown by (or rather crawled by - I’ve had a bulging disc and a trapped nerve that has been rather bothersome!).

I wanted to start this message with a huge thank you to everyone who has supported my radium and uranium adventures since 2020 - it has been wonderful to be in touch with so many of you who collect uranium glass or are just as fascinated with radioactivity as I am. It is such a rich history and has been an absolute privilege to research and uncover some less known aspects of the topic.

But now the paperback of Chain Reactions: A Hopeful History of Uranium has come out in the UK it’s time to turn my attention to the next book - which will be out in August 2026. Here’s a sneak peek of what it’s all about.

What happens when you bring together:

• A legendary director with a razor-sharp wit

• A bombshell determined to prove she’s more than just a pretty face

• A dashing leading man hungry for his big break

• An unflappable professional striving to keep everyone together

• A fiercely protective drama coach with their reputation on the line

• A playwright under the shadow of government scrutiny

• Three brothers revolutionising the studio system

Nobody’s Perfect is an inside look at the making of Some Like It Hot, tracing its journey from pre-production to cultural legacy. Drawing on previously unpublished documents and newly released archives this story unfolds through the eyes and words of those who were there.

A story where Nobody’s Perfect and there’s everything to play for.

So, whilst there will always be a generous sprinkling of the history of radioactivity in my work, over the next year or so the flavour of this newsletter will change to be much more about topics covered by Nobody’s Perfect - whether that is the history of Hollywood makeup artists, our ongoing interest in the 1920s and 30s or Some Like It Hot (and its cast and crew) in general.

And while I am still thinking about what exactly to write about I do have some posts planned including a deep dive on the role of science and technology in the development of the Max Factor makeup range which I hope you will enjoy.

Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Lucy