This novel is a classic work of science fiction, and it was one of the first to explore the world of the atom. The Girl in the Golden Atom is the story of a young chemist who finds a concealed atomic world within his mother's wedding ring. Under a powerful microscope, he sees within the ring a beautiful young woman sitting in front of a cave. Captivated by her, he uses a method he discovered to shrink himself and does so to join her in her world. Eventually, four friends join him through many adventures to assist the beautiful woman, Lylda, in her conquest of her microscopic world. Having worked for Thomas Alva Edison, Ray Cummings (1887 - 1957) was inspired by science's possibilities and began to write science fiction.