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Manual for Survival

A Chernobyl Guide to the Future
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( 1,219 ratings, 159 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Manual for Survival by Kate Brown is a gripping exploration of the long-term effects of the Chernobyl disaster, challenging the narrative that the incident caused minimal harm. Drawing on new research and eyewitness accounts, the book uncovers the hidden impact on human health and the environment, offering a poignant critique of historical and scientific oversight.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

If you're interested in uncovering hidden historical truths through gripping narratives, you might enjoy this profound exploration of the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster. The author delves into the environmental and human consequences, offering a compelling blend of investigative journalism and science, which may captivate those curious about history, ecology, and the resilience of humanity.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

'The most brilliant and essential book on Chernobyl since that of Nobel Prize-winner Svetlana Alexievich' - Irish Times

The official death toll of the 1986 Chernobyl accident, described as 'the worst nuclear disaster in history', is only 54, and stories today commonly suggest that nature is thriving there. Yet award-winning historian Kate Brown uncovers a much more disturbing story, one in which radioactive isotopes caused hundreds of thousands of casualties, and the magnitude of the disaster has been actively suppressed.

For years after, Soviet scientists, bureaucrats, and civilians were documenting staggering increases in birth defects, child mortality, cancers, and other life-altering diseases. Worried that this evidence would blow the lid on the effects of radiation release from Cold War weapons-testing, scientists and diplomats from international organisations, including the UN, tried to bury or discredit it. Brown also encounters many everyday heroes, often women, who fought to bring attention to the ballooning human and ecological catastrophe, and adapt to life in a post-nuclear landscape, where the dangerous effects of radiation persist today.

Based on a decade of archival and on-the-ground research, Manual for Survival is a gripping historical detective story that brings to light the real consequences of Chernobyl - and the plot to cover them up.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Manual for Survival by Kate Brown is highly praised for its thorough historical research and compelling narrative that bring to light the true extent of the medical and environmental impact of the Chernobyl disaster. Critics commend Brown's investigative journalism and ability to weave a gripping, almost thriller-like story from a complex history, challenging official accounts and shedding light on the long-term consequences. The book is noted for its emotional depth and the author's skill in immersing readers in the experiences of those affected by the catastrophe, making it a significant and thought-provoking addition to the discourse on nuclear disasters.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141988542

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 March 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 24.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 315g

Pages: 432

About the Author

Kate Brown is the author of A Biography of No Place, which won the George Louis Beer Prize from the American Historical Association for the best book in International History, and Plutopia, which won seven awards, including the Dunning and Beveridge prizes from the American Historical Association for the best book in American history. She is the first historian of the Soviet Union to be nominated to the honorary Society of American Historians, and her research has been funded by the American Academy in Berlin and by Carnegie and Guggenheim fellowships. She teaches environmental and nuclear history at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Baltimore County, and lives in Washington, DC.

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