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Atoms and Ashes

From Bikini Atoll to Fukushima
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( 1,242 ratings, 145 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
Atoms and Ashes by Serhii Plokhy explores the history of nuclear disasters, examining both well-known and lesser-known incidents. Through meticulous research, the book unveils the human errors, political decisions, and technological failures that led to these catastrophic events, offering crucial insights into the dangers and consequences of nuclear power.
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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?

You might enjoy this book if you are fascinated by the history and impact of nuclear disasters. It offers a gripping exploration of six major nuclear events, blending detailed scientific analysis with compelling storytelling. Ideal for readers interested in science, history, and the real-life consequences of technological advancements.

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Atoms and Ashes

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

Baillie-Gifford award-winner Serhii Plokhy's illuminating exploration of the atomic age through the history of six nuclear disasters.

In 2011, a 43-foot-high tsunami crashed into a nuclear power plant in Fukushima, Japan. In the following days, explosions would rip buildings apart, three reactors would go into nuclear meltdown, and the surrounding area would be swamped in radioactive water. It is now considered one of the costliest nuclear disasters ever. But Fukushima was not the first, and it was not the worst...

In Atoms and Ashes, acclaimed historian Serhii Plokhy tells the tale of the six nuclear disasters that shook the world—Bikini Atoll, Kyshtym, Windscale, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima. Based on wide-ranging research and witness testimony, Plokhy traces the arc of each crisis, exploring in depth the confused decision-making on the ground and the panicked responses of governments to contain the crises and often cover up the scale of the catastrophe.

As the world increasingly looks to renewable and alternative sources of energy, Plokhy lucidly argues that the atomic risk must be understood in explicit terms, but also that these calamities reveal a fundamental truth about our relationship with nuclear technology—that the thirst for power and energy has always trumped safety and the cost for future generations.

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?

Atoms and Ashes is a meticulously researched and enthralling study of nuclear disasters, highlighting the perils of the atomic age. Plokhy constructs a compelling case against nuclear power through gripping and revealing accounts of human error, systemic failures, and staggering heroism. The book is considered a superbly crafted, frightening history that challenges the advocacy of nuclear power as a solution to climate change.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141997179

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 31 August 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 281g

Pages: 384

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About the Author

Serhii Plokhy is the author of Chernobyl- History of a Tragedy, which won the Baillie Gifford Prize and the Pushkin House Book Prize, and the New York Times bestseller The Gates of Europe. His many acclaimed books, including The Russo-Ukrainian War, Nuclear Folly and Atoms and Ashes, have been translated into over a dozen languages. He is Professor of History at Harvard University where he also serves as Director of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute.

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