A BIT PREJUDICE.

I like it up to a point, hence the 4* only.
The writer, being Ukrainian, is openly prejudice when dealing with the, then, USSR. All the countries and institutions, where the incidents happened, were reluctant to part with or were withholding information but only in the case of Chernobyl was this done maliciously, according to the writer. In case of the other countries, all western, it was justified, according to the writer.
I also did not like the comparison between Chernobyl and Fukushima. It sounds childish, like a competition, and probably not accurate.
The writer was not a member of the inner circle of the USSR, probably getting his statistics from western reports which, with all possibility, were puffed up against the Soviets. Meanwhile, the Fukushima casualties statistics must be hugely inaccurate as only the immediate area was taken into account but in reality the entire world was effected by the contaminated water being released into the ocean.
IN A GIST : It is a good read of the accounts of how the disasters started, were tackled and brought to an end, BUT, everything else mentioned in the book I take as hearsay.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Compelling, horrifying and clear-sighted

In covering six historic nuclear accidents rather than one, Atoms and Ashes cannot go into the depth for any one that was afforded to the Chernobyl disaster in the same author’s Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy.

Anyone who has read the History of a Tregedy book will recognise the recurring characteristics of complacency and secrecy. More than once I found myself listening with my head in my hands.

Leighton Pugh once again narrates, lending his calm, measured and compelling voice to the book. Russian and Japanese names and locations are accurately pronounced, aiding the intelligibility of the text.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Enjoyable, but less technical than I hoped

Atoms to Ashes is a reasonable whistlestop around 6 nuclear disasters. Plokhy does a good job of the human history and response, but doesn't cover the technical aspects as well.
If you're looking for a more technical book, James Mahaffey's Atomic Accidents is probably a better option for you (I certainly enjoyed that more; it covers the wild west early days as well, which are some of the more interesting times).

This book has a different focus, but a good portion of covers Chernobyl, which Plokhy covers in far more detail in his book Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy, which I'd probably recommend over this one as it goes into more detail

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

SO!

I personally like to repeat chapter 3 and the Chernobyl parts and TMI it explains the aftermath and the beginning perfectly I would highly recommend this to people who enjoy aftermath beginning and the accident itself. You see I have trouble sleeping and this book always is able to settle me. Just off to sleep at around say 11 pm so I highly recommend this book if you like me and you can’t really get to sleep easily so I really hope if you’re the person who gets it I really hope you enjoy it and personally. Serhii polky (idk how to spell it) is a great writer. I would recommend trying some of his other books such as nuclear Folly I have bought some of his titles before and I would highly recommend them if you’re looking for something that has:




Disaster

Suspense

Aftermath

Scary parts

Nuclear physics

Politics

Government wrong decisions

Political failure

History of the Soviet Union and British Empire Colliding with the United States of America to produce an amazing fact

Absolutely amazing, I would highly recommend It


From user

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!