Author:Serhii Plokhy
CHOSEN AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY SUNDAY TIMES AND HISTORY TODAY
'Absolutely stunning. . . a formidable achievement. A six-part historical thriller that is essential reading for both our politicians and the ordinary citizen' Kai Bird
Best-selling historian Serhii Plokhy returns with an 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.
A timely and enthralling study of the atomic age and its perils . . . a meticulously researched history
—— Lawrence Freedman , Financial TimesA superbly crafted but enormously frightening history of nuclear disasters . . . without ever preaching, Plokhy constructs a formidable case for consigning nuclear power to the past
—— Gerard DeGroot , The TimesPlokhy's gripping, measured accounts of human error and staggering heroism in the face of the terrifying forces of nuclear power get under the skin
—— Simon Ings , The TelegraphFrightening . . . With catastrophic climate change bearing down on us, nuclear power has been promoted by some as an obvious solution, but this sobering history urges us to look hard at that bargain for what it is
—— Jennifer Szalai , New York TimesA revealing tour of some of the most terrifying experiences involving nuclear power. Plokhy excels in unpacking the human and systemic factors that contribute to nuclear disasters
—— NatureGripping . . . Plokhy combines newspaper interviews, memoirs, government reports and secondary sources to give a vivid account of the perils of nuclear power
—— TLSExpertly concise. . . this account of the downhill slide of atomic power since its heyday in the 1950s illustrates why it can never be the solution to global heating
—— Robin McKie , ObserverAbsolutely stunning. A formidable achievement. Plokhy has written a six-part historical thriller that is essential reading for both our politicians and the ordinary citizen. We have survived the Nuclear Age for three-quarters of a century, but this book calmly reminds us that accidents happen?and will surely happen again. His stories of nuclear accidents are riveting and frightening
—— Kai Bird, co-author of American PrometheusCombines laugh-out-load anecdotes with real insight into delivering effective action for climate . . . An absolute must read for anyone interested in politics for progressive change
—— Jemima Hartshorn, co-founder of Mums for LungsSadiq Khan's outstanding leadership on climate change has put London at the forefront of the global effort to stop it. This book shows the importance of doing more, faster
—— Mike Bloomberg, former Mayor of New YorkThis funny, thoughtful and empowering book is filled with fascinating glimpses into life at City Hall . . . A powerful and practical riposte to anyone losing hope in the ability of politicians to tackle the climate crisis
—— Ed BallsIt doesn't get much more fundamental than our right to breathe clean air and Sadiq Khan's hard-hitting book propels this issue into our consciousness
—— Thomas HeatherwickAt 43, the Mayor of London was diagnosed with adult-onset asthma - brought on by the polluted capital city air. Breathe is his rousing and thoughtful investigation into the politics of the climate crisis - and the path forward.
—— IndependentAn accessible, salutary read - well-written and sprinkled with anecdotes.
—— The HouseVery hopeful and interesting.
—— Richard HerringA slick read, passionate and authentic on climate issues.
—— GQInspiring, passionate, a great read!
—— Sarah Woolnough, CEO Asthma and Lung UKFor those feeling disheartened by the scale of the environmental crisis - and the lack of meaningful action on behalf of most political leaders - Breathe is a refreshing and galvanising call to action.
—— VogueQuite the page-turner.
—— Evening StandardAn eye-opening insight into what it's like trying to fight for the planet from inside the decision-makers.
—— IFL ScienceBrilliant
—— The TimesThis complex portrait illuminates cells' roles in immunity, reproduction, sentience, cognition, repair and rejuvination, malfunctions such as cancer, and treatments such as blood transfusions, drawing on author Siddhartha Mukherjee's varied experience as an immunologist, stem-cell scientist, cancer biologist and medical oncologist
—— NatureThe book is, at root, a call for a more integrated biology ... What gives The Song of the Cell its persuasiveness in calling for that new vision is precisely that it comes from a clinician steeped in the traditions of genomic and cell biology, and who has seen both the power and limitations of those approaches to produce actual cures
—— LancetWhat truly elevates the book are Mukherjee's accounts of his experiences as a clinician and the stories of the patients he has encountered. Some are moving, and all are reflective and insightful
—— Philip Ball, LancetRemarkable... a delight, a book that prompts awe at the world around us
—— Sunday Times, *Summer Reads of 2022*A tour of our own world as we may never experience it
—— Geography, *Book of the Month*This book will reignite your sense of wonder and appreciation for our amazing planet
—— Woman's Own MagazineImmaculately researched, elegantly written, iconoclastic and compulsively readable
—— The Times Literary Supplement[Yong's] skills are on full display here, as he clearly and succinctly sketches out complex scientific and philosophical ideas in terms that are understandable for the lay reader
—— ProspectYong ... has a rare ability to break down overwhelming amounts of information into compelling, digestible detail. His An Immense World will make you question everything you thought you knew about how non-human animals perceive our shared world.
—— HeromagOne of President Barack Obama's 'favourite books of 2022'
—— President Barack ObamaRemarkable ... manages to be both a celebration of our species' genius for observation while also revealing how narrow and partial our 'sense' of things. Yong reveals how life is much greater than we can images.
—— New Statesman, *Books of the Year 2022*Yong's colourful, character-filled writing reveals a multidimensional world that has hitherto remained hidden to us
—— Guardian, *Books of the Year*This book welcomes us into previously unfathomable dimensions - the world as it is truly perceived by other animals
—— The Week Bookshop, *The best of 2022*Ed Yong's book is a celebration of sights and sounds, smells and tastes, and the ways different animals exist on the planet we all share. Yong blends scientific study and elegant prose to transform textbook fodder into an excting read
—— Time MagazineA brilliant story about life's most challenging puzzles: friendship, family, love, loss. By turns funny, poignant, wistful, and occasionally devastating
—— NATHAN HILL, author of THE NIXThe sort of book that comes around once in a decade - a magnificent feat of storytelling. It is a book about the intersection between love and friendship, work and vocation, and the impossible and relentless pull of our own west-bound destinies
—— REBECCA SERLE, author of In Five YearsSam and Sadie's relationship is pure wizardry; it's deep and complex, transcending anything we might call a love story. Whether you care about video games or not is beside the point. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is the novel you've been waiting to read
—— Book Page, Chika GujarathiI feel completely changed by this book from Gabrielle Zevin. It's a book about love - about friendship, but really it transcends the borders of storytelling. My heart ached when I finished it. Truly unforgettable
—— CATHERINE CHO, author of InfernoThe perfect engrossing holiday read...beautiful and heartbreaking
—— The Times, *Summer Reads of 2023*Zevin's delight in her characters, their qualities, and their projects sprinkles a layer of fairy dust over the whole enterprise. Sure to enchant even those who have never played a video game in their lives, with instant cult status for those who have.
—— KirkusA one-of-a-kind achievement
—— Publishers WeeklyA particularly memorable and compelling kind of love story... [a] nuanced depiction of human connection over 30 years that will have you blinking back tears behind your sunglasses
—— Culture Whisper, *Summer Reads of 2022*dazzling and intricately imagined
—— B&N ReadsZevin's writing is like being put under a spell. She's kind of magical.
—— Liberty Hardy , WBEZSure to enchant even those who have never played a video game in their lives, with instant cult status for those who have.
—— Kirkusexhilarating
—— Smithsonianengrossing
—— Wall Street Journaldelightful and absorbing . . . expansive and entertaining
—— Tom Bissell , New York TimesThe go-to for your next hit of Nineties nostalgia; if you ever spent too long playing Donkey Kong, this one's for you
—— Evening Standard, *Summer Reads of 2022*This is a boy meets girl story that is never a romance - though it is romantic . . . Their relationship is a joining of minds and of worlds that is both purer and sweeter than any base physical attraction
—— Pippa Bailey , ObserverBig-hearted, generous, intelligent and open to the complexities of life
—— Irish IndependentA novel that treasures the act of play and holds it sacred . . . the world of video games and video game development is just the landscape in which life plays out . . . Tomorrow is about love, above all things
—— Sarah Maria Griffin , GuardianDelightful and absorbing
—— Tom Bissell , International New York TimesTeenagers of the 21st century are as likely to bond over video games as they are rock music or movies. Gabrielle Zevin's exhilarating, timely and emotive book is perhaps the first novel to truly get to grips with what this means
—— GuardianExhilarating... this is refreshingly original
—— PsychologiesIt is the imaginary world of a game, a world Zevin describes with the addict's ardour, which forms a universe even the sturdiest parent or antediluvian book-lover will be enticed into.
—— Big IssueFriendship, love, loyalty, violence in America and the magic of invented worlds. Gorgeous
—— PeopleTomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a special book -- one that transports readers fully, as games do their players, into its immaculately crafted world
—— The TimesWoven throughout are meditations on originality, appropriation, the similarities between video games and other forms of art, the liberating possibilities of inhabiting a virtual world, and the ways in which platonic love can be deeper and more rewarding - especially in the context of a creative partnership - than romance.
—— New YorkerZevin probes at many of the themes that energize video games as a medium: their narrative depth, their therapeutic value, their casual violence, their toxic industry. And the possibility of living a better life in a virtual world
—— WiredZevin has the ability to make you care about her creations within paragraphs of meeting them... whose fates I consistently worried about when I occasionally had to put the book aside.
—— Financial Times[An] engrossing, delightful novel... Zevin has the ability to make you care about her creations within paragraphs of meeting them... [Tomorrow] is rich with characters whose intertwined fates power the narrative
—— Financial TimesThis book, with its respect for craft-the craft of love and games, or loving games-will remind you of how abundant one life is, how lucky we are to keep each other in our memories forever.
—— Kotaku[I] raced through this pure wonder of a book in a few days
—— NINA MINGYA POWLES, author of Small Bodies of WaterA 2022 book that everyone should read
—— Pandora Sykes , Stylist LIVEA must-read
—— Neil DruckmannAnyone who reads Tomorrow And Tomorrow And Tomorrow can't stop talking about it
—— StylistUtterly beautiful and endlessly hopeful, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a love letter to life, friendship, and creativity
—— The Skinny, *Books of 2022*[The] 2022 book that everyone should read
—— Pandora Sykes , Stylist LiveMy #1 book to recommend . . . incredible, like The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon meets The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer. It's about love and friendship and video games
—— Emma StraubIt feels right that the best video game novel out there is by a woman. Her story about the decades-long friendship and partnership between video game designers Sam and Sadie gets at so much about work, love and storytelling. It's a book that spawns great conversations.
—— Irenosen Okojie, author of NudibranchIn following Sam and Sadie's journey from Massachusetts to California and into the imagined worlds of their games, Zevin writes the most precious kind of love story
—— Time Magazine, Best Novel of the YearZevin's writing is poetic, the plot is entertaining, moving and gripping and the nods to real life video games make it all feel incredibly real
—— Skinny, *Books of the Year*Reading this is almost like an invitation from Zevin to enter a game...with every scene and moment so carefully constructed. Just brilliant
—— Skinny, *Books of the Year*I loved it
—— Sarah KeyworthA hugely enjoyable novel about lives and loves mediated by technology
—— Guardian, *Summer Reads of 2023*This playful, accomplished novel is a poignant celebration of friendship, love - and gaming
—— Daily MailAn engrossing coming-of-age story
—— Sunday Times, *Books of the Year*Epic in scale, with unforgettable characters, it breaks you heart and puts it back together
—— Daily Express, *Books of the Year*