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The Manhattan Project, Nuclear Power, and Global Communities

Beyer, D. (1991). The Manhattan Project: America Makes the First Atomic Bomb. New York: F. Watts, 1991.

Beyer’s book on the Manhattan Project explains in digestible terms the process and stages of the Atomic Bomb’s creation through the theories of Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr. Beyer also illustrates life in Los Alamos, as the research went underway for creating Atomic Fission. This book is fantastic for researching the early stages of the Nuclear Arms Race, due to its insight on the scientific and political origins of the Atomic Bomb, with care taken to retain historical context. While brief, Beyer’s book is thorough and sufficiently detailed in covering the results of the Manhattan Project, and the science behind it. 

Foreman, H. (1970). Nuclear Power and the Public. Minneapolis, MN. University of Minnesota Press, 1970.

Foreman’s book follows the “Nuclear Power and the Public” Symposium, held in 1969. The book details the different models of Nuclear Power Plants, security protocols, regulations, and the fine science behind each reactor’s structure. Foreman’s book also elaborates on public concerns on biology, ecology, radiation, and nuclear energy’s advantages over fossil fuels, alongside the transcripts of various speaker’s question and answer sessions with the people of Minnesota. This book is a valuable resource for studying the functions and structure of Nuclear Power Plants and the early concerns of the public regarding their safety.

Fukada, T., Yoshida, R. (2011) “Fukushima plant site originally was a hill safe from tsunami.” The Japan Times. July 13, 2011. Retrieved April 7, 2017, From http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2011/07/13/national/fukushima-plant-site-originally-was-a-hill-safe-from-tsunami/#.WOf2ioWcGzk.

The July 13^th, 2011 article from The Japan Times provides insight on the history of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant following the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami. This article explains how the design of the Fukushima Daiichi plant had been altered before construction in such a way that it was vulnerable to the 2011 tsunami. This article is a great source for researching the history of Fukushima Daiichi and the decisions made leading to its overall design.

Gale, R. P., Lax, E. (2013). Radiation : What it is, What you need to know. New York, NY. Alfred A. Knopf, 2013.

Gale’s book explores the major sources of concern involving radiation, while also explaining what radiation is capable of and not capable of, in order to produce a clear understanding of what radiation is in itself and how it factored into the damage dealt by the nuclear bombs and reactor accidents. Gale examines areas where radiation is misunderstood and unnecessarily feared, as well as areas where it is a genuine and long lasting problem. This book is a valuable source for understanding radiation and the science behind it, adding depth to an understanding of the incidents at Fukushima and Chernobyl.

Gosling, Francis G. (1999) The Manhattan Project: Making the Atomic Bomb. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Energy, 1999.

Gosling’s book is a particularly official report on the Manhattan Project and its endeavors to create the Atomic Bomb. This book is especially insightful as it details the steps leading to the creation of the Manhattan Project, as well as the science behind the creation of the first fission bomb. The writing in this book is comprehensive and approachable, while remaining concise in details. This book is a good starting point and supplementary source in investigating the origins of the Manhattan Project’s establishment.

Herzog, R. (2012). A Short History of Nuclear Folly: Mad Scientists, Dithering Nazis, Lost Nukes, and Catastrophic Cover-Ups. Brooklyn, New York. Melville House, 2013.

Herzog’s book examines the missteps taken with Nuclear power, including misplaced nuclear arsenals during the Cold War and the accidental nature of the bombing of Nagasaki. Herzog covers incidents both resulting from human mistakes and natural disasters, such as the 8.7 magnitude earthquake which devastated Amchitka and the Rat Islands. This book is a fantastic resource for researching more obscure nuclear accidents triggered by human behavior, and how the mistakes made with radioactive material has impacted humans directly.

Hoyle, F. (1980). Commonsense in Nuclear Energy. San Francisco. W.H. Freeman and Company, 1980.

Hoyle’s book addresses oppositional views toward Nuclear Power and counters these oppositional views with statistics and published science regarding the security and viability of nuclear power in communities. His book addresses alternative power sources utilized up to the time of publishing and how these alternatives are unlikely to last in the long term, while also being less economically friendly than the use of Nuclear Energy. Hoyle’s book is a valuable resource for understanding oppositional viewpoints and concerns a community may pose against nuclear energy, and why these views are dangerous in the face of a potential energy crisis.  

Illesh, A. (1987). Chernobyl: A Russian Journalist’s Eyewitness Account. New York, NY. Richardson & Steirman Inc., 1987.

Illesh’s book is a firsthand account of the accident at Chernobyl, as well as a report on the stories of individuals affected by the reactor’s meltdown. This book details the events that took place following the incident, and how crisis had been handled. Coupling personal stories and photography, Illesh creates a powerful narrative worthy of notation. This book could benefit anyone researching the Chernobyl incident and its impact on the people living in the Soviet Union at that time.

Krontiris, R. G. (2014). "How the Other Fukushima Plant Survived." The Harvard Business Review. Retrieved April 07, 2017, from https://hbr.org/2014/07/how-the-other-fukushima-plant-survived

Krontiris’s August 18^th, 2014 article on Fukushima Dai-ni provides a great insight on the inner workings of the Dai-ni plant and the factors which gave it a better chance to survive the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. This article is ideal for researching the different conditions between the Fukushima nuclear power plants and understanding the human and architectural differences which gave the Dai-ni plant a greater survivability than the Daiichi plant.

Makansi, J. (2007) Lights Out: The Electricity Crisis, the Global Economy, and what it means to you. Hoboken, NJ. John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2007.

Makansi’s book examines the industry of energy production and the infrastructure behind the power grid. Beyond infrastructure, Makansi examines energy’s contribution to environmental challenges and the legislative hurdles impeding the optimization of Global power production. Makansi examines how energy is marketed in America, how it impacts society, and how it influences production and society on a global scale. After addressing the problems within energy production and the outdated nature of the American power grid, Makansi also offers solutions to improve the system. This book is particularly beneficial in understanding the Global and American Energy Crisis as well as its impact on both society and the environment.  

Vaitheeswaran, V. (2003) Power to the People: How the Coming Energy Revolution Will Transform an Industry, Change Our Lives, and Maybe Even Save The Planet. New York. Farrar, Stravs and Giroux, 2003.

Vaitheeswaran’s book scrutinizes current energy production methods while examining the human need for energy. This book details concerns regarding a Global Energy Crisis, Global Warming, Air Pollution, Environmental Damage from collecting Oil and Fossil Fuels, and the politics involved with addressing each problem. The diverse range of topics touched by Vaitheeswaran’s book can be beneficial in researching the energy revolution and the economic impacts of the energy industry.

Zott, L., Schier, H. (2013) Nuclear Power. Farmington Hills, MI. Greenhaven Press, 2013.

Zott and Schier’s book examines alternative and immediately oppositional perspectives and arguments regarding several factors involved in the use of nuclear reactors and their impact on the environment as well as on the economy. This collaborative book features the arguments and positions held by a wide variety of individuals and groups, often in direct opposition due to the content of their arguments. This book is an ideal research tool for examining the full political picture and the arguments advocating for and against the use of nuclear power.