Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster
Feb 2019 · Random House
4.6star
32 reviewsreport
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560
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About this ebook
** Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham is out now **
THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
'Superb, enthralling and necessarily terrifying . . . every step feels spring-loaded with tension... extraordinary.' The New York Times
The story of Chernobyl is more complex, more human, and more terrifying than the Soviet myth. Adam Higginbotham has written a harrowing and compelling narrative which brings the 1986 disaster to life through the eyes of the men and women who witnessed it first-hand. Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews conducted over the course of more than ten years, as well as letters, unpublished memoirs, and documents from recently-declassified archives, this book makes for a masterful non-fiction thriller.
Chernobyl has become lodged in the collective nightmares of the world: shorthand for the spectral horrors of radiation poisoning, for a dangerous technology slipping its leash, for ecological fragility, and for what can happen when a dishonest and careless state endangers not only its own citizens, but all of humanity. It is a story that has long remained in dispute, clouded from the beginning in secrecy, propaganda, and misinformation.
Midnight In Chernobyl is an indelible portrait of history's worst nuclear disaster, of human resilience and ingenuity and the lessons learned when mankind seeks to bend the natural world to his will - lessons which, in the face of climate change and other threats - remain not just vital but necessary.
Now, Higginbotham brings us closer to the truth behind this colossal tragedy.
'Tells the story of the disaster and its gruesome aftermath with thriller-like flair . . . wonderful and chilling ... written with skill and passion.' The Observer
'An invaluable contribution to history.' Serhii Plokhy, Evening Standard
LONGLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE ONDAATJE PRIZE 2020
THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
'Superb, enthralling and necessarily terrifying . . . every step feels spring-loaded with tension... extraordinary.' The New York Times
The story of Chernobyl is more complex, more human, and more terrifying than the Soviet myth. Adam Higginbotham has written a harrowing and compelling narrative which brings the 1986 disaster to life through the eyes of the men and women who witnessed it first-hand. Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews conducted over the course of more than ten years, as well as letters, unpublished memoirs, and documents from recently-declassified archives, this book makes for a masterful non-fiction thriller.
Chernobyl has become lodged in the collective nightmares of the world: shorthand for the spectral horrors of radiation poisoning, for a dangerous technology slipping its leash, for ecological fragility, and for what can happen when a dishonest and careless state endangers not only its own citizens, but all of humanity. It is a story that has long remained in dispute, clouded from the beginning in secrecy, propaganda, and misinformation.
Midnight In Chernobyl is an indelible portrait of history's worst nuclear disaster, of human resilience and ingenuity and the lessons learned when mankind seeks to bend the natural world to his will - lessons which, in the face of climate change and other threats - remain not just vital but necessary.
Now, Higginbotham brings us closer to the truth behind this colossal tragedy.
'Tells the story of the disaster and its gruesome aftermath with thriller-like flair . . . wonderful and chilling ... written with skill and passion.' The Observer
'An invaluable contribution to history.' Serhii Plokhy, Evening Standard
LONGLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE ONDAATJE PRIZE 2020
Ratings and reviews
4.6
32 reviews
Aron Jones
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June 5, 2022
The Biggest Eye-Opener ! 😲 If you like detailed explanations of world events, this book will blow away your ideas about Chernobyl. It details unbelievable occurances and opens your eyes to the complacency, arrogance and incompetence of countless people involved in the Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor and its catastrophic demise. I had my own opinions on Russia - their secrecy about many things and alleged cover-ups over the years ... but this book and its facts have scared me, disgusted me and brought a whole new perspective about Russia. PHEW !!! 🤒 Let us not forget about all the innocent victims of this disaster. Unbelievable. 😰
John Gillespie
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June 5, 2019
Read as a fact based true story. A description of circumstances leading up to and following the accident. Vivid characterisations without being sentimental. A balance to the available dramatizations.
3 people found this review helpful
Adelaide Williams
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July 31, 2019
Well written, in great detail. A very interesting read.
1 person found this review helpful
About the author
Adam Higginbotham writes for The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Wired, GQ, Businessweek, Smithsonian, Men’s Journal, and The Atavist. He began his career in magazines and newspapers in London, where he was the editor-in-chief of The Face and a contributing editor at The Sunday Telegraph. The author of Midnight in Chernobyl, he lives in New York City.
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