- ISBN13: 9781605980409
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
Nuclear power is a paradox of danger and salvation—how is it that the renewable energy source our society so desperately needs is the one we are most afraid to use? The American public’s introduction to nuclear technology was manifested in destruction and death. With Hiroshima and the Cold War still ringing in our ears, our perception of all things nuclear is seen through the lens of weapons development. Nuclear power is full of mind-bending t… More >>
Atomic Awakening: A New Look at the History and Future of Nuclear Power
Tags: cold war, ears, hiroshima, nuclear power, nuclear technology, paradox, perception, renewable energy source, weapons
#1 by Beverly Dezenberg on June 27, 2010 - 7:41 am
This book is fascinating. The material is beautifully organized and surprisingly entertaining. It tracks atomic/nuclear research from earliest days to the present, when many countries already generate sizable percentages of their electrical power from nuclear reactors. As a liberal arts major, I wasn’t sure I would understand much of this, but the writing is aimed at anyone interested in the subject. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and learned a great deal. Anyone interested in nuclear energy as clean, safe power – pro or con – would be glad they read this book.
Rating: 5 / 5
#2 by C. T. Brown on June 27, 2010 - 10:36 am
A thoroughly fascinating book about a serious subject. The author provides a very interesting history of the birth and development of the atomic age and sprinkles it with numerous, little known facts and stories to personalize the adventure. The book makes a strong case for the pursuit of nuclear energy in the U.S. at a time when that industry is resurging around the world, and may be awaking in the U.S. Through factual presentation, understatement, and a dry wit, the author presents the case for nuclear power to the reader and allows the reader to reach his own conclusons. I had difficulty putting it down until I had finished it.
Rating: 5 / 5
#3 by James E. Lester on June 27, 2010 - 12:14 pm
The Holy Trinity of science best sellers like Brian Green’s “The Elegant Universe or Walter” Issacson’s “Einstein: His Life and Universe” has been people, history and science. James Mahaffey’s Atomic Awakening breaks this mold with addition of application, interrelation and a point of view.
Mahaffey, a nuclear engineer as well as physicist, gives an extremely readable, no entertaining, history of nuclear physics. He also explains the science better than any other book I’ve read on physics. Because he shows the interrelation of theory and practice I finally understand Heisenberg’s theory of uncertainty and why the key to a nuclear reactor is to slow down, not speed up, the neutrons. That is, if you cannot know with certainty where the Uranium atoms are you have a better chance of hitting one if the added neutrons spend more time in the target area by going slow!
Mahaffey brings the theory to practice without editorializing by comparing the devil we know with the devil we don’t know. His well quoted example that if the first use of gasoline was napalm we would all be driving electric cars is dead on. Mahaffey describes the dangers of a nuclear accident, balances that with the cost of non-nuclear alternatives, then leaves the conclusion to the reader.
Rating: 5 / 5
#4 by F. D. Peele on June 27, 2010 - 2:04 pm
Mahaffey’s book is a read that is both enjoyable and educational. An eminently readable look into the background and possible future of nuclear energy, with enough humor to keep things lighthearted. Informative and even-handed, with a delightful writing style, it can add much to one’s education — in an area that’s important to anyone who uses energy and hopes to continue doing so. Strongly recommended.
Rating: 5 / 5
#5 by Steve A. Haegelin on June 27, 2010 - 3:41 pm
A very well written and organized history of nuclear power and weapons in the US. A wealth of anecdotal material makes Atomic Awakening so interesting I could hardly put it down.
My only criticism is that Atomic Awakening left me wanting more. I wish the book had more discussion on the future of nuclear power and on some alternative reactor types. One paragraph picked up the operation of the Shippingport reactor as a light breeder reactor but the results and implications of this important experiment are not fully explored.
A thoughtful and entertaining read for those interested in the history of nuclear power and nuclear weapons in the US.
Rating: 5 / 5