What do you think?
Rate this book
Atomic Frontier Days: Hanford and the American West
Outstanding Title by Choice Magazine
On the banks of the Pacific Northwest's greatest river lies the Hanford nuclear reservation, an industrial site that appears to be at odds with the surrounding vineyards and desert. The 586-square-mile compound on the Columbia River is known both for its origins as part of the Manhattan Project, which made the first atomic bombs, and for the monumental effort now under way to clean up forty-five years of waste from manufacturing plutonium for nuclear weapons. Hanford routinely makes the news, as scientists, litigants, administrators, and politicians argue over its past and its future.
It is easy to think about Hanford as an expression of federal power, a place apart from humanity and nature, but that view distorts its history. "Atomic Frontier Days" looks through a wider lens, telling a complex story of production, community building, politics, and environmental sensibilities. In brilliantly structured parallel stories, the authors bridge the divisions that accompany Hanford's headlines and offer perspective on today's controversies. Influenced as much by regional culture, economics, and politics as by war, diplomacy, and environmentalism, Hanford and the Tri-Cities of Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick illuminate the history of the modern American West.
On the banks of the Pacific Northwest's greatest river lies the Hanford nuclear reservation, an industrial site that appears to be at odds with the surrounding vineyards and desert. The 586-square-mile compound on the Columbia River is known both for its origins as part of the Manhattan Project, which made the first atomic bombs, and for the monumental effort now under way to clean up forty-five years of waste from manufacturing plutonium for nuclear weapons. Hanford routinely makes the news, as scientists, litigants, administrators, and politicians argue over its past and its future.
It is easy to think about Hanford as an expression of federal power, a place apart from humanity and nature, but that view distorts its history. "Atomic Frontier Days" looks through a wider lens, telling a complex story of production, community building, politics, and environmental sensibilities. In brilliantly structured parallel stories, the authors bridge the divisions that accompany Hanford's headlines and offer perspective on today's controversies. Influenced as much by regional culture, economics, and politics as by war, diplomacy, and environmentalism, Hanford and the Tri-Cities of Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick illuminate the history of the modern American West.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 23, 2011
8 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 18, 2012
An interesting read of the different histories of the development of Hanford. It includes a discussion of the engineering and scientific history,one of the most interesting tidbits in that discussion was that Dupont management(the company that built the Hanford reactors) were more conservative and safety conscious than the universities and scientists who developed the science. In fact, often the scientists were critical of Dupont's safety concerns and conservative approach to the implementation of the technology. It makes sense when you think about but it is perhaps counter intuitive to today's thinking.
The book also includes a balanced discussion of the short term and long term environmental issues involving Hanford, including the radiation releases and groundwater releases. The balance puts the actions of the army, engineers and scientists in the context of the time with the effects on Hanford's neighbors and the environment in an objective fashion.
The authors also discuss the impacts and growth of the Tri Cities. One especially compelling discussion was how the army and contractors institutionalized racial discrimination and segragation in a northern community. It was justified because the army and Dupont believed that the white southerners would insist on it and that the goal was nuclear engineering and not social engineering. But one can't wonder what would have happened if those who made the decisions had been progressive and forward thinking, many of the later racial issues of the Tri Cities could have been avoided, not to mention the unjust discrimination suffered by African americans recruited to work at Hanford
The book also discusses the political and economic development of the Hanford area. It was here I had some issues as I noticed factual errors. For example, Jim McDermott did not win the Democratic nomination for Governor in 1980 at the state convention after Dixy Lee Ray left, he won it in a primary three months later. Pat Merill was Richland's first mayor, not Fred Claggett. Dave Williams was an attorney representing Hanford labor unions, not their business agent as said in the book. Those errors, while not huge, caused me to wonder about the research approach and care for other parts of the book
Still, on balance I thought this was an interesting read about a fascinating part of our history
The book also includes a balanced discussion of the short term and long term environmental issues involving Hanford, including the radiation releases and groundwater releases. The balance puts the actions of the army, engineers and scientists in the context of the time with the effects on Hanford's neighbors and the environment in an objective fashion.
The authors also discuss the impacts and growth of the Tri Cities. One especially compelling discussion was how the army and contractors institutionalized racial discrimination and segragation in a northern community. It was justified because the army and Dupont believed that the white southerners would insist on it and that the goal was nuclear engineering and not social engineering. But one can't wonder what would have happened if those who made the decisions had been progressive and forward thinking, many of the later racial issues of the Tri Cities could have been avoided, not to mention the unjust discrimination suffered by African americans recruited to work at Hanford
The book also discusses the political and economic development of the Hanford area. It was here I had some issues as I noticed factual errors. For example, Jim McDermott did not win the Democratic nomination for Governor in 1980 at the state convention after Dixy Lee Ray left, he won it in a primary three months later. Pat Merill was Richland's first mayor, not Fred Claggett. Dave Williams was an attorney representing Hanford labor unions, not their business agent as said in the book. Those errors, while not huge, caused me to wonder about the research approach and care for other parts of the book
Still, on balance I thought this was an interesting read about a fascinating part of our history
January 13, 2014
Sanger was a journalist in Seattle who became fascinated by nuclear weapons and the story of Hanford. The book is a series of oral history interviews tied together with narrative. The first interview was done in 1984 with Colonel Franklin Mathtias, the Army Corp of Engineers commander at Hanford during the war. In 1986, the author took a six month leave of absence from work to find and interview others who had worked at Hanford. I love that he included people from all areas of life: physicists, a resident of White Bluff, a waitress at the Hanford mess hall, engineers, a carpenter, a security official. Most of the people he interviewed are no longer alive and it is wonderful to have their stories.
February 22, 2012
Yay, a book about Hanford!! Woo hoo! I've even interviewed these authors twice. Yep. Nerd attack.
May 7, 2014
It was a great book, it makes me proud to live in a place like Richland.
April 16, 2023
Historical Writing: 3
April 12, 2013
Wow. This story is remarkable. And, to think it all happened within this century and only 200 miles away from home. Read in preparation for a Hanford Tour; made the trip to Richland and the site so much more meaningful. I highly recommend it to everyone, but especially my fellow Washingtonians.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews