What do you think?
Rate this book
A Remarkable Man: Dr. Shuntaro Hida from Hiroshima to Fukushima
A poignant, eye-opening portrait of a witness to the atomic bomb who dedicated his life to treating and advocating for radiation survivors.
As a young doctor, Shuntaro Hida (1917–2017) played an essential role in the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing, which he witnessed firsthand only six kilometers from ground zero. Tending to the overwhelming number of victims, he would spend more than sixty years developing an unparalleled understanding of the harmful effects of radiation and warning against the reckless use of nuclear power.
Through intimate, thoughtful interviews and compelling reportage, Marc Petitjean has created a worthy tribute to this determined, inspiring man who stood up to complicit governments and businesses. It testifies to the power of individuals to effect change as well as the importance of collective action, as demonstrated by organizations such as Nihon Hidankyo, a survivors’ group that would receive the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.
As a young doctor, Shuntaro Hida (1917–2017) played an essential role in the aftermath of the Hiroshima bombing, which he witnessed firsthand only six kilometers from ground zero. Tending to the overwhelming number of victims, he would spend more than sixty years developing an unparalleled understanding of the harmful effects of radiation and warning against the reckless use of nuclear power.
Through intimate, thoughtful interviews and compelling reportage, Marc Petitjean has created a worthy tribute to this determined, inspiring man who stood up to complicit governments and businesses. It testifies to the power of individuals to effect change as well as the importance of collective action, as demonstrated by organizations such as Nihon Hidankyo, a survivors’ group that would receive the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize.
- GenresJapanNonfictionWar
192 pages, Hardcover
Published June 24, 2025
48 people want to read
About the author
Marc Petitjean
6 books7 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. This profile may contain books from multiple authors of this name.
Other authors publishing under this name are:
Marc Petitjean, Fishing
Other authors publishing under this name are:
Marc Petitjean, Fishing
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 29, 2025
Dr. Shuntaro Hida was a young, military doctor working in Hiroshima when the bomb dropped. He went on to devote his life and medical career to helping the hibakusha- diagnosing and treating their continuing and emergent illnesses caused by radiation exposure and championing petitions for financial help. He fought against the use of atomic power plants, knowing that radiation exposure causes help problems.
I think the title is accurate- Dr. Hida seems like a remarkable man. I also believe that this book lost its literary vibe during translation from French to English
I think the title is accurate- Dr. Hida seems like a remarkable man. I also believe that this book lost its literary vibe during translation from French to English
February 13, 2026
A Remarkable Man: Dr. Shuntaro Hida from Hiroshima to Fukushima by Marc Petitjean (translated by Adriana Hunter) is a moving and essential portrait of Shuntaro Hida, a physician whose life became inseparable from the moral and medical reckoning that followed the atomic age.
Witnessing the bombing of Hiroshima from just six kilometers away, Hida devoted himself to treating survivors and understanding the long-term effects of radiation exposure. The book captures both the immediate devastation and the decades-long struggle to confront the hidden consequences of nuclear warfare and nuclear energy. Through intimate interviews and careful reportage, Petitjean presents Hida not only as a doctor but as a steadfast advocate who challenged governments and institutions when they minimized or ignored radiation’s harm.
The narrative gains additional resonance by connecting Hida’s lifelong activism to broader movements for justice, including the work of Nihon Hidankyo, whose recognition with the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize underscores the global importance of survivor testimony. Hida’s journey from Hiroshima to Fukushima becomes symbolic of a continued warning an insistence that technological progress must never eclipse human welfare.
Concise yet powerful, A Remarkable Man stands as both biography and moral document. It reminds readers that history is shaped not only by catastrophic events but by those who choose, in their aftermath, to heal, to speak, and to resist silence.
Witnessing the bombing of Hiroshima from just six kilometers away, Hida devoted himself to treating survivors and understanding the long-term effects of radiation exposure. The book captures both the immediate devastation and the decades-long struggle to confront the hidden consequences of nuclear warfare and nuclear energy. Through intimate interviews and careful reportage, Petitjean presents Hida not only as a doctor but as a steadfast advocate who challenged governments and institutions when they minimized or ignored radiation’s harm.
The narrative gains additional resonance by connecting Hida’s lifelong activism to broader movements for justice, including the work of Nihon Hidankyo, whose recognition with the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize underscores the global importance of survivor testimony. Hida’s journey from Hiroshima to Fukushima becomes symbolic of a continued warning an insistence that technological progress must never eclipse human welfare.
Concise yet powerful, A Remarkable Man stands as both biography and moral document. It reminds readers that history is shaped not only by catastrophic events but by those who choose, in their aftermath, to heal, to speak, and to resist silence.
December 2, 2025
Dr. Hide began his medical career just before the atomic bombings that ended WWII. his career was spent caring for and studying survivors. Eye opening for me. translated from French. relatively short and very readable
April 3, 2021
Un livre puissant qui va plus loin qu’une simple descriptions des horreurs des bombes atomiques. On suit de près un homme qui a consacré sa vie à venir en aide à ces victimes et à tout faire pour qu’elles ne soient pas ignorées. Un homme remarquable, c’est le mot.
Article : https://comaujapon.wordpress.com/2021...
Article : https://comaujapon.wordpress.com/2021...
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews