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Ghosts of Hiroshima
From the acclaimed
New York Times
bestselling author of
Her Name, Titanic
SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM ACADEMY AWARD–WINNING FILMMAKER JAMES CAMERON
For all humanity, it was, literally and figuratively, childhood’s end.
No one recognized the flashes of bright light that filled the sky. Survivors described colors they couldn’t name. The blast wave that followed seemed to strike with no sound. In that silence came the dawn of atomic death for two hundred thousand souls.
On August 6, 1945, twenty-nine-year-old naval engineer Tsutomu Yamaguchi was on the last day of a business trip, looking forward to returning home to his wife and infant son, when the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. He survived the atomic blast and got on a train to Nagasaki, only to be bombed again.
Jacob Beser, a Manhattan Project engineer, looked down on Hiroshima and saw the ground boiling. He refused to look at Nagasaki at all. Years afterward, he referred to what he witnessed as “the most bizarre and spectacular two events in the history of man’s inhumanity to man.”
From that first millionth of a second, people began to die in previously unimaginable ways. Near Hiroshima’s hypocenter, teeth were scattered on the ground, speckles of incandescent blood were converted to carbon steel, a child’s marbles melted to blobs of molten glass.
From the bombs were born radioactive substances that mimicked calcium in growing bones and which, ten years after, filled entire hospitals with a shocking nuclear weapons, more than anything else, were child-killers.
Based on years of forensic archaeology combined with interviews of more than two hundred survivors and their families, Ghosts of Hiroshima is a you-are-there account of ordinary human beings thrust into extraordinary events, during which our modern civilization entered its most challenging phase—a nuclear adolescence that, unless we are very wise and learn from our past, we may not
SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM ACADEMY AWARD–WINNING FILMMAKER JAMES CAMERON
For all humanity, it was, literally and figuratively, childhood’s end.
No one recognized the flashes of bright light that filled the sky. Survivors described colors they couldn’t name. The blast wave that followed seemed to strike with no sound. In that silence came the dawn of atomic death for two hundred thousand souls.
On August 6, 1945, twenty-nine-year-old naval engineer Tsutomu Yamaguchi was on the last day of a business trip, looking forward to returning home to his wife and infant son, when the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. He survived the atomic blast and got on a train to Nagasaki, only to be bombed again.
Jacob Beser, a Manhattan Project engineer, looked down on Hiroshima and saw the ground boiling. He refused to look at Nagasaki at all. Years afterward, he referred to what he witnessed as “the most bizarre and spectacular two events in the history of man’s inhumanity to man.”
From that first millionth of a second, people began to die in previously unimaginable ways. Near Hiroshima’s hypocenter, teeth were scattered on the ground, speckles of incandescent blood were converted to carbon steel, a child’s marbles melted to blobs of molten glass.
From the bombs were born radioactive substances that mimicked calcium in growing bones and which, ten years after, filled entire hospitals with a shocking nuclear weapons, more than anything else, were child-killers.
Based on years of forensic archaeology combined with interviews of more than two hundred survivors and their families, Ghosts of Hiroshima is a you-are-there account of ordinary human beings thrust into extraordinary events, during which our modern civilization entered its most challenging phase—a nuclear adolescence that, unless we are very wise and learn from our past, we may not
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 5, 2025
628 people are currently reading
6057 people want to read
About the author
Charles Pellegrino
26 books169 followersCharles Pellegrino is a scientist working in paleobiology, astronomy, and various other areas; a designer for projects including rockets and nuclear devices (non-military propulsion systems), composite construction materials, and magnetically levitated transportation systems; and a writer. He has been affiliated with Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand National Observatory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Long Island, NY; taught at institutions including Hofstra University and Adelphi University Center for Creative Arts; a member of Princeton Space Studies Institute. Cradle of Aviation Museum, space flight consultant; Challenger Center, founding member. After sailing with Robert Ballard to the Galapagos Rift in the immediate aftermath of the discovery of the Titanic (in 1985), Pellegrino expanded from the field of paleontology “into the shallows of archaeological time.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
August 30, 2025
Does death come for everyone or does it sometimes pick and chose who will survive a cataclysm?
This was some amazing and fascinating story but it also entailed many gruesome events and details.
We all probably learned of the events of the atomic bomb dropping on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the reasons for this action, but this book tells of the destruction of the cities, the people pulverized, the shadow people and of course the survivors.
It is a story that is true and one that presents the facts of destruction, the fact that between 150,00 to 246,000 people perished (mostly civilians) sent shivers down my spine. August sixth and ninth sent thousands of soul to their death and left the effects of radiation on many especially children where the isotopes seeped into their forming bones and subjected them to leukemia.
Those who survived were oftentimes badly burned and there was little available to heal or even help their wounds.
However, there were survivors who did remain alive, some protected by a fallen structure, some wearing white, some hidden in a ditch where the destructive forces seemed to miss them, and a few even after Hiroshima, traveled to Nagasaki, and were subjected to the second bombing.
It is a story that once again alerts us to the dangers of a bomb that can bring instantaneous death and destroy a devastate a city so that only some trees and telephone poles are left.
However, it was also a story of hope, of people helping people, of survivors who went on to live productive lives and some telling their stories in the hopes that this will never be humanity's fate.
This year was the eightieth anniversary of this event. Was it necessary for this to be done will always be the question. A powerful story and one that will make you think how war is seldom the answer.
This was some amazing and fascinating story but it also entailed many gruesome events and details.
We all probably learned of the events of the atomic bomb dropping on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the reasons for this action, but this book tells of the destruction of the cities, the people pulverized, the shadow people and of course the survivors.
It is a story that is true and one that presents the facts of destruction, the fact that between 150,00 to 246,000 people perished (mostly civilians) sent shivers down my spine. August sixth and ninth sent thousands of soul to their death and left the effects of radiation on many especially children where the isotopes seeped into their forming bones and subjected them to leukemia.
Those who survived were oftentimes badly burned and there was little available to heal or even help their wounds.
However, there were survivors who did remain alive, some protected by a fallen structure, some wearing white, some hidden in a ditch where the destructive forces seemed to miss them, and a few even after Hiroshima, traveled to Nagasaki, and were subjected to the second bombing.
It is a story that once again alerts us to the dangers of a bomb that can bring instantaneous death and destroy a devastate a city so that only some trees and telephone poles are left.
However, it was also a story of hope, of people helping people, of survivors who went on to live productive lives and some telling their stories in the hopes that this will never be humanity's fate.
This year was the eightieth anniversary of this event. Was it necessary for this to be done will always be the question. A powerful story and one that will make you think how war is seldom the answer.
August 9, 2025
4.5 Stars. Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino was published on the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. Director James Cameron has taken on the daunting task of adapting the book into a motion picture. I am confounded by this, but if anyone can do it, James Cameron can!
I had read the author's previous account of the nuclear destruction, 'The Last Train from Hiroshima,' and found it meticulously researched with eyewitness accounts and multiple interviews with over 200 survivors and their families. It was a heartbreaking, macabre, and terrifying description that placed the reader on the ground during the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I found it essential reading for heads of state, military leaders, peace activists, physicists and medical workers. The scenes were horrific, gruesome, and surreal beyond imagination.
Ghosts of Hiroshima expands on the previous book by adding further details, but I found it less accessible. This was not the author's fault, but I was overwhelmed by the technical and scientific explanations. These details included the science of making the atomic bombs, the 200,000 imminent deaths, and the aftermath and the scientific explanations of radiation illnesses were beyond my understanding. However, I couldn't put it down and read it within a day. It was difficult to envision some of the gruesome scenes. There were fascinating stories of some survivors and victims that recur throughout the narrative. I wish there had been a list to make these historical characters easier to follow. As I was reading on my Kindle, I came across an excellent list at the end of the book. This list, including descriptions of the victims and survivors, will be more helpful in other versions of the book. There were drawings as illustrations. Thirty people experienced the bombing at both sites and survived.
One man aboard the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima was so shocked at what he saw below that he refused to look down at Nagasaki. Survivors of the blasts described seeing unknown colours and experiencing a blast that had no sound.
Accounts of what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki stirred up protests against nuclear bombs. It continues the story of T. Yamagouchi, who miraculously survived both ground zeros in the two bombed cities. He lived to the age of 93 and advocated for peace, so that what he witnessed would never happen again.
This book included the history of the making of nuclear bombs, the internment camps in America where Japanese American citizens were confined, a look at a Japanese prisoner of war camp for American soldiers, the shunning of those exposed to radiation sickness and rumours that it might be contagious, the backlash at Japanese Americans after the war (even other Orientals mistaken for Japanese). Radiation effects mimicked calcium in the growing bones of children, often causing fatal results. The story continued through the Vietnam War, the 911 destruction, and with present-day mention of Obama and Trump. Trivial passages were included that seemed unnecessary.
I had read the author's previous account of the nuclear destruction, 'The Last Train from Hiroshima,' and found it meticulously researched with eyewitness accounts and multiple interviews with over 200 survivors and their families. It was a heartbreaking, macabre, and terrifying description that placed the reader on the ground during the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I found it essential reading for heads of state, military leaders, peace activists, physicists and medical workers. The scenes were horrific, gruesome, and surreal beyond imagination.
Ghosts of Hiroshima expands on the previous book by adding further details, but I found it less accessible. This was not the author's fault, but I was overwhelmed by the technical and scientific explanations. These details included the science of making the atomic bombs, the 200,000 imminent deaths, and the aftermath and the scientific explanations of radiation illnesses were beyond my understanding. However, I couldn't put it down and read it within a day. It was difficult to envision some of the gruesome scenes. There were fascinating stories of some survivors and victims that recur throughout the narrative. I wish there had been a list to make these historical characters easier to follow. As I was reading on my Kindle, I came across an excellent list at the end of the book. This list, including descriptions of the victims and survivors, will be more helpful in other versions of the book. There were drawings as illustrations. Thirty people experienced the bombing at both sites and survived.
One man aboard the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima was so shocked at what he saw below that he refused to look down at Nagasaki. Survivors of the blasts described seeing unknown colours and experiencing a blast that had no sound.
Accounts of what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki stirred up protests against nuclear bombs. It continues the story of T. Yamagouchi, who miraculously survived both ground zeros in the two bombed cities. He lived to the age of 93 and advocated for peace, so that what he witnessed would never happen again.
This book included the history of the making of nuclear bombs, the internment camps in America where Japanese American citizens were confined, a look at a Japanese prisoner of war camp for American soldiers, the shunning of those exposed to radiation sickness and rumours that it might be contagious, the backlash at Japanese Americans after the war (even other Orientals mistaken for Japanese). Radiation effects mimicked calcium in the growing bones of children, often causing fatal results. The story continued through the Vietnam War, the 911 destruction, and with present-day mention of Obama and Trump. Trivial passages were included that seemed unnecessary.
September 23, 2025
This narrative covers information important for people to know. It tells many people’s stories and I was interested in all of them. The manner in which the account is told is one with which I struggled. Even with the important persons covered list at the back of the book I sometimes had a hard time keeping track of individuals and who was who. Also, there were so many back-and-forth and retellings from different times and points of view that the narrative felt disjointed. I ended up just reading and appreciating each vignette.
A lot of this book tried to show all the coincidences that occurred and also many of the victims’ and survivors’ forebodings. Some were definitely interesting but some were not what interested me about this account.
Despite all the heroes and the people who did and who do good, this was a dispiriting book. It was hard to read what happened. There is a message in this book, relayed by the survivors and some victims, the obvious one that atomic weapons should never be used again.
I’ve read lots of books about Hiroshima and Nagasaki and about nuclear war in general and about other types of wars. This book is very good and in some ways it’s excellent but I would not say that this is one of the best books I’ve read on the subject but I’m glad that I read it and I’m glad that it is available to readers. It related many stories that were new to me and additional details I didn’t know about several stories with which I was familiar. I do think it was a brilliant choice to include 9/11, the Japanese internment camps and other events (and places and people) not directly connected with the dropping on the two atomic bombs; in those ways the mish-mash way of storytelling did work.
In regards to the title. The contents have as much about Nagasaki as they do about Hiroshima so I do not understand the choice of title.
The illustration of Hiroshima and the one of Nagasaki in the front of the eBook were too tiny to really see, and they weren’t resizable.
Note: As with everything else I’ve read this validated by wish to be RIGHT AT ground zero if humankind is ever foolish enough to use today’s versions of nuclear weapons which are so much more destructive than the ones used in the 1940s. World ending really.
3-3/4 stars
(main parts of) Contents:
Prologue
1. Sunrise
2. Butterfly, Butterfly
3. Profiles of the Future
4. Neutron Star
5. Surfing the improbability Curve
6. All This Has Happened Before; All This May Happen Again
7. The Fallen Sky
8. Is It Dusk Already?
Epilogue
The Shadow People Project
Appendix: Key eyewitnesses (Alphabetical Guide)
A lot of this book tried to show all the coincidences that occurred and also many of the victims’ and survivors’ forebodings. Some were definitely interesting but some were not what interested me about this account.
Despite all the heroes and the people who did and who do good, this was a dispiriting book. It was hard to read what happened. There is a message in this book, relayed by the survivors and some victims, the obvious one that atomic weapons should never be used again.
I’ve read lots of books about Hiroshima and Nagasaki and about nuclear war in general and about other types of wars. This book is very good and in some ways it’s excellent but I would not say that this is one of the best books I’ve read on the subject but I’m glad that I read it and I’m glad that it is available to readers. It related many stories that were new to me and additional details I didn’t know about several stories with which I was familiar. I do think it was a brilliant choice to include 9/11, the Japanese internment camps and other events (and places and people) not directly connected with the dropping on the two atomic bombs; in those ways the mish-mash way of storytelling did work.
In regards to the title. The contents have as much about Nagasaki as they do about Hiroshima so I do not understand the choice of title.
The illustration of Hiroshima and the one of Nagasaki in the front of the eBook were too tiny to really see, and they weren’t resizable.
Note: As with everything else I’ve read this validated by wish to be RIGHT AT ground zero if humankind is ever foolish enough to use today’s versions of nuclear weapons which are so much more destructive than the ones used in the 1940s. World ending really.
3-3/4 stars
(main parts of) Contents:
Prologue
1. Sunrise
2. Butterfly, Butterfly
3. Profiles of the Future
4. Neutron Star
5. Surfing the improbability Curve
6. All This Has Happened Before; All This May Happen Again
7. The Fallen Sky
8. Is It Dusk Already?
Epilogue
The Shadow People Project
Appendix: Key eyewitnesses (Alphabetical Guide)
October 1, 2025
This book is a mess. The author moves from person to person with no logical break. Sometimes a paragraph is about one person then the next paragraph is about another person. It would have been nice to tell the story about each person in a more organized manner. There are so many survivors mentioned that it is difficult to keep them straight. I felt like even the author was trying to remind himself who was who because he would introduce someone who we already know by their circumstances rather than their name. He did this over and over. I kept thinking…wait who… oh that person has already been introduced.
The writing isn’t bad and the topic is very interesting so I finished the book but I was annoyed all the way through.
And…..towards the end, one of the subjects goes to Vietnam. The problem is that the author ONLY refers to it as ‘Nam. I felt that referring to Vietnam that way was disrespectful. It was the author’s choice to use the slang term and not a quote from the subject.
James Cameron is supposed to be making a movie from this book. I imagine he will have to be more organized.
Definitely a historical event that everyone should know about.
The writing isn’t bad and the topic is very interesting so I finished the book but I was annoyed all the way through.
And…..towards the end, one of the subjects goes to Vietnam. The problem is that the author ONLY refers to it as ‘Nam. I felt that referring to Vietnam that way was disrespectful. It was the author’s choice to use the slang term and not a quote from the subject.
James Cameron is supposed to be making a movie from this book. I imagine he will have to be more organized.
Definitely a historical event that everyone should know about.
August 15, 2025
#ad much love for my finished copy @blackstonepublishing #partner
𝕲𝖍𝖔𝖘𝖙𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝕳𝖎𝖗𝖔𝖘𝖍𝖎𝖒𝖆
ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ɴᴏᴡ
𝕊𝕠𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕒 𝕞𝕒𝕛𝕠𝕣 𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖…
“Throw the dice of history long enough, and any improbable event becomes possible, no matter how impossible it might seem,” (p. 53).
✰ First: I think the black/grey sprayed edges are just perfect for this book 🥹
✰ Second: Reference pages? 😘 You have no idea! Saved me so much writing! Thoughtful to include these. Esp the witness names.
✰ Third: The maps 🥹
ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴
✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
An undebatable and unforgettable five-star read that will rip your heart out. One of my top fav nonfiction reads for 2025. The audio is also great - but you might have to speed it up some.
Cannot wait to watch the movie.
𝕄𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖:
✓ Lots of books can save you from atom bombs
✓ Lorenz’s butterfly effect
✓ Those who survived because they weren’t where they were supposed to be - much like 9/11 and other major horrific days.
𝕲𝖍𝖔𝖘𝖙𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝕳𝖎𝖗𝖔𝖘𝖍𝖎𝖒𝖆
ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ɴᴏᴡ
𝕊𝕠𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕒 𝕞𝕒𝕛𝕠𝕣 𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖…
“Throw the dice of history long enough, and any improbable event becomes possible, no matter how impossible it might seem,” (p. 53).
✰ First: I think the black/grey sprayed edges are just perfect for this book 🥹
✰ Second: Reference pages? 😘 You have no idea! Saved me so much writing! Thoughtful to include these. Esp the witness names.
✰ Third: The maps 🥹
ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴
✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
An undebatable and unforgettable five-star read that will rip your heart out. One of my top fav nonfiction reads for 2025. The audio is also great - but you might have to speed it up some.
Cannot wait to watch the movie.
𝕄𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖:
✓ Lots of books can save you from atom bombs
✓ Lorenz’s butterfly effect
✓ Those who survived because they weren’t where they were supposed to be - much like 9/11 and other major horrific days.
August 30, 2025
I can’t even properly put into words how this book made me feel. Anger, sadness, remorse for something that can never be undone, lives taken in such a cruel, inhuman way. We can truly learn much from the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And as we approach the 100 year anniversary in 2045, we will not have anymore survivors to tell their stories. Let there be no chance that we make more survivors of nuclear war. Never again the A-bomb.
“Omoiyari”
“Omoiyari”
September 24, 2025
This is an important for all to read. It is about when two model T atomic bombs were dropped on Japan and the results. Today's bombs are bigger by a factor of 10 or more! The message here is that this can never be allowed to happen again. Seriously. The consequences can not be overstated.
This is not the only book on the subject and I have read a few. But the terror that we brought to the world 80 years ago can never be forgotten. Read this book, or one like it, and pass it on. Please!
Charles Pellegrino has other books on the subject and it looks like James Cameron is going to do a movie of the Ghosts of Hiroshima. Look forward to seeing it.
Spoiler, many people died some in an instant and others over long horrible years. Not even to mention that victims became outcasts. Never again!
This is not the only book on the subject and I have read a few. But the terror that we brought to the world 80 years ago can never be forgotten. Read this book, or one like it, and pass it on. Please!
Charles Pellegrino has other books on the subject and it looks like James Cameron is going to do a movie of the Ghosts of Hiroshima. Look forward to seeing it.
Spoiler, many people died some in an instant and others over long horrible years. Not even to mention that victims became outcasts. Never again!
September 29, 2025
Never Again
A powerful and eye-opening read. This book traces the events before, during, and after the Bombs of August that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The firsthand accounts are haunting, often described in ways that feel almost otherworldly. The devastation of war strips humanity to its core, leaving behind only bitterness and pain.
What stood out most to me was the reminder that these lessons must be remembered and passed down through generations, both to honor the survivors and to prevent history from repeating itself. Despite the horrors, the book also highlights the spirit of survival, resilience, and forgiveness.
Overall: unforgettable, haunting, and deeply important.
4.6/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A powerful and eye-opening read. This book traces the events before, during, and after the Bombs of August that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The firsthand accounts are haunting, often described in ways that feel almost otherworldly. The devastation of war strips humanity to its core, leaving behind only bitterness and pain.
What stood out most to me was the reminder that these lessons must be remembered and passed down through generations, both to honor the survivors and to prevent history from repeating itself. Despite the horrors, the book also highlights the spirit of survival, resilience, and forgiveness.
Overall: unforgettable, haunting, and deeply important.
4.6/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 2, 2025
Some events don’t fade with time-they stay present through the people who lived them. The Ghosts of Hiroshima shares those stories. First-hand accounts from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, including a man who survived both, and another who watched it unfold from above and chose never to look again.
What stands out most is the detail -not just of what happened, but how it was experienced. Pellegrino doesn’t write with distance; the book puts you close to the human cost. It doesn’t just document the aftermath, it honors the memory of those who lived it.
The structure weaves testimony with science and moments of reflection in a way that feels respectful and very powerful.
Built from eyewitness testimony and scientific detail, it reconstructs not only what happened…but how it stayed with those who lived through it. I’ll also be keeping an eye on the upcoming film adaptation.
What stands out most is the detail -not just of what happened, but how it was experienced. Pellegrino doesn’t write with distance; the book puts you close to the human cost. It doesn’t just document the aftermath, it honors the memory of those who lived it.
The structure weaves testimony with science and moments of reflection in a way that feels respectful and very powerful.
Built from eyewitness testimony and scientific detail, it reconstructs not only what happened…but how it stayed with those who lived through it. I’ll also be keeping an eye on the upcoming film adaptation.
August 27, 2025
Sorry, I had to DNF. I was very interested in the subject but the structure of the book is all over the place. It can’t make up its mind which subject it is focusing on when. I think there is really important information in this book, but it just isn’t sure ultimately what it wants to be.
November 4, 2025
With the recent anniversary of this event, there have been so many incredible and informative books released on the topic. This one caught my eye, and I knew I had to read it.
The beginning provided some eerie details on the power of science fiction to seemingly predict the future. All of the references to books and literature made me want to scour the shelves for each and every one of those books. The first few chapters provided such startling and chilling descriptions of what happened after Moment Zero that it was almost hard to comprehend the terrifying pain and destruction that was endured by the people of Hiroshima on that fateful day. In an instant everything changed and so many had no true understanding of what had actually happened. It is truly frightening to ponder even now. Their continued struggle amidst failing health, hunger, and ostracization from their own countrymen made their stories even more devastating to experience page by page. The intricate details used to describe their continued plight really put the use of the bomb, even to bring an end to a terrible war, into a truly mortifying perspective. This device was used on real people, not once...but twice. The voices of the survivors that scream from every page drove home the absolute truth of what an awful act of war it was, as well as its devastating effects over time. It was not a one and done. It resonated through each family for decades.
This was a truly eye-opening book that I think everyone should read.
The beginning provided some eerie details on the power of science fiction to seemingly predict the future. All of the references to books and literature made me want to scour the shelves for each and every one of those books. The first few chapters provided such startling and chilling descriptions of what happened after Moment Zero that it was almost hard to comprehend the terrifying pain and destruction that was endured by the people of Hiroshima on that fateful day. In an instant everything changed and so many had no true understanding of what had actually happened. It is truly frightening to ponder even now. Their continued struggle amidst failing health, hunger, and ostracization from their own countrymen made their stories even more devastating to experience page by page. The intricate details used to describe their continued plight really put the use of the bomb, even to bring an end to a terrible war, into a truly mortifying perspective. This device was used on real people, not once...but twice. The voices of the survivors that scream from every page drove home the absolute truth of what an awful act of war it was, as well as its devastating effects over time. It was not a one and done. It resonated through each family for decades.
This was a truly eye-opening book that I think everyone should read.
November 10, 2025
2.75 stars
This was a hot mess! Very disjointed and unorganized. There was no structure at all, which really made it hard to focus.
This was a hot mess! Very disjointed and unorganized. There was no structure at all, which really made it hard to focus.
August 24, 2025
This book is not about whether the bombs should have been dropped, and it makes it clear right at the start. This book is about stories of the aftermath.
Charles Pellegrino has done incredible research in the writing of this book, including interviews with survivors and families of survivors, officials on both sides of the war, over a span of multiple years. It goes into detail about the firsthand experiences of the rare few who survived the bombs, and the even rarer who survived them _both_. As if the tragedy in itself wasn't bad enough, many survivors had to go into hiding to avoid the social prejudice associated with being a 'hibakusha' - someone exposed to the A-bombs or the fallout from them.
Apart from Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors' stories, the book also sheds light on some of the war-related background, including experiences of the people who flew the planes which dropped the bombs, a high ranking Japanese official who gives an insider's view of what Imperial Japan's approach to war was like, as well as stories of American citizens of Japanese descent and their internment post Pearl Harbor.
The narration is gripping, the stories heartbreaking, and the message unambiguous. It's bleak, and there's no silver lining. But it's an important part of history that nonetheless needs to be remembered.
Charles Pellegrino has done incredible research in the writing of this book, including interviews with survivors and families of survivors, officials on both sides of the war, over a span of multiple years. It goes into detail about the firsthand experiences of the rare few who survived the bombs, and the even rarer who survived them _both_. As if the tragedy in itself wasn't bad enough, many survivors had to go into hiding to avoid the social prejudice associated with being a 'hibakusha' - someone exposed to the A-bombs or the fallout from them.
Apart from Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors' stories, the book also sheds light on some of the war-related background, including experiences of the people who flew the planes which dropped the bombs, a high ranking Japanese official who gives an insider's view of what Imperial Japan's approach to war was like, as well as stories of American citizens of Japanese descent and their internment post Pearl Harbor.
The narration is gripping, the stories heartbreaking, and the message unambiguous. It's bleak, and there's no silver lining. But it's an important part of history that nonetheless needs to be remembered.
August 26, 2025
A powerful collection of the experiences of the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The author is at his best when discussing the human impact of the bombings, weaving heart wrenching narratives of fateful moments from those two days. I found myself less impressed when he attempted to become more philosophical. But overall this is an important and necessary read.
August 21, 2025
What is your weirdest reading habit? I used to like to read in trees when I was a teen.
Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @blackstonepublishing for the review copy of Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino.
Ghosts of Hiroshima is a brand-new non-fiction book published for the 80th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It’s based on forensic archaeology and over two hundred interviews with survivors and their families. It gives the reader a first-person perspective of the events. This is soon to be a movie by James Cameron.
My thoughts on this book:
• Ghosts of Hiroshima vividly describes the horrible times for those on the ground in the A-bomb attacks in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
• It was amazing how many people survived both Hiroshima and the Nagasaki bombings. After Hiroshima they fled to Nagasaki for various reasons, only to experience it again.
• There were interesting quotes at the start of each chapter. Each chapter is long but broken up into segments to discuss different key players experiencing the bomb.
• There were nice drawings with descriptions throughout the book to give detail.
• There are notes and a great index at the end of the book to help those looking for specific details.
• The pages are edged in black, which along with the cover, make it a striking book.
• There is also discussion of the internment camps in the United States and how some Japanese Americans were deported back to Japan. Many died when the A-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, but some survived to tell the tale.
• American prisoners of war were also killed in Nagasaki, and some witnessed it all and were able to tell their experiences.
• I can’t stop thinking about this book. It’s a horrible part of history that I hope we never repeat. Many of the people in the book wanted to tell their stories to make sure history does not repeat itself.
• As a parent, I can’t imagine making it through the worse thing to happen to your family and being grateful your kids made it, only for them to come down with leukemia ten or so years later. It was so sad reading about the rash of leukemia amongst the youngest survivors.
• It’s interesting that there were still those who didn’t want to surrender after the A-bombs and fire carpeting. They held the Emperor captive. I wish they would have let the Emperor surrender before the A-bombs or right after Hiroshima. So many people would have been saved.
• I didn’t know much about the strike on Nagasaki. The book states that this was kept quiet as the largest Catholic church in the country was at ground zero or the center of the strike.
• It was strange how randomly people survived by being the right place at the right time, having the right instincts to duck, or wearing white clothing.
• It was horrific trying to live through the aftereffects of the bombs for years to come. I didn’t realize there was prejudice in Japan against A-bomb survivors and their children.
• I was struck that those that were flying the plane that dropped the bombs experienced a strange electrical feeling in their teeth and the taste of lead. I don’t remember ever learning that before.
Favorite quotes:
“The false sunrise did not only smash factories and crack concrete in Hiroshima. It sometimes left a crevice in one’s soul.”
“This year [2010] came the rise of radiation denial and shadow people denial, and even claims in America [in its media] that I, and my experience of Hiroshima, did not exist. The realities of nuclear war are so horrible that there are people who claim Hiroshima and Nagasaki did not happen this way and what I lived to tell is all lies. What do they want? Do they really want a sleep of forgetfulness? So the whole world becomes hypocenters? Don’t forget. Never forget. I saw it. We all saw it. No one should ever see if again, for any reason whatsoever.” – Keiji Nakazawa, Hiroshima artist.
Overall, Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino is an important nonfiction book about horrifying events in human history that should never be repeated. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
This book was published on August 5, 2025.
This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2025...
Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @blackstonepublishing for the review copy of Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino.
Ghosts of Hiroshima is a brand-new non-fiction book published for the 80th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It’s based on forensic archaeology and over two hundred interviews with survivors and their families. It gives the reader a first-person perspective of the events. This is soon to be a movie by James Cameron.
My thoughts on this book:
• Ghosts of Hiroshima vividly describes the horrible times for those on the ground in the A-bomb attacks in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
• It was amazing how many people survived both Hiroshima and the Nagasaki bombings. After Hiroshima they fled to Nagasaki for various reasons, only to experience it again.
• There were interesting quotes at the start of each chapter. Each chapter is long but broken up into segments to discuss different key players experiencing the bomb.
• There were nice drawings with descriptions throughout the book to give detail.
• There are notes and a great index at the end of the book to help those looking for specific details.
• The pages are edged in black, which along with the cover, make it a striking book.
• There is also discussion of the internment camps in the United States and how some Japanese Americans were deported back to Japan. Many died when the A-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, but some survived to tell the tale.
• American prisoners of war were also killed in Nagasaki, and some witnessed it all and were able to tell their experiences.
• I can’t stop thinking about this book. It’s a horrible part of history that I hope we never repeat. Many of the people in the book wanted to tell their stories to make sure history does not repeat itself.
• As a parent, I can’t imagine making it through the worse thing to happen to your family and being grateful your kids made it, only for them to come down with leukemia ten or so years later. It was so sad reading about the rash of leukemia amongst the youngest survivors.
• It’s interesting that there were still those who didn’t want to surrender after the A-bombs and fire carpeting. They held the Emperor captive. I wish they would have let the Emperor surrender before the A-bombs or right after Hiroshima. So many people would have been saved.
• I didn’t know much about the strike on Nagasaki. The book states that this was kept quiet as the largest Catholic church in the country was at ground zero or the center of the strike.
• It was strange how randomly people survived by being the right place at the right time, having the right instincts to duck, or wearing white clothing.
• It was horrific trying to live through the aftereffects of the bombs for years to come. I didn’t realize there was prejudice in Japan against A-bomb survivors and their children.
• I was struck that those that were flying the plane that dropped the bombs experienced a strange electrical feeling in their teeth and the taste of lead. I don’t remember ever learning that before.
Favorite quotes:
“The false sunrise did not only smash factories and crack concrete in Hiroshima. It sometimes left a crevice in one’s soul.”
“This year [2010] came the rise of radiation denial and shadow people denial, and even claims in America [in its media] that I, and my experience of Hiroshima, did not exist. The realities of nuclear war are so horrible that there are people who claim Hiroshima and Nagasaki did not happen this way and what I lived to tell is all lies. What do they want? Do they really want a sleep of forgetfulness? So the whole world becomes hypocenters? Don’t forget. Never forget. I saw it. We all saw it. No one should ever see if again, for any reason whatsoever.” – Keiji Nakazawa, Hiroshima artist.
Overall, Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino is an important nonfiction book about horrifying events in human history that should never be repeated. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
This book was published on August 5, 2025.
This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2025...
October 20, 2025
This book offers a stark and unflinching account of what happened to real people on the days the atomic bombs fell in 1945. The details are raw, vivid, and at times, nearly unbearable — but they are necessary. I was shaken by what I read, and deeply moved by what those survivors endured.
Pellegrino has a way of pulling you into history without embellishment. He doesn’t preach or moralize. There’s no debate here about whether the bombs should or shouldn’t have been dropped — just the reality of what happened, told with clarity and care.
Even as someone who thought they knew this chapter of history well, I came away with a deeper understanding — especially of what unfolded in the moments after "Little Boy" detonated. The author spares nothing in painting the scene, and it's that honesty that gives the book its weight.
This isn’t a fast read, and it’s not meant to be. I found myself putting it down often — not out of disinterest, but to sit with what I had just read. Some passages were so startling I went back over them, not quite believing.
In times like these, this book feels vital. For some, it will be a reminder; for others, an introduction to the true cost of nuclear weapons — not in theory, but in blood and ash. It’s a history lesson worth enduring.
Pellegrino has a way of pulling you into history without embellishment. He doesn’t preach or moralize. There’s no debate here about whether the bombs should or shouldn’t have been dropped — just the reality of what happened, told with clarity and care.
Even as someone who thought they knew this chapter of history well, I came away with a deeper understanding — especially of what unfolded in the moments after "Little Boy" detonated. The author spares nothing in painting the scene, and it's that honesty that gives the book its weight.
This isn’t a fast read, and it’s not meant to be. I found myself putting it down often — not out of disinterest, but to sit with what I had just read. Some passages were so startling I went back over them, not quite believing.
In times like these, this book feels vital. For some, it will be a reminder; for others, an introduction to the true cost of nuclear weapons — not in theory, but in blood and ash. It’s a history lesson worth enduring.
December 6, 2025
3.5 stars, rounded up.
This book was difficult for me to get into at first. The opening felt slow, and the middle section became a bit dry for my taste with scientific details that didn’t fully care for. I think my expectations were different as I was hoping for a more stories telling focus rather than frequent shifts into technical explanations.
That said, the last half of the book hit me hard. It was incredibly emotional, and there were moments that brought me to tears. I’m glad I read this book, as it told stories and perspectives I didn’t know about. It brings such necessary light and humanity to the survivors and exposes the devastating impact of war and the cruel decisions made during those dark times. These stories deserve to be heard so I just wish the book focused more on storytelling as it would be easier for more readers to connect with.
This book was difficult for me to get into at first. The opening felt slow, and the middle section became a bit dry for my taste with scientific details that didn’t fully care for. I think my expectations were different as I was hoping for a more stories telling focus rather than frequent shifts into technical explanations.
That said, the last half of the book hit me hard. It was incredibly emotional, and there were moments that brought me to tears. I’m glad I read this book, as it told stories and perspectives I didn’t know about. It brings such necessary light and humanity to the survivors and exposes the devastating impact of war and the cruel decisions made during those dark times. These stories deserve to be heard so I just wish the book focused more on storytelling as it would be easier for more readers to connect with.
October 5, 2025
The book shares the stories of those who survived and the relatives who died from the first bomb.
Never in my entire life, to my dying breath, will I ever agree to the argument that “dropping those bombs was justified.” The outright refusal to even attempt to parlay with the Japanese empire with a demonstration, and instead condemning a quarter million men, women, and children to a nuclear holocaust is the most despicably evil singular act conducted by the US empire.
Go to the Hiroshima nuclear museum. See the dome. Witness the record of the indefensible atrocity. I’ve been there. It’s absolutely devastating. This book, like that museum, had me holding back tears multiple times.
Dismantling and eliminating (not “modernizing”) nuclear weapons is critical for the survival of the human race against the madness of diabolical & short-sighted men.
Never again. Never again.
Read if the topic interests you or wait for the movie from my lord and savior JC.
Never in my entire life, to my dying breath, will I ever agree to the argument that “dropping those bombs was justified.” The outright refusal to even attempt to parlay with the Japanese empire with a demonstration, and instead condemning a quarter million men, women, and children to a nuclear holocaust is the most despicably evil singular act conducted by the US empire.
Go to the Hiroshima nuclear museum. See the dome. Witness the record of the indefensible atrocity. I’ve been there. It’s absolutely devastating. This book, like that museum, had me holding back tears multiple times.
Dismantling and eliminating (not “modernizing”) nuclear weapons is critical for the survival of the human race against the madness of diabolical & short-sighted men.
Never again. Never again.
Read if the topic interests you or wait for the movie from my lord and savior JC.
August 8, 2025
Comprehensive, eye-opening, and impactful!
𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀 is the insightful, informative, candid examination into nuclear war and the devastation, generational consequences, and survival stories of those who experienced firsthand the tragedies that started on August 6, 1945.
The writing is clear, precise, and descriptive. And the novel is an extremely well-researched account of the lead-up, execution, and fallout of two nuclear bombs being dropped on Japan during World War II.
Overall, 𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀 is, ultimately, an informative, timely, well-written account of a heinous time in history we must never forget.
𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀 is the insightful, informative, candid examination into nuclear war and the devastation, generational consequences, and survival stories of those who experienced firsthand the tragedies that started on August 6, 1945.
The writing is clear, precise, and descriptive. And the novel is an extremely well-researched account of the lead-up, execution, and fallout of two nuclear bombs being dropped on Japan during World War II.
Overall, 𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀 is, ultimately, an informative, timely, well-written account of a heinous time in history we must never forget.
November 22, 2025
I had no idea of the devastation a nuclear bomb causes to life until I read this. I had heard or read about the cancer and other radiation diseases that affected survivors but I had no idea what happened to those who didn't survive-how they literally disappear. This book is a grim warning of nuclear warfare and one would hope it never happens again.
November 16, 2025
After watching Oppenheimer, I really wanted to learn more about Hiroshima and Nagasaki post-bomb. There wasn’t a lot of options out there so I’m very thankful for this book. No science fiction book could ever capture the real life horror faced by the Japanese people. Following the stories of survivors from a narrative perspective was so haunting that you forget it’s fiction. Highly recommend!
December 23, 2025
A narrative nonfiction book unlike anything I have ever read. A very well written book with shockingly detailed and disturbing prose. To truly understand what happened on Aug 6 and 9, 1945, this is the book to read.
August 13, 2025
amazing collection of stories from survivors and others involved in the bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki
November 4, 2025
It was interesting but I kept finding it hard to go back to to finish.
November 17, 2025
SAD
Should be mandatory reading
Should be mandatory reading
August 3, 2025
I dont often read non-fiction, but I've been trying to read more this year. I'll admit I picked this book up because James Cameron's name was on it. I figured if it's going to be a major motion picture, it's got to be written well, and I better read the book before the movie. And I'm glad I did!
A wonderful tribute or remembrance of Hisoshima and Nagasaki and the families affected.
10/10 everyone should read!
A wonderful tribute or remembrance of Hisoshima and Nagasaki and the families affected.
10/10 everyone should read!
September 12, 2025
Must Read for all of us
A study of atomic weapons, prejudice, imprisonment, forgiveness, sorrow and, most importantly, what happens in a world where hate reigns unbound. As you read this, keep asking yourself, "are we really that far from this now?"
A study of atomic weapons, prejudice, imprisonment, forgiveness, sorrow and, most importantly, what happens in a world where hate reigns unbound. As you read this, keep asking yourself, "are we really that far from this now?"
October 7, 2025
I've always questioned the necessity of the bombs, harder to justify the means the more you learn about the after
September 30, 2025
The first-hand testament from survivors of the bombs was powerful and moving; however, the author’s editorializing to be clunky, distracting, and dumb. He is a known enthusiast and researcher of the Titanic and he tried weaving that into this story which was bizarre. If you want a better book on Hiroshima and the horrors of nuclear war, John Hersey’s Hiroshima is a must.
September 6, 2025
Fascinating topic, but such awful, disorganized writing. These survivors and stories deserved so much more. Two stars mainly as a form of respect to them.
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