Atomic Pilgrim: How Walking Thousands of Miles for Peace Led to Uncovering Some of America's Darkest Nuclear Secrets

by James Patrick Thomas

James Patrick Thomas’s path toward nuclear disarmament began on Good Friday, 1982, when he and his fellow peace pilgrims started walking away from the Trident Nuclear Submarine Base near Seattle. Their Bethlehem Peace Pilgrimage would span 6,700 miles across the United States and nine other countries, each step aimed at ending the nuclear arms race.

After two years on the road, Jim continued his pursuit of peace and disarmament. Back in Spokane, Washington, Jim turned his attention toward the Hanford plutonium factory—one of the original Manhattan Project sites just 110 miles from his home. Over the next two decades, Jim helped uncover stunning revelations about Hanford’s toxic regional impact and its role in our nation’s nuclear weapons complex.

Atomic Pilgrim is the story of how one person’s faith, actions, and persistence can impact seemingly immovable systems and hold even the most powerful bureaucracies to account.

Praise for Atomic Pilgrim:

"Atomic Pilgrim is an inspiring memoir about courageous actions taken for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons. While Thomas’s intense internal battles rocket from hope to despair, both parts of the book reflect his faith in God and belief in the basic goodness of human beings." ~Kristine Morris, Foreword Reviews

"Atomic Pilgrim is both a journey of public witness but also one of examination of the soul.... Inspiring - Informative - Impactful." ~Charlene Howard, Executive Director, Pax Christi USA

"Atomic Pilgrim is an inspiring memoir that raises important questions for today about the human costs of nuclear weapons." ~Cynthia C. Kelly, President of the Atomic Heritage Foundation

"Thomas's messages on the importance of faith, reflection, persistence, and acceptance, and his vivid description of the struggles and rewards of fighting for truth and justice will inspire readers, and hopefully encourage at least some to live a life of service and walk a similar path for peace." ~Stephen I. Schwartz, editor and co-author of Atomic The Costs and Consequences of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Since 1940

"Jim Thomas is a peacemaking miracle. He walks a way of peace that can turn humanity from extinction to life. Read him and believe in miracles for us all." ~James Douglass, author of JFK and the Unspeakable

"A passionate memoir by an anti-nuclear activist and committed patriot." ~Gregg Herken, author of Brotherhood of the The Tangled Lives and Loyalties of Robert Oppenheimer, Ernest Lawrence, and Edward Teller

"Atomic Pilgrim tells the remarkable story of a life lived in the service of nuclear disarmament. Spanning thousands of miles and decades of research and advocacy, Jim Thomas’s message is at once hopeful and Peace is more than a dream. It is a necessity." ~Shannon Cram, PhD, author of Unmaking the Environmental Cleanup and the Politics of Impossibility

"During these chaotic times, when we so desperately need to identify our heroes, this book will give you new and important perspectives." ~Teri Hein, author of Atomic Growing Up Right in the Wrong Place

"This is a wonderful hope-inspiring book! A tonic for sagging spirits in these dark days.

Genres: Memoir

308 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 16, 2025

About the author

While serving in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Jim began advocating for nuclear disarmament as a member of the Bethlehem Peace Pilgrimage. He spent the next quarter century investigating radioactive pollution from the production and testing of nuclear weapons, mostly focused on the Hanford Site in south-central Washington State. This included working as a paralegal for the plaintiffs in the Hanford downwinder litigation.

Interwoven with his Hanford-related positions, Jim directed life, justice and peace ministry for the Diocese of Spokane, the Archdiocese of Seattle, and the Washington State Catholic Conference. He has a master’s in religious studies from Gonzaga University. He continues to work for peace and nuclear disarmament with local and national organizations. Jim and his wife Jan live in Seattle.

Reviews

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some disastrous phenomena in the history of mankind are caused by certain scientific innovations. Atomic Pilgrim: How Walking Thousands of Miles for Peace Led to Uncovering Some of America's Darkest Nuclear Secrets is a memoir of James Patrick Thomas, a manifestation of a child of cold war and a son of WW II US Navy officer and physician. It's an extraordinary 6,700 miles of pilgrimage of an extraordinary man across US and nine other countries.

While still working at KREM-TV as an operations engineer, James requests an application for Jesuit Volunteer Corps (JVC). Approved by April, he's about to leave his good paying job for serving senior citizens suffering poverty in the Central Area of Seattle.

A remarkable and meaningful journey begins. Their group works milepost to milepost from year 1981-1983 to different lands, leaving trails of memories and worthwhile contributions.

In the following years, he is a part of a new organization, works in the diocese half-time and involves himself in resolving issues of Hanford like those that concern the health and safety of downwinders.

Atomic Pilgrim is a life of driven and committed walk. It's a mix of expedition, religious pilgrimage and communal service. It also shows about scientific exploration and the proper allocation of its resources. It encourages volunteering works like for the welfare of the old age or on nuclear testing sites, creating more awareness on how much-needed are the organizations, projects and people for those.

I give a four-star rate on this book for the remarks above. It's more than an inspiring memoir, a must-read.

Definitely, I recommend this memoir to avid readers of this genre, another trail of life to meet to be added in life's guide.

[Sarah Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: Atomic Pilgrim by James Patrick Thomas

James Patrick Thomas’s Atomic Pilgrim is a deeply introspective memoir that chronicles the author’s personal and spiritual journey toward nuclear disarmament. Blending autobiography, ethical reflection, and advocacy, Thomas—a former Jesuit Volunteer Corps member—examines the moral imperatives of peace, the haunting legacy of nuclear weapons, and the role of individual action in global change. The book stands as both a personal testimony and a call to collective responsibility, making it a compelling read for those interested in ethics, activism, and memoir as a form of social witness.

Content and Themes
Atomic Pilgrim traces Thomas’s evolution from a young volunteer grappling with questions of justice to a committed advocate for nuclear abolition. Key themes include:

Moral Awakening: The author’s formative experiences in service work and how they shaped his understanding of systemic violence.
Nuclear Ethics: A critique of the Cold War’s enduring shadows, emphasizing the humanitarian consequences of nuclear proliferation.
Spiritual Activism: The intersection of faith and activism, framed through Thomas’s Jesuit-inspired commitment to “contemplation in action.”
Pilgrimage as Metaphor: The narrative structure mirrors a pilgrimage—marked by doubt, revelation, and incremental progress toward a seemingly impossible goal.

Strengths
Nuanced Reflection: Thomas avoids simplistic moralizing, instead presenting disarmament as a complex, ongoing struggle.
Personal Vulnerability: His willingness to confront his own limitations and failures lends authenticity to the advocacy narrative.
Interdisciplinary Appeal: The memoir bridges theology, political science, and peace studies, offering rich material for discussion.

Areas for Improvement
Pacing: Some sections lean heavily on philosophical exposition, which may slow momentum for readers seeking a more narrative-driven experience.
Scope: While the focus on nuclear disarmament is timely, broader connections to contemporary movements (e.g., climate justice) could strengthen relevance.

Score Breakdown (Out of 5)
Originality & Perspective: 4.5/5 (A rare blend of memoir and nuclear ethics)
Narrative Cohesion: 3.8/5 (Profound but occasionally uneven flow)
Thematic Depth: 5/5 (Masterful exploration of morality and action)
Accessibility: 3.5/5 (Best suited for readers familiar with ethical discourse)
Emotional Impact: 4.2/5 (Moving, though abstract at times)
Overall Rating: 4.2/5

Atomic Pilgrim is a thought-provoking and morally urgent work. While its density may challenge casual readers, its fusion of personal narrative and global advocacy offers a resonant model for how individual lives can engage with existential threats. Thomas’s voice is both humble and prophetic—a rare combination that lingers long after the final page.

Acknowledgments
Thank you to NetGalley and James Patrick Thomas for providing an advance copy of Atomic Pilgrim. This review reflects my sincere engagement with the book’s ethical vision and its challenge to readers.

[Aiko Aiokoko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atomic Pilgrim is about Thomas' walk for nuclear disarmament and the things it taught him about himself, the world, and politics. He carefully examines what the individual's role in advocacy is and how we can make change through his journey and the work he's done since.

The first half of the book is about the walk itself. He really tries to look at how his past and psychology impacted his view and experience of the walk at the time and looking back on it. Thomas didn't want to walk originally, believing he would be better suited to helping in other ways, but he changed his mind and joined the core group part way through America. He explores how this initial decision and belief plagued him throughout the walk. This ended up being my favorite section as I was rather intrigued by his experiences in various states and countries, how differently people reacted to him depending on the local culture, how he coped with being in conflict zones and his experiences in a communist country.

The second half focuses on his continued involvement in advocating for disarmament since the pilgrimage, discussing how change doesn't happen because we want it to and the impact companies have on the matter.

I found it to be a very nice, easy read, though sometimes a little clunky. Thomas favors simpler language and a blunter approach to his descriptions. There are sections that I felt didn't have enough explanation. In some cases, like for most of the walk, I can understand the lack of detail as a lot of time has passed and no doubt the days walking through nearly identical looking countrysides for weeks in a row would blend into each other 40ish years later. But I wish we'd gotten more about the planning period and organization of the walk. We know they had to change plans when it came to walking through the middle east, but we only really learn much about the original plan when it becomes a problem. I wish we knew more about what the plan had been before the walk started, and how they found contacts everywhere they went ahead of time.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Latah books for the eARC!

I loved this book. And I don't think it's an exaggeration to say it changed my life a little. I've been on a journey to learn more about nonviolence - a philosophy I believe in but want to understand on more levels.
Thomas' book is so moving. The first part is set up to talk about the journey he and the other peace pilgrims went on from Seattle to Bethlehem. I loved reading about his thoughts and both the highs and lows of the journey. I had NO idea just how much of our country (and the world) is involved in nuclear arms (the creation, the storing, the negotiation, etc.). It was definitely eye-opening.
The second part of the book is what he's learned and how he's been involved with nuclear disarmament since the pilgrimage. This part was even more moving. To be reminded that our country doesn't have our best interests in mind (and certainly different companies don't have our best interests in mind) was sobering. And a great reminder that things don't change just because we want them to - we have to work and apply pressure for change to occur.
Highly recommend if you like memoirs, are curious about nuclear disarmament, or just want to read more about other countries, especially as they existed in the early 1980s.

[Kay Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well worth reading..

Thomas’ book is a memoir of a part of U.S. history that’s often forgotten but is in danger of being repeated. Thomas writes, the threat of nuclear war still faces us, and needs addressing right alongside climate change. We ignore either at our own peril.

As a college student, inspired by Jesuit leaders and Catholic bishops, Thomas joined a walk protesting for disarmament that began in Seattle and stretched to Bethlehem. A core group of 13 pilgrims, including Thomas, and often joined by hundreds of others, walked some 6,700 miles. The path stretched from the Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor to the city of Jesus Christ’s birth.

Their goal was to call attention to the threat of destruction that the race for arms between the U.S. and the Soviet Union posed to the world.

This book is really two books in one. The first part chronicles the march for peace. It’s a slow and deliberate tale, as Thomas provides the blistering walks and personal challenges alongside the headlines of the day. The Chernobyl nuclear disaster, for instance, happens during their walk.

The second part of the book picks up after the pilgrimage, as Thomas begins his calling as a voice of peace and justice ministry in Spokane as part of the Catholic Diocese.

Part of the Gonzaga graduate’s work included filing Freedom of Information requests to the government for recently unclassified reports from Hanford. One request resulted in 19,000 pages of previously classified reports detailing Hanford’s history of collecting nuclear waste. Thomas read them all.

It turned out the biggest threat to Americans may not have been a nuclear strike from a foreign enemy, but from their own government operations.

“What we discovered shocked even the most pessimistic among us: Hanford’s bomb making had spewed extensive radioactive pollution into both the air and Columbia River since 1944,” Thomas recalls. “Even more jarring: the contamination was no accident. The releases resulted from regular factory operations, just as designed.”

Even faced with the threat of annihilation, Thomas’ faith never falters, and that allows him to keep his hope that eventually humanity will save itself.

But as this book reminds and instructs us, and as current events informs us, there’s still much work to do.

[Michael Lartey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This memoir is really insightful, and filled with subtle messages of love, unity, sacrifice, hardship, perseverance, and purpose. It all started from a single message, a four-word statement said by Mother Teresa in the late 1970s, "Love until it hurts." This forever changed the life of an operations engineer in Spokane, making him view the old from a much broader perspective. Having witnessed the psychological consequences of nuclear peril since childhood, and being raised academically by the Jesuits, he lived with several people and came up with the most epic decision: The peaceful Bethlehem walk. A walk that spanned across continents, screaming the silent message of love and harmony over nuclear disaster, and even attracting the Pope. I read this book with a smile, eager to have a higher understanding of life. I think this book is life-changing. I rate it 5 stars for the heart and soul of this novel; the author's sincere, affectionate, and intellectual personality. I recommend this to all nonfiction readers interested in life-transforming experiences and global issues.

[Mary Helene · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a voice! Gentle but strong. I was deeply moved by this story, which is in one sense is just beginning. Jim and a group of about 20 walked from Seattle to Bethlehem. This is pilgrimage as prayer or prayer as pilgrimage. I think this story is seeds in the ground.