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The Longest Night
In this absorbing and suspenseful debut novel—reminiscent of Revolutionary Road and inspired by a little-known piece of history—a young couple must fight to save both their marriage and the town they live in.
In 1959, Nat Collier moves with her husband, Paul, and their two young daughters to Idaho Falls, a remote military town. An Army Specialist, Paul is stationed there to help oversee one of the country’s first nuclear reactors—an assignment that seems full of opportunity.
Then, on his rounds, Paul discovers that the reactor is compromised, placing his family and the entire community in danger. Worse, his superiors set out to cover up the problem rather than fix it. Paul can’t bring himself to tell Nat the truth, but his lies only widen a growing gulf between them.
Lonely and restless, Nat is having trouble adjusting to their new life. She struggles to fit into her role as a housewife and longs for a real friend. When she meets a rancher, Esrom, she finds herself drawn to him, comforted by his kindness and company. But as rumors spread, the secrets between Nat and Paul build and threaten to reach a breaking point.
Based on a true story of the only fatal nuclear accident to occur in America, The Longest Night is a deeply moving novel that explores the intricate makeup of a marriage, the shifting nature of trust, and the ways we try to protect the ones we love.
In 1959, Nat Collier moves with her husband, Paul, and their two young daughters to Idaho Falls, a remote military town. An Army Specialist, Paul is stationed there to help oversee one of the country’s first nuclear reactors—an assignment that seems full of opportunity.
Then, on his rounds, Paul discovers that the reactor is compromised, placing his family and the entire community in danger. Worse, his superiors set out to cover up the problem rather than fix it. Paul can’t bring himself to tell Nat the truth, but his lies only widen a growing gulf between them.
Lonely and restless, Nat is having trouble adjusting to their new life. She struggles to fit into her role as a housewife and longs for a real friend. When she meets a rancher, Esrom, she finds herself drawn to him, comforted by his kindness and company. But as rumors spread, the secrets between Nat and Paul build and threaten to reach a breaking point.
Based on a true story of the only fatal nuclear accident to occur in America, The Longest Night is a deeply moving novel that explores the intricate makeup of a marriage, the shifting nature of trust, and the ways we try to protect the ones we love.
383 pages, Hardcover
First published January 12, 2016
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September 6, 2018
this book is one of those quiet surprises that spring up every now and again. i wouldn't ordinarily see that cover, or the historical fiction/american marriage angle and think, "this is my jam!" but it turns out i like all kinds of jam!
the only nuclear reactor accident on u.s. soil to ever result in fatalities was in idaho falls in 1961. this book takes place in the very same idaho falls in the middle of 1959 and leads up to the events of january 3, 1961, when history was made in a terrible way. it opens with a sort of prologue where the reader is thrown into the confusion and turmoil of that night; all sirens and barricades and a husband and father's fear and regret before it eases back and the story-proper opens on a gentler scene in the summer of 1959 where a young family: nat and paul and their two young daughters, are just moving east to idaho falls where army nuclear specialist paul has landed a job working as an operator on a small training reactor in the desert, CR-1.
and you could almost forget that opening chapter, for a while, as events far more mundane unfold - paul goes to work, nat stays home with the girls, paul butts heads with his supervisor mitch, nat is elegantly and politely bullied by mitch's perfect domestic army wife jeannie, the days go on and minor glitches begin affecting both CR-1 and paul and nat's marriage as the narrative tension ever so slowly builds in these parallel crises.
in a lot of ways this reminded me of Revolutionary Road, with more sympathetic characters. you want this couple to work out their problems, but the situation is fraught with obstacles - the stress of paul's job and the cover-ups and power plays and the lies he tells to protect his wife and his frustrating silences butt up against nat's isolation and her own adjustment to their new life, where suddenly all the things paul had loved about her during their courtship; her wildness and spontaneity, embarrass him here in rigid suburbia. it's all secrets and tiptoeing on both sides of the marriage, and nat's struggle to navigate all the unwritten laws of army wife-and-motherhood, the shrieking boredom of her days confining her california free spirit to dinner parties and gossip was perfectly written.
and then temptation wanders into the novel in the form of a cowboy named esrom and everything starts simmering with gossip-ripples and jealousy bubbles as the problems on CR-1 increase and none of the centres can hold.
it's a remarkably tight debut. there is so much attention to details both physical and social, as williams builds her main and secondary characters' lives up piece by piece, making you care about them, even as you know the inexorable fate that awaits some of them, living unaware on the path of what is to come.
and jeannie richards, the wanna-be lady macbeth to a hapless husband, oh do i love her… the perfect manipulating evil queen of the neighborhood, but you can't help but feel a little tenderness in your heart for her all the same. unless i'm just getting soft.
at any rate - a very impressive novel from one of those "writers to watch," so watch her.
come to my blog!
the only nuclear reactor accident on u.s. soil to ever result in fatalities was in idaho falls in 1961. this book takes place in the very same idaho falls in the middle of 1959 and leads up to the events of january 3, 1961, when history was made in a terrible way. it opens with a sort of prologue where the reader is thrown into the confusion and turmoil of that night; all sirens and barricades and a husband and father's fear and regret before it eases back and the story-proper opens on a gentler scene in the summer of 1959 where a young family: nat and paul and their two young daughters, are just moving east to idaho falls where army nuclear specialist paul has landed a job working as an operator on a small training reactor in the desert, CR-1.
and you could almost forget that opening chapter, for a while, as events far more mundane unfold - paul goes to work, nat stays home with the girls, paul butts heads with his supervisor mitch, nat is elegantly and politely bullied by mitch's perfect domestic army wife jeannie, the days go on and minor glitches begin affecting both CR-1 and paul and nat's marriage as the narrative tension ever so slowly builds in these parallel crises.
in a lot of ways this reminded me of Revolutionary Road, with more sympathetic characters. you want this couple to work out their problems, but the situation is fraught with obstacles - the stress of paul's job and the cover-ups and power plays and the lies he tells to protect his wife and his frustrating silences butt up against nat's isolation and her own adjustment to their new life, where suddenly all the things paul had loved about her during their courtship; her wildness and spontaneity, embarrass him here in rigid suburbia. it's all secrets and tiptoeing on both sides of the marriage, and nat's struggle to navigate all the unwritten laws of army wife-and-motherhood, the shrieking boredom of her days confining her california free spirit to dinner parties and gossip was perfectly written.
and then temptation wanders into the novel in the form of a cowboy named esrom and everything starts simmering with gossip-ripples and jealousy bubbles as the problems on CR-1 increase and none of the centres can hold.
it's a remarkably tight debut. there is so much attention to details both physical and social, as williams builds her main and secondary characters' lives up piece by piece, making you care about them, even as you know the inexorable fate that awaits some of them, living unaware on the path of what is to come.
and jeannie richards, the wanna-be lady macbeth to a hapless husband, oh do i love her… the perfect manipulating evil queen of the neighborhood, but you can't help but feel a little tenderness in your heart for her all the same. unless i'm just getting soft.
at any rate - a very impressive novel from one of those "writers to watch," so watch her.
come to my blog!
February 10, 2017
Update: $1.99 Kindle sale today!!! I really enjoyed this book!!
Nat Collier has a house with a backyard in a modest neighborhood. She is 24 years old and has two small children -two girls -1 and 3 years of age. She is married to Paul, a nuclear operator in the army. She gets an allowance every month to buy clothes and cooking supplies from Paul.
Paul, Nat, and the girls have recently uprooted from San Diego to Idaho Falls where suburban life is harden lava & flatness. There is a Mormon Temple and J C Penny's near by.
Paul works 50 miles away from their home at the Reactor Testing Station.
Nat loves her husband. Paul loves Nat. So, what more could Nat possibly want,
when Paul is at work all day? After all ..she has a backyard... and two darling little girls? Why on earth would she need a car - or even a TV?
Paul couldn't understand - ( really couldn't understand), why his wife might find value having a car while home all day with their kids. It was very cute watching this couple negotiate... fight... make up ... fight some more...deal with their differences.
Nat is a California girl .. free-spirit beach girl who enjoys swimming. It was humiliating for Nat to ask Paul for things she needed or wanted as if she was a child.
Paul was so reserved - he could sit in a room for hours in silence without a radio or asking a single question. It drove Nat crazy. Things that attracted Nat to Paul when they first met, (different from all other guys she knew), would wear thin some days. However, boxes still needed unpacking - and the kids wanted her attention. Paul worked long hours. Thank Goodness for that backyard! :)
Immediately...once Paul begins his new job ( a contract for two years), problems start. Mitch Richards is as dangerous of a boss as the safety concerns of the rods and emergency breaks for the entire reactor. He drinks all day long - and doesn't follow rules. Scary supervisor!
Control rods were never suppose to stick - but they 'were' stuck. Supercritical enriched uranium could blow the whole thing up like a volcano.
Paul doesn't ever tell Nat how worried he really is - for their safety! - yet is living with it daily. Paul hates Richard with a passion .. but tries to 'suck-it-up'.
Mitch Richards wouldn't win any "Greatest Boss" awards. He wanted Paul and the other guys to come to him ( the army way/Richard's way), before writing up any
irregularities in the log book. Yep, Richards was covering up problems...
Tensions keep building until Paul finally punches him out- physically. Oops...
Paul gets a punishment for losing his temper...with a deployment to Greenland for six months. ( not bad in itself - other than he must leave his family behind in a dangerous nuclear area)
Nat, pregnant with their 3rd child says good-bye to Paul for six months. Paul tells her to "get out of town fast and keep running if anything goes wrong".. yet never told her the dangers of what he really saw happening at work - as not to worry her.
Much happens during the six months when Paul is in Greenland.
I was on the edge of my seat!
Enter Esrom, a good looking single man that Nat becomes- 'good'- friends with ( worthy of book club discussion -- for a good couple of hours). Army wives gossip, but what you really want to know is .."what happens between Nat and Mr. Single Heart throb?, right." Hmmm, read the book! As I said... It worthy of a book discussion.
This is a 400 page novel ... so, obviously I have left out many characters and juicy details - ( army wives, other work employees, other conflicts, but I found this book really delightful)
My personal input...( of what I might correct with this novel). There were two scenes that I didn't think added to the story ( not bad), but if they had been left out, I feel this book would have been just as good ...( and maybe a little shorter). They were
1. a scene about a missing girl and
2. a scene involving a priest. Both stories either needed to be developed more - or not in 'this' novel .. IMO.
Note: I liked this novel very much ...so even with or without my correction - I enjoyed this novel!!!!!
My favorite character best of all ( oh I'd love to see this book become a movie), is
Jeannie Richards ( married to Mitch). Jeannie is a KICK.... ( lots of reading fun with her character). She is the seasoned Amy wife. She and Mitch have 1 child - ( it took 16 years for her to become pregnant). Mitch and Jeannie may be at each other behind closed doors -- ( he thinks she is shallow & unstable - and she thinks he is a "Buffoon").
However .. when it comes time to throw a party, Jeannie is the perfect ( ha) hostess.
NOTE... I fell in love with the AUTHOR, Andriaj Williams, through her many descriptions of Jeannie.
Back to Jeannie: she had a knack for decorating.. irons her hand towels in the bathroom, the soap dispenser is polished, the vacuum marks are freshly ridged into the carpet, and her hair is freshly styled. A roast is cooling under its foil tent, there is a jello-salad, angel food cake with blueberry filling, plenty of scotch, whiskey, vodka, and Virginia Slims near by.
Cracker jacks with the plastic prizes for the kids. Nanny on hand to watch the kids.
Jeannie is petrified her husband is going to lose rank at his job - his security clearance. She compensates her insecure fears - sadness - and frustrations - by throwing her weight around ( as much as she can get away with).
Basically she and her husband have managed to be leaders with questionable integrity in their community.
Jeannie can trick and charm....but underneath she is competitive- jealous - and conniving - and underneath that she is lonely - sad - and afraid.
A typical Jeannie thought:
"We don't all have adoring, faithful husbands and get pregnant the moment he looks us in the eye. Not all of us glide through life trusting that our husbands will wake up in the morning and do what's best for us. Some of us have to be vigilant. And being vigilant will make you tired."
Wonderful debut novel. Wine anyone? Scotch?
Thank You Random House, Netgalley, and Andria Williams ( terrific new author!)
Nat Collier has a house with a backyard in a modest neighborhood. She is 24 years old and has two small children -two girls -1 and 3 years of age. She is married to Paul, a nuclear operator in the army. She gets an allowance every month to buy clothes and cooking supplies from Paul.
Paul, Nat, and the girls have recently uprooted from San Diego to Idaho Falls where suburban life is harden lava & flatness. There is a Mormon Temple and J C Penny's near by.
Paul works 50 miles away from their home at the Reactor Testing Station.
Nat loves her husband. Paul loves Nat. So, what more could Nat possibly want,
when Paul is at work all day? After all ..she has a backyard... and two darling little girls? Why on earth would she need a car - or even a TV?
Paul couldn't understand - ( really couldn't understand), why his wife might find value having a car while home all day with their kids. It was very cute watching this couple negotiate... fight... make up ... fight some more...deal with their differences.
Nat is a California girl .. free-spirit beach girl who enjoys swimming. It was humiliating for Nat to ask Paul for things she needed or wanted as if she was a child.
Paul was so reserved - he could sit in a room for hours in silence without a radio or asking a single question. It drove Nat crazy. Things that attracted Nat to Paul when they first met, (different from all other guys she knew), would wear thin some days. However, boxes still needed unpacking - and the kids wanted her attention. Paul worked long hours. Thank Goodness for that backyard! :)
Immediately...once Paul begins his new job ( a contract for two years), problems start. Mitch Richards is as dangerous of a boss as the safety concerns of the rods and emergency breaks for the entire reactor. He drinks all day long - and doesn't follow rules. Scary supervisor!
Control rods were never suppose to stick - but they 'were' stuck. Supercritical enriched uranium could blow the whole thing up like a volcano.
Paul doesn't ever tell Nat how worried he really is - for their safety! - yet is living with it daily. Paul hates Richard with a passion .. but tries to 'suck-it-up'.
Mitch Richards wouldn't win any "Greatest Boss" awards. He wanted Paul and the other guys to come to him ( the army way/Richard's way), before writing up any
irregularities in the log book. Yep, Richards was covering up problems...
Tensions keep building until Paul finally punches him out- physically. Oops...
Paul gets a punishment for losing his temper...with a deployment to Greenland for six months. ( not bad in itself - other than he must leave his family behind in a dangerous nuclear area)
Nat, pregnant with their 3rd child says good-bye to Paul for six months. Paul tells her to "get out of town fast and keep running if anything goes wrong".. yet never told her the dangers of what he really saw happening at work - as not to worry her.
Much happens during the six months when Paul is in Greenland.
I was on the edge of my seat!
Enter Esrom, a good looking single man that Nat becomes- 'good'- friends with ( worthy of book club discussion -- for a good couple of hours). Army wives gossip, but what you really want to know is .."what happens between Nat and Mr. Single Heart throb?, right." Hmmm, read the book! As I said... It worthy of a book discussion.
This is a 400 page novel ... so, obviously I have left out many characters and juicy details - ( army wives, other work employees, other conflicts, but I found this book really delightful)
My personal input...( of what I might correct with this novel). There were two scenes that I didn't think added to the story ( not bad), but if they had been left out, I feel this book would have been just as good ...( and maybe a little shorter). They were
1. a scene about a missing girl and
2. a scene involving a priest. Both stories either needed to be developed more - or not in 'this' novel .. IMO.
Note: I liked this novel very much ...so even with or without my correction - I enjoyed this novel!!!!!
My favorite character best of all ( oh I'd love to see this book become a movie), is
Jeannie Richards ( married to Mitch). Jeannie is a KICK.... ( lots of reading fun with her character). She is the seasoned Amy wife. She and Mitch have 1 child - ( it took 16 years for her to become pregnant). Mitch and Jeannie may be at each other behind closed doors -- ( he thinks she is shallow & unstable - and she thinks he is a "Buffoon").
However .. when it comes time to throw a party, Jeannie is the perfect ( ha) hostess.
NOTE... I fell in love with the AUTHOR, Andriaj Williams, through her many descriptions of Jeannie.
Back to Jeannie: she had a knack for decorating.. irons her hand towels in the bathroom, the soap dispenser is polished, the vacuum marks are freshly ridged into the carpet, and her hair is freshly styled. A roast is cooling under its foil tent, there is a jello-salad, angel food cake with blueberry filling, plenty of scotch, whiskey, vodka, and Virginia Slims near by.
Cracker jacks with the plastic prizes for the kids. Nanny on hand to watch the kids.
Jeannie is petrified her husband is going to lose rank at his job - his security clearance. She compensates her insecure fears - sadness - and frustrations - by throwing her weight around ( as much as she can get away with).
Basically she and her husband have managed to be leaders with questionable integrity in their community.
Jeannie can trick and charm....but underneath she is competitive- jealous - and conniving - and underneath that she is lonely - sad - and afraid.
A typical Jeannie thought:
"We don't all have adoring, faithful husbands and get pregnant the moment he looks us in the eye. Not all of us glide through life trusting that our husbands will wake up in the morning and do what's best for us. Some of us have to be vigilant. And being vigilant will make you tired."
Wonderful debut novel. Wine anyone? Scotch?
Thank You Random House, Netgalley, and Andria Williams ( terrific new author!)
December 31, 2015
The story was filled with tension from the beginning to the end - at home, at work , at dinner parties , between husbands and wives, bosses and subordinates. I could feel it and I wondered what would explode first - the nuclear reactor in this small town of Idaho Falls or Paul and Nat's marriage . Definitely reflective of the time , the 1960's and the description is right . It is reminiscent of Revolutionary Road. Even though they were not a military family , I could almost see Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslett from the movie of that book , at one of the dinner parties with the abundant whiskey and overflowing ashtrays .
The novel is based on a real nuclear reactor accident that occurred in Idaho Falls in 1961 , one I had never heard about. A cover up of a faulty reactor seems to be the focus of the story but it is the relationships depicted here that really form the core of the story . Paul from a poor family with alcoholic parents wanted to be better , wanted almost a perfect rather than real life and hoped joining the military would do that . Nat , his wife and his two daughters , three by the end , round out this "perfect life." However, when we meet them , their marriage is already on rocky ground . Nat is bored and Paul is stressed from harboring the knowledge that not all was well with the reactor.
I liked it but not enough to give it more than three stars . It was just a little too slow moving for me and I just wanted it to move along and get to the inevitable and predictable things that were going to happen. Having said that , I have to admit that it was well written and as I mentioned at the beginning you could feel the tension throughout. It's a debut novel, so I will be watching for what the author does next .
Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for this advanced copy .
February 13, 2017
I really can’t give this book any less than 5 stars since I enjoyed it immensely from beginning to end, and was sad when it was over. I love how the cover depicts the timeframe of this novel so perfectly, but the descriptive writing captures it even better, creating a sense of time and place that made me feel I was right there, with characters that seemed so real. I was intrigued by it being based on a true story of a nuclear accident in the early 1960s, but I was also immersed with ALL of these characters—the good and the bad. I felt they really supported the historical back story in a way that made it more impactful and emotional. The story depicts a young military couple’s marriage that is put to the test when a deployment leaves them separated for six months, but there is more “juice” to the story that takes it up a notch, adding just enough suspense that makes it hard to put down. I thought the writing was excellent, especially for a debut novel. It was told through alternating perspectives that had me feeling sympathetic towards both Paul and Nat, all the way to the end.
August 2, 2016
4.5 Stars
A slow-burner of a book with excellent characterization and satisfying conclusion. Novelist Andria Williams chooses a little-known and mostly covered-up piece of American history (the first and to-date, only, nuclear reactor accident with immediate fatalities) for her debut.
Set in the early 1960's in Idaho Falls, ID, Williams tells the story of a young Army specialist, Paul Collier, his wife, Nat, and their young daughters. This was the era when people married very young, had kids very young, and many scraped by without any of the "luxuries" common place today (a TV, a second car for the family, etc.)
Paul's boss is Master Sargent Mitch Richards -- an underworked, overprivileged excuse for a leader who not only thinks he is much smarter, charming and good looking than he really is, but who takes whatever amount of power his rank gives him and lords it over those beneath him. God, I hated this guy (probably because I've known I few just like him in real life!) Mitch's wife Jeannie, with her steely perfect exterior, knows her husband is a buffoon, but just tries to bide her time until his pension kicks in. Until then, she's the chief "mean girl" among the Army wives.
Some of my GR friends felt this book was a bit too slow, but I didn't find that to be the case at all. I found the pacing to be taut and loved the exploration of the characters' actions and motivations as the stories at work (and at home) unfolded.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Although I had a galley of the book, I opted to listened to the audio, which I can also recommend.
A slow-burner of a book with excellent characterization and satisfying conclusion. Novelist Andria Williams chooses a little-known and mostly covered-up piece of American history (the first and to-date, only, nuclear reactor accident with immediate fatalities) for her debut.
Set in the early 1960's in Idaho Falls, ID, Williams tells the story of a young Army specialist, Paul Collier, his wife, Nat, and their young daughters. This was the era when people married very young, had kids very young, and many scraped by without any of the "luxuries" common place today (a TV, a second car for the family, etc.)
Paul's boss is Master Sargent Mitch Richards -- an underworked, overprivileged excuse for a leader who not only thinks he is much smarter, charming and good looking than he really is, but who takes whatever amount of power his rank gives him and lords it over those beneath him. God, I hated this guy (probably because I've known I few just like him in real life!) Mitch's wife Jeannie, with her steely perfect exterior, knows her husband is a buffoon, but just tries to bide her time until his pension kicks in. Until then, she's the chief "mean girl" among the Army wives.
Some of my GR friends felt this book was a bit too slow, but I didn't find that to be the case at all. I found the pacing to be taut and loved the exploration of the characters' actions and motivations as the stories at work (and at home) unfolded.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Although I had a galley of the book, I opted to listened to the audio, which I can also recommend.
February 6, 2017
5 Stars and worth every one of them. I loved everything about this book!
November 24, 2015
I appreciate the writing and story of The Longest Night, but it didn't quite engage me. Set in the early 1960s in Idaho, The Longest Night focuses on Paul and Nat's marriage. Paul is in the military, and his current assignment is to work at the site of a nuclear reactor. Nat is in her mid 20s, originally from San Diego and not quite fitting into the expected military wife role. In the background of the story, there's a brewing impending potential reactor failure due to the incompetence of Paul's boss and the lackadaisical attitude of the military. Williams does a good job evoking a strong sense of time and place. Nat and Paul are stuck in assigned roles that neither feels entirely at home in, and their respective sense of frustration is palpable. But their discomfort and tension is drawn out in excruciating detail before finally reaching its crescendo. To me, this made for a somewhat claustrophobic reading experience. Ultimately, Nat and Paul are not unfamiliar characters, and where Williams took them felt a bit predictable. Again, Williams is a very skilled writer, and I would give her next book a try, but I would hope that she uses her talent for a more engaging and original story. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy.
October 22, 2015
An elegant and finely-wrought portrait of a marriage in the Atomic Age. Andria Williams' impressive debut begins with an accident at a nuclear reactor outside Idaho Falls in January 1961, then circles back eighteen months to bring us the gradual meltdown of a young couple reacting to the stresses of military life.
Army specialist Paul Collier is sent from reactor school in Ft. Belvoir, VA to Idaho, his pretty wife and two little girls in tow. Paul, bearing the scars of a difficult childhood, finds shelter in the vivacity and adoration of his wife and daughters, but remains a man apart—reserved with his coworkers, distant with his wife. Nat Collier, alone in a new town with only her girls for company, must learn to adapt to the constant upheaval of military life, the fast but shallow friendships that form between military wives, and the gossip-laden dramas that unfold in their tight, smothering community. Nat's free spirit tendencies clash with the unwritten protocols of the domestic military culture and her loneliness and naïveté are refracted in the tight circles that bind her to her home, family, and army life.
Williams presents concurrent streams of tension—the potential failure of a nuclear facility and of a marriage—with a deft and confident hand. She goes deep into her characters, allowing multiple perspectives to shape a singular era with an astonishing command of detail. The reader is immersed in the early 1960s: the vivid descriptions of clothing, furniture, cars, hairstyles, food, language are perfectly integrated, becoming a part of the emotional landscape.
The Longest Night is a quietly powerful novel, its tremors rising from deep under the surface, yet it moves forward with urgency. With intelligence, originality, empathy and beautiful language, Andria Williams has crafted what will surely be one of 2016 most highly-regarded debuts.
My thanks to the publisher, Random House, for providing an Advance Reader Copy for review.
Army specialist Paul Collier is sent from reactor school in Ft. Belvoir, VA to Idaho, his pretty wife and two little girls in tow. Paul, bearing the scars of a difficult childhood, finds shelter in the vivacity and adoration of his wife and daughters, but remains a man apart—reserved with his coworkers, distant with his wife. Nat Collier, alone in a new town with only her girls for company, must learn to adapt to the constant upheaval of military life, the fast but shallow friendships that form between military wives, and the gossip-laden dramas that unfold in their tight, smothering community. Nat's free spirit tendencies clash with the unwritten protocols of the domestic military culture and her loneliness and naïveté are refracted in the tight circles that bind her to her home, family, and army life.
Williams presents concurrent streams of tension—the potential failure of a nuclear facility and of a marriage—with a deft and confident hand. She goes deep into her characters, allowing multiple perspectives to shape a singular era with an astonishing command of detail. The reader is immersed in the early 1960s: the vivid descriptions of clothing, furniture, cars, hairstyles, food, language are perfectly integrated, becoming a part of the emotional landscape.
The Longest Night is a quietly powerful novel, its tremors rising from deep under the surface, yet it moves forward with urgency. With intelligence, originality, empathy and beautiful language, Andria Williams has crafted what will surely be one of 2016 most highly-regarded debuts.
My thanks to the publisher, Random House, for providing an Advance Reader Copy for review.
February 17, 2016
(Nearly 4.5) Utterly absorbing historical fiction. What with the remote setting and the threat of Cold War / nuclear fallout, this is reminiscent of The Last Pilot and The Wives of Los Alamos, but more engaging than either of those. You may also see hints of Richard Yates or even Tom Perrotta’s Little Children in the story of a marriage strained to the breaking point. Each character is fully explored and the early 1960s atmosphere is completely convincing. A great debut and an author I’d like to hear more from.
October 24, 2015
I issue any reader this challenge: just try to put this book down halfway through and then come back to it later. You can’t. Once the pages begin turning, it’s impossible to be away from this story too long. And that’s a high compliment to pay to a debut writer.
Andria Williams channels the life of a military wife in the late 1950s, a time when the illusion of perfection is all-important. Except Natalie Collier -- born in San Diego, now living in remote Idaho Falls – does not fit the mold. Her young husband, Paul, is one of the operators at the CR-1 nuclear reactor, shielding her from a frightening secret: the CR-1 is not anywhere as secure as the town thinks. But then again, neither is their marriage.
“It was improper to be lonely; it was improper to be bored; it was improper, most of all, to be filled with anything like longing.” Nat Collier is filled with all three in a time when gender role distinctions are cemented in stone. Paul must be the strong and silent provider; Nat must be the helpmate who prepares his lunches, irons his uniforms, cares for their young toddlers, and never issues a word of protest.
I am wary to give plot twists but suffice to say this: the book balances electrifying tension with an amazing degree of compassion and insights into characters that are struggling hard to “get it right”. Combine a close lens look at a marriage falling into crisis with Cold War failures and army supervisors that care more for promotions than safety, and you have the makings of a true thriller. Add in the sacrifices taken to protect those we love and it also becomes a thriller with heart. 4.5 -- between "really like" and "amazing."
Andria Williams channels the life of a military wife in the late 1950s, a time when the illusion of perfection is all-important. Except Natalie Collier -- born in San Diego, now living in remote Idaho Falls – does not fit the mold. Her young husband, Paul, is one of the operators at the CR-1 nuclear reactor, shielding her from a frightening secret: the CR-1 is not anywhere as secure as the town thinks. But then again, neither is their marriage.
“It was improper to be lonely; it was improper to be bored; it was improper, most of all, to be filled with anything like longing.” Nat Collier is filled with all three in a time when gender role distinctions are cemented in stone. Paul must be the strong and silent provider; Nat must be the helpmate who prepares his lunches, irons his uniforms, cares for their young toddlers, and never issues a word of protest.
I am wary to give plot twists but suffice to say this: the book balances electrifying tension with an amazing degree of compassion and insights into characters that are struggling hard to “get it right”. Combine a close lens look at a marriage falling into crisis with Cold War failures and army supervisors that care more for promotions than safety, and you have the makings of a true thriller. Add in the sacrifices taken to protect those we love and it also becomes a thriller with heart. 4.5 -- between "really like" and "amazing."
October 18, 2015
Andria Williams may not win any literary awards, but this is a noteworthy, character-driven domestic drama set in 1959-1961, during the time before women’s lib. Wives, especially military wives, had a rigid protocol, and their desires and dreams took a backseat to making their husband’s happy and being outstanding homemakers. Nat (Natalie) Collier is an inner free spirit, not the expected conformist. However, she tries to adapt to her role as wife and mother of two little girls, Sam and Liddie. She was unconventional, whereas her quiet, uptight husband, Paul, aimed to follow the rules. The repressive status quo in family and community dials up the tension.
These are also the years of the prototype nuclear power plant in Idaho Falls (known now as the Idaho National laboratory). History buffs may know the tragic story, and that certain events remain controversial. Williams’ perspective ties in an unstable nuclear rod with an increasingly unstable family. Secrets, lies, and the oppression of formal domestic roles act as a metaphor and cautionary tale. Nat and Paul are recent arrivals in Idaho Falls. The men backslap with each other and keep their feelings locked down; the women covertly size each other up, and the neighbors have nosy natures. Nat feels tense at the arranged dinner parties and around the other army wives, but she craves friends, and is committed to playing the good wife. Beneath the veneer of composure, however, a volatile core resides.
The author does a magnificent job of portraying the era. The rise of the processed foods; cigarettes smoked in closed spaces, in front of small children; the women donned and coiffed like June Cleaver; constant attention to manners; bottle-feeding over breastfeeding; and the men the solo providers. Women don’t have male friends, and certainly don’t entertain fellas while their husbands are at work, and the men don’t show emotion. The double standard is alive and kicking.
As much as Nat tries to conform, she gets lonely sometimes, just for companionship during the long days. She even has to beg her husband for use of the car. Moreover, Paul is guarding a few secrets--one at the nuclear plant, and another of a night out on the town with his boss--information that torments him. But soon his sense of military propriety and the protection of his family are at odds with each other, which cause far-reaching consequences, both at home and with his post.
Williams’ writing is smooth, polished, and rhythmic, the plot well-paced, and the characters complex. The novel is written in the third-person narrative, with alternating chapters headed by the main characters voices, with a few intermittent chapters by another army wife, Jeannie. Her troubles are more sordid, and accentuate the fraud of gender roles and the façade of this military Pleasantville. There are only a few facts that were misapplied (minor and medical), and the one token black woman in the novel had no part to play. Otherwise, this was a solid read, entertaining and informative. My best description of the genre is "literary comfort food."
These are also the years of the prototype nuclear power plant in Idaho Falls (known now as the Idaho National laboratory). History buffs may know the tragic story, and that certain events remain controversial. Williams’ perspective ties in an unstable nuclear rod with an increasingly unstable family. Secrets, lies, and the oppression of formal domestic roles act as a metaphor and cautionary tale. Nat and Paul are recent arrivals in Idaho Falls. The men backslap with each other and keep their feelings locked down; the women covertly size each other up, and the neighbors have nosy natures. Nat feels tense at the arranged dinner parties and around the other army wives, but she craves friends, and is committed to playing the good wife. Beneath the veneer of composure, however, a volatile core resides.
The author does a magnificent job of portraying the era. The rise of the processed foods; cigarettes smoked in closed spaces, in front of small children; the women donned and coiffed like June Cleaver; constant attention to manners; bottle-feeding over breastfeeding; and the men the solo providers. Women don’t have male friends, and certainly don’t entertain fellas while their husbands are at work, and the men don’t show emotion. The double standard is alive and kicking.
As much as Nat tries to conform, she gets lonely sometimes, just for companionship during the long days. She even has to beg her husband for use of the car. Moreover, Paul is guarding a few secrets--one at the nuclear plant, and another of a night out on the town with his boss--information that torments him. But soon his sense of military propriety and the protection of his family are at odds with each other, which cause far-reaching consequences, both at home and with his post.
Williams’ writing is smooth, polished, and rhythmic, the plot well-paced, and the characters complex. The novel is written in the third-person narrative, with alternating chapters headed by the main characters voices, with a few intermittent chapters by another army wife, Jeannie. Her troubles are more sordid, and accentuate the fraud of gender roles and the façade of this military Pleasantville. There are only a few facts that were misapplied (minor and medical), and the one token black woman in the novel had no part to play. Otherwise, this was a solid read, entertaining and informative. My best description of the genre is "literary comfort food."
February 17, 2016
I enjoyed reading this historical fiction novel based upon a deadly nuclear reactor (the SL-1 Nuclear reactor) disaster in the 1960’s. Author Andria Williams is a wife of an active-duty naval officer, thereby adding authenticity to this story of a newly wed couple in an army town in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. “The Longest Night” is also a period piece that focuses on army life, especially that of an army wife.
As the book jacket states, Paul Collier moves his family to Idaho Falls where he begins his job as an Army Specialist to one of our country’s first nuclear reactors. His wife Nat, who was raised in San Diego, where living was structure-less and free, finds the strict rules of military life to be complicated and perplexing. They have two young daughters. Nat is left alone during the day and feels detached and lonely.
The reactor has problems. Paul’s boss is covering up the problems so he can get promoted and move on. In the structure of the army, the reader learns of the helplessness the lower ranking men feel.
My favorite part of the novel though was the exploration of military marriages at that time. The structure of marriages has morphed since the 1960’s. I enjoy reading about what it was like back then. To appreciate military marriages from that time is very intriguing to me. In one of Nat’s musings, Williams writes: ”She (Nat) knew she was supposed to be his angel, because men were inherently unstable and needed a woman’s love the way a pilot needed a compass. Men were the providers and the doers and the protectors of everything—and yet there was something off about them, everybody knew it, something that needed to be sheltered from certain realities, such as childbirth or the sight of a woman without support garments.” At the same time, during one of Paul’s ruminations, Williams writes: “Nat was sometimes not careful, that she neglected to observe the rules other people followed. She didn’t safeguard her honor.”
The military town is like a little Peyton Place: lots of gossip, busy bodies, and loneliness. Nat is young and attempts to navigate her way through the minefield of military life.
It’s a good read. It took me a bit to get into Williams narrative rhythm. It was worth the small struggle. It’s historical fiction with domestic drama. The story did cause me to investigate further the SL-1 explosion.
As the book jacket states, Paul Collier moves his family to Idaho Falls where he begins his job as an Army Specialist to one of our country’s first nuclear reactors. His wife Nat, who was raised in San Diego, where living was structure-less and free, finds the strict rules of military life to be complicated and perplexing. They have two young daughters. Nat is left alone during the day and feels detached and lonely.
The reactor has problems. Paul’s boss is covering up the problems so he can get promoted and move on. In the structure of the army, the reader learns of the helplessness the lower ranking men feel.
My favorite part of the novel though was the exploration of military marriages at that time. The structure of marriages has morphed since the 1960’s. I enjoy reading about what it was like back then. To appreciate military marriages from that time is very intriguing to me. In one of Nat’s musings, Williams writes: ”She (Nat) knew she was supposed to be his angel, because men were inherently unstable and needed a woman’s love the way a pilot needed a compass. Men were the providers and the doers and the protectors of everything—and yet there was something off about them, everybody knew it, something that needed to be sheltered from certain realities, such as childbirth or the sight of a woman without support garments.” At the same time, during one of Paul’s ruminations, Williams writes: “Nat was sometimes not careful, that she neglected to observe the rules other people followed. She didn’t safeguard her honor.”
The military town is like a little Peyton Place: lots of gossip, busy bodies, and loneliness. Nat is young and attempts to navigate her way through the minefield of military life.
It’s a good read. It took me a bit to get into Williams narrative rhythm. It was worth the small struggle. It’s historical fiction with domestic drama. The story did cause me to investigate further the SL-1 explosion.
July 8, 2025
Wow. Didn't expect this historical to be so well written. Williams is very talented and, more than that, has deep empathy for her characters and an understanding of the complexities of relationships. There are no easy answers in this novel, inspired by the only nuclear disaster in the US to take lives.
As a research nerd, I loved how she dove into all aspects of life in 1959 Idaho at the nuclear facility and in the domestic military neighborhood. Know that almost half the novel is written from the perspective of the wife Nat, the sort of main character, and Paul, the military husband who works at the reactor. This should make it appealing to men as well. Williams has no problem writing from the male perspective.
Williams knows how to paint an environment and a room containing multiple points of view with artistry. And even when Nat becomes "friends" with a gentle cowboy and we know the trajectory of the plot (or so we thought), the scenes and dialog are rich with poignancy as each character navigates what is below the surface. You grit your teeth for both of these folks, wanting things to work out.
The Longest Night is an important contribution to the historical fiction world and to shining a light on part of our nation's history, especially relevant now as nuclear energy is in the news and slated to ramp up.
TW: a scattering of crude language (this is the military, after all) and a few scenes of cruelty and abuse. Also very graphic descriptions of what happened to some of the men who were present during the accident. It was all brief enough and easy to skim so that I, a reader who is sensitive to these TWs, managed to read and relish this well-developed novel.
As a research nerd, I loved how she dove into all aspects of life in 1959 Idaho at the nuclear facility and in the domestic military neighborhood. Know that almost half the novel is written from the perspective of the wife Nat, the sort of main character, and Paul, the military husband who works at the reactor. This should make it appealing to men as well. Williams has no problem writing from the male perspective.
Williams knows how to paint an environment and a room containing multiple points of view with artistry. And even when Nat becomes "friends" with a gentle cowboy and we know the trajectory of the plot (or so we thought), the scenes and dialog are rich with poignancy as each character navigates what is below the surface. You grit your teeth for both of these folks, wanting things to work out.
The Longest Night is an important contribution to the historical fiction world and to shining a light on part of our nation's history, especially relevant now as nuclear energy is in the news and slated to ramp up.
TW: a scattering of crude language (this is the military, after all) and a few scenes of cruelty and abuse. Also very graphic descriptions of what happened to some of the men who were present during the accident. It was all brief enough and easy to skim so that I, a reader who is sensitive to these TWs, managed to read and relish this well-developed novel.
November 27, 2015
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was very interested in this book for several reasons. My sister lives in Twin Falls, Idaho and had never heard about this incident nor had I. It also just sounded like a great story, one that would keep my interest as the history of nuclear energy is still being written today.
The gist of the story is listed in the description of the book. We know from the get go what the climax at the end will be. This can be o.k. with me when the rest of the story is enticing me to go on and the characters are interesting and well developed. I’m sad to say I think this might have been a better book had they not let out what the climax would be.
The main characters were Nat and Paul, newly arrived from San Diego, with a new job for Paul at the Nuclear Reactor site in Idaho. They are an intriguing couple to me because they just seemed so wrong for each other from the beginning. Nat is a fun loving, very emotional and nurturing mother to their two little girls. She is a good wife, always supportive of Paul and tries to please him in many ways. Paul is very introverted, and although loving Nat and the girls, he seems to always rein in his emotions. The new job leaves him feeling fearful of the safety of the reactor right from the beginning and he doesn’t respect or like his supervisor. When invited to a party at his home he goes, grudgingly, and doesn’t make any effort to make new friends. Nat on the other hand feels isolated and wants very much to make some friends, go on play dates with the girls, take them to the beach, etc. His actions during the reactor melt down did not show a great concern for those he should want to protect most, his family.
There are other characters, notably Esrom, who befriends Nat and with whom she develops an emotional relationship, never acted upon physically. He is there to help with problems with the house, etc and the girls like him as well.
Rather than rehashing the story, I wanted to say that I think this book had promise, a true incident that is very scary and should be brought out for scrutiny. But the story which revolves around the main event just didn’t do it for me. I know I’m in the minority here but I didn’t feel that urge to turn pages, rather skim through them toward the last third of the book. I kept waiting for something intriguing to happen but it never did.
I really would not recommend this book
I was very interested in this book for several reasons. My sister lives in Twin Falls, Idaho and had never heard about this incident nor had I. It also just sounded like a great story, one that would keep my interest as the history of nuclear energy is still being written today.
The gist of the story is listed in the description of the book. We know from the get go what the climax at the end will be. This can be o.k. with me when the rest of the story is enticing me to go on and the characters are interesting and well developed. I’m sad to say I think this might have been a better book had they not let out what the climax would be.
The main characters were Nat and Paul, newly arrived from San Diego, with a new job for Paul at the Nuclear Reactor site in Idaho. They are an intriguing couple to me because they just seemed so wrong for each other from the beginning. Nat is a fun loving, very emotional and nurturing mother to their two little girls. She is a good wife, always supportive of Paul and tries to please him in many ways. Paul is very introverted, and although loving Nat and the girls, he seems to always rein in his emotions. The new job leaves him feeling fearful of the safety of the reactor right from the beginning and he doesn’t respect or like his supervisor. When invited to a party at his home he goes, grudgingly, and doesn’t make any effort to make new friends. Nat on the other hand feels isolated and wants very much to make some friends, go on play dates with the girls, take them to the beach, etc. His actions during the reactor melt down did not show a great concern for those he should want to protect most, his family.
There are other characters, notably Esrom, who befriends Nat and with whom she develops an emotional relationship, never acted upon physically. He is there to help with problems with the house, etc and the girls like him as well.
Rather than rehashing the story, I wanted to say that I think this book had promise, a true incident that is very scary and should be brought out for scrutiny. But the story which revolves around the main event just didn’t do it for me. I know I’m in the minority here but I didn’t feel that urge to turn pages, rather skim through them toward the last third of the book. I kept waiting for something intriguing to happen but it never did.
I really would not recommend this book
October 9, 2016
I read some of the other reviews on here. I honestly can't find anything wrong with this novel and believe it has a high chance of being the best book that I will have read in 2016. I received a copy from NetGalley, and so it's worth noting that my opinion is honest and unbiased.
Everything about this book is exceptional. From the well-developed characters to the scenery and events that led to what happened at the end, I can't find a single thing that I dislike. I thoroughly enjoyed the way the chapters were systematized, with every character having the opportunity to be showcased. I liked that the narrator gave equal shots to every character. Some were likeable and relatable, while others were not.
In the end, I understood the way everyone was feeling. I got to understand the reasons Paul couldn't, for the love of God, know why Nat was sometimes uneasy or unhappy. I got to understand how Nat developed feelings for somebody else than her husband. Perhaps I'd even done the same thing had I been in her shoes. I liked that A-hole of a Master Sargeant, and even his wife. The gossiping and the neighborhood rumors were like taken out of Revolutionary Road, and I can just say that I'm pretty happy that I don't have to live in the 60s.
The Longest Night was a very well-written book, and all I can say is that I consider myself lucky to have had the chance to read it. I'll be reading everything Andria Williams writes from now on.
http://www.booksforwhat.com/2016/01/n...
Everything about this book is exceptional. From the well-developed characters to the scenery and events that led to what happened at the end, I can't find a single thing that I dislike. I thoroughly enjoyed the way the chapters were systematized, with every character having the opportunity to be showcased. I liked that the narrator gave equal shots to every character. Some were likeable and relatable, while others were not.
In the end, I understood the way everyone was feeling. I got to understand the reasons Paul couldn't, for the love of God, know why Nat was sometimes uneasy or unhappy. I got to understand how Nat developed feelings for somebody else than her husband. Perhaps I'd even done the same thing had I been in her shoes. I liked that A-hole of a Master Sargeant, and even his wife. The gossiping and the neighborhood rumors were like taken out of Revolutionary Road, and I can just say that I'm pretty happy that I don't have to live in the 60s.
The Longest Night was a very well-written book, and all I can say is that I consider myself lucky to have had the chance to read it. I'll be reading everything Andria Williams writes from now on.
http://www.booksforwhat.com/2016/01/n...
October 9, 2015
Although the book is historical in nature, the story is much more than an education in nuclear energy post Korean War. It's a quiet book that examines relationships between couples in different stages, as well as pressure that can impact marriage from superiors within and without the military. Abuses of power that threaten families and safety of others. There is also the quiet, seemingly innocent friendships that blossom that, innocent or not, damage trust within marriages.
The book is much more literary than action packed. The author brings up images of a different time where women's roles were much more clearly defined, smoking inside was the norm, and one car per family was enough. Nuances of childlike behavior are described, even the look and feel of contractions are vividly reminiscent of any woman who has had them. There are rules of propriety and the crossing of those rules was a serious infraction. I appreciated the character who befriended Nat and her reaction to her friendship between Nat and Esrom. Although her reaction seemed harsh, I remember vividly a similar experience from my past. A young husband bought an expensive gift for a woman, not his wife, in the presence of a young man that he had befriended. Knowing that the friend knew of the infidelity made him somehow complicit when husband's actions came out in my mind. The author did a wonderful job of expressing why I could never look at the young friend with any degree of respect after that.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The only reason it isn't getting five stars is because I'm particular about a few inaccuracies that few people would catch. The geography of Utah, the small misperceptions of Mormon people bothered me. Yet Esrom was remarkably accurate in most accounts of what a good Mormon boy might do for sense of duty.
The book is much more literary than action packed. The author brings up images of a different time where women's roles were much more clearly defined, smoking inside was the norm, and one car per family was enough. Nuances of childlike behavior are described, even the look and feel of contractions are vividly reminiscent of any woman who has had them. There are rules of propriety and the crossing of those rules was a serious infraction. I appreciated the character who befriended Nat and her reaction to her friendship between Nat and Esrom. Although her reaction seemed harsh, I remember vividly a similar experience from my past. A young husband bought an expensive gift for a woman, not his wife, in the presence of a young man that he had befriended. Knowing that the friend knew of the infidelity made him somehow complicit when husband's actions came out in my mind. The author did a wonderful job of expressing why I could never look at the young friend with any degree of respect after that.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The only reason it isn't getting five stars is because I'm particular about a few inaccuracies that few people would catch. The geography of Utah, the small misperceptions of Mormon people bothered me. Yet Esrom was remarkably accurate in most accounts of what a good Mormon boy might do for sense of duty.
December 13, 2016
I loved this story of , Nat, an army wife, whose husband, Paul, is assigned to work on one of the first nuclear reactors in a remote rural area. Nat struggles with marriage and isolation, while Paul wrestles with a secret about the nuclear reactor that threatens to endanger them all. Williams writes with great sensitivity about a unique period in 20th century history and deals with timeless themes of loyalty and trust that resonate with us all.
Want to read
October 16, 2015Won in FirstReads giveaway!
January 30, 2018
Digital audiobook performed by Rebecca Lowman, Hillary Huber and MacLeod Andrews
In June 1959, a young military couple moves to Idaho Falls when the husband is assigned to work at one of the country’s first nuclear power plants. Natalie and Paul Collier have two girls, but Nat can’t seem to form any friendships among the other Army wives and she’s lonely and restless. Paul notices some issues with the reactor and feels that his superiors are doing nothing to correct the problems. Tensions build, and it’s a question of what will blow first – the reactor, Paul’s career, or Nat and Paul’s marriage.
I love character-based novels like this. The way in which Williams writes these characters gives great insight into what is going on. The reader is privy to their secret thoughts, their emotions, fears, disappointments, joys, and expectations. Williams gives us three narrators; in addition to Paul and Nat, we also have Jeannie, the wife of Paul’s supervisor, Master Sergeant Richards. Where Paul and Nat are young, in love, with their future ahead of them, Jeannie and her husband have settled into a sort of truce. She puts up with his womanizing and drinking, trying her best to ensure he doesn’t mess up enough to jeopardize his retirement pension. He closes his eyes to Jeannie’s mean-spiritedness, her gossiping and efforts to numb her disappointments with a drink – or a dalliance - of her own.
Add a handsome local cowboy into the mix and things get interesting quickly.
I was interested and engaged from beginning to end and could hardly put it down.
The audiobook is performed by three talented voice artists: Rebecca Lowman, Hillary Huber and MacLeod Andrews. They do a marvelous job. Each takes a different narrator, making it easy to follow the changes in point of view.
In June 1959, a young military couple moves to Idaho Falls when the husband is assigned to work at one of the country’s first nuclear power plants. Natalie and Paul Collier have two girls, but Nat can’t seem to form any friendships among the other Army wives and she’s lonely and restless. Paul notices some issues with the reactor and feels that his superiors are doing nothing to correct the problems. Tensions build, and it’s a question of what will blow first – the reactor, Paul’s career, or Nat and Paul’s marriage.
I love character-based novels like this. The way in which Williams writes these characters gives great insight into what is going on. The reader is privy to their secret thoughts, their emotions, fears, disappointments, joys, and expectations. Williams gives us three narrators; in addition to Paul and Nat, we also have Jeannie, the wife of Paul’s supervisor, Master Sergeant Richards. Where Paul and Nat are young, in love, with their future ahead of them, Jeannie and her husband have settled into a sort of truce. She puts up with his womanizing and drinking, trying her best to ensure he doesn’t mess up enough to jeopardize his retirement pension. He closes his eyes to Jeannie’s mean-spiritedness, her gossiping and efforts to numb her disappointments with a drink – or a dalliance - of her own.
Add a handsome local cowboy into the mix and things get interesting quickly.
I was interested and engaged from beginning to end and could hardly put it down.
The audiobook is performed by three talented voice artists: Rebecca Lowman, Hillary Huber and MacLeod Andrews. They do a marvelous job. Each takes a different narrator, making it easy to follow the changes in point of view.
January 12, 2016
This book has been compared to Revolutionary Road but I thought it was much more interesting. It takes place in the early 1960s and I enjoyed both the historical fiction and the contemporary literature aspects. I also felt as if I learned more about nuclear energy and politics of being a spouse of someone in the military. There is a lot of forshadowing and character development. I found myself wanting to know more about people, whom I would otherwise feel bored about. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this original, empathetic novel!
November 2, 2015
"The Longest Night", debut novel of Andria Williams, is immensely readable. We are immediately swept up in the story of Nat and Paul Collier, a young military couple who in 1959 are assigned by the Army to a problematic nuclear reactor In Idaho. Fans of mid-century settings (e.g.,"Mad Men" and "The Astronaut's Wives Club") will especially enjoy this blast from the past. When a character changes from her "cooking apron to her company apron" as guests arrive, you know you're not in the twenty-first century anymore. Other notable contrasts to present culture:
- no seat belts
- no sunscreen
- everyone smokes (even when pregnant or dying of asbestos poisoning)
- coke came in bottles and beer cans needed openers
- women have to ask to “borrow” the car
- you have to go to Reno for a no-fault divorce
But some things haven't changed, like hiding dangerous information so as not to be blamed, embarrassed, or have your career derailed. While the military has changed in the past 60 years (no one in 1959 would have imagined that we would one day be even contemplating women in combat), the special circumstances of being a military family are still quite unique. There are long deployments and lonely days and nights on both sides. I know from experience that when a loved one is deployed there is a constant “ache” in the head/heart until that person arrives home safely.
The other thing I wanted to note about this novel is how well it describes what it’s like for a married person (even relatively happily married) to have a crush on someone new. I’ll venture to guess that it happens to everyone at some point in their married life; they become attracted to someone new and they even entertain some fantastical thinking and daydreaming about that person, maybe some flirting happens. Unfortunately sometimes these aren’t recognized as the temporary crushes that they are (and can be harmless) but instead a partner in the marriage may “blow up” the whole family to pursue a crush. Williams did an excellent job writing the interior monologue of such an experience.
- no seat belts
- no sunscreen
- everyone smokes (even when pregnant or dying of asbestos poisoning)
- coke came in bottles and beer cans needed openers
- women have to ask to “borrow” the car
- you have to go to Reno for a no-fault divorce
But some things haven't changed, like hiding dangerous information so as not to be blamed, embarrassed, or have your career derailed. While the military has changed in the past 60 years (no one in 1959 would have imagined that we would one day be even contemplating women in combat), the special circumstances of being a military family are still quite unique. There are long deployments and lonely days and nights on both sides. I know from experience that when a loved one is deployed there is a constant “ache” in the head/heart until that person arrives home safely.
The other thing I wanted to note about this novel is how well it describes what it’s like for a married person (even relatively happily married) to have a crush on someone new. I’ll venture to guess that it happens to everyone at some point in their married life; they become attracted to someone new and they even entertain some fantastical thinking and daydreaming about that person, maybe some flirting happens. Unfortunately sometimes these aren’t recognized as the temporary crushes that they are (and can be harmless) but instead a partner in the marriage may “blow up” the whole family to pursue a crush. Williams did an excellent job writing the interior monologue of such an experience.
May 11, 2015
Andria Williams writes about the separation and distance of military life in a way that feels wholly original. As a military spouse, Williams brings every nuance of this world to life, but it’s her brimming talent and startling insight into the fragility and tenacity of marriage that kept me glued to the page.
November 14, 2017
First, I can’t believe this was the author’s debut. It is so well-written, so full of life, yet still tight and tense. She created a cast of empathetic characters and dropped them into this little-known time in America’s early nuclear age. Fascinating and beautiful. Well done. (Oh and what is up with the rating?? Should be well above 4 stars in my opinion.)
January 29, 2016
This fictional story includes events that actually happened; on January 3 1961 an explosion at a nuclear reactor in Idaho Falls, Idaho, killed three men. Adrian Williams opens 'The Longest Night' with what is essentially a prologue to the story, fictional reactor operator, Paul Collier is racing to the site of the nuclear reactor. We don't know what's happened, who's been hurt or what the fallout will bring for the first responders or the surrounding town.
I was curious about the event that inspired this book and eager to read what caused the explosion. Williams portrays an ineffectual supervisor and operators who were, willingly or unwillingly, also complicit in the ultimate failure of the reactor. In my opinion this was the engaging thread of the novel.
Unfortunately the storyline gets derailed by the less interesting picture of the Colliers marriage. We learn Paul's wife, Nat, has a difficult time adjusting to life in Idaho Falls, she befriends a man and becomes very close to him. This creates some problems for her and her marriage. This story takes place in 1960, the relationship Nat has with her friend, Esrom, and the way she conducts herself would set tongues wagging in small town USA in the year 2015. The fact that she didn't seem to understand why there would be talk about her behavior or that what she was doing would get back to her husband made her too ignorant to be a believable character.
Finally three hundred pages later Williams bring us back around to where we began and what I really wanted to read about, the explosion at the nuclear reactor. The author's note doesn't reveal what really led up to the explosion but I thought her portrayal of the situation seemed plausible. The emergency response to the explosion and the cleanup of the site were interesting and frightening.
This novel would have been stronger and more compelling if the events that caused the reactor to fail had been a greater focus. The Colliers marital issues could have been covered with less ground and achieved the same end. Much of what happens between Nat and Esrom is redundant and only served to reinforce my feeling that no one could be so oblivious.
I also felt there was a gap in the depiction of military life. Nat has one friend, Patrice, who spells out what a good army wife does and doesn't do while her husband is deployed. But overall the whole subculture of military life was not depicted very realistically.
The book cover sets up the story and the first chapter takes the reader to the climax. When a novel is revealed in this way the journey to the pivotal event needs to be as interesting as the ending itself otherwise this style of set up deflates the drama rather than builds it up.
Thank you to the Amazon Vine program and Random House for the advance reader's copy
October 12, 2015
Andria Williams has written a compelling novel based on a little-known incident that occurred in Idaho Falls, Idaho in 1961. The control rod of a nuclear reactor was lifted too high and three people were killed as the reactor went "supercritical". As Ms. Williams states in the author's note, this "tragedy has been allowed to fall away from our cultural memory". While the Idaho Falls incident plays a significant part in this novel, the book is primarily about a marriage and how "big historical events play out in the intimate context of a marriage".
The novel takes place in 1959 during the height of the cold war. Paul and Natalie Collier, along with their young daughters, have recently been redeployed from San Diego to Idaho Falls, Idaho. It is before women's lib and women are expected to be there for their husbands and their families, forsaking any personal dreams of their own. In fact, their dreams are expected to revolve around making their families happy - getting dinner on the table at the right time, entertaining in a way that appears effortless, and supporting their husbands' endeavors in every way possible. Nat and Paul arrive in Idaho as young marrieds. Nat is 24 and Paul is 26. They met on a beach in San Diego and married shortly thereafter.
Natalie is not a cookie cutter military wife. She has ideas of her own that don't often meet the expectations of the other wives. She has been known to speak out at dinner parties in unexpected ways. She doesn't always dress to the nines. Paul is dedicated to his job as an overseer for one of our country's first nuclear reactors - the CR1. It doesn't take him long to realize that this reactor has a lot of flaws that are potentially lethal. His boss, Sergeant Mitch Richards spends the majority of his days drinking and covering up the problems with the reactor.
As Paul tries to protect Nat from what he foresees as a potential crisis with the reactor, their marriage suffers. He becomes more and more stressed and the couple grow distant from one another without realizing what is at the crux of the matter. As Paul puts his job on the line to try and bring attention to the problems at hand, Nat turns to another man for the emotional support that she is not getting at home.
Ms. Williams is uses the issues of the reactor's decay, along with the cultural expectations of the time, as a metaphor for the state of the Collier's marriage. This is a suspenseful book and one that speaks to the reader on many levels. Ms. Williams is a fine writer and it is difficult to believe that this is her debut novel.
Why no voting bu
The novel takes place in 1959 during the height of the cold war. Paul and Natalie Collier, along with their young daughters, have recently been redeployed from San Diego to Idaho Falls, Idaho. It is before women's lib and women are expected to be there for their husbands and their families, forsaking any personal dreams of their own. In fact, their dreams are expected to revolve around making their families happy - getting dinner on the table at the right time, entertaining in a way that appears effortless, and supporting their husbands' endeavors in every way possible. Nat and Paul arrive in Idaho as young marrieds. Nat is 24 and Paul is 26. They met on a beach in San Diego and married shortly thereafter.
Natalie is not a cookie cutter military wife. She has ideas of her own that don't often meet the expectations of the other wives. She has been known to speak out at dinner parties in unexpected ways. She doesn't always dress to the nines. Paul is dedicated to his job as an overseer for one of our country's first nuclear reactors - the CR1. It doesn't take him long to realize that this reactor has a lot of flaws that are potentially lethal. His boss, Sergeant Mitch Richards spends the majority of his days drinking and covering up the problems with the reactor.
As Paul tries to protect Nat from what he foresees as a potential crisis with the reactor, their marriage suffers. He becomes more and more stressed and the couple grow distant from one another without realizing what is at the crux of the matter. As Paul puts his job on the line to try and bring attention to the problems at hand, Nat turns to another man for the emotional support that she is not getting at home.
Ms. Williams is uses the issues of the reactor's decay, along with the cultural expectations of the time, as a metaphor for the state of the Collier's marriage. This is a suspenseful book and one that speaks to the reader on many levels. Ms. Williams is a fine writer and it is difficult to believe that this is her debut novel.
Why no voting bu
December 31, 2015
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was very interested in this book for several reasons. My sister lives in Twin Falls, Idaho and had never heard about this incident nor had I. It also just sounded like a great story, one that would keep my interest as the history of nuclear energy is still being written today.
The gist of the story is listed in the description of the book. We know from the get go what the climax at the end will be. This can be o.k. with me when the rest of the story is enticing me to go on and the characters are interesting and well developed. I’m sad to say I think this might have been a better book had they not let out what the climax would be.
The main characters were Nat and Paul, newly arrived from San Diego, with a new job for Paul at the Nuclear Reactor site in Idaho. They are an intriguing couple to me because they just seemed so wrong for each other from the beginning. Nat is a fun loving, very emotional and nurturing mother to their two little girls. She is a good wife, always supportive of Paul and tries to please him in many ways. Paul is very introverted, and although loving Nat and the girls, he seems to always rein in his emotions. The new job leaves him feeling fearful of the safety of the reactor right from the beginning and he doesn’t respect or like his supervisor. When invited to a party at his home he goes, grudgingly, and doesn’t make any effort to make new friends. Nat on the other hand feels isolated and wants very much to make some friends, go on play dates with the girls, take them to the beach, etc. His actions during the reactor melt down did not show a great concern for those he should want to protect most, his family.
There are other characters, notably Esrom, who befriends Nat and with whom she develops an emotional relationship, never acted upon physically. He is there to help with problems with the house, etc and the girls like him as well.
Rather than rehashing the story, I wanted to say that I think this book had promise, a true incident that is very scary and should be brought out for scrutiny. But the story which revolves around the main event just didn’t do it for me. I know I’m in the minority here but I didn’t feel that urge to turn pages, rather skim through them toward the last third of the book. I kept waiting for something intriguing to happen but it never did.
I really would not recommend this book
I was very interested in this book for several reasons. My sister lives in Twin Falls, Idaho and had never heard about this incident nor had I. It also just sounded like a great story, one that would keep my interest as the history of nuclear energy is still being written today.
The gist of the story is listed in the description of the book. We know from the get go what the climax at the end will be. This can be o.k. with me when the rest of the story is enticing me to go on and the characters are interesting and well developed. I’m sad to say I think this might have been a better book had they not let out what the climax would be.
The main characters were Nat and Paul, newly arrived from San Diego, with a new job for Paul at the Nuclear Reactor site in Idaho. They are an intriguing couple to me because they just seemed so wrong for each other from the beginning. Nat is a fun loving, very emotional and nurturing mother to their two little girls. She is a good wife, always supportive of Paul and tries to please him in many ways. Paul is very introverted, and although loving Nat and the girls, he seems to always rein in his emotions. The new job leaves him feeling fearful of the safety of the reactor right from the beginning and he doesn’t respect or like his supervisor. When invited to a party at his home he goes, grudgingly, and doesn’t make any effort to make new friends. Nat on the other hand feels isolated and wants very much to make some friends, go on play dates with the girls, take them to the beach, etc. His actions during the reactor melt down did not show a great concern for those he should want to protect most, his family.
There are other characters, notably Esrom, who befriends Nat and with whom she develops an emotional relationship, never acted upon physically. He is there to help with problems with the house, etc and the girls like him as well.
Rather than rehashing the story, I wanted to say that I think this book had promise, a true incident that is very scary and should be brought out for scrutiny. But the story which revolves around the main event just didn’t do it for me. I know I’m in the minority here but I didn’t feel that urge to turn pages, rather skim through them toward the last third of the book. I kept waiting for something intriguing to happen but it never did.
I really would not recommend this book
February 17, 2016
An absorbing novel about the only fatal nuclear meltdown to happen on US soil, The Longest Night blends together flavors of Richard Yates and Paula McClain's fact-based historical fiction. It's the story of a strained marriage in a place--Idaho--in an era--1961--that hasn't yet become accepting of anything unconventional. But it's also the story of a man who knows something is very, very wrong but isn't sure what, if anything, he can do about it.
There's a long, slow build-up to a disaster that you know is coming but Williams manages to maintain tension throughout. Nat and Paul are both dealing with it on multiple fronts and it inevitably bleeds into their relationship. The disintegration of their marriage is both fueled and mirrored by the problems with the nuclear reactor on which Paul works. His higher-ups have been covering up problems with the reactor, and his fears pull him away from his wife and family--literally and metaphorically. As is commonly seen in fiction exploring mid-century marriages, Nat is a bored housewife constricted by the mores of an era that isolate her at home with her children and little else to occupy her mind aside from domesticity. Like Paul, she's unhappy with practically no recourse. It's a parallel that might seem rather obvious, but Williams handles it well.
This is a good, though not quite great, book that's ideally suited for fans of domestic drama or historical fiction. Andria Williams is definitely a writer to keep an eye on!
There's a long, slow build-up to a disaster that you know is coming but Williams manages to maintain tension throughout. Nat and Paul are both dealing with it on multiple fronts and it inevitably bleeds into their relationship. The disintegration of their marriage is both fueled and mirrored by the problems with the nuclear reactor on which Paul works. His higher-ups have been covering up problems with the reactor, and his fears pull him away from his wife and family--literally and metaphorically. As is commonly seen in fiction exploring mid-century marriages, Nat is a bored housewife constricted by the mores of an era that isolate her at home with her children and little else to occupy her mind aside from domesticity. Like Paul, she's unhappy with practically no recourse. It's a parallel that might seem rather obvious, but Williams handles it well.
This is a good, though not quite great, book that's ideally suited for fans of domestic drama or historical fiction. Andria Williams is definitely a writer to keep an eye on!
January 15, 2016
Two years, or maybe even a year ago, I would not have described myself as a fan of historical fiction; this seems odd, considering I spent the majority of my university career studying history and that I chose to earn two degrees related to history. Maybe I experienced some burn out after all of that work, or maybe I just hadn't been reading the right historical fiction for me; nevertheless, I find that there are certain time periods and topics that suck me right in.
In addition, I've also found that I love exploring debut authors; like some of the characters in her debut novel, Andria Williams is an army wife and I believe that she has produced a sparkling, dramatic freshman effort. The Longest Night has many elements that I love: set in the mid to late '50s in the midwest; characters with depth who harbor secrets; tense family relationships (aren't they all?); based on an interesting, not-often-discussed historical event; and unexpected twists.
Paul Collier is a true army man, loyal to his core, yet he begins to question some of the details of his assignment; his questioning, left without voice, bleeds over into every other area of his life until he is consumed by it.
Nat, his wife, struggles to fulfill her role as dutiful army wife; especially when her husband is deployed, suddenly, and she is left to care for her two young daughters on her own.
There's Paul's boss, Master Sergeant Richards, who...(continue reading at http://wp.me/p4EAyf-1FP)
In addition, I've also found that I love exploring debut authors; like some of the characters in her debut novel, Andria Williams is an army wife and I believe that she has produced a sparkling, dramatic freshman effort. The Longest Night has many elements that I love: set in the mid to late '50s in the midwest; characters with depth who harbor secrets; tense family relationships (aren't they all?); based on an interesting, not-often-discussed historical event; and unexpected twists.
Paul Collier is a true army man, loyal to his core, yet he begins to question some of the details of his assignment; his questioning, left without voice, bleeds over into every other area of his life until he is consumed by it.
Nat, his wife, struggles to fulfill her role as dutiful army wife; especially when her husband is deployed, suddenly, and she is left to care for her two young daughters on her own.
There's Paul's boss, Master Sergeant Richards, who...(continue reading at http://wp.me/p4EAyf-1FP)
October 19, 2015
Thanks Random House Publishing Group - Random House and netgalley for this arc.
This is a clutch your jaw, cringing, throat stopping a scream kind of book. The era is greatly depicted and the characters stay in their times so well. I had no idea it was like this in the 60's so its great to get a slice of life and learn about a little known nuclear event.
This is a clutch your jaw, cringing, throat stopping a scream kind of book. The era is greatly depicted and the characters stay in their times so well. I had no idea it was like this in the 60's so its great to get a slice of life and learn about a little known nuclear event.
September 14, 2017
The tensions in this book are amazing - slow-growing, flaring at appropriate moments in the plot, almost all character-driven and all moving relentlessly to a climax that was surprising, understandable, just perfect. The time (1959-1961), place (Idaho Falls) and event (nuclear accident) were so well written that they became a character in and of themselves.
But it was the development of Nat, her husband Paul, co-workers Master Sergeant Richards, his wife Jeannie and Esrom that made this one of the best books read this year. Real people, real emotions - couldn't put the book down and so sorry to have it end.
But it was the development of Nat, her husband Paul, co-workers Master Sergeant Richards, his wife Jeannie and Esrom that made this one of the best books read this year. Real people, real emotions - couldn't put the book down and so sorry to have it end.
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