What do you think?
Rate this book
Chernobyl 01:23:40: The Incredible True Story of the World's Worst Nuclear Disaster
At 01:23:40 on April 26th 1986, Alexander Akimov pressed the emergency shutdown button at Chernobyl’s fourth nuclear reactor. It was an act that forced the permanent evacuation of a city, killed thousands and crippled the Soviet Union. The event spawned decades of conflicting, exaggerated and inaccurate stories. This book, the result of five years of research, presents an accessible but comprehensive account of what really happened. From the desperate fight to prevent a burning reactor core from irradiating eastern Europe, to the self-sacrifice of the heroic men who entered fields of radiation so strong that machines wouldn’t work, to the surprising truth about the legendary ‘Chernobyl divers’, all the way through to the USSR’s final show-trial. The historical narrative is interwoven with a story of the author’s own spontaneous journey to Ukraine’s still-abandoned city of Pripyat and the wider Chernobyl Zone. Complete with over 45 pages of photographs of modern-day Pripyat and technical diagrams of the power station, Chernobyl 01:23:40 is a fascinating new account of the world’s worst nuclear disaster.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 26, 2016
1885 people are currently reading
11134 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 714 reviews
November 9, 2021
5 stars.
my tumblr review
Here is a collection of pictures taken by the author that can help to have a perspective of how's Chernobyl these days.
Chernobyl is an event that caught my attention a lot back in 2017 and I started to research in depth about various aspects of the subject: how a damn nuclear reactor works (I had no idea how exactly nuclear physics works, and I still have some problems), what kind of mistakes (both mechanical and human) led to the catastrophe, how this impacted the people who were on duty at the nuclear power plant at that time, the firefighters, the people who were evacuated, the doctors and nurses attending people, the people in charge, and above all, the earth itself. However, this last topic (with several more) I will cover in the review of the other book I read accompanying this one.
The HBO series also helped to get a little more perspective on the subject.
This book explains how a nuclear reactor works, its components. Although it also mentions more nuclear disasters and background to nuclear power plants: weapons and how they decided to use radium, uranium and plutonium to turn them into weapons and death. How this has affected millions of people and led them to death or made them suffer from chronic diseases such as cancer, malformations and congenital diseases that are not always external.
As someone who has a deep passion and zeal for history and for the various universal historical events that have had a great impact on humanity, I could not pass up the opportunity to read this book. It is worth mentioning that I had to look for extra information about certain people, places, accidents, events and elements that I did not know until today, but that helped me to have a better understanding of what really happened in the nuclear plant and how an RBMK reactor works, or at least those that had been built at that time and were in operation.
Certain things really caught my attention, and mainly it was the brutal honesty with which the author of the book criticized the way in which real and relevant data was covered up and lied to a population that had no idea of what was going on; also the cheap way in which the Soviet government dealt with the situation and the few funds they actually invested in the construction of the RBMK reactors, despite knowing the technical failures they suffered from.
While this nuclear disaster that affected the world's population is a mixture of human and mechanical errors, I think I prefer to focus more on the human ones. I do not deny for any reason that mechanical errors played a major role in the disaster, but I still struggle to fully understand how nuclear power works and some aspects of nuclear physics that I will never fully understand. From my point of view, human errors are a bit easier to explain (mind you, explain, not justify).
The creation of nuclear power plants for clean energy was a discovery that revolutionized the world and basically said that it was a "clean" way of obtaining electricity. However, I wonder, is it really a viable way? And although not everything about it is bad, we have clear examples of human-caused accidents where it shows that this is not always the case. In any case, once this viable way of providing electricity to cities with millions of inhabitants (more if the cities are huge) was discovered, reactors of all types began to be built (I will not mention much beyond the RMBK because I do not know them and I do not know how they work; sorry, I am not a nuclear physicist and I barely know the periodic table, lmao) and in some countries, after studies and tests, it was proven that they were not harmful to human health... Or at least not as we think.
I was surprised to see the author mention that for the creation of the RMBKs, or for the Chernobyl plant specifically, cheap uranium was used. I don't know the actual cost, or of that time for that matter, of the materials to build and operate a nuclear plant, but I assume they shouldn't be cheap, as they are gambling a little more than a fire in some room or near some reactor. We are talking about a situation that would cost millions of dollars to assemble properly, to do the necessary tests and to prove its effectiveness.
The stinginess to save more money sentenced the nuclear power plant in the first place. The design of the RMBK was a cost-cutting policy, since the complexity of the RMBK required double the costs and the omission of certain elements that the reactor was required by law to have, contributed to the catastrophe we know today. Such an incomplete reactor should never have been designed, built, let alone approved.
My doubts arise from all this: did they never believe that any failure or accident was going to happen? Did they think they were invincible? Did they really believe that a poorly tested machine would work? The USSR made a terrible mistake in letting this go, even when there were 444 active reactors at the time. I don't know if man's arrogance got the better of him enough to stupidly decide that an incomplete and cheap project would actually work and not fail. Invincibility is not a characteristically human trait. Although some Soviet ministers were informed of the deficiency before the choice of reactor type, they decided to select the RMBK.
Men. Foolish. Stingy. Arrogant.
"The widespread belief at the time was that the RMBK could never cause a major accident because industry safety standards were always going to be respected. Extra safety measures, they decided, were not necessary."
You know, I love the word decided. Because decided implies that someone in charge ignored the sense of logic and threw THOUSANDS of people into the void who either lost their lives very early or suffered the long-term consequences of it. Someone else sentenced them, and apparently did not care, or at least did not believe there would be catastrophic repercussions.
Before the Chernobyl accident in 1982, another serious accident related to the RMBK design occurred at the Leningrad nuclear power plant in November 1975. At the end of 1983 in Lithuania RMBK reactors were tested and immediate failures were found, something the Soviets must have already known about, but for some reason beyond my comprehension chose to ignore.
Diatlov's stubbornness in denying what was happening, even when the reactor had already exploded and the alarms were sounding, seems incredible to me. It is unbelievably stupid that of all the culprits and the punishments they could have received, many officials were simply dismissed and fired, expelled from the Communist Party and after trials, a few were sentenced to 10 years in prison or less. It makes me angry, because for these foolish, stubborn and renegade people, thousands and millions paid the price.
Nuclear weapons will never be the solution to absolutely nothing. No military or political conflict (I have always categorized these as man's stupidity and arrogance in not being able to resolve conflicts peacefully, or simply because he chooses to display his weaponry) is worth the lives of millions of human beings.
That the USSR hid the real information from the Soviet people was a colossal mistake, as well as Briujanov and Fomin deciding to say that it was just a fire or a minor explosion and assuring the big politicians in Moscow that everything was fine, when there were already hundreds exposed to radiation.
All this and more could really have been avoided if there was a little common sense.
In retrospect, it is an extremely interesting book and contains a lot of digestible information and it is written by someone who visited the exclusion zone and wanted to explain in a simpler way the events of what happened on April 26, 1986 at Chernobyl.
I don't know if I'm wrong in something, and if I do, please feel free to correct me nicely!
my tumblr review
“Those whose bodies were recovered are buried in welded zinc coffins, to prevent their radioactive remains from contaminating the soil.”
Here is a collection of pictures taken by the author that can help to have a perspective of how's Chernobyl these days.
Chernobyl is an event that caught my attention a lot back in 2017 and I started to research in depth about various aspects of the subject: how a damn nuclear reactor works (I had no idea how exactly nuclear physics works, and I still have some problems), what kind of mistakes (both mechanical and human) led to the catastrophe, how this impacted the people who were on duty at the nuclear power plant at that time, the firefighters, the people who were evacuated, the doctors and nurses attending people, the people in charge, and above all, the earth itself. However, this last topic (with several more) I will cover in the review of the other book I read accompanying this one.
The HBO series also helped to get a little more perspective on the subject.
This book explains how a nuclear reactor works, its components. Although it also mentions more nuclear disasters and background to nuclear power plants: weapons and how they decided to use radium, uranium and plutonium to turn them into weapons and death. How this has affected millions of people and led them to death or made them suffer from chronic diseases such as cancer, malformations and congenital diseases that are not always external.
As someone who has a deep passion and zeal for history and for the various universal historical events that have had a great impact on humanity, I could not pass up the opportunity to read this book. It is worth mentioning that I had to look for extra information about certain people, places, accidents, events and elements that I did not know until today, but that helped me to have a better understanding of what really happened in the nuclear plant and how an RBMK reactor works, or at least those that had been built at that time and were in operation.
Certain things really caught my attention, and mainly it was the brutal honesty with which the author of the book criticized the way in which real and relevant data was covered up and lied to a population that had no idea of what was going on; also the cheap way in which the Soviet government dealt with the situation and the few funds they actually invested in the construction of the RBMK reactors, despite knowing the technical failures they suffered from.
While this nuclear disaster that affected the world's population is a mixture of human and mechanical errors, I think I prefer to focus more on the human ones. I do not deny for any reason that mechanical errors played a major role in the disaster, but I still struggle to fully understand how nuclear power works and some aspects of nuclear physics that I will never fully understand. From my point of view, human errors are a bit easier to explain (mind you, explain, not justify).
The creation of nuclear power plants for clean energy was a discovery that revolutionized the world and basically said that it was a "clean" way of obtaining electricity. However, I wonder, is it really a viable way? And although not everything about it is bad, we have clear examples of human-caused accidents where it shows that this is not always the case. In any case, once this viable way of providing electricity to cities with millions of inhabitants (more if the cities are huge) was discovered, reactors of all types began to be built (I will not mention much beyond the RMBK because I do not know them and I do not know how they work; sorry, I am not a nuclear physicist and I barely know the periodic table, lmao) and in some countries, after studies and tests, it was proven that they were not harmful to human health... Or at least not as we think.
I was surprised to see the author mention that for the creation of the RMBKs, or for the Chernobyl plant specifically, cheap uranium was used. I don't know the actual cost, or of that time for that matter, of the materials to build and operate a nuclear plant, but I assume they shouldn't be cheap, as they are gambling a little more than a fire in some room or near some reactor. We are talking about a situation that would cost millions of dollars to assemble properly, to do the necessary tests and to prove its effectiveness.
The stinginess to save more money sentenced the nuclear power plant in the first place. The design of the RMBK was a cost-cutting policy, since the complexity of the RMBK required double the costs and the omission of certain elements that the reactor was required by law to have, contributed to the catastrophe we know today. Such an incomplete reactor should never have been designed, built, let alone approved.
My doubts arise from all this: did they never believe that any failure or accident was going to happen? Did they think they were invincible? Did they really believe that a poorly tested machine would work? The USSR made a terrible mistake in letting this go, even when there were 444 active reactors at the time. I don't know if man's arrogance got the better of him enough to stupidly decide that an incomplete and cheap project would actually work and not fail. Invincibility is not a characteristically human trait. Although some Soviet ministers were informed of the deficiency before the choice of reactor type, they decided to select the RMBK.
Men. Foolish. Stingy. Arrogant.
"The widespread belief at the time was that the RMBK could never cause a major accident because industry safety standards were always going to be respected. Extra safety measures, they decided, were not necessary."
You know, I love the word decided. Because decided implies that someone in charge ignored the sense of logic and threw THOUSANDS of people into the void who either lost their lives very early or suffered the long-term consequences of it. Someone else sentenced them, and apparently did not care, or at least did not believe there would be catastrophic repercussions.
Before the Chernobyl accident in 1982, another serious accident related to the RMBK design occurred at the Leningrad nuclear power plant in November 1975. At the end of 1983 in Lithuania RMBK reactors were tested and immediate failures were found, something the Soviets must have already known about, but for some reason beyond my comprehension chose to ignore.
Diatlov's stubbornness in denying what was happening, even when the reactor had already exploded and the alarms were sounding, seems incredible to me. It is unbelievably stupid that of all the culprits and the punishments they could have received, many officials were simply dismissed and fired, expelled from the Communist Party and after trials, a few were sentenced to 10 years in prison or less. It makes me angry, because for these foolish, stubborn and renegade people, thousands and millions paid the price.
Nuclear weapons will never be the solution to absolutely nothing. No military or political conflict (I have always categorized these as man's stupidity and arrogance in not being able to resolve conflicts peacefully, or simply because he chooses to display his weaponry) is worth the lives of millions of human beings.
That the USSR hid the real information from the Soviet people was a colossal mistake, as well as Briujanov and Fomin deciding to say that it was just a fire or a minor explosion and assuring the big politicians in Moscow that everything was fine, when there were already hundreds exposed to radiation.
All this and more could really have been avoided if there was a little common sense.
In retrospect, it is an extremely interesting book and contains a lot of digestible information and it is written by someone who visited the exclusion zone and wanted to explain in a simpler way the events of what happened on April 26, 1986 at Chernobyl.
I don't know if I'm wrong in something, and if I do, please feel free to correct me nicely!
March 4, 2019
Chernobyl 01:23:40: The Incredible True Story of the World's Worst Nuclear Disaster by Andrew Leatherbarrow was not what I was expecting. I am being generous when I give it two stars. No, two stars is a fair rating; it IS OK.
The book gives a very short history of pioneering research of atoms and radiation. The difficulties involved in finding safe and clean global energy sources other than nuclear energy is stressed, the author stating that he personally favors nuclear energy but only when rigorous safety routines are in place. Nuclear accidents other than the Chernobyl meltdown on April 26, 1986, are briefly spoken of, for example an earlier accident at Chernobyl on September 9, 1982 which lead to a partial meltdown, the Japanese accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima Prefecture, caused by the tsunami following the Tōhoku earthquake of March 11, 2011 and the partial meltdown of reactor number two at Three-Mile Island near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in the US on March 25, 1979. Symptoms of acute radiation syndrome are covered. The events at Chernobyl that led to the disaster in 1986 are discussed—how it came to be that a test had to be run and then was delayed until late in the evening when untrained personnel were on duty. Decontamination after the disaster and the lack of appropriate equipment to carry this out safely is discussed. There is a chapter on the building of the sarcophagus, the temporary shelter constructed to confine the radioactive material in reactor four. There are chapters on Pripyat, the village where those who worked at Chernobyl lived. Why the accident occurred and its consequences are discussed too. There were design flaws in the reactors and security routines were inadequate. This could not be publicly proclaimed, so blame was shifted to operators.
The book does provide information, but the information is not well organized. Secondly, technical information is not made clear to a layperson. I read this to better understand what happened at the meltdown, and this I still do not understand. The author explicitly states his intention is to explain what happened in a simple manner since the books he had read on the topic were too complicated. After completing the book I remain confused!
The author had not intended for the book to be published; he wrote it originally for himself. I think this shows. An editor offered to look at the script free of cost, and the author accepted, but the text still needs to be better organized and tightened.
The book is short. I hoped it would be concise and to the point. It isn’t. It goes off in different directions. The author speaks of his own visit to Chernobyl in 2011. He wanted to take pictures. He tells us how he didn’t take clothes but did take tons of photo equipment. He recounts what he saw at the site but then gets sidetracked. He speaks about other tourist attractions he visited in Kiev and how enthralling it was to stop and test shoot a Kalashnikov. Really now, does that belong here?
Numbers, statistics and dimensions are heaped on the reader without proper explanation so they can be interpreted.
Michael Page narrates the audiobook. Much of it is read too fast. I had to listen six times to be able to write down where the author’s Chernobyl photos are available on the net. I did not find this site to be accessible!
I learned a bit, but the book is poorly organized and technical information is too often unclear.
The book gives a very short history of pioneering research of atoms and radiation. The difficulties involved in finding safe and clean global energy sources other than nuclear energy is stressed, the author stating that he personally favors nuclear energy but only when rigorous safety routines are in place. Nuclear accidents other than the Chernobyl meltdown on April 26, 1986, are briefly spoken of, for example an earlier accident at Chernobyl on September 9, 1982 which lead to a partial meltdown, the Japanese accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima Prefecture, caused by the tsunami following the Tōhoku earthquake of March 11, 2011 and the partial meltdown of reactor number two at Three-Mile Island near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in the US on March 25, 1979. Symptoms of acute radiation syndrome are covered. The events at Chernobyl that led to the disaster in 1986 are discussed—how it came to be that a test had to be run and then was delayed until late in the evening when untrained personnel were on duty. Decontamination after the disaster and the lack of appropriate equipment to carry this out safely is discussed. There is a chapter on the building of the sarcophagus, the temporary shelter constructed to confine the radioactive material in reactor four. There are chapters on Pripyat, the village where those who worked at Chernobyl lived. Why the accident occurred and its consequences are discussed too. There were design flaws in the reactors and security routines were inadequate. This could not be publicly proclaimed, so blame was shifted to operators.
The book does provide information, but the information is not well organized. Secondly, technical information is not made clear to a layperson. I read this to better understand what happened at the meltdown, and this I still do not understand. The author explicitly states his intention is to explain what happened in a simple manner since the books he had read on the topic were too complicated. After completing the book I remain confused!
The author had not intended for the book to be published; he wrote it originally for himself. I think this shows. An editor offered to look at the script free of cost, and the author accepted, but the text still needs to be better organized and tightened.
The book is short. I hoped it would be concise and to the point. It isn’t. It goes off in different directions. The author speaks of his own visit to Chernobyl in 2011. He wanted to take pictures. He tells us how he didn’t take clothes but did take tons of photo equipment. He recounts what he saw at the site but then gets sidetracked. He speaks about other tourist attractions he visited in Kiev and how enthralling it was to stop and test shoot a Kalashnikov. Really now, does that belong here?
Numbers, statistics and dimensions are heaped on the reader without proper explanation so they can be interpreted.
Michael Page narrates the audiobook. Much of it is read too fast. I had to listen six times to be able to write down where the author’s Chernobyl photos are available on the net. I did not find this site to be accessible!
I learned a bit, but the book is poorly organized and technical information is too often unclear.
November 11, 2019
It's very much a case of the game of two halves - one being the reasonable account of the 1986 accident at the VI Lenin nuclear power plant, it's causes (mainly to do with design flaws in the reactor and wholly inadequate safety provisions within the reactor containment building, although poor training and institutional inertia, and good old Soviet blindness also play a part) and the dreadfully flawed containment programme which would have got the book for stars.
Unfortunately the second half is a horribly self-indulgent account of a short trip by the author to Chernobyl and Pripyat - which could have been fascinating, were he not fixated on how close the environment is to computer games, out how important it is for him to play Minecraft at the disaster site, our how often he misses out on real life by watching it through a viewfinder. This would be more manageable if the story of the disaster was told before moving on to the travelogue, but the mixing of a chapter on the historical disaster with a chapter on tourism in the Ukraine jarred, split the narrative fatally and would have netted two stars.
So I've gone for the average of three stars - enjoy the introduction to nuclear power and the tale of the worst nuclear disaster in history, and get through the rest as best you can.
Unfortunately the second half is a horribly self-indulgent account of a short trip by the author to Chernobyl and Pripyat - which could have been fascinating, were he not fixated on how close the environment is to computer games, out how important it is for him to play Minecraft at the disaster site, our how often he misses out on real life by watching it through a viewfinder. This would be more manageable if the story of the disaster was told before moving on to the travelogue, but the mixing of a chapter on the historical disaster with a chapter on tourism in the Ukraine jarred, split the narrative fatally and would have netted two stars.
So I've gone for the average of three stars - enjoy the introduction to nuclear power and the tale of the worst nuclear disaster in history, and get through the rest as best you can.
June 16, 2019
On April 26, 1986 the fourth reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (officially named the Vladmir Ilyich Lenin Nuclear Power Plant) exploded during a test, releasing huge amounts of radiation and contamination into a large section of Ukraine. The USSR fought to control the contamination while striving to prevent the accident becoming an embarrassment to the communist nation. I was a senior in high school at the time. I remember the initial news stories stated that an unknown nuclear event of some type had been traced to the soviet union by European nuclear scientists based on increased radiation picked up by monitoring equipment. It took days for the USSR to admit there had been an accident. As more details slowly came out, it became a frightening tale of emergency workers dying of radiation and thousands of people permanently evacuated from their homes. I have always been curious to know more about the causes and aftermath of the accident. I've seen many, many photos of the abandoned city of Pripyat and watched documentaries about the accident and clean-up efforts, effects on wildlife in the exclusion zone around the accident site, and the long-term effects on the estimated 2.1 million people who still live in areas contaminated by the accident. I enjoyed the recent 4-part HBO miniseries on Chernobyl and wanted to read more. That's how I came across this book by Andrew Leatherbarrow.
Leatherbarrow was also interested in the accident, its causes and effects, but found most books and information to be too technical for those outside the nuclear field to fully understand. He spent years researching and wrote about what he learned, publishing it online for free download. He carefully edited his work based on reader input....and later published his findings in book form. He presents an interesting and factual account not only of the Chernobyl accident, but also gives facts about the history of nuclear energy, other accidents that have occurred and the safety of nuclear power versus other forms of energy production. He talks in depth about a tour he took to the site in 2011.
I listened to this book on audio. Narrated by Michael Page, the audio is about 6.5 hours long. Page reads at a nice pace and brings the narrative to life. I enjoyed this entire book! I found the author's research and presentation of the facts to be sound and very interesting. I also enjoyed his personal account about his trip to Ukraine to tour the exclusion zone. After listening to this account, I want to watch the miniseries again because I think I have a greater understanding of the events now.
I learned a lot from this book, not only about the accident but about nuclear power in general. Very informative and enjoyable! I highly recommend it to anyone interested in knowing more about Chernobyl.
Leatherbarrow was also interested in the accident, its causes and effects, but found most books and information to be too technical for those outside the nuclear field to fully understand. He spent years researching and wrote about what he learned, publishing it online for free download. He carefully edited his work based on reader input....and later published his findings in book form. He presents an interesting and factual account not only of the Chernobyl accident, but also gives facts about the history of nuclear energy, other accidents that have occurred and the safety of nuclear power versus other forms of energy production. He talks in depth about a tour he took to the site in 2011.
I listened to this book on audio. Narrated by Michael Page, the audio is about 6.5 hours long. Page reads at a nice pace and brings the narrative to life. I enjoyed this entire book! I found the author's research and presentation of the facts to be sound and very interesting. I also enjoyed his personal account about his trip to Ukraine to tour the exclusion zone. After listening to this account, I want to watch the miniseries again because I think I have a greater understanding of the events now.
I learned a lot from this book, not only about the accident but about nuclear power in general. Very informative and enjoyable! I highly recommend it to anyone interested in knowing more about Chernobyl.
March 18, 2020
Ένα ιδιαίτερα καλογραμμένο βιβλίο από έναν άνθρωπο που ήδη από την αρχή του βιβλίου δεν αυτοπροσδιορίζεται ως συγγραφέας.
Η δομή του βιβλίου ακολουθεί ένα περίεργο θα έλεγα μοτίβο που συνήθως δε το συναντά κάποιος σε μη μυθιστορηματικά έργα όταν και ο συγγραφέας επιλέγει διηγείται την ιστορία του ταξιδιού του παράλληλα με την πραγματική ιστορία του Τσέρνομπιλ. Βρήκα ιδιαίτερα ενδιαφέρον και ζήλεψα λίγο ομολογώ την δυνατότητα που είχε να επισκεφτεί το εργοστάσιο, θα ήθελα πολύ να το κάνω και εγώ. Ιδιαίτερο επίσης το τελευταίο κομμάτι του βιβλίου με φωτογραφίες από την άδεια εδώ και 35 χρόνια πόλη και τον περιβάλλοντα χώρο του εργοστασίου.
Δε ξέρω εάν όντως βασίστηκε η σειρά του Netflix στο βιβλίο αυτό αλλά έχοντας δει την σειρά και διαβάσει το βιβλίο, έχω την αίσθηση ότι η σειρά θα μπορούσε να συμπεριλάβει και να παρουσιάσει αρκετά ακόμα στοιχεία. Όπως και να έχει, σίγουρα είναι ένα ενδιαφέρον βιβλίο και προτείνεται σε όποιον έχει ακόμα ζωντανό ενδιαφέρον για την ιστορία αυτή.
Η δομή του βιβλίου ακολουθεί ένα περίεργο θα έλεγα μοτίβο που συνήθως δε το συναντά κάποιος σε μη μυθιστορηματικά έργα όταν και ο συγγραφέας επιλέγει διηγείται την ιστορία του ταξιδιού του παράλληλα με την πραγματική ιστορία του Τσέρνομπιλ. Βρήκα ιδιαίτερα ενδιαφέρον και ζήλεψα λίγο ομολογώ την δυνατότητα που είχε να επισκεφτεί το εργοστάσιο, θα ήθελα πολύ να το κάνω και εγώ. Ιδιαίτερο επίσης το τελευταίο κομμάτι του βιβλίου με φωτογραφίες από την άδεια εδώ και 35 χρόνια πόλη και τον περιβάλλοντα χώρο του εργοστασίου.
Δε ξέρω εάν όντως βασίστηκε η σειρά του Netflix στο βιβλίο αυτό αλλά έχοντας δει την σειρά και διαβάσει το βιβλίο, έχω την αίσθηση ότι η σειρά θα μπορούσε να συμπεριλάβει και να παρουσιάσει αρκετά ακόμα στοιχεία. Όπως και να έχει, σίγουρα είναι ένα ενδιαφέρον βιβλίο και προτείνεται σε όποιον έχει ακόμα ζωντανό ενδιαφέρον για την ιστορία αυτή.
January 26, 2019
Frankly, I didn't understand many of the technical terms that the author included, but you don't have to in order to realize the magnitude of the disaster whuch took place. I know that some reviewers complained about the author's spacing of the chapters with those about the disaster and ones about the personal trip taken by the author. This didn't bother me too much although his immaturity did show in his attitude about the use of his camera. He reminded me of a small boy with his first Brownie, but I do give him credit for not just sitting at home muttering, "Isn't that too bad." He wanted to know, and to help others to understand, so he went to see for himself.
Chernobyl and Fukushima show what can happen with poor designs, the possibility of weather-related catastrophes, and human errors. The truth is that all the money that is spent cannot guarantee 100% safety. Nuclear energy certainly does have its benefits, but it also represents the possibility of the unthinkable. As Robert Oppenheimer once quoted, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."
Chernobyl and Fukushima show what can happen with poor designs, the possibility of weather-related catastrophes, and human errors. The truth is that all the money that is spent cannot guarantee 100% safety. Nuclear energy certainly does have its benefits, but it also represents the possibility of the unthinkable. As Robert Oppenheimer once quoted, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."
June 29, 2020
Un pugno nello stomaco.
L'autore descrive minuziosamente questo evento catastrofico e spiega molto bene il funzionamento dei reattori nucleari delle centrali del ex URSS (l'ho capito anch'io che non ci capisco un acca di chimica e ingenieria quindi vi potete fidare!).
In alcuni capitoli ho fatto veramente fatica a continuare a leggere perché spiega dettagliatamente cosa le reazioni nucleari fanno agli esseri umani e vi giuro è stato come ricevere un pugno nello stomaco!!
Non gli ho dato 4 stelle perché l'alternare il racconto alla visita che l'autore fece in quei luoghi distrae e non rende il discorso lineare!
L'autore descrive minuziosamente questo evento catastrofico e spiega molto bene il funzionamento dei reattori nucleari delle centrali del ex URSS (l'ho capito anch'io che non ci capisco un acca di chimica e ingenieria quindi vi potete fidare!).
In alcuni capitoli ho fatto veramente fatica a continuare a leggere perché spiega dettagliatamente cosa le reazioni nucleari fanno agli esseri umani e vi giuro è stato come ricevere un pugno nello stomaco!!
Non gli ho dato 4 stelle perché l'alternare il racconto alla visita che l'autore fece in quei luoghi distrae e non rende il discorso lineare!
February 26, 2019
I am terribly sorry to be so negative towards an author who actually admits in the preface that he is inexperienced writer, doesn't specialize in nuclear physics, doesn't speak/read Russian/Ukrainian, is not a historian, but is interested in Chernobyl because he used to play a computer game and because of the aesthetics of an abandoned town.
This is a book of two narratives. The one, which makes people read this book, is the description of the nuclear explosion and its aftermath. In this respect, there is nothing new in this book, no revelation, no new insight. The events of the catastrophe are described accurately - just as in a Wikipedia article - plus the author provides the reader with his impressions and thoughts, which are quite irrelevant. There are relevatively long quotes from other books - which is understandable, because at least those authors HAD SOMETHING to say about the disaster, unlike Mr. Leatherbarrow.
The second narrative was immensely vexing. The author describes his commercial and paid-for excursion to the Exclusion Zone, where he did nothing much but took pictures of what was left of the town of Pripyat. All the irrelevant details are described, such as how he got from Scotland to a London airport (by train), what he ate for dinner while in the Zone (icecream), who borrowed him money for the trip (his parents) and how much it cost (1000 GBP), etc. It felt like watching a youtuber talking about his/her recent city break. Mr. Leatherbarrow could have taken the pains to at least learn some Ukrainian to talk to the people who live nearby, because they have more to say about the disaster than he himself. Because he didn't bother, this part of the book is a self-absorbed diary of a foreigner who never got any closer to understanding the country he went to.
All in all, this book is a waste of perfectly good paper. However, I still think it is good that people talk about the catastrophe, that's why I give 2 stars.
This is a book of two narratives. The one, which makes people read this book, is the description of the nuclear explosion and its aftermath. In this respect, there is nothing new in this book, no revelation, no new insight. The events of the catastrophe are described accurately - just as in a Wikipedia article - plus the author provides the reader with his impressions and thoughts, which are quite irrelevant. There are relevatively long quotes from other books - which is understandable, because at least those authors HAD SOMETHING to say about the disaster, unlike Mr. Leatherbarrow.
The second narrative was immensely vexing. The author describes his commercial and paid-for excursion to the Exclusion Zone, where he did nothing much but took pictures of what was left of the town of Pripyat. All the irrelevant details are described, such as how he got from Scotland to a London airport (by train), what he ate for dinner while in the Zone (icecream), who borrowed him money for the trip (his parents) and how much it cost (1000 GBP), etc. It felt like watching a youtuber talking about his/her recent city break. Mr. Leatherbarrow could have taken the pains to at least learn some Ukrainian to talk to the people who live nearby, because they have more to say about the disaster than he himself. Because he didn't bother, this part of the book is a self-absorbed diary of a foreigner who never got any closer to understanding the country he went to.
All in all, this book is a waste of perfectly good paper. However, I still think it is good that people talk about the catastrophe, that's why I give 2 stars.
July 16, 2020
2.5 stars. Chernobyl is a fascinating topic, but honestly, just watch the HBO series. There’s a ton of interesting information here and mostly well presented, but it doesn’t add anything particularly special.
And I genuinely wanted to like the sections about the author’s trip to Ukraine, but they left me wanting. Which makes me feel like an asshole, saying I was bored by reading about such an impactful time in someone’s life. But I still can’t lie about liking something.
I certainly didn’t hate it. If you’re newer to the subject, maybe you’ll like this more.
And I genuinely wanted to like the sections about the author’s trip to Ukraine, but they left me wanting. Which makes me feel like an asshole, saying I was bored by reading about such an impactful time in someone’s life. But I still can’t lie about liking something.
I certainly didn’t hate it. If you’re newer to the subject, maybe you’ll like this more.
June 23, 2019
Interesting account of the disaster at Chernobyl. The author has never been published before, but had an almost obsessive interest in the topic. Enough to push him to visit the Exclusion Zone and surrounding areas with other tourists and take thousands of photographs. This is a nice addition to the other books on Chernobyl. Plenty of footnotes are provided as is a website to the photos not included in the book.
June 8, 2017
Andrew Leatherbarrow’s Chernobyl 01:23:40: The Incredible True Story of the World’s Worst Nuclear Disaster is an excellent starting point for readers new to the history of nuclear power. When I’m at home, I am just barely outside the fallout range for Arkansas Nuclear One (ANO). While I’m at work, I’m in the reactor’s back yard. As a result, I figured there was no better time to learn a thing or two about nuclear energy. I was not disappointed.
Chernobyl 01:23:40 is the product of a spontaneous trip Leatherbarrow took to visit the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and Pripyat. In this book, he details his experience in Chernobyl, explains nuclear energy in easy to grasp terms, and discusses the incidents leading up to and after the disaster. For those that know little to nothing about nuclear energy, this book is a must-read.
Despite our close proximity to ANO, I cannot recall learning about nuclear energy. As children, our teachers explained what to do in case of an incident at the plant and nothing else. As expected, due to lack of education about reactors and their failsafes, I grew up with an unnecessary fear of ANO. For this reason, I am grateful for Leatherbarrow’s book. What happened at Chernobyl is the product of failure to follow protocol; it is also the result of improper training. Because there are so many safety precautions, the chance of incident is actually fairly small. (Also, ANO is not an RBMK-1000 reactor like Chernobyl.)
In addition to this fear, I have a vested interest in Chernobyl. It’s haunting photos, like all ghost towns, leave me in awe. There is no doubt in my mind that Leatherbarrow spent a long time conducting research. Using various sources, he has crafted a detailed narrative of what happened at Chernobyl. His book also gives voice to some of the reactor’s victims.
Nuclear energy is dangerous. I will not deny that. However, it is also our cleanest resource. While Chernobyl 01:23:40 is only a glimpse into the world of nuclear power, it is a truly eye-opening account brimming with facts.
Chernobyl 01:23:40 is the product of a spontaneous trip Leatherbarrow took to visit the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and Pripyat. In this book, he details his experience in Chernobyl, explains nuclear energy in easy to grasp terms, and discusses the incidents leading up to and after the disaster. For those that know little to nothing about nuclear energy, this book is a must-read.
Despite our close proximity to ANO, I cannot recall learning about nuclear energy. As children, our teachers explained what to do in case of an incident at the plant and nothing else. As expected, due to lack of education about reactors and their failsafes, I grew up with an unnecessary fear of ANO. For this reason, I am grateful for Leatherbarrow’s book. What happened at Chernobyl is the product of failure to follow protocol; it is also the result of improper training. Because there are so many safety precautions, the chance of incident is actually fairly small. (Also, ANO is not an RBMK-1000 reactor like Chernobyl.)
In addition to this fear, I have a vested interest in Chernobyl. It’s haunting photos, like all ghost towns, leave me in awe. There is no doubt in my mind that Leatherbarrow spent a long time conducting research. Using various sources, he has crafted a detailed narrative of what happened at Chernobyl. His book also gives voice to some of the reactor’s victims.
Nuclear energy is dangerous. I will not deny that. However, it is also our cleanest resource. While Chernobyl 01:23:40 is only a glimpse into the world of nuclear power, it is a truly eye-opening account brimming with facts.
June 23, 2016
Love it, very detailed about what really happened to the Chernobyl disaster, where occured in Ukraine in 1986. It gives a feeling how horrible was the night, where all started falling apart till the people suffered later on due to radioactivity exposure consequences. Must read if you are a curious reader about Chernobyl disaster, not to mention photos which contains in the book. I recomend readers above 18 due to certain complexity in terms of language and some details that probably younsters wouldn't follow/understand very well. :) Cheers
May 22, 2019
I read this immediately—and I mean immediately—after finishing Midnight in Chernobyl (Possible title for world’s most unromantic song?) which was a good book, yet I found this short history to be extremely informative on many things not touched by Midnight in Chernobyl.
I especially like his step-by-step break down of just exactly what went wrong on that fateful morning in April of 1986 (at precisely 01:23:40 as the title suggests). This was the author’s stated purpose for writing the book and he does a great job of it.
This is basically what went wrong at Chernobyl and this book explains it better than any other account I have read over the years:
It all seems perfectly insane when you read this. It’s like someone…how do I say this? Let me quote from the epigraph of this book written by someone more qualified than I to comment on the subject:
So, what Valeri Legasov said before he hung himself.
The book makes an attempt to estimate the fatalities caused by the accident, but the figures vary wildly from one “study” to the next. I think that we can safely assume that “a lot” is about the most accurate number we will ever have about the deaths related to the accident and subsequent radioactive fall-out.
The USSR never recovered; Chernobyl is seen as one of the primary catalysts behind its collapse.
I agree whole-heartedly with this statement. It wasn’t Ronald F-ing Reagan who brought the USSR to its knees, it was their own bureaucratic malignancy.
The author’s personal photographs of the Chernobyl area are as haunting as anything written about the subject. The photographs beg for yet another book—if it hasn’t been written already—about the human suffering of the people of Pripyat, the city abandoned after the accident. Imagine if you were told that you had a couple of hours to abandon your home forever and were only allowed to bring a couple of suitcases. What did all of these people do? It is something I have thought about ever since I learned many, many years ago that the city was evacuated.
I especially like his step-by-step break down of just exactly what went wrong on that fateful morning in April of 1986 (at precisely 01:23:40 as the title suggests). This was the author’s stated purpose for writing the book and he does a great job of it.
This is basically what went wrong at Chernobyl and this book explains it better than any other account I have read over the years:
The principal concern of a nuclear reactor - particularly an RBMK reactor, because of its graphite moderator - is that cooling water continuously flows into the core. Without it there could be an explosion or meltdown. Pumps driving the flow of water rely on electricity generated by the plant’s own turbines, but in the event of a blackout the electrical supply can be switched to the national grid. If that fails, diesel generators on site will automatically start up to power the water pumps, but these take about 50 seconds to gather enough energy to operate the massive pumps. There are six emergency tanks containing a combined 250 tons of pressurised water which can be injected into the core within 3.5 seconds, but an RBMK reactor needs around 37,000 tons of water per hour - 10 tons-per-second - so 250 tons does not cover the 50 second gap.
Thus: 100 the test of a ‘run-down unit’. If a power failure occurred, the fission reaction would still be producing heat, while the remaining water in the pipes would continue its momentum for a short time and therefore steam would still be produced. In turn, the turbines would still rotate and generate electricity, albeit at an exponentially falling capacity. This residual electricity could be used to drive the water pumps for a few vital moments, giving the diesel generators sufficient time to get up to speed and take over, and it’s the hardware behind this that was being tested.
…In order to open the plant ahead of schedule, Chernobyl’s Plant Manager Viktor Bryukhanov, along with members of various Ministries involved with the construction and testing of a new plant, signed off on safety tests that were never conducted, with the unwritten promise of completing them later. As reckless as it sounds, this was fairly routine practise in the USSR, as completing work ahead of schedule entitled everyone involved to significant bonuses and awards.
The afternoon staff had been briefed on the test and knew exactly what to do, but their shift ended and they went home. Evening staff took over, but then they too left, leaving the relatively inexperienced night crew - who had never conducted a test before - the responsibility of starting a test they were not prepared for and had not anticipated doing.
To make matters worse, Unit 4 was at the end of a fuel cycle. One of the features of the RBMK design is ‘online refuelling’, which is the ability to swap out spent fuel while the reactor is at power. Because fuel burn-up is not even throughout the core, it was not uncommon for the reactor to contain both new and old fuel, which was usually replaced every two years. On April 26 th, around 75% of the fuel was nearing the end of its cycle. 102 This old fuel had, by now, been given time to accumulate hot and highly radioactive fission products, meaning any interruption in the flow of cooling water could quickly damage the older fuel channels and generate heat faster than the reactor was designed to cope with.
Unit 4 was scheduled for a lengthy shutdown and annual maintenance period upon conclusion of the test, during which all of the old fuel would be replaced. It would have been far more sensible to conduct the test with fresh fuel, but management decided to push ahead anyway.
It all seems perfectly insane when you read this. It’s like someone…how do I say this? Let me quote from the epigraph of this book written by someone more qualified than I to comment on the subject:
“Imagine personnel of a plane which is flying very high. Whilst flying they begin testing the plane, opening the doors of the plane, shutting off various systems... The facts show that even such a situation should have been foreseen by the designers.” - Valeri Legasov, USSR Delegation Leader, 25-29 August 1986, Vienna.
So, what Valeri Legasov said before he hung himself.
The book makes an attempt to estimate the fatalities caused by the accident, but the figures vary wildly from one “study” to the next. I think that we can safely assume that “a lot” is about the most accurate number we will ever have about the deaths related to the accident and subsequent radioactive fall-out.
The USSR never recovered; Chernobyl is seen as one of the primary catalysts behind its collapse.
I agree whole-heartedly with this statement. It wasn’t Ronald F-ing Reagan who brought the USSR to its knees, it was their own bureaucratic malignancy.
The author’s personal photographs of the Chernobyl area are as haunting as anything written about the subject. The photographs beg for yet another book—if it hasn’t been written already—about the human suffering of the people of Pripyat, the city abandoned after the accident. Imagine if you were told that you had a couple of hours to abandon your home forever and were only allowed to bring a couple of suitcases. What did all of these people do? It is something I have thought about ever since I learned many, many years ago that the city was evacuated.
October 1, 2020
Книгата много наподобява редица други по темата, като тази:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
която последно четох. В интерес на истината е издадена преди нея (2016 г.) - явно е гонела 30-годишнината от трагичните събития. Но предпочитанията ми отиват към Adam Higginbotham и неговия документален преглед. Този, на непознат за мен автор, е някак по-любителски (да го кажем). По-кратък и с по-неуверен разказвачески глас. Нищо ново, нищо за оспорване. Просто поредната документалка по темата. Дето се казва - по-добре изгледайте пак сериала на HBO.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
която последно четох. В интерес на истината е издадена преди нея (2016 г.) - явно е гонела 30-годишнината от трагичните събития. Но предпочитанията ми отиват към Adam Higginbotham и неговия документален преглед. Този, на непознат за мен автор, е някак по-любителски (да го кажем). По-кратък и с по-неуверен разказвачески глас. Нищо ново, нищо за оспорване. Просто поредната документалка по темата. Дето се казва - по-добре изгледайте пак сериала на HBO.
April 29, 2020
L’autore è pure simpatico ma per tutta la durata della lettura ho continuato a pensare che forse un blog che descrivesse il suo viaggio a Chernobyl sarebbe stato più onesto che far pubblicare un libro.
Oltre alla sua personale visita al sito, Leatherbarrow non aggiunge altro ai fatti avvenuti il 26 aprile del 1986; avrei potuto leggere forse qualcosa di più approfondito a riguardo anche su Internet, impegnandomi un po’ nella ricerca.
Le opinioni personali dell’autore, buttate lì stile diario di bordo, infatti, a tratti mi hanno fatto cadere le braccia.
Oltre alla sua personale visita al sito, Leatherbarrow non aggiunge altro ai fatti avvenuti il 26 aprile del 1986; avrei potuto leggere forse qualcosa di più approfondito a riguardo anche su Internet, impegnandomi un po’ nella ricerca.
Le opinioni personali dell’autore, buttate lì stile diario di bordo, infatti, a tratti mi hanno fatto cadere le braccia.
February 2, 2017
The first few chapters were what I needed for a writing project (which caused some interesting feverish nuclear holocaust nightmares), so I'm glad I have it—seems pretty popular generally also xD
January 27, 2020
Angie Willard - per RFS
.
26 aprile 1986 ore 01:23:40
La data che ha cambiato per sempre il corso della storia.
Per cercare di spiegarvi la gravità delle conseguenze di quello che è successo quella notte, vi basti pensare che il volume e l’intensità delle particelle radioattive disperse nell’atmosfera equivalgano a dieci bombe di Hiroshima, ben cinquanta tonnellate di combustibile nucleare vaporizzato nell’atmosfera, trascinate via in una nube tossica che si sarebbe diffusa in buona parte dell’Europa.
Andrew Leatherbarrow, lo scrittore di questo libro, intraprende un viaggio nei luoghi del disastro; quello che si percepisce immediatamente è la passione di questo giovane ragazzo nel narrare il proprio iter, dalle sue parole traspare tutta la curiosità e lo stupore per quanto lo circonda. Ho apprezzato particolarmente l’idea di inserire delle foto, affinché fossimo ancora più coinvolti e ci rendessimo ancora più conto della situazione con questo forte impatto visivo.
Il personale dello stabilimento di Chernobyl fu eroico quella notte, nel vero senso della parola. Nessuno fuggì, rimasero tutti ai loro posti pronti a sacrificare se stessi per scongiurare un’altra esplosione. Si sono rimboccati le maniche per sistemare quel disastro e impedire la diffusione della radioattività in tutto il mondo, sono stati disposti a fare qualunque cosa fosse necessaria, alcuni ben consapevoli di quanto stavano affrontando, altri invece non immaginavano a cosa stavano andando incontro. Migliaia di uomini e donne hanno rinunciato alla propria vita e alla propria salute per tutti noi, ma il loro gesto eroico non ha trovato un riscontro successivo, infatti purtroppo, il governo li ha sostanzialmente dimenticati. E se i pompieri, il personale della fabbrica o i liquidatori non fossero stati così altruisti nella loro battaglia per contenere gli effetti del disastro? Cosa ne sarebbe stato di tutti noi?
L’incidente di quella fatidica notte ha avuto ripercussioni globali significative e durature.
Agli effetti del disastro di Chernobyl viene dedicata un’attenzione senza precedenti da parte di studiosi provenienti da tutto il mondo, tuttavia è impossibile quantificare con precisione il numero effettivo di vittime causate da questo incidente e il reale impatto su tutti noi, in quanto l’area di contaminazione è troppo vasta e problemi di salute derivanti dall’esposizione sono difficili da attribuire direttamente alle radiazioni. Molti disturbi si sono manifestati soltanto a distanza di anni o decenni, basti considerare che i casi di malformazioni, deformità congenite e leucemia nei bambini sono notevolmente aumentati nell’arco di cinque anni dall’incidente, così come un significativo incremento, nelle aree colpite, di tutti i tipi di cancro, mentre la mortalità infantile e perinatale, ritardo dello sviluppo mentale, malattie neuropsicologiche, cecità e malattie dell’apparato respiratorio, cardiovascolare, gastrointestinale, urogenitale ed endocrino sono arrivate a sfiorare cifre inenarrabili.
Libro assolutamente consigliato, non mancano descrizioni tecniche e particolareggiate, ma chi si appresta a una lettura del genere ne è ben consapevole, i toni vengono alleggeriti dal racconto del viaggio intrapreso da Andrew, che lo ha portato alla scoperta dei luoghi direttamente colpiti dal disastro.
.
26 aprile 1986 ore 01:23:40
La data che ha cambiato per sempre il corso della storia.
Per cercare di spiegarvi la gravità delle conseguenze di quello che è successo quella notte, vi basti pensare che il volume e l’intensità delle particelle radioattive disperse nell’atmosfera equivalgano a dieci bombe di Hiroshima, ben cinquanta tonnellate di combustibile nucleare vaporizzato nell’atmosfera, trascinate via in una nube tossica che si sarebbe diffusa in buona parte dell’Europa.
Andrew Leatherbarrow, lo scrittore di questo libro, intraprende un viaggio nei luoghi del disastro; quello che si percepisce immediatamente è la passione di questo giovane ragazzo nel narrare il proprio iter, dalle sue parole traspare tutta la curiosità e lo stupore per quanto lo circonda. Ho apprezzato particolarmente l’idea di inserire delle foto, affinché fossimo ancora più coinvolti e ci rendessimo ancora più conto della situazione con questo forte impatto visivo.
Il personale dello stabilimento di Chernobyl fu eroico quella notte, nel vero senso della parola. Nessuno fuggì, rimasero tutti ai loro posti pronti a sacrificare se stessi per scongiurare un’altra esplosione. Si sono rimboccati le maniche per sistemare quel disastro e impedire la diffusione della radioattività in tutto il mondo, sono stati disposti a fare qualunque cosa fosse necessaria, alcuni ben consapevoli di quanto stavano affrontando, altri invece non immaginavano a cosa stavano andando incontro. Migliaia di uomini e donne hanno rinunciato alla propria vita e alla propria salute per tutti noi, ma il loro gesto eroico non ha trovato un riscontro successivo, infatti purtroppo, il governo li ha sostanzialmente dimenticati. E se i pompieri, il personale della fabbrica o i liquidatori non fossero stati così altruisti nella loro battaglia per contenere gli effetti del disastro? Cosa ne sarebbe stato di tutti noi?
L’incidente di quella fatidica notte ha avuto ripercussioni globali significative e durature.
Agli effetti del disastro di Chernobyl viene dedicata un’attenzione senza precedenti da parte di studiosi provenienti da tutto il mondo, tuttavia è impossibile quantificare con precisione il numero effettivo di vittime causate da questo incidente e il reale impatto su tutti noi, in quanto l’area di contaminazione è troppo vasta e problemi di salute derivanti dall’esposizione sono difficili da attribuire direttamente alle radiazioni. Molti disturbi si sono manifestati soltanto a distanza di anni o decenni, basti considerare che i casi di malformazioni, deformità congenite e leucemia nei bambini sono notevolmente aumentati nell’arco di cinque anni dall’incidente, così come un significativo incremento, nelle aree colpite, di tutti i tipi di cancro, mentre la mortalità infantile e perinatale, ritardo dello sviluppo mentale, malattie neuropsicologiche, cecità e malattie dell’apparato respiratorio, cardiovascolare, gastrointestinale, urogenitale ed endocrino sono arrivate a sfiorare cifre inenarrabili.
Libro assolutamente consigliato, non mancano descrizioni tecniche e particolareggiate, ma chi si appresta a una lettura del genere ne è ben consapevole, i toni vengono alleggeriti dal racconto del viaggio intrapreso da Andrew, che lo ha portato alla scoperta dei luoghi direttamente colpiti dal disastro.
September 12, 2017
What a fascinating read! A detailed but easy to follow account of the disaster, interspersed with diary style chapters about the author's trip to Chernobyl. Admittedly these parts were of slightly less interest, and I found myself wishing there were more of his own photos. Overall, a really interesting and sobering read.
February 18, 2023
الكتاب ملئ بالمعلومات القيمة وايضا المشاهد المؤلمة الخاصة بحادثة تشرنوبل لكن يعيب عليه فقط هو وجود بعض المصطلحات العلمية الصعبة والتى أوجدت شعور بالملل في بعض أجزاء الكتاب
April 18, 2018
A very straightforward and downright spare account of the massive nuclear meltdown in Chernobyl. The author states early in the prologue that he wrote this book for his own sake, since there were very few accounts of the disaster. He researched the events leading up to the accident, the event itself, and the cleanup efforts, such as they are. He even took a trip to the location of the remains of the power plant to see and record what remains in the area.
I recommend this book to those who are interested in the accident and the response, or lack thereof, of the Soviet Union.
I recommend this book to those who are interested in the accident and the response, or lack thereof, of the Soviet Union.
November 7, 2025
تُعد كارثة تشرنوبل واحدة من أهم الأحداث العالمية البارزة التي يصعب تصديقها. ورغم تصنيف هذا الحادث السادس في ترتيب حوادث التلوث بالإشعاعات النووية على مستوى العالم، إلا أنه اعتُبر أسوأ ثالث حادث تلوث في التاريخ من حيث العواقب.
يقدم الكتاب في بدايته لمحة موجزة عن الطاقة الذرية وإمكاناتها الهائلة، وكيف يمكن استغلالها لتحقيق كمية لا حدود لها من الطاقة القادرة على تحريك السفن والطائرات والمصانع، أو استخدامها كسلاح حربي ذي قوة تدمير فائقة للغاية.
في سياق الاستخدام السلمي، مثلت محطة تشرنوبل للطاقة النووية - التي كانت أول محطة تُشيد في البلاد - قمة التطور، واعتُبرت الأفضل والأكثر اعتمادًا عليها ضمن المنشآت الذرية السوفيتية.
ففي يوم ٢٦ أبريل ١٩٨٦م، وبسبب إجراء اختبار في المفاعل رقم أربعة، وقعت أسوأ كارثة نووية في التاريخ. حيث حدث انفجار في المفاعل أدى إلى تناثر ٥٠ طناً من الوقود النووي الذي تبخر وتناثر، وحملته الرياح على شكل سحابة سامة انتشرت فوق كل أوروبا.
لكن وسط هذه الكارثة، ظهر موظفو وفنيو تشرنوبل كأبطال حقيقيين بمعنى الكلمة. فلم يهربوا حتى عندما أتيح لهم ذلك الخيار، وبدلاً من ذلك ظلوا في مراكزهم ولم يفكروا في مخاطر الإشعاعات إلا بعدما شعروا بآثارها المدمرة على أجسادهم.
يقدم الكتاب في بدايته لمحة موجزة عن الطاقة الذرية وإمكاناتها الهائلة، وكيف يمكن استغلالها لتحقيق كمية لا حدود لها من الطاقة القادرة على تحريك السفن والطائرات والمصانع، أو استخدامها كسلاح حربي ذي قوة تدمير فائقة للغاية.
في سياق الاستخدام السلمي، مثلت محطة تشرنوبل للطاقة النووية - التي كانت أول محطة تُشيد في البلاد - قمة التطور، واعتُبرت الأفضل والأكثر اعتمادًا عليها ضمن المنشآت الذرية السوفيتية.
ففي يوم ٢٦ أبريل ١٩٨٦م، وبسبب إجراء اختبار في المفاعل رقم أربعة، وقعت أسوأ كارثة نووية في التاريخ. حيث حدث انفجار في المفاعل أدى إلى تناثر ٥٠ طناً من الوقود النووي الذي تبخر وتناثر، وحملته الرياح على شكل سحابة سامة انتشرت فوق كل أوروبا.
لكن وسط هذه الكارثة، ظهر موظفو وفنيو تشرنوبل كأبطال حقيقيين بمعنى الكلمة. فلم يهربوا حتى عندما أتيح لهم ذلك الخيار، وبدلاً من ذلك ظلوا في مراكزهم ولم يفكروا في مخاطر الإشعاعات إلا بعدما شعروا بآثارها المدمرة على أجسادهم.
May 7, 2023
This book is written by someone passionate about the subject (although the prose may seem a little dry), and gives a good account of this disaster, but some other interesting information too. It is also succinct 😉
November 8, 2018
The author effectively lowered my expectations by initially describing his difficulties obtaining the material and organizing it, with family obligations at home and so on. Then when I saw he put long quoted passages in italics, I thought, oh boy this book will be a train wreck. It's not, though, it's good and interesting, realistic, grim, haunting, and unpretentious.
This was my first time reading about Chernobyl, so I didn't know what to expect, and I can't compare it to other books. The author did a terrific job for someone who wrote this mainly out of sheer interest and determination. The photos, though few, show the emptiness of the contamination zone and the scale of the disaster. The reason for the radiation leak wasn't human error, but rather a fatal flaw in the design of the plant. On April 25, 1986, the night of the leak, the force of the explosion blew the roof off, leaving the stunned, terrified employees looking up at the night's sky while radiation scorched their skin black. Fifty tons of deadly steam escaped into the air that night, turning the nearby forest bright red as trees, soil, and water were burned where they stood. The military barricaded the escape routes from the nearby town of Pripyat, (northern Ukraine) leaving desperate mothers to flee with their children through the contaminated forest, pushing their babies in prams through the toxic air. Over the next few weeks, many first-responders, pilots, nurses, ambulance drivers, military personnel, doctors, hospital staff, and their families, neighbors, and children died horribly of radiation exposure. Their skin rotten and their organs failed. The number was placed at 4,000 dead in the immediate aftermath, but authorities were far from honest about these numbers. It may have been much higher.
One aspect that intrigued me was how the ruling Communist Party acted quickly and efficiently to cover up the events at every turn, in order to protect the USSR's nuclear program. I would've liked more information on this, but it could probably be another entire book, so I won't fault the author for not expanding on it.
This was my first time reading about Chernobyl, so I didn't know what to expect, and I can't compare it to other books. The author did a terrific job for someone who wrote this mainly out of sheer interest and determination. The photos, though few, show the emptiness of the contamination zone and the scale of the disaster. The reason for the radiation leak wasn't human error, but rather a fatal flaw in the design of the plant. On April 25, 1986, the night of the leak, the force of the explosion blew the roof off, leaving the stunned, terrified employees looking up at the night's sky while radiation scorched their skin black. Fifty tons of deadly steam escaped into the air that night, turning the nearby forest bright red as trees, soil, and water were burned where they stood. The military barricaded the escape routes from the nearby town of Pripyat, (northern Ukraine) leaving desperate mothers to flee with their children through the contaminated forest, pushing their babies in prams through the toxic air. Over the next few weeks, many first-responders, pilots, nurses, ambulance drivers, military personnel, doctors, hospital staff, and their families, neighbors, and children died horribly of radiation exposure. Their skin rotten and their organs failed. The number was placed at 4,000 dead in the immediate aftermath, but authorities were far from honest about these numbers. It may have been much higher.
One aspect that intrigued me was how the ruling Communist Party acted quickly and efficiently to cover up the events at every turn, in order to protect the USSR's nuclear program. I would've liked more information on this, but it could probably be another entire book, so I won't fault the author for not expanding on it.
October 14, 2019
★★
Spinto dall'interesse per l'argomento dopo aver visto la bellissima miniserie "Chernobyl" della HBO ho preso questo libro sperando di approfondire ancora di più le conoscenze sul peggior disastro nucleare della storia.
Per chiunque compri questo libro, se pensa di trovarsi davanti ad un saggio esaustivo su Chernobyl, beh è in errore, perché si tratta invece di un ibrido tra una narrazione di fatti storici intervallata a capitoli autobiografici del viaggio a Chernobyl e Prypiat dell'autore nel 2011. E questo è il primo grosso difetto, perché questi capitoli sanno tanto di tema della medie, soprattutto per le riflessioni personali di Leatherbarrow incredibilmente banali e scontate.
C'è un secondo difetto: l'autore entra nel contenuto del libro esternando in maniera fin troppo diretta e triviale le propri opinioni. usando espressioni trite del tipo "secondo me", "io credo che.." (il massimo è stato "Legasov non era certo privo di difetti.", ma sulla base di cosa fa questa affermazione? Non c'è una documentazione a sostegno di questa frase assolutamente personale).
Ne emerge quindi la figura di uno scrittore inesperto a cui comunque va riconosciuto il merito di aver scritto con entusiasmo e impegno un'opera accessibile alle masse, anche negli aspetti tenici, su ciò che avvenne all'unità 4 di Chernobyl il 26 aprile 1986, seppure con un'esposizione a tratti banale.
Spinto dall'interesse per l'argomento dopo aver visto la bellissima miniserie "Chernobyl" della HBO ho preso questo libro sperando di approfondire ancora di più le conoscenze sul peggior disastro nucleare della storia.
Per chiunque compri questo libro, se pensa di trovarsi davanti ad un saggio esaustivo su Chernobyl, beh è in errore, perché si tratta invece di un ibrido tra una narrazione di fatti storici intervallata a capitoli autobiografici del viaggio a Chernobyl e Prypiat dell'autore nel 2011. E questo è il primo grosso difetto, perché questi capitoli sanno tanto di tema della medie, soprattutto per le riflessioni personali di Leatherbarrow incredibilmente banali e scontate.
C'è un secondo difetto: l'autore entra nel contenuto del libro esternando in maniera fin troppo diretta e triviale le propri opinioni. usando espressioni trite del tipo "secondo me", "io credo che.." (il massimo è stato "Legasov non era certo privo di difetti.", ma sulla base di cosa fa questa affermazione? Non c'è una documentazione a sostegno di questa frase assolutamente personale).
Ne emerge quindi la figura di uno scrittore inesperto a cui comunque va riconosciuto il merito di aver scritto con entusiasmo e impegno un'opera accessibile alle masse, anche negli aspetti tenici, su ciò che avvenne all'unità 4 di Chernobyl il 26 aprile 1986, seppure con un'esposizione a tratti banale.
November 4, 2016
I really enjoyed 90% of this book. The chapters about what happened during the disaster at Chernobyl were excellent. These chapters were interspersed with the author's own visit to the site of the reactor and to the city of Pripyat. I enjoyed some of his descriptions of his visit to the site, but found myself jarred out of the narrative by his personal experiences. For instance, he repeatedly mentions Minecraft, which makes me think about my elementary school aged kids and dates the book. He also refers to his minor hassles on the trip in a way that starkly contrast with the death and suffering of the disaster in 1986. It's hard to feel any sympathy for how sleep deprived he felt during his trip, or his problems with translation leading to eating ice cream and cake for dinner when contrasted with people dying from radiation poisoning or being vaporized. I'm only about ten years older than the author, but these mentions made me feel like he was immature in a way that distracted me from the flow of the book. That being said, he is an excellent writer. He clearly has some interesting experiences with exploring abandoned structures. I hope he writes more books-I will certainly read them!
October 20, 2021
This book as some mixed reviews but I ended up liking it quite a bit. Might not be a perfect non fiction of Chernobyl but I found it a good way to learn more about it and fuel an interested to continue on reading and learning about the disaster. I listened to this as an audiobook and it as away to follow and get invested in
December 27, 2019
Only way to read this is through audio!!! I would have given this a low star if I read it. Very interesting topic. The book is super scientific but the information was interesting. I think it would be a tough read.
January 28, 2018
Interesting, easy to follow look at the disaster, but he intersperses his personal story of visiting the site which just feels like filler and is really uninsightful.
December 10, 2019
Short but informative. A good start on someone new to the topic
December 25, 2020
26 aprile 1986 ore 01:23:40
Data di uno dei peggiori disastri nucleari mondiali di tutti i tempi, anche se non è il peggiore in quanto anche il disastro di Fukushima non è stato da poco.
Ho trovato davvero difficile arrivare alla fine di questo libro, nonostante non sia particolarmente lungo come numero di pagine.
Ho trovato però tutta la prima parte molto noiosa, troppo concentrata su dati di fisica nucleare che non capisco particolarmente in quanto io e la fisica siamo sempre stati due mondi distanti, e nemmeno mi interessava particolarmente approfondire questo aspetto per gli stessi motivi.
Da metà del libro il discorso cambia centrandosi su due aspetti che vanno a costituire gli argomenti dei capitoli che si alternano: la storia del disastro e soprattutto della reazione da un lato, la narrazione del viaggio effettuato nell’ottobre 2011 dall’autore che non è nè uno scrittore nè un giornalista di mestiere ma che si era appassionato alla narrazione di questo evento e più in generale al tema dell’energia nucleare, e che ha l’hobby della fotografia e decide di recarsi lì con un gruppo di fotografi.
Nonostante ciò, il cambiamento non riesce purtroppo a suscitare che un timido accenno di coinvolgimento, causato principalmente dalle immagini che compaiono qua e lá nel corso della narrazione della sua esperienza personale in quei luoghi.
Questo forse anche perché, avendo visto già la serie che ha ispirato, è stato solo l’aspetto “in più”, cioè quello che dava uno sguardo a quei luoghi e alla vita delle persone a distanza di anni dal disastro, a dare quel qualcosa in più che mai potesse risvegliare un po’ di interesse.
Nonostante tutto la cosa che ho apprezzato è stato come l’autore abbia cercato di dare un quadro il più possibile obiettivo dell’accaduto e dell’uso dell’energia nucleare, proprio come guardando attraverso l’obiettivo della fotocamera, sottolineando come di per sé l’energia nucleare non sia più dannosa di altri tipi di energia rinnovabile, anzi come faccia in realtà meno vittime, e che il danno stia nella scarsa sicurezza ed efficacia delle tecnologie sviluppate fino ad oggi e come nel caso russo molto sia dipeso dalla scarsa efficienza dei sistemi di controllo e supervisione dello stato sovietico che ha anche poi cercato di insabbiare le responsabilità e i risvolti emersi dalle indagini, riversandone le colpe unicamente sugli operatori della centrale.
Inoltre evidenzia adeguatamente come siano state migliaia non solo le vittime decedute ma anche tutte quelle che hanno riportato a distanza di anni cancro ed altre patologie non direttamente correlate all’esposizione alle radiazioni ma come probabile conseguenza a lungo termine.
Inizialmente le persone non erano state informate quasi per niente dalle autorità degli effetti che ciò che andavano a fare avrebbe potuto avere su di loro.
Ma anche quando l’effetto devastante dell’esposizione alle radiazioni anche per pochi secondi sulle persone era diventato evidente, tantissimi coraggiosi si sono adoperati attivamente, anche negli anni, per contenere gli effetti e limitare i danni, pur sapendo ciò a cui andavano incontro.
L’episodio che mi ha più colpita, e che lo aveva fatto anche nella serie, e non si è rivelato qui meno impressionante , anzi, è stato pensare a come dei gruppi di cittadini abbiano dovuto girare per la città ad uccidere gli animali randagi o domestici, lasciati lì dalle persone che erano state evacuate col pensiero di tornare. Anche in questo caso i danni fatti sulla natura sono stati irreparabili, anche in questa forma, contro le sue creature.
Data di uno dei peggiori disastri nucleari mondiali di tutti i tempi, anche se non è il peggiore in quanto anche il disastro di Fukushima non è stato da poco.
Ho trovato davvero difficile arrivare alla fine di questo libro, nonostante non sia particolarmente lungo come numero di pagine.
Ho trovato però tutta la prima parte molto noiosa, troppo concentrata su dati di fisica nucleare che non capisco particolarmente in quanto io e la fisica siamo sempre stati due mondi distanti, e nemmeno mi interessava particolarmente approfondire questo aspetto per gli stessi motivi.
Da metà del libro il discorso cambia centrandosi su due aspetti che vanno a costituire gli argomenti dei capitoli che si alternano: la storia del disastro e soprattutto della reazione da un lato, la narrazione del viaggio effettuato nell’ottobre 2011 dall’autore che non è nè uno scrittore nè un giornalista di mestiere ma che si era appassionato alla narrazione di questo evento e più in generale al tema dell’energia nucleare, e che ha l’hobby della fotografia e decide di recarsi lì con un gruppo di fotografi.
Nonostante ciò, il cambiamento non riesce purtroppo a suscitare che un timido accenno di coinvolgimento, causato principalmente dalle immagini che compaiono qua e lá nel corso della narrazione della sua esperienza personale in quei luoghi.
Questo forse anche perché, avendo visto già la serie che ha ispirato, è stato solo l’aspetto “in più”, cioè quello che dava uno sguardo a quei luoghi e alla vita delle persone a distanza di anni dal disastro, a dare quel qualcosa in più che mai potesse risvegliare un po’ di interesse.
Nonostante tutto la cosa che ho apprezzato è stato come l’autore abbia cercato di dare un quadro il più possibile obiettivo dell’accaduto e dell’uso dell’energia nucleare, proprio come guardando attraverso l’obiettivo della fotocamera, sottolineando come di per sé l’energia nucleare non sia più dannosa di altri tipi di energia rinnovabile, anzi come faccia in realtà meno vittime, e che il danno stia nella scarsa sicurezza ed efficacia delle tecnologie sviluppate fino ad oggi e come nel caso russo molto sia dipeso dalla scarsa efficienza dei sistemi di controllo e supervisione dello stato sovietico che ha anche poi cercato di insabbiare le responsabilità e i risvolti emersi dalle indagini, riversandone le colpe unicamente sugli operatori della centrale.
Inoltre evidenzia adeguatamente come siano state migliaia non solo le vittime decedute ma anche tutte quelle che hanno riportato a distanza di anni cancro ed altre patologie non direttamente correlate all’esposizione alle radiazioni ma come probabile conseguenza a lungo termine.
Inizialmente le persone non erano state informate quasi per niente dalle autorità degli effetti che ciò che andavano a fare avrebbe potuto avere su di loro.
Ma anche quando l’effetto devastante dell’esposizione alle radiazioni anche per pochi secondi sulle persone era diventato evidente, tantissimi coraggiosi si sono adoperati attivamente, anche negli anni, per contenere gli effetti e limitare i danni, pur sapendo ciò a cui andavano incontro.
L’episodio che mi ha più colpita, e che lo aveva fatto anche nella serie, e non si è rivelato qui meno impressionante , anzi, è stato pensare a come dei gruppi di cittadini abbiano dovuto girare per la città ad uccidere gli animali randagi o domestici, lasciati lì dalle persone che erano state evacuate col pensiero di tornare. Anche in questo caso i danni fatti sulla natura sono stati irreparabili, anche in questa forma, contro le sue creature.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 714 reviews