What do you think?
Rate this book
Abandoned Cold War Places: Nuclear Bunkers, Submarine Bases, Missile Silos, Airfields and Listening Posts from the World's Most Secretive Conflict
On the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, this fascinating visual history explores the relics abandoned when the Cold War ended.
The Cold War was a battle of nerves as East and West amassed ever-greater armaments and engaged in ostentatious shows of strength, stealth, and espionage. Then, 30 years ago, the Berlin Wall fell and the “Iron Curtain” lifted. Featuring 150 striking color photographs, Abandoned Cold War Places looks at the now-unused sites where weapons were stored and strategy developed. It travels from the Soviet Union’s largest submarine bases to Britain’s nuclear bunkers, from radar stations in San Francisco Bay to Arizona’s aircraft graveyards, and from listening posts in West Germany to cosmodromes in Kazakhstan, capturing the full span of the struggle, from open conflict to guerilla wars.
The Cold War was a battle of nerves as East and West amassed ever-greater armaments and engaged in ostentatious shows of strength, stealth, and espionage. Then, 30 years ago, the Berlin Wall fell and the “Iron Curtain” lifted. Featuring 150 striking color photographs, Abandoned Cold War Places looks at the now-unused sites where weapons were stored and strategy developed. It travels from the Soviet Union’s largest submarine bases to Britain’s nuclear bunkers, from radar stations in San Francisco Bay to Arizona’s aircraft graveyards, and from listening posts in West Germany to cosmodromes in Kazakhstan, capturing the full span of the struggle, from open conflict to guerilla wars.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
224 pages, Hardcover
Published November 5, 2019
1 person is currently reading
48 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 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 18, 2019
I received a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
This book is a book of photography featuring abandoned cold war places but also has interesting information about many things relating to the wars.
I am fascinated by abandoned places and this book was so interesting to read!
The pictures feature chernobyl which I also have a great interest in.
This book is fascinating and eerie at the same time.
Definitely worth a read!
This book is a book of photography featuring abandoned cold war places but also has interesting information about many things relating to the wars.
I am fascinated by abandoned places and this book was so interesting to read!
The pictures feature chernobyl which I also have a great interest in.
This book is fascinating and eerie at the same time.
Definitely worth a read!
April 30, 2020
AUTHOR
Historian and author Robert Grenville lives in London, England.
WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE?
Students of history, urban explorers, history buffs, and scholars will find this hardcover of interest.
SYNOPSIS
Abandoned Cold War Places is a seminal work by Robert Grenville. He’s produced a simply magnificent coffee table book filled with over 180 pages of full color, high definition professional photographs. The images of long abandoned cold war locations are accompanied by a short descriptive text.
The post-war era spawned an arms race that created international tensions globally. As a result, there was vast investment in munitions and military resources. The situation continued from 1945-1991. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) subsequently became the Russian Federation. International tensions eased and the former cold war sites deteriorated; unloved and uncared for. As time passed, nature began to regenerate and reclaim the various landmarks. Historians, urban explorers and photographers embarked on quests to explore the former secret military sites. This is where Robert Grenville comes in to his own.
The authors pictorial work reveals the rigors wrought by the elements upon the former machines of war. The once pristine weapons are now forever tarnished and covered in flaking paint or rusted beyond recognition. However, they are still standing as a testimony to the futility of war.
CONCLUSION
Abandoned Cold War Places is the documentation of historic landmarks of the cold war era. Robert Grenville travelled the world compiling a photographic record of the discarded sites. His research depicts the devastation of these landmarks caused by 40 years of neglect. Ultimately, he’s created a photographic record of the insanity of war planning and all its ugly and disturbing guises.
I would have liked a little more information about the various locations, but overall it works as expected.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank Robert Grenville, NetGalley, and Sterling Publishing for affording me the opportunity to review Abandoned Cold War Places.
Historian and author Robert Grenville lives in London, England.
WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE?
Students of history, urban explorers, history buffs, and scholars will find this hardcover of interest.
SYNOPSIS
Abandoned Cold War Places is a seminal work by Robert Grenville. He’s produced a simply magnificent coffee table book filled with over 180 pages of full color, high definition professional photographs. The images of long abandoned cold war locations are accompanied by a short descriptive text.
The post-war era spawned an arms race that created international tensions globally. As a result, there was vast investment in munitions and military resources. The situation continued from 1945-1991. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) subsequently became the Russian Federation. International tensions eased and the former cold war sites deteriorated; unloved and uncared for. As time passed, nature began to regenerate and reclaim the various landmarks. Historians, urban explorers and photographers embarked on quests to explore the former secret military sites. This is where Robert Grenville comes in to his own.
The authors pictorial work reveals the rigors wrought by the elements upon the former machines of war. The once pristine weapons are now forever tarnished and covered in flaking paint or rusted beyond recognition. However, they are still standing as a testimony to the futility of war.
CONCLUSION
Abandoned Cold War Places is the documentation of historic landmarks of the cold war era. Robert Grenville travelled the world compiling a photographic record of the discarded sites. His research depicts the devastation of these landmarks caused by 40 years of neglect. Ultimately, he’s created a photographic record of the insanity of war planning and all its ugly and disturbing guises.
I would have liked a little more information about the various locations, but overall it works as expected.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thank Robert Grenville, NetGalley, and Sterling Publishing for affording me the opportunity to review Abandoned Cold War Places.
March 2, 2020
Excellent photo book.
October 29, 2019
Did you know that the Cold War came to an end 40 years ago this month (November 2019)? Because I didn't. Did you know that the Cold War also reached places like the Middle East and parts of Africa? Because I also didn't! Just a few of the many things I learned from this book.
I wanted to read this book to open up my horizons a bit as to what types of books I am reading. While this book is a photography book, it also provides valuable insight into the Cold War. The book is broken up into chapters by location (Russia, Eastern Europe, UK, Americas, etc.). Each location has an introduction to start off the chapter before the pictures and the descriptions.
The pictures are beautiful in and of themselves, but as someone who knows nothing about the Cold War, the descriptions are perfect and help give context. This book also gives great insight into how many of the remains still remain, even in places like Chernobyl.
Overall, I think this book did a great job traveling from location to location of the Cold War and taking you with it every step of the way. I think this would be a great coffee table book for any history nerd (like myself :)).
*I want to thank NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
I wanted to read this book to open up my horizons a bit as to what types of books I am reading. While this book is a photography book, it also provides valuable insight into the Cold War. The book is broken up into chapters by location (Russia, Eastern Europe, UK, Americas, etc.). Each location has an introduction to start off the chapter before the pictures and the descriptions.
The pictures are beautiful in and of themselves, but as someone who knows nothing about the Cold War, the descriptions are perfect and help give context. This book also gives great insight into how many of the remains still remain, even in places like Chernobyl.
Overall, I think this book did a great job traveling from location to location of the Cold War and taking you with it every step of the way. I think this would be a great coffee table book for any history nerd (like myself :)).
*I want to thank NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*
January 3, 2020
Abandoned Cold War Places by Robert Grenville is a must for any history, military or even photography enthusiast. Exploring these testaments to the fear of nuclear war in the East and the West, Grenville provides a photographic document of the amount of effort both sides went to and how these places have been left to decay and in some places, let nature take over.
The photography in some places is stunning, lit naturally and occasionally like something out of a horror film, they are accompanied by a brief description of these images that makes for a fantastic and sometimes haunting coffee table book.
This was provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
The photography in some places is stunning, lit naturally and occasionally like something out of a horror film, they are accompanied by a brief description of these images that makes for a fantastic and sometimes haunting coffee table book.
This was provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
February 19, 2020
An exceptional photographic look at many of the hidden places central to fighting the Cold War. Most have been left to ruin and will eventually be reclaimed by nature. It is staggering to contemplate the resources that were spent to design, build, and then maintain these structures. For any child of the Cold War, it is worth a read.
October 15, 2019
Beautiful pictures and interesting texts, this was an excellent read and I think it will be a great coffee table book.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
November 25, 2019
It's interesting just how quickly some of these sites have been reclaimed by nature. Great for those of us who loved looking at pictures of abandoned places.
January 25, 2020
An interesting, quick read.
May 3, 2021
Abandoned Cold War Places is a fascinating pictorial examination of the remnants of a global superpower rivalry that defined the world for over 40 years.
I love the thought of sneaking into places, and the fact the author does it for me, makes me feel so much better about myself. Including short descriptions of each picture, this book takes on an exploration throughout the world in search of cold war history. From the bunkers of Sweden to the weapons of Aghanistan, this book snapshots the destruction and the preparation for it spectacularly.
The photography is excellent, protraying these places in a way that seems vulnerable - these are the places they hoped to protect people in and that essence shines in this book. The perspectives on show allow for a real exploration of the places and a snapshot in history of what could have been - particularly places which are close to where I live, mentions of places like Neatishead for example were intriguing to me as a local.
A great book if you are a curious person when it comes to history, I found this book a simple insight into something that cross sectioned two of my interests, history and places just left to the elements that you just want to explore for yourself, give it a look soon! (I just wish there was a bit more depth writing wise).
(I received an ARC from Netgalley for honest review).
I love the thought of sneaking into places, and the fact the author does it for me, makes me feel so much better about myself. Including short descriptions of each picture, this book takes on an exploration throughout the world in search of cold war history. From the bunkers of Sweden to the weapons of Aghanistan, this book snapshots the destruction and the preparation for it spectacularly.
The photography is excellent, protraying these places in a way that seems vulnerable - these are the places they hoped to protect people in and that essence shines in this book. The perspectives on show allow for a real exploration of the places and a snapshot in history of what could have been - particularly places which are close to where I live, mentions of places like Neatishead for example were intriguing to me as a local.
A great book if you are a curious person when it comes to history, I found this book a simple insight into something that cross sectioned two of my interests, history and places just left to the elements that you just want to explore for yourself, give it a look soon! (I just wish there was a bit more depth writing wise).
(I received an ARC from Netgalley for honest review).
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews