This book tells the story of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, from its origins to the present day. Serhii Plokhy offers a comprehensive and riveting account of what happened on April 26, 1986, when reactor number four at the Chernobyl Power Station exploded, and how the catastrophe unfolded over subsequent months. He also provides an authoritative history of Soviet nuclear policy from 1945 to 1991 and pinpoints where mistakes were made in order to ensure that they are not repeated.
For who is this book for ?
This book would be of interest to readers who want a comprehensive understanding of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and its aftermath.
Pros :
- Plokhy provides a comprehensive and riveting account of what happened on April 26, 1986.
- He also provides an authoritative history of Soviet nuclear policy from 1945 to 1991.
- Pinpoints where mistakes were made in order to ensure that they are not repeated.
Cons :
- The author does not provide an opinionated view on the events that took place.
- The book is dry and factual without any emotion or feeling being conveyed to the reader.
- There could be more pictures included in order to help visualize some of the events that occurred.
Learn more about the author
Serhii Plokhy is a Ukrainian-born historian who is currently the Mykhailo Hrushevsky Professor of History and director of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University. A specialist in modern Russian, Soviet, and post-Soviet history, he has written extensively on topics such as nationalism and identity politics in Ukraine, Stalin’s purges, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and contemporary Russia.
Reader Reviews
“Chernobyl is a comprehensive and riveting account of what happened on April 26, 1986. . .”
“An absolutely superb account of the Chernobyl disaster – its causes, course and aftermath. Serhii Plokhy sheds light on all aspects of this tragic event in a clear, concise and highly readable manner. Essential reading for anyone interested in the history of nuclear power.”
“A reader’s delight–an extremely well-researched, highly readable history of the Chernobyl disaster. . ..Plokhy has made a complex story comprehensible to the nonspecialist and provides an excellent overview for readers interested in learning more about this seminal event in nuclear energy.”
“Chernobyl is a superbly written and deeply researched account of the largest nuclear disaster in history.Serhii Plokhy provides readers with an intimate portrait of the people involved in the catastrophe, from engineers and firefighters to politicians and journalists, revealing their courage and foibles as they struggled to contain the explosion and its aftermath. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding how accidents can happen -and what happens when they do.”
