Whenever there are arguments about the safety of nuclear energy, the name Chernobyl is raised. This book is a fascinating history of the USSR and the place of Ukraine in its hierarchy. It also goes some way to explaining how important Ukraine is to modern-day Russia.
This is an extremely in-depth look at what was, later discovered to be, an accident waiting to happen. Lack of knowledge, untrained staff and political pressure conspired together to cause this catastrophe.
This is a well-researched and written book, interspersed with illustrations. The level of detail is astonishing but never boring. It is a testament to how little was known about the effects of radiation on humans and the mistakes which were made. It highlights the fascinating change from focusing on nuclear weapons to harnessing it to create energy.
I enjoyed reading it, crammed with facts and interesting information. Having read other books and watched documentaries on the subject, I would place this book as one of the definitive works on this topic.
My thanks to #NetGalley, #ArcturusPublishing and #IanFitzgerald for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review
My Write 