Romancing the Atom: Nuclear Infatuation from the Radium Girls to Fukushima

Romancing The Atom is a reality check that all Americans should read to help us clarify the mindset we have about exploring for uranium and the resulting use of atomic energy. Dr. Johnson presents the issues in a very readable format using ten historical events from the Twentieth Century and the recent disaster following the earthquake near Fukushima, Japan. The question about expanding uranium mining sites continues, one State being Virginia, and numerous states are considering building more atomic energy plants. We will all have a better understanding of the issues once we read this engaging book.

This book challenges us to stretch beyond common responses to nuclear power by learning about the shrouded toxic history of commercial, military, and societal adoption as an energy source of such a bittersweet force and the implications for Earth's future. I worked briefly in the nuclear field in the late 1970s and witnessed from the inside of the industry the denial of the implications of Three Mile Island. We're now over 30 years beyond that episode with increasingly mixed response to continued use of its double-edged might.

Robert Johnson did his research with Romancing the Atom. The stories were great and gave insight as to how careless we have been with the great power we hold. At first, I was unsure about this book, but I could not stop reading once I picked it up. A truly great non-fiction read.