Publication of the American Library Association

As global warming becomes front-page news and the search for sustainable noncarbon energy sources gains momentum, nuclear energy is acquiring new advocates, even among environmentalists. But what about nuclear waste, accidents, and terrorism? 

First-rate science journalist and novelist Cravens assumed that the negatives outweighed the positives when it came to increasing our reliance on nuclear power for the production of electricity, until she started hanging out with Rip Anderson, a multitalented scientist at Sandia National Laboratories. Convinced that misconceptions and outdated information shape our impression of nuclear energy, she embarked on an ambitious journey through nuclear America with Anderson as her guide.

Now, in a vividly descriptive, exhaustively researched, and unfailingly lucid narrative, Cravens tracks the life cycle of uranium, tours nuclear facilities, and asks tough questions. Enthusiastically introduced by Richard Rhodes, Cravens' important nuclear chronicle presents eye-opening comparisons between the environmental and health risks of coal and uranium and explains in detail nuclear power's alluring efficiency.

Yet, clearly, caution is still in order as scientists figure out what to do with nuclear waste. In the meantime, Cravens' thorough inquiry dispels myths, clarifies science, and portrays an astonishing and ever more crucial hidden world.