Uranium: War, Energy, and the Rock That Shaped the World
By Tom Zoellner
Read by Patrick Lawlor
Unabridged
Format :
Retail CD (In Stock)
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2 Formats: Retail CD
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2 Formats: MP3 CD
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$49.99
ISBN: 9798200126408
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$45.95
ISBN: 9798200126415
| Runtime: | 12.98 Hours |
| Category: | Nonfiction/History |
| Audience: | Adult |
| Language: | English |
Summary
Summary
Uranium is a common element in the earth's crust and the only naturally occurring mineral with the power to end all life on the planet. After World War II, it reshaped the global order—whoever could master uranium could master the world.Marie Curie gave us hope that uranium would be a miracle panacea, but the Manhattan Project gave us reason to believe that civilization would end with apocalypse. Slave labor camps in Africa and Eastern Europe were built around mine shafts, and America would knowingly send more than 600 uranium miners to their graves in the name of national security.
Fortunes have been made from this yellow dirt; massive energy grids have been run from it. Fear of it panicked the American people into supporting a questionable war with Iraq, and its specter threatens to create another conflict in Iran. Now, some are hoping it can help avoid a global warming catastrophe.
In Uranium, Tom Zoellner takes readers around the globe in this intriguing look at the mineral that can sustain life or destroy it.
Editorial Reviews
Editorial Reviews
“Zoellner examines how uranium has helped shape our recent history and could determine our future. His lively prose carries the reader through physics and history lessons alike, never failing to remind us what’s at stake when it comes to uranium…Zoellner vividly conveys both the potential benefits and the harm that uranium holds for human civilization.” —Washington Post
“[A] fine piece of journalism…[Zoellner] delves into the complex science, politics, and history of this radioactive mineral, which presents the best and worst of mankind…He superbly paints vivid pictures of uranium’s impact.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Narrator Patrick Lawlor applies just the right tone of aplomb to this examination of science and politics…Lawlor’s performance grows on the listener. His enthusiasm keeps the listener engaged…He also has a talent for accents that adds interesting nuances to his performance.” —Audiofile
“Alive with devious personalities, Zoellner’s narrative ultimately exposes the frightening vulnerability of a world with too many sources of a dangerous substance and too little wisdom to control it. A riveting journey into perilous terrain.” —Booklist
[Listeners] will be engaged by this story of the most powerful source of energy the earth can yield. —Library Journal
Author
Author Bio: Tom Zoellner
Tom Zoellner is the author or coauthor of nine nonfiction books, the politics editor of the Los Angeles Review of Books, an associate professor of English at Chapman University, and a visiting professor of English at Dartmouth College. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Harper's, Men's Health, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and many other places. He is the recipient of fellowships and residencies from The Lannan Foundation, the Corporation of Yaddo, and the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation.
Details
Details
| Available Formats : | Retail CD, MP3 CD |
| Category: | Nonfiction/History |
| Runtime: | 12.98 |
| Audience: | Adult |
| Language: | English |
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