Review: A Short Story of Nuclear Folly by Rudolf Herzog

Book info:

Form: pdf e-book

Genre: non-fiction

Target audience: everybody interested in the history of nuclear materials and their usage
Translated by Jefferson Chase.

It's a second opinion; the first review, written by my fair Rameau who also lent me a copy of that book (mwah! thanks!), can be read here.

Synopsis:

When the physicist discovered the way how to use the process of fission in practice the humankind entered a truly Faustian bargain. On the one hand we were promised an unending source of energy and also some quite ingenious nuclear-powered machines. On the other hand we were given a constant threat that the world as we know it might cease to exist in a blink of the eye.

It didn't exactly help that the researchg was conducted with the WWII in the background. No matter whether the nuclear military tests have been performed in the East or in the West, by ruthless Stalin generals or the American ones, one thing repeats itself with a nauseated frequency: an utter disregard for the protection of the environment and, linked to that, the life and well-being of ordinary people, be them soldiers or civilians or both. Corners have been cut in safety because it was less expensive than…what exactly? Human life? Wildlife? The future of next generations? In fact this book can also be called “A Short Story of A Surprising Lack of Imagination”.

An induced nuclear fission event involving uranium-235 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What I liked:

If you think the topic is a bit heavy and this book should interest only nuclear scientists, historians and students, think again. Mr. Herzog did what he could to make his narration factual, colourful and dynamic at the same time. In my opinion he succeeded, presenting even those strictly technical issues in such a way that they can be understood – and enjoyed- by an ordinary reader. Personally I was able to read the book during three evenings (during a rather busy period of time, mind you) and it kept me interested most of the time. It also features great photographs, which can help you visualizing those exotic Kazakhstan steppes or Utah deserts. A preachy bit of edutainment? Perhaps yes, but of the highest quality – definitely the author not only knows what he is talking about but also he can make his narration compelling.

An example and a direct quote describing the situation after one of American nuclear explosions:

“A radioactive cloud drifted off toward St. George, 270 kilometers away from Ground Zero. For several hours, unsuspecting residents were showered with radiation. Many of the 5,000 “downwinders” who populated the town would later develop cancer—a late result of Harry’s fallout. Yet the authorities rejected the idea that the high levels of radioactivity in Utah could have anything to do with atomic tests in Nevada. (…) 
There is absolutely no doubt that Hughes knew about the potentially lethal effects of radiation exposure. He had co-financed a 1953 film, Split Second, that had been set in a nuclear testing range. The director of that film was none other than Dick Powell. Nonetheless, the two men sent their team out into the gleaming sands of the valley. Five thousand Indian extras were brought in for the monumental battle scenes, 1,000 horses galloped across the 120-degree heat of the landscape, and dozens of aspiring starlets hired to play concubines strolled around half-naked, fulfilling male fantasies.” 


In times when some irresponsible scientists have taken nuclear reactors and batteries with them wherever they went, be it to the bottom of the sea or to the peaks of the highest mountains you can never be overly concerned of what is happening in your backyard or closest neighbourhood. There is complacency and irresponsibility everywhere, including Europe, Japan and the United States and not mentioning the Middle East and Africa, creating a host of ethical problems.

No matter whether you like it or not, there is no escape from nuclear power. We will need it to appease our increasing appetites for energy the dwindling coal-seams or crude oil reserves cannot satisfy. That’s why such books are needed and should be read because they prove another obvious truth: you can’t trust people who are involved with the nuclear fission. Don’t delude yourself – they won’t take care of you and the environment, no matter who they are and what government or/and organization they represent. Yes, nuclear chain reactions release extremely radioactive fission by-products but I admit after reading this book I consider that issue to be actually a lesser challenge than the responsibility of people, using the nuclear power. So far we have been moderately lucky but how to create a workable long-term solution? You will be left with this question and more and no, it won’t make the outlook less black. Still it will make it real – and it is just a tip of the iceberg.

What I didn’t like:

I found some annoying typos in the text, numerous enough to be noticed even by a casual reader. While I don’t blame the author for them (I read the translated English version, not the German original) the editor and proof-reader should have been more thorough.

I also have to admit the last chapter was a bit less interesting and somewhat worse when it comes to the style than the rest of the book.

Final verdict:

A very good non-fiction position which actually taught me a lot. Highly recommendable – it will broaden your horizons while keeping you entertained. Still I warn you – after the lecture you might be a bit depressed.

Review: The Discovery of Jeanne Baret by Glynis Ridley

Genre: non-fiction, historical

Target audience: adults

Book form: paperback, 291 pages

 This book was provided by the author's publisher via my lady Blodeuedd's excellent blog in return for an honest review. I haven't been compensated for writing the said review in any way and the fact that the book came free of charge didn't influence me either.   

Synopsis (excerpts from Amazon.com):

The year was 1765. Eminent botanist Philibert Commerson had just been appointed to a grand new expedition: the first French circumnavigation of the world. As the ships’ official naturalist, Commerson would seek out resources—medicines, spices, timber, food—that could give the French an edge in the ever-accelerating race for empire.

Jeanne Baret, Commerson’s young mistress, housekeeper and collaborator, was desperate not to be left behind. She disguised herself as a teenage boy and signed on as his assistant. The journey made the twenty-six-year-old, known to her shipmates as “Jean” rather than “Jeanne,” the first woman to ever sail around the globe. Yet so little is known about this extraordinary woman, whose accomplishments were considered to be subversive, even impossible for someone of her sex and class.
            
When the ships made landfall and the secret lovers disembarked to explore, Baret carried heavy wooden field presses and bulky optical instruments over beaches and hills, impressing observers on the ships’ decks with her obvious strength and stamina. Less obvious were the strips of linen wound tight around her upper body and the months she had spent perfecting her masculine disguise in the streets and marketplaces of Paris.
            
In The Discovery of Jeanne Baret, Glynis Ridley unravels the conflicting accounts recorded by Baret’s crewmates to piece together the real story: how Baret’s identity was in fact widely suspected within just a couple of weeks of embarking, and the painful consequences of those suspicions; the newly discovered notebook, written in Baret’s own hand, that proves her scientific acumen; and the thousands of specimens she collected, most famously the showy vine bougainvillea.
 

What I liked:

This book is definitely a very well-researched position which presents plenty of interesting facts concerning life and habits of people living in the 18^th century in France and abroad. Although the main emphasis is on the ethnobotanical tradition and, more generally, French scientists and thinkers such as Jean le Rond d’Alembert, Denis Diderot, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Voltaire, the ordinary people and their fates are mentioned often as well, especially women.

The narrative voice of Ms Ridley is quiet and pleasant although you really must take your time to get into the book. When you finally find the right rhythm, though, you can find such interesting historical tidbits as a short history of the coffee trade, and a fresh look into the situation of women in France prior to the Great Revolution (I didn’t know that they were not allowed to rent a flat on their own or stay on a ship for longer than just a moment – it was the law mind you!)

Overall, if you are a girl/woman living in Europe or in the USA, after reading this book you might stop complaining about your life for a significant period of time. The fates of women used to be much, much worse, especially poor, uneducated women who, like Jeanne, gave birth to an illegitimate child.

What I didn’t like:

With a title like that, I expected the book would be more focused on the main heroine, Jeanne Baret, who was the first woman to make a tour around the world on a ship. In other words, I expected a portrait, perhaps with some other people close to her and  plants in the background. What I got was a full-scale landscape, teeming with different people, plants, breathtaking vistas, ships, cities, and even animals. The heroine was a bit lost in the middle of all these goodies and, in my opinion, the whole book suffered because of that.

Don’t get me wrong – we still get to know plenty about Jeanne, her family and her profession. However, it is a bit too diluted; as soon as you start getting interested in the story of this strong and undoubtedly very brave woman the author throws your way one digression after the other; even if these are interesting per se, they dwarf poor Jeanne and her ordeal, making the book bland as a result

Final verdict

I feel Jeanne Baret’s life deserves our full attention – I suppose she would be a great heroine of a truly gripping fictional story. Let me use this section to tell you why I think so.

This peasant female botanist was literate in times when 90% of women couldn’t read and write but still she couldn’t support herself without relying on Philibert Commerson. She became his mistress but also she helped him in his career, teaching him about plants and their properties. She had to give up their child to an orphanage most likely because the boy would be an obstacle to Commerson’s plans. Then she did what she could to be able to accompany him during a three-year long journey -  she took every risk possible.


She worked very hard during circumnavigating the globe – harder than plenty of men around her, definitely harder than her official employer and secret lover. She had to conceal her sex while living on a rather small ship full of men (the crew was over 100 people). She had to take care of Commerson’s ailing leg and the plants they gathered together. In return she was constantly watched, manhandled from time to time and finally gang-raped by the crew at least once during the journey. Her selfish employer failed to help or defend her. After Commerson’s death, she was left high and dry - far from home, with just clothes on her back, with no money or connections to ensure her a safe return. Commerson's house in Paris with everything inside, so also Jeanne's personal effects, has been impounded. And you know what? Miraculously, she still found her happily ever after – married a soldier, returned with him to France and made a life together.

Was her time with Commerson a complete waste and failure? No. He taught her independence and she used that knowledge – after returning to France she dared petition the appropriate ministry and she received her outstanding wages – a lump sum which made it possible to buy a house and some land. I love such endings!