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Uranium: War, Energy, and the Rock That Shaped the World
The fascinating story of the most powerful source of energy the earth can yieldUranium 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 six hundred 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.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2009
About the author
Tom Zoellner
15 books100 followersTom Zoellner is the author of several nonfiction books, including Island on Fire: The Revolt that Ended Slavery in the British Empire, and works as a professor at Chapman University and Dartmouth College. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Harper’s, The American Scholar, The Oxford American, Time, Foreign Policy, Men’s Health, Slate, Scientific American, Audubon, Sierra, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Texas Observer, Departures, The American Scholar, The Wall Street Journal and many other publications. Tom is a fifth-generation Arizonan and a former staff writer for The Arizona Republic and the San Francisco Chronicle. He is the recipient of fellowships and residencies from The Lannan Foundation, the Corporation of Yaddo, the Economic Hardship Reporting Project and the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
March 5, 2022
This book is more than a decade old now and is slightly dated, but it’s still one of the best books I’ve read on a particular commodity and how it influences our lives. I’ve learned to ignore the tiresome “changed the world” subtitle that seems to be applied to almost every book in this genre.
The book outlines the early history of humanity’s encounters with uranium, but of course the mineral ores that contained it were regarded as useless until the 20th century. At the time of WWII, uranium was thought to be rare, and by far the best ore came from the Katanga region of the Belgian Congo. Access to this supply played a significant role in the development of the atomic bomb by the United States, and the story of how that access was gained is told in fascinating style. The end of the war was followed, in the USA, by a short-lived period of optimism about what nuclear technology might achieve. The US Government purchased land north of Las Vegas to conduct A-bomb tests, calling it “The Nevada Proving Ground.” The explosions were clearly visible from Las Vegas itself. One motel renamed itself “The Atomic View” and advertised the opportunity to watch the explosions from poolside chairs. Meanwhile the Las Vegas High School class of 1951 adopted the mushroom cloud as its official mascot.
In the 1940/50s the USSR obtained most of its uranium from the Erzgebirge, the Ore Mountains, in Saxony, which from 1945-1990 was in the GDR. The mines were worked by a mixture of slave labourers from prison camps and professional miners who were paid well by GDR standards but whose working conditions were horrendous, with non-existent safety standards and no protection against radiation exposure. The last was also true of uranium miners in Colorado, USA. The book goes on to feature aspects of uranium mining in various parts of the world, including Australia, Niger, and Mongolia. The mines of Niger played a part in the lead-up to the Iraq War, after forged documents purported to show that Saddam Hussein was buying uranium from that source.
The security of uranium supplies is another theme of the book. There are descriptions of how both Israel and Pakistan developed their atomic weapons. The potential for terrorists or rogue states to obtain enriched uranium is described in slightly worrying fashion.
The book also covers the peaceful use of nuclear technology to generate electricity, and predicts a comeback for nuclear power, and therefore uranium mining, as the best way of combating climate change. The author notes that some people once strongly opposed to nuclear power have changed their minds about it for this very reason, specifically mentioning James Lovelock, Nancy Pelosi, and Patrick Moore (a past President of Greenpeace). It seems to me this prediction has proven correct in many countries around the world, although public opinion in the West remains mostly opposed to nuclear power (except in France).
This is an extremely readable book, entertaining and informative. There were undoubtedly other aspects that the author could have covered, but the book is about the right length as it is. It’s also politically well-balanced, covering the arguments from all sides. Really quite good!
The book outlines the early history of humanity’s encounters with uranium, but of course the mineral ores that contained it were regarded as useless until the 20th century. At the time of WWII, uranium was thought to be rare, and by far the best ore came from the Katanga region of the Belgian Congo. Access to this supply played a significant role in the development of the atomic bomb by the United States, and the story of how that access was gained is told in fascinating style. The end of the war was followed, in the USA, by a short-lived period of optimism about what nuclear technology might achieve. The US Government purchased land north of Las Vegas to conduct A-bomb tests, calling it “The Nevada Proving Ground.” The explosions were clearly visible from Las Vegas itself. One motel renamed itself “The Atomic View” and advertised the opportunity to watch the explosions from poolside chairs. Meanwhile the Las Vegas High School class of 1951 adopted the mushroom cloud as its official mascot.
In the 1940/50s the USSR obtained most of its uranium from the Erzgebirge, the Ore Mountains, in Saxony, which from 1945-1990 was in the GDR. The mines were worked by a mixture of slave labourers from prison camps and professional miners who were paid well by GDR standards but whose working conditions were horrendous, with non-existent safety standards and no protection against radiation exposure. The last was also true of uranium miners in Colorado, USA. The book goes on to feature aspects of uranium mining in various parts of the world, including Australia, Niger, and Mongolia. The mines of Niger played a part in the lead-up to the Iraq War, after forged documents purported to show that Saddam Hussein was buying uranium from that source.
The security of uranium supplies is another theme of the book. There are descriptions of how both Israel and Pakistan developed their atomic weapons. The potential for terrorists or rogue states to obtain enriched uranium is described in slightly worrying fashion.
The book also covers the peaceful use of nuclear technology to generate electricity, and predicts a comeback for nuclear power, and therefore uranium mining, as the best way of combating climate change. The author notes that some people once strongly opposed to nuclear power have changed their minds about it for this very reason, specifically mentioning James Lovelock, Nancy Pelosi, and Patrick Moore (a past President of Greenpeace). It seems to me this prediction has proven correct in many countries around the world, although public opinion in the West remains mostly opposed to nuclear power (except in France).
This is an extremely readable book, entertaining and informative. There were undoubtedly other aspects that the author could have covered, but the book is about the right length as it is. It’s also politically well-balanced, covering the arguments from all sides. Really quite good!
September 19, 2021
Page 73 (my book)
For the religious and the secular alike, uranium had become the mineral of apocalypse.
The author travelled the globe to explore how uranium changed the world. He goes to the Congo which had uranium rich mines that were used for the making of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. He also goes to the Czech Republic where uranium was first discovered. He journeys to Australia which apparently has the most known uranium deposits in the world, plus he ventures to Mongolia.
He provides us with a history of uranium – and fortunately for me the emphasis is not on physics, but much more on the people – the scientists and geologists who made the discoveries. There is more geological terminology than that of physics in the book.
We get an understanding of the vast amount of research and development that went into the making of the bomb. There were several massive sites across the United States to make the 1945 bombs.
The author is given to digressions, many of them interesting, such as the Stalinist era slave workers in the Czech Republic and East Germany who mined the uranium after World War II.
We are given the “bag of chips” scenario (or bag of crisps for my British friends) meaning you do not open the bag of chips and eat only one. The same went for the making of the nuclear bomb.
Page 93 after World War II
More than one hundred atomic bombs would be detonated there [the Nevada Proving Ground] between 1951 and 1963 and hundreds more would be set off inside tunnels below the desert.
The author does not go out of his way to condone or to proselytize for nuclear energy. There was a trend early in this century in favour of nuclear energy amidst the backlash over the use of fossil fuels, for example there are no greenhouse emissions from nuclear energy. This book was written before the Fukushima disaster in 2011.
In the following chapter he brings up this very grave warning:
Page 300
The entity called the “United States” has been around for less than one-fiftieth of the minimum decay time of the nuclear waste it plans to store.
He brings up the essential questions of how this will be stored and this indeed is macabre – what signposts can be used to describe such a site – how long can they last for, what languages to use, what symbols???
This book is highly readable and written with zest.
For the religious and the secular alike, uranium had become the mineral of apocalypse.
The author travelled the globe to explore how uranium changed the world. He goes to the Congo which had uranium rich mines that were used for the making of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. He also goes to the Czech Republic where uranium was first discovered. He journeys to Australia which apparently has the most known uranium deposits in the world, plus he ventures to Mongolia.
He provides us with a history of uranium – and fortunately for me the emphasis is not on physics, but much more on the people – the scientists and geologists who made the discoveries. There is more geological terminology than that of physics in the book.
We get an understanding of the vast amount of research and development that went into the making of the bomb. There were several massive sites across the United States to make the 1945 bombs.
The author is given to digressions, many of them interesting, such as the Stalinist era slave workers in the Czech Republic and East Germany who mined the uranium after World War II.
We are given the “bag of chips” scenario (or bag of crisps for my British friends) meaning you do not open the bag of chips and eat only one. The same went for the making of the nuclear bomb.
Page 93 after World War II
More than one hundred atomic bombs would be detonated there [the Nevada Proving Ground] between 1951 and 1963 and hundreds more would be set off inside tunnels below the desert.
The author does not go out of his way to condone or to proselytize for nuclear energy. There was a trend early in this century in favour of nuclear energy amidst the backlash over the use of fossil fuels, for example there are no greenhouse emissions from nuclear energy. This book was written before the Fukushima disaster in 2011.
In the following chapter he brings up this very grave warning:
Page 300
The entity called the “United States” has been around for less than one-fiftieth of the minimum decay time of the nuclear waste it plans to store.
He brings up the essential questions of how this will be stored and this indeed is macabre – what signposts can be used to describe such a site – how long can they last for, what languages to use, what symbols???
This book is highly readable and written with zest.
April 18, 2013
Eminently readable, Uranium traces the history of the element from garbage rock to coveted weapons material. Zoellner made the (probably wise) decision to avoid giving too much space in his book to events widely covered elsewhere. So there's very little about Chernobyl or Three Mile Island, and even the Manhattan Project gets rather less attention than it might have, with Zoellner focusing more on the uranium than on the scientists. Because let's face it, if you're going to pick up a history of uranium, you likely already have at least a passing knowledge those events.
But readable as it is, Uranium is sometimes lacking in narrative. Too often, Zoellner is plugging in large amounts of relatively unconnected facts and stories. It looks like he found far more interesting information than he could successfully integrate into one book, but tried to squeeze in as much as possible anyways. I understand the impulse, because this is good stuff. There's also one chapter, about the post-war uranium booms in the US and USSR, where Zoellner attempted a split timeline, seemingly to showcase the similarities between the two countries. It didn't really work for me, and I think I would have gotten more out of the chapter if he'd written it more conventionally.
So, readable, fascinating, but a little messy. Overall, more good than bad. I was also pleased to see that Zoellner did cite his sources. The complete list is available on his website, and there's also shorter but still fairly comprehensive list at the back of the physical book.
But readable as it is, Uranium is sometimes lacking in narrative. Too often, Zoellner is plugging in large amounts of relatively unconnected facts and stories. It looks like he found far more interesting information than he could successfully integrate into one book, but tried to squeeze in as much as possible anyways. I understand the impulse, because this is good stuff. There's also one chapter, about the post-war uranium booms in the US and USSR, where Zoellner attempted a split timeline, seemingly to showcase the similarities between the two countries. It didn't really work for me, and I think I would have gotten more out of the chapter if he'd written it more conventionally.
So, readable, fascinating, but a little messy. Overall, more good than bad. I was also pleased to see that Zoellner did cite his sources. The complete list is available on his website, and there's also shorter but still fairly comprehensive list at the back of the physical book.
July 1, 2020
This is basically the biography of Uranium. The history of how it was discovered and evolved to what it is today was a great read, especially considering the time we're in with everyone trying to get the bomb.
This powerful quote from the book's introduction sums it all up, " From dust to dust, the Earth came seeded with the means of it's own destruction--a geological original sin. "
The news is always talking about if terrorists ever got nuclear weapons how easy it would be to use them. After reading this book, I have become more fearful at the ease in which this could happen. If someone is determined to get uranium, I don't doubt that they will. There is little accounting of stuff by world governments and even some the inventory they know they are supposed to have goes missing.
It was scary to read about some boys finding some in a field (nobody knows how the ore they found got there) and hitting it with a hammer because it made nice sparks. Yikes! I never knew how precariously we are balanced on the nuclear precipice and now, unfortunately, have to believe it is only a matter of time until some nuclear terrorism occurs.
Oh yeah, I noticed an error in the book in which they talk about the Popeye cartoon and his nemesis "Brutus" according to the book. It's actually Bluto.
This powerful quote from the book's introduction sums it all up, " From dust to dust, the Earth came seeded with the means of it's own destruction--a geological original sin. "
The news is always talking about if terrorists ever got nuclear weapons how easy it would be to use them. After reading this book, I have become more fearful at the ease in which this could happen. If someone is determined to get uranium, I don't doubt that they will. There is little accounting of stuff by world governments and even some the inventory they know they are supposed to have goes missing.
It was scary to read about some boys finding some in a field (nobody knows how the ore they found got there) and hitting it with a hammer because it made nice sparks. Yikes! I never knew how precariously we are balanced on the nuclear precipice and now, unfortunately, have to believe it is only a matter of time until some nuclear terrorism occurs.
Oh yeah, I noticed an error in the book in which they talk about the Popeye cartoon and his nemesis "Brutus" according to the book. It's actually Bluto.
April 20, 2009
I just listened to Uranium: War, Energy and the Rock That Shaped the World by Tom Zoellner. Maybe you know it's radioactive, and maybe you also know the timeframe it went from being an unknown nuisance rock to something that would change the world forever. But do you know where it first came from on its race to its final resting place in Hiroshima? Zoellner does a great job of following its path through history from the first people who dug the mines and quietly shipped it to the secret processing factory, to today's U235 business in unexpected places throughout the world with its cast of shady prospectors, cartels, smuggling and politics. There are now 10 members of the elite club, some developed it on their own, some had spies that stole the secret recipe. Was it all worth the trillions and trillions of dollars spent because of the unique properties of this molecule? It has already affected the lives and health of millions of people, and the nuclear age is nowhere near over. This is a very informative, well balanced look at the complexity and consequences of this energetic molecule.
May 26, 2023
"The mastery and containment of uranium—this Thing we dug up seventy years ago— will almost certainly become one of the defining aspects of twenty-first-century geopolitics..."
Uranium was an interesting look into the subject. The scope of the writing here is incredibly broad, and it covers quite a lot of ground.
Author Tom Zoellner is an American writer and journalist. He is the author of popular non-fiction books which take multidimensional views of their subject.
Tom Zoellner:
The quote from above continues:
The book opens with a decent intro, where the author covers a brief history of fission. He writes with a decently engaging style, for the most part, and the writing here was well done.
He begins the book by talking about visiting a uranium mine called Shinkolobwe in Katanga in the Congo
Zoellner goes over a very detailed telling of the creation of the atomic bomb. Einstein's famous letter written mostly by Leo Szilard is discussed, and presented here in full.
The writing continues on in a chronological fashion, and Zoellner talks about the importation of uranium from Shinkolobwe in secrecy. The Americans wanted to corner the market on Uranium and wanted control of any known mines. It was initially thought that global supplies of uranium were scarce. This eventually proved to be not the case. It can (and has) been found almost everywhere large rock deposits are.
Some more of what is talked about in these pages includes:
• Nazi uranium aboard Unterseeboot-234
• Common apocalyptic prophecies shared across cultures
• William L. Laurence; official journalist of the Manhattan Project
• Mutually assured destruction (MAD)
• Fallout shelters
• Isreal's nuclear program
• Uranium decay products; radon, radon daughters. The final stable element of lead.
• India and Pakistan's nuclear program; Abdul Qadeer Khan
• Shoko Asahara
• Uranium mining
• St. Joachimsthal
• The Ore Mountains of Germany
• Uranium decay; radon, radium, cancer
• Uranium mining in Australia
• Niger
• Rogue states making a bomb
• Fraudulent uranium claims
***********************
Uranium was a good book, but it was too long, IMO. The audio version I have is almost 14 hours long. I found my (admittedly finicky) attention wandering at times, particularly in the latter half of the book.
There was still lots of interesting info presented here, though.
I would recommend it to anyone interested.
4 stars.
Uranium was an interesting look into the subject. The scope of the writing here is incredibly broad, and it covers quite a lot of ground.
Author Tom Zoellner is an American writer and journalist. He is the author of popular non-fiction books which take multidimensional views of their subject.
Tom Zoellner:
The quote from above continues:
"...Uranium will always be with us. Once dug up, it can never be reburied.
In this rock we can see the best and the worst of mankind: the capacity for scientific progress and political genius; the capacity for nihilism, exploitation, and terror. We must find a way to make peace with it. Our continuing relationship with uranium, as well as our future as a civilization, will depend on our capacity to resist mirroring that grim and never-ceasing instability that lies within the most powerful tool the earth has to give."
The book opens with a decent intro, where the author covers a brief history of fission. He writes with a decently engaging style, for the most part, and the writing here was well done.
He begins the book by talking about visiting a uranium mine called Shinkolobwe in Katanga in the Congo
Zoellner goes over a very detailed telling of the creation of the atomic bomb. Einstein's famous letter written mostly by Leo Szilard is discussed, and presented here in full.
The writing continues on in a chronological fashion, and Zoellner talks about the importation of uranium from Shinkolobwe in secrecy. The Americans wanted to corner the market on Uranium and wanted control of any known mines. It was initially thought that global supplies of uranium were scarce. This eventually proved to be not the case. It can (and has) been found almost everywhere large rock deposits are.
Some more of what is talked about in these pages includes:
• Nazi uranium aboard Unterseeboot-234
• Common apocalyptic prophecies shared across cultures
• William L. Laurence; official journalist of the Manhattan Project
• Mutually assured destruction (MAD)
• Fallout shelters
• Isreal's nuclear program
• Uranium decay products; radon, radon daughters. The final stable element of lead.
• India and Pakistan's nuclear program; Abdul Qadeer Khan
• Shoko Asahara
• Uranium mining
• St. Joachimsthal
• The Ore Mountains of Germany
• Uranium decay; radon, radium, cancer
• Uranium mining in Australia
• Niger
• Rogue states making a bomb
• Fraudulent uranium claims
***********************
Uranium was a good book, but it was too long, IMO. The audio version I have is almost 14 hours long. I found my (admittedly finicky) attention wandering at times, particularly in the latter half of the book.
There was still lots of interesting info presented here, though.
I would recommend it to anyone interested.
4 stars.
October 19, 2009
It was pretty good from a history perspective with a few gaps, but I guess there seemed to be a matter of fact attitude with little on whether it was good or bad. Seems like he could have taken a bit more of a stand one way or the other. I guess he is leaving that up for us to decide.
It also seems like he should have covered more on Chernobyl, 3 Mile Island, and Yucca mountain. I would have also liked to hear more about how European countries are doing with nuclear power. Guess I will have to find more books on that.
It also seems like he should have covered more on Chernobyl, 3 Mile Island, and Yucca mountain. I would have also liked to hear more about how European countries are doing with nuclear power. Guess I will have to find more books on that.
February 25, 2022
When you search "uranium" in Saskatoon Public Library, this is what comes up. Expectations were low (as they should be for a "shaped the world" book title), but they were exceeded!
More weapons-focused than energy, Zoellner does a job job of explaining uranium as an element, its early mining discoveries, mining operations through the 20th century, and more. He covers WW2 but doesn't over-do it: the better history, up to and including WW2, is Richard Rhodes' The Making of the Atomic Bomb which is referenced several times. There is a bit of a travelogue component as the author visits mine and plant sites all over the world.
The main takeaway I got from this book was great insights into the geopolitics of uranium as a commodity. In Canada (and in particular, in SK) there are publicly-traded companies in the industry, but the vast majority of participants in mining, energy production, and commodity trade are nation-states.
Some minor complaints. Some numerical facts were repeated multiple times - poor editing. Some sections exaggerated risks and hazards for dramatic purposes ("this eerie mineral," "the most deadly material," etc.) or provided no quantitative framework for understanding levels of relative risk (like radiation hazards).
Overall, well-written and a page turner. Good commodity history as I get started in the industry, but the drama factor in the writing needs to be taken with a grain of salt.
More weapons-focused than energy, Zoellner does a job job of explaining uranium as an element, its early mining discoveries, mining operations through the 20th century, and more. He covers WW2 but doesn't over-do it: the better history, up to and including WW2, is Richard Rhodes' The Making of the Atomic Bomb which is referenced several times. There is a bit of a travelogue component as the author visits mine and plant sites all over the world.
The main takeaway I got from this book was great insights into the geopolitics of uranium as a commodity. In Canada (and in particular, in SK) there are publicly-traded companies in the industry, but the vast majority of participants in mining, energy production, and commodity trade are nation-states.
Some minor complaints. Some numerical facts were repeated multiple times - poor editing. Some sections exaggerated risks and hazards for dramatic purposes ("this eerie mineral," "the most deadly material," etc.) or provided no quantitative framework for understanding levels of relative risk (like radiation hazards).
Overall, well-written and a page turner. Good commodity history as I get started in the industry, but the drama factor in the writing needs to be taken with a grain of salt.
February 4, 2020
Audio book
Very interesting!!! I learned a lot and am happy with the content. So much so I want to read the ebook so I can highlight parts of interest as if I were in school, lol. 😁
At times this read like a novel which was awesome! It made it so much more likeable and not as if it were a boring textbook. I do recommend this to those who want to learn the history of uranium.
4.5 stars
Very interesting!!! I learned a lot and am happy with the content. So much so I want to read the ebook so I can highlight parts of interest as if I were in school, lol. 😁
At times this read like a novel which was awesome! It made it so much more likeable and not as if it were a boring textbook. I do recommend this to those who want to learn the history of uranium.
4.5 stars
August 27, 2022
Condensed matter physics is a subject that thinks about strange phenomena in solids, where uranium and uranium containing compounds are arguably the most perplexing--this was the uranium I knew from a very focused, physics point of view. Zoellner's book has shown me this mysterious element in a much wider context and the human side of the story: where do you find the element, how this unique element has changed much of twentieth century and will continue to play a central role in many aspects in the present century, and how, depending on the perspective, physics and science may be a double edged sword.
February 19, 2018
The author’s approach was bit dry for me. I don’t mind a boring and technical read, but this book lacked the sort of layering that can make such a significant story even better. This read like a dry report, rather than an engaging chronicle of some of the most incredible achievements of the twentieth century.
Did not finish.
Did not finish.
October 4, 2023
I really liked this book!! I learned SO much. It is very informative, but still readable. I wish this book had been published more recently. It seemed liked the public’s and the market’s view of uranium changed dramatically every few decades - I’m very curious what changes have taken place since this book was published!
My only complaints with the book lie with its organization. Zoellner has so much cool information to share (I mean the amount of research and interviews that went into this book is incredible), but often times he switches threads really rapidly within a chapter so it really lacks cohesion.
As a geology nerd, I loved reading what is basically the biography of a really cool rock. It was fascinating to learn that nuclear fission supposedly took place naturally millions of years ago? And that scientists around the world all basically knew how to enrich uranium for making a bomb, but it was just a matter of finding the money to make the investment. It is kind of chilling just how easy it is. Even more chilling was seeing that both the U.S. and the Soviet Union had TONS of enriched uranium unaccounted for? I had no idea there was a black market for that. I also liked that the author spent some time discussing nuclear power and its potential as an equalizer for developing countries.
Others complained about this, but I like that the author took a largely neutral stance on the subject which is admittedly very controversial. So informative!!
My only complaints with the book lie with its organization. Zoellner has so much cool information to share (I mean the amount of research and interviews that went into this book is incredible), but often times he switches threads really rapidly within a chapter so it really lacks cohesion.
As a geology nerd, I loved reading what is basically the biography of a really cool rock. It was fascinating to learn that nuclear fission supposedly took place naturally millions of years ago? And that scientists around the world all basically knew how to enrich uranium for making a bomb, but it was just a matter of finding the money to make the investment. It is kind of chilling just how easy it is. Even more chilling was seeing that both the U.S. and the Soviet Union had TONS of enriched uranium unaccounted for? I had no idea there was a black market for that. I also liked that the author spent some time discussing nuclear power and its potential as an equalizer for developing countries.
Others complained about this, but I like that the author took a largely neutral stance on the subject which is admittedly very controversial. So informative!!
January 10, 2019
Crazy and fascinating book that reads as a page turner and is full of amazing facts, like who introduced Israel to the nuclear club? I always thought it was the USA but in fact it was Norway who sold then heavy water combined with France who sold them raw uranium yellowcake. They developed 'their bombs' in clandestine, 6 stories underground beneath the very nose of the CIA's watch ... many, many more fun stories stretching from Marie Currie's experiments to the present debate on whether a renaissance in nuclear power will usher in a new era of carbon neutral energy...
August 5, 2018
Thanks to Konstantin for the recommendation. Good history/primer on the discovery, mining, and processing of uranium. The style was a bit florid sometimes, but the book was still very readable. A nice starting point for more reading about nuclear power and/or weapons.
October 12, 2019
Every individual chapter was interesting by itself, but all together it got a little tedious. Still, I learned a lot. Now, I’d love to read a book that delved more directly into the ethical debates about uranium and nuclear technologies.
Note on the audiobook. The narrator did accents for every person quoted, and they were terrible. Like cartoon characters. Stereotypical, bordering on offensive at times.
Note on the audiobook. The narrator did accents for every person quoted, and they were terrible. Like cartoon characters. Stereotypical, bordering on offensive at times.
July 25, 2024
Boring. Manhatten Project history written better in other books.
November 21, 2010
I listened to this book as an Audible download. I enjoyed listening to it while I drove, took public transportation, and exercised. A cranky complaint I have about this book (and many others) is that the reader (apparently a native of North America), when compelled to read a quotation, feels that it is necessary to assume an accent that is associated with the writer's native region. The result sounds like the list below:
Accent: Characters from aging or ancient popular culture that, in the minds of readers and producers of audio books, embody all speakers of that language
Australian: Crocodile Dundee
Russian: Boris Badinov from the “Rocky and Bullwinkle” cartoons
German: Col. Clink from “Hogan's Heroes”
French: The amorous skunk Pepe LePuw from ancient cartoons
British (middle class or above, over 50): Col. Blimp
British (middle class or above, under 50): Bertie Wooster
British (working class): generic cockney hooligan
Scotland: Rob Roy
I appeal to the producers of audio books to free their readers from the obligation to do accents.
I enjoy the “micro-history” genre, to which this book belongs. Books in this category, whether they are about cod, beige, or Muzak, can be thoughtful and lighthearted at the same time, which is my favorite mood in which to battle rush hour traffic. In this case, the book (justifiably) fails to be light-hearted about its topic, which generated (and continues to generate) an astonishing amount of misery in its discovery, production, and use. Capitalist and communist economic systems are virtually indistinguishable in the amount of cruelty and mayhem caused by the pursuit of this substance. Once the damned stuff is out of the ground, of course, things turn even grimmer, only occasionally lightened by the appearance of comic-opera Russians (with appropriate accents) peddling powdered mercury as weapons-grade material to undercover police officers. And, oh yeah, nuclear war is no fun, either, and neither is the whole Pretext for Invasion thing. I guess that's not everybody's idea of appropriate material for the stationary bicycle, but I have a great fear that I'm going to die stupid. That's why I listen to this stuff.
Accent: Characters from aging or ancient popular culture that, in the minds of readers and producers of audio books, embody all speakers of that language
Australian: Crocodile Dundee
Russian: Boris Badinov from the “Rocky and Bullwinkle” cartoons
German: Col. Clink from “Hogan's Heroes”
French: The amorous skunk Pepe LePuw from ancient cartoons
British (middle class or above, over 50): Col. Blimp
British (middle class or above, under 50): Bertie Wooster
British (working class): generic cockney hooligan
Scotland: Rob Roy
I appeal to the producers of audio books to free their readers from the obligation to do accents.
I enjoy the “micro-history” genre, to which this book belongs. Books in this category, whether they are about cod, beige, or Muzak, can be thoughtful and lighthearted at the same time, which is my favorite mood in which to battle rush hour traffic. In this case, the book (justifiably) fails to be light-hearted about its topic, which generated (and continues to generate) an astonishing amount of misery in its discovery, production, and use. Capitalist and communist economic systems are virtually indistinguishable in the amount of cruelty and mayhem caused by the pursuit of this substance. Once the damned stuff is out of the ground, of course, things turn even grimmer, only occasionally lightened by the appearance of comic-opera Russians (with appropriate accents) peddling powdered mercury as weapons-grade material to undercover police officers. And, oh yeah, nuclear war is no fun, either, and neither is the whole Pretext for Invasion thing. I guess that's not everybody's idea of appropriate material for the stationary bicycle, but I have a great fear that I'm going to die stupid. That's why I listen to this stuff.
December 9, 2022
First of all, this book is *not* a science book. Instead, it is a somewhat meandering history of the use of uranium, particularly as it relates to U-238 and U-235 used in nuclear fission reactions. Initially, uranium was used for little except as an occasional colorant in stained glass, but in 1934 Enrico Fermi discovered the instability of its atom and the potential use in bombs. Zoellner discusses the history of mining uranium in Joachimsthal (Czeck Republic), Shinkolobwe (Congo), Australia, and Moab (Utah), but much of the book discusses weapon use, starting with the Manhattan Project and the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan, and then moving variously to Pakistan's nuclear program and Iraqi and Iranian efforts.
While variously interesting, Zoellner focuses mostly on sensational stories, even discussing a Japanese doomsday cult which sought a nuclear bomb but instead settled for using sarin gas. Even the historical stories seem to lean towards the sensational and feel incomplete (there was no mention of a 1950's proposal to use a nuclear weapon to create a large port in Alaska). And while he critically analyzes the US nuclear build up (including the silly government advice to "avoid panic and you'll come through alright"), there is little information on the parallel build up by the USSR except as it related to the Joachimsthal mine or the currently sloppy security in the former republic of Georgia. Discussions of nuclear electricity and questions of waste disposal are thin, and Homer Simpson rates a mention but Chernobyl gets barely a paragraph.
While I was initially enthusiastic about this book, it soon grew dull and at times it sounds more like a travelogue than a history. I listened to the audio book and by the end was setting the speed faster to finish quicker. The reader does a good job, even reading quotes in various accents. I originally found this annoying - he'd speak with accents in German, Russian, Pakistani, Middle Eastern, Australian, American cowboy, George Bush, etc. - but I must admit that it helped to keep it clearer who he was talking about.
While variously interesting, Zoellner focuses mostly on sensational stories, even discussing a Japanese doomsday cult which sought a nuclear bomb but instead settled for using sarin gas. Even the historical stories seem to lean towards the sensational and feel incomplete (there was no mention of a 1950's proposal to use a nuclear weapon to create a large port in Alaska). And while he critically analyzes the US nuclear build up (including the silly government advice to "avoid panic and you'll come through alright"), there is little information on the parallel build up by the USSR except as it related to the Joachimsthal mine or the currently sloppy security in the former republic of Georgia. Discussions of nuclear electricity and questions of waste disposal are thin, and Homer Simpson rates a mention but Chernobyl gets barely a paragraph.
While I was initially enthusiastic about this book, it soon grew dull and at times it sounds more like a travelogue than a history. I listened to the audio book and by the end was setting the speed faster to finish quicker. The reader does a good job, even reading quotes in various accents. I originally found this annoying - he'd speak with accents in German, Russian, Pakistani, Middle Eastern, Australian, American cowboy, George Bush, etc. - but I must admit that it helped to keep it clearer who he was talking about.
April 13, 2011
This book caught my eye because of the nuclear accident in Japan. It starts with the stories of the first physicists and chemists who posited that nuclear fusion would be possible in the 1930s. There's a fascinating episode in which Albert Einstein used his clout to finally get the possibility on the radar of the American Government. There's a concise history of the Manhattan Project, but mostly Zoellner focuses on Uranium itself. All of the ore for the first American atomic bombs was mined in Congo and the Americans managed to buy it out from under the Nazis with the help of a Belgian mining company. The author proceeds through to the present state of the Uranium industry including the prospectors who are looking for Uranium to this day in the American west. There's also a chapter on the gigantic mine in Niger that provides 10% of the world's uranium. He delves into the sheer implausibility of Saddam Hussein having been able to obtain uranium from that source. There is an interesting cautionary chapter on the espionage carried out by AQ Khan for Pakistan in Europe that allowed Pakistan to develop nuclear weapons.
Overall, a worthwhile read if a bit dull in spots- the book is more interesting in the sections that aren't exploring the minutiae of mining and rather focus more on geopolitics, economics and science.
Overall, a worthwhile read if a bit dull in spots- the book is more interesting in the sections that aren't exploring the minutiae of mining and rather focus more on geopolitics, economics and science.
June 9, 2010
Uranium
(or why some things should stay in the ground)
This nonfiction book takes a look at Uranium and its history in the world.
It is an interesting book, it is told through a completely linear timeline starting at its discovery and ending just a few years ago and its place on the world market.
The book looks not only at the affect radiation exposure has had on people but also the affect Uranium mining has had in the countries it is and was mined in.
The description of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was one of the more gruesome things I've ever heard. The discussion as to why developing nations would want to build a nuclear arsenal was an interesting explanation.
All in all it was an educational book, definitely not a page turner. There term 'Mutually assured distruction' is a lot more horrifying now.
Two phrases that stuck out in the book were:
mining is the mark of a rising civilization
everything on the earth was once in the earth
(or why some things should stay in the ground)
This nonfiction book takes a look at Uranium and its history in the world.
It is an interesting book, it is told through a completely linear timeline starting at its discovery and ending just a few years ago and its place on the world market.
The book looks not only at the affect radiation exposure has had on people but also the affect Uranium mining has had in the countries it is and was mined in.
The description of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was one of the more gruesome things I've ever heard. The discussion as to why developing nations would want to build a nuclear arsenal was an interesting explanation.
All in all it was an educational book, definitely not a page turner. There term 'Mutually assured distruction' is a lot more horrifying now.
Two phrases that stuck out in the book were:
mining is the mark of a rising civilization
everything on the earth was once in the earth
November 16, 2013
História legal, mas o livro não acrescenta muito. Da parte histórica, a descoberta e o uso do urânio são retratados melhor no The Making of the Atomic Bomb (um dos melhores que já li, aliás). E a parte química é muito mais bem descrita no The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements. Ou seja, tirando algumas coisas sobre o urânio depois da Segunda Guerra, outros livros são melhores.
June 17, 2012
I can't believe the American Geophysical Union (AGU) rated this as highly as they did. This books lacks the continuity and personal writing style of Oliver Sacks and his Uncle Tungsten or Jeremy Bernstein's 49 (Plutonium).
Zoellner writes in an annoying style which he criticizes another writer from the 40s and 50. He then has a chapter attempting the split time-line technique. Nice attempt, but it just doesn't quite do it for me.
I'm not expecting a metallurgy text, but I was hoping for something better. I need to flesh this out more with references for the Amazon review. I was a bit disappointed.
I purchased the book on close out discount and Amazon was still cheaper, and I still feel I was gypped.
Zoellner writes in an annoying style which he criticizes another writer from the 40s and 50. He then has a chapter attempting the split time-line technique. Nice attempt, but it just doesn't quite do it for me.
I'm not expecting a metallurgy text, but I was hoping for something better. I need to flesh this out more with references for the Amazon review. I was a bit disappointed.
I purchased the book on close out discount and Amazon was still cheaper, and I still feel I was gypped.
September 27, 2018
This book was ok but not better than that. Zoellner has quite an eclectic style that makes this book hard for the reader. He will switch from the science behind uranium radiation to the history of the Mongol empire. While the transitions are slightly comprehensible (in the previous example he was talking about uranium mining in modern Mongolia), they still showcase the unnecessary broadness of the work. The book feels at parts like a travel log, a biography of different men and women, political history of the nuclear arms race and much more. You can definitely find more than a few interesting tid-bits but, despite being short, the style makes the book seem not only longer but full of trivialities.
October 15, 2009
It must be hard to write a book on this topic without getting bogged down in complicated nuclear science. Zoellner manages to achieve this feat by telling the story as though it is a chronology of a life.
It works, leaning fairly heavily on the mining side and the various sources of Uranium that have been in the ascendancy since its discovery. There is also a fairly heavy emphasis on the a-bomb which is interesting and, of course, natural given the nature of the subject.
The tales of mining are perhaps the most interesting as they are woven into the fabric of the countries in question, which is very informative.
It works, leaning fairly heavily on the mining side and the various sources of Uranium that have been in the ascendancy since its discovery. There is also a fairly heavy emphasis on the a-bomb which is interesting and, of course, natural given the nature of the subject.
The tales of mining are perhaps the most interesting as they are woven into the fabric of the countries in question, which is very informative.
August 8, 2010
This book is filled with many interesting tidbits but it's a little dry and the narrative lacks the certain cohesion necessary to turn a textbook into a page turner. There author has a tendency to go off tangents, and I almost got the sense that he was trying to fill space. Very little here that is provocative or that I really couldn't have gotten from wikipedia.
But I know know a lot more about uranium than I did before, though i still have a very elementary understanding of fission.
But I know know a lot more about uranium than I did before, though i still have a very elementary understanding of fission.
June 4, 2009
This is a fascinating book, almost thriller like. Not only does it present the history of the development of the atomic bomb and the security risks of uranium exploitation, but it is especially interesting to Utahans since much of it takes place in Moab and southern Utah where uranium mining dominated for many years. Highly recommended
June 11, 2010
This is a fascinating book about the history of uranium. Primarily, it is about the mining of uranium, and secondarily about its use in bombs and in nuclear power plants, and the security (or lack of it) surrounding the mineral. The author has a very engaging style, that keeps one interested all the way through the book.
March 4, 2012
Listened to this on CD. Every time he quoted someone he had to do the accent (or attempt the accent). This was very distracting. The book seemed to drag and become garbled near the end. I thought maybe my CD's were out of order because his line of thought was hard to follow. The first part (the science) was very interesting. I know there has to be better books out there on the subject.
January 3, 2013
The book put forth an fairly interesting history of the use of Uranium. Discussion of the science behind using Uranium for weapons or energy was clear and mostly concise. The Author spent too much time in my view talking about his particular adventures to various parts of the world investigating the history of Uranium and its impact on the world.
October 1, 2014
Actually couldn't bring myself to finish this. Waayyy too much rambling about where we get the word Armageddon from, blah blah, poetic, and oh yah, here's a little bit of actual history about Uranium BUT HOW COULD THEY HAVE KNOWN WHAT THEY WERE FINDING?! *dramatic chord* e_e
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