Kathryn L. Brown Livres

In Plutopia, Brown draws on official records and dozens of interviews to tell the stories of Richland, Washington and Ozersk, Russia--the first two cities in the world to produce plutonium. To contain secrets, American and Soviet leaders created plutopias--communities of nuclear families living in highly-subsidized, limited-access atomic cities. Brown shows that the plants' segregation of permanent and temporary workers and of nuclear and non-nuclear zones created a bubble of immunity, where dumps and accidents were glossed over and plant managers freely embezzled and polluted. In four decades, the Hanford plant near Richland and the Maiak plant near Ozersk each issued at least 200 million curies of radioactive isotopes into the surrounding environment--equaling four Chernobyls--laying waste to hundreds of square miles and contaminating rivers, fields, forests, and food supplies. Because of the decades of secrecy, downwind and downriver neighbors of the plutonium plants had difficulty proving what they suspected, that the rash of illnesses, cancers, and birth defects in their communities were caused by the plants' radioactive emissions. Plutopia was successful because in its zoned-off isolation it appeared to deliver the promises of the American dream and Soviet communism; in reality, it concealed disasters that remain highly unstable and threatening today.--From publisher description.

'A WONDERFUL, ESCAPIST, NOSTALGIC READ'- RED MAGAZINEAn enthralling debut novel of romance, wartime glamour and adventure in the skies, inspired by the brave young women who flew fighter planes across Britain in World War Two

Lake Baikal -- Baikal goes global -- A tale of two lakes -- Putin's favorite oligarch -- Disempowering empowerment -- State suppression of Baikal activism

After the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986, international aid organizations sought to help the victims but were stymied by post-Soviet political roadblocks. Efforts to gain access to the site of catastrophic radiation damage were denied, and the residents of Chernobyl were given no answers as their lives hung in the balance. Drawing on a decade of archival research and on-the-ground interviews in Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus, Kate Brown unveils the full breadth of the devastation and the whitewash that followed. Her findings make clear the irreversible impact of man-made radioactivity on every living thing; and hauntingly, they force us to confront the untold legacy of decades of weapons-testing and other catastrophic nuclear incidents

While many transnational histories of the nuclear arms race have been written, Kate Brown provides the first definitive account of the great plutonium disasters of the United States and the Soviet Union. She draws on official records and dozens of interviews to tell the extraordinary stories of Richland, Washington and Ozersk, Russia--the first two cities in the world to produce plutonium. To contain secrets, American and Soviet leaders created plutopias--communities of nuclear families living in highly-subsidized, limited-access atomic cities. Plutopia was successful because in its zoned-off isolation it appeared to deliver the promises of the American dream and Soviet communism; in reality, it concealed disasters that remain highly unstable and threatening today.

The author, a Professor of History at California State University, Los Angeles, brings a wealth of academic expertise to the narrative. The book delves into significant historical themes and contexts, providing insights that reflect the author's scholarly background. Readers can expect a thorough exploration of historical events, figures, and their implications, presented with a critical and analytical approach that highlights the complexities of the past.

Set against the backdrop of the Chernobyl disaster, the book presents a detailed analysis of radioactivity levels in the affected area. It reassures the residents of a village that both their food and environment pose no harm to adults or children. The narrative explores themes of safety, denial, and the impact of disaster on community perceptions, providing insight into the aftermath of one of history's most significant nuclear accidents.

The Perfume Garden combines the gripping storytelling of Kate Morton with the evocative settings of Victoria Hislop to tell this sumptuous, escapist story of lost love and family secrets set between modern day Valencia and the Spanish Civil War.

Over a glorious Irish summer of baking and bunting, hearts will be broken and secrets revealed in this gorgeous new novel from Kate Lord Brown.

Looking for time saving, creative, ready-to-use activities to kick-start and round up your lessons? Look no further!