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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Wow, this was as distressing as I was afraid it would be. Ms. Iversen grew up in Arvada,CO a suburban area near Boulder and Denver. In her neighborhood was a factory that manufactured plutonium triggers for nuclear bombs that proceeded over it's 50 some years of production to spew radioactivity across the land. The amazing lack of safety procedures and training, the total disregard for the handling of raw materials and waste and the collusion of big business and government alike makes for an interesting and horrifying read. I listened to the audio of this and at times felt parts were repetitious but all in all a good story, well-written and revealing.
challenging
informative
medium-paced
Read this book. It is so well written, and if you're looking for gripping non-fiction, it's the perfect choice. It's heartbreaking and enraging and it will have you talking the ears off anyone around you as you share what you learn in its pages.
The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because I was really hoping for some information on current activism or steps you could take after reading. Essentially, it gets you furious and then gives you no outlet for what you can do about the things described in the book. I'm planning to go searching, as I'm sure there's SOMETHING I could do, maybe letter writing or petition signing or whatever, but at least it would be something.
Anyway, this is such an important read, particularly if you've ever lived in Colorado. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because I was really hoping for some information on current activism or steps you could take after reading. Essentially, it gets you furious and then gives you no outlet for what you can do about the things described in the book. I'm planning to go searching, as I'm sure there's SOMETHING I could do, maybe letter writing or petition signing or whatever, but at least it would be something.
Anyway, this is such an important read, particularly if you've ever lived in Colorado. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
challenging
informative
medium-paced
Ok, so I really can't say that I love this book (5 stars) but I grew up just a few miles south of and a few years after Kristin (still in Arvada) so feel a close affinity to the story. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the book and have spent a lot of time doing silent screams and thinking "Oh My God" in horror. I can't read it late at night or i'll be up half the night thinking about it (and the kid who grew up a block from me who got testicular cancer, and the families i knew, but lost track of, who lived even closer, etc). I am only able to read a small chunk of pages at a time. but at the same time I believe I need to know, so on I forge.
One thing that strikes me, when you're a kid perspective is different than when you grow up (i.e. chairs in elementary school fit but are too small when you get older). I always thought Rocky Flats was farther away than it really is.
One thing that strikes me, when you're a kid perspective is different than when you grow up (i.e. chairs in elementary school fit but are too small when you get older). I always thought Rocky Flats was farther away than it really is.
An engaging and troubling memoir about growing up down the road and
downwind of the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons facility. Not that area
residents realized what it was back in the 50s when they were buying homes in which to raise their families. Employees at the plant were not allowed to discuss their work with anyone.
Secrecy is a major theme here. Big government secrecy about the facility and the effect it might have on surrounding lands, people and animals. Then there's family secrecy, the kind that will be familiar to anyone who grew up with an alcoholic parent, as Iverson did.
The author's life, as she recounts in this book, paralells the trajectory of the nation. It begins hopefully in the 1950s, with her parents starting their family, her father's career taking off, the shiny new house in the wonderful new subdivision, and the Rocky Flats facility pumping lifeblood into the local economy. Then come the questioning 60s and 70s, the cancers, the protests, the internal strife within families where one person in the household might work at Rocky Flats while another is picketing it. In the 80s, Kristen leaves for a while and lives elsewhere, starting her own family, only to move back as a single mom and work her own stint at Rocky Flats. This is when she begins compiling notes on the place. While all of this is happening, Iverson's father is drinking more and sinking farther, eventually losing his law practice and leaving the family.
The effects of plutonium exposure in the surrounding community were devastating, with some families losing several members of the household to cancer. And many of the residents who have never been diagnosed with cancer have suffered other strange health problems - lots of thyroid issues, lots of illnesses that are never diagnosed but seem to afflict many people with the same symptoms.
The most chilling facet of the story, to me, is how the families who had the "healthiest" most "environmentally friendly" lifestyles suffered the most. Those whose grew their own food (in contaminated soil) and the kids who got plenty of outdoors exercise were most likely to fall.
I'd like to think we as a society could learn something from this. I'm just not sure. We seem to repeat the same mistakes again and again.
downwind of the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons facility. Not that area
residents realized what it was back in the 50s when they were buying homes in which to raise their families. Employees at the plant were not allowed to discuss their work with anyone.
Secrecy is a major theme here. Big government secrecy about the facility and the effect it might have on surrounding lands, people and animals. Then there's family secrecy, the kind that will be familiar to anyone who grew up with an alcoholic parent, as Iverson did.
The author's life, as she recounts in this book, paralells the trajectory of the nation. It begins hopefully in the 1950s, with her parents starting their family, her father's career taking off, the shiny new house in the wonderful new subdivision, and the Rocky Flats facility pumping lifeblood into the local economy. Then come the questioning 60s and 70s, the cancers, the protests, the internal strife within families where one person in the household might work at Rocky Flats while another is picketing it. In the 80s, Kristen leaves for a while and lives elsewhere, starting her own family, only to move back as a single mom and work her own stint at Rocky Flats. This is when she begins compiling notes on the place. While all of this is happening, Iverson's father is drinking more and sinking farther, eventually losing his law practice and leaving the family.
The effects of plutonium exposure in the surrounding community were devastating, with some families losing several members of the household to cancer. And many of the residents who have never been diagnosed with cancer have suffered other strange health problems - lots of thyroid issues, lots of illnesses that are never diagnosed but seem to afflict many people with the same symptoms.
The most chilling facet of the story, to me, is how the families who had the "healthiest" most "environmentally friendly" lifestyles suffered the most. Those whose grew their own food (in contaminated soil) and the kids who got plenty of outdoors exercise were most likely to fall.
I'd like to think we as a society could learn something from this. I'm just not sure. We seem to repeat the same mistakes again and again.
This book is crazy to think about but everyone should read.
This was a terrifying book in many ways. I am suddenly incredibly grateful that I don't live in Colorado.
Full Body Burden is the story of the area in Colorado where they made nuclear bombs (or one part of the bomb, at any rate, which is a radioactive bomb in and of itself) and the growth of the surrounding area. Essentially they contaminated the whole region with radioactive material and then repeatedly lied to the public about how dangerous it is.
It was kind of disturbing how the story of every person she mentions in the book ends with "and they later got cancer." Particularly disturbing was how the company kept insisting it was an incredibly safe place to work even though there were constant accidents and lot of workers died of cancer. It bothers me that they're still lying to this day even though people now live on that contaminated land and drink that water.
I think this book should be mandatory reading for everyone who lives in Colorado. Anyone who is interested in social justice, nuclear energy, the environment, or American history should read this book.
I highly recommend it partly because the government seems to be hoping people will just forget about this issue even though people are still being poisoned. It's highly troubling and I think more people should know about it.
Full Body Burden is the story of the area in Colorado where they made nuclear bombs (or one part of the bomb, at any rate, which is a radioactive bomb in and of itself) and the growth of the surrounding area. Essentially they contaminated the whole region with radioactive material and then repeatedly lied to the public about how dangerous it is.
It was kind of disturbing how the story of every person she mentions in the book ends with "and they later got cancer." Particularly disturbing was how the company kept insisting it was an incredibly safe place to work even though there were constant accidents and lot of workers died of cancer. It bothers me that they're still lying to this day even though people now live on that contaminated land and drink that water.
I think this book should be mandatory reading for everyone who lives in Colorado. Anyone who is interested in social justice, nuclear energy, the environment, or American history should read this book.
I highly recommend it partly because the government seems to be hoping people will just forget about this issue even though people are still being poisoned. It's highly troubling and I think more people should know about it.
Sh*t. Yikes. Sh*t and yikes.
24,000 year half-life on plutonium-239. So maybe in about 240,001 years, I'd feel comfortable to hike in the Rocky Flats Wildlife "Refuge."
24,000 year half-life on plutonium-239. So maybe in about 240,001 years, I'd feel comfortable to hike in the Rocky Flats Wildlife "Refuge."
Do not read this book if you prefer being an ostrich with your head in the ground. Do not read this book if you prefer to think that business and the government values citizens over money. This is an upsetting book.
If on the other had you wonder why so many communities are complaing about fracking, drilling for oil, mining and other activities near their homes, read this book and then join the protest. If you have lived in Denver during the past 50 years, read this book and weep, weep partly because we were so naive and uninformed while our neighbors were being poisoned. We complain more about prairie dogs being poisoned , than we do about Rocky Flats.
If there is a positive take on this book, it is that it is our duty and out benefit to ask questions, questions questions- and to support the questioners. I have never had a lot of sympathy for Snowden, but this book gave me a new perspective on his motivation. I'd love to see every college student have this as required reading.
I didn't give it 5 stars because it was emotionally a tough read.
If on the other had you wonder why so many communities are complaing about fracking, drilling for oil, mining and other activities near their homes, read this book and then join the protest. If you have lived in Denver during the past 50 years, read this book and weep, weep partly because we were so naive and uninformed while our neighbors were being poisoned. We complain more about prairie dogs being poisoned , than we do about Rocky Flats.
If there is a positive take on this book, it is that it is our duty and out benefit to ask questions, questions questions- and to support the questioners. I have never had a lot of sympathy for Snowden, but this book gave me a new perspective on his motivation. I'd love to see every college student have this as required reading.
I didn't give it 5 stars because it was emotionally a tough read.