Meltdown Audiobook By Joel Levy cover art

Meltdown

Nuclear Disaster and the Human Cost of Going Critical

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

Meltdown

By: Joel Levy
Narrated by: Kris Dyer
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.99

Buy for $15.99

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

Meltdown investigates and recreates the dramatic events behind the most notorious nuclear accidents in history, as well as those shrouded in secrecy.

Combining human tragedy with intriguing science, each account reveals new aspects of humanity's complex relationship with nuclear power and the ongoing struggle to harness and control it. From the pioneers of Los Alamos who got up close and personal with the cores of atomic bombs, to the hapless engineers in Soviet fuel-processing plants who unwittingly mixed up a disaster in a bucket, and from the terrifying impact of a tsunami at Fukushima to the mystery of the recent Russian incident, Meltdown explores the past and future of this extraordinary and potentially lethal source of infinite power

©2020 Joel Levy (P)2020 W F Howes Disaster Relief History History & Philosophy Physics Science Social Sciences Russia Soviet Union
All stars
Most relevant  
I have listened to and/or read multiple titles on nuclear accidents, and this book absolutely ranks up there at the top. This title has new (to me) details on the so very numerous experiments of the 1940s and 50s, which are always the most fascinating part of nuclear history to me, Of course it has the stories of Chernobyl, TMI, and 'Shima. Loads and laods of detail on Kysthym, Windscale, and SL-1. The two chapters dedicated specifically to Cecil Kelly and Hisashi Ouchi were new to me and were just fascinating and heartbreaking at the same time. No matter how many nuclear accident book you have read, this one will teach you things,

Also, a full on ovation tot he narrator. His prose, timbre, rhythm, and speed are absolutely perfect the entire way through, And as an American, I must say the gentle British accent is very pleasing to the ears.

No matter how many nuke accident book you've read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
History of nuclear "accidents" described in easy to understand language, including events not in common knowledge prior to 2020. I listened to it in two sessions, only pausing for a few hours sleep.

Well done!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I am fairly certain we are all aware that radiation can be dangerous. I do not need to be reminded of this every few seconds. I want to know the details. I want the science. I want the human factors explanations. These are here - the research is solid - but good lord, the preaching.

Decent research, aggravating fear-mongering tone

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Honestly just check out Atomic Accidents by James Mahaffey. Not only does he quote Dr. Mahaffey repeatedly, but Atomic Accidents cover the subject matter substantially better

A less well written version of another book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.