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The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II Paperback – March 11, 2014

by Denise Kiernan (Author)

3,547

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The New York Times bestseller, now available in paperback—an incredible true story of the top-secret World War II town of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the young women brought there unknowingly to help build the atomic bomb.

“The best kind of nonfiction: marvelously reported, fluidly written, and a remarkable story...As meticulous and brilliant as it is compulsively readable.” —Karen Abbott, author of Sin in the Second City

At the height of World War II, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was home to 75,000 residents, and consumed more electricity than New York City, yet it was shrouded in such secrecy that it did not appear on any map. Thousands of civilians, many of them young women from small towns across the U.S., were recruited to this secret city, enticed by the promise of solid wages and war-ending work. What were they actually doing there? Very few knew. The purpose of this mysterious government project was kept a secret from the outside world and from the majority of the residents themselves. Some wondered why, despite the constant work and round-the-clock activity in this makeshift town, did no tangible product of any kind ever seem to leave its guarded gates? The women who kept this town running would find out at the end of the war, when Oak Ridge’s secret was revealed and changed the world forever.

Drawing from the voices and experiences of the women who lived and worked in Oak Ridge, The Girls of Atomic City rescues a remarkable, forgotten chapter of World War II from obscurity. Denise Kiernan captures the spirit of the times through these women: their pluck, their desire to contribute, and their enduring courage. “A phenomenal story,” and Publishers Weekly called it an “intimate and revealing glimpse into one of the most important scientific developments in history.”

“Kiernan has amassed a deep reservoir of intimate details of what life was like for women living in the secret city...Rosie, it turns out, did much more than drive rivets.” —The Washington Post

Print length

416 pages
Language

English
Publication date

March 11, 2014
Dimensions

6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

1451617534
ISBN-13

978-1451617535
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“I love these kinds of books, and this is a great one....It’s a phenomenal story.” -- Jon Stewart, The Daily Show

“Fascinating ... Kiernan has amassed a deep reservoir of intimate details of what life was like for women living in the secret city, gleaned from seven years of interviews and research. ... Rosie, it turns out, did much more than drive rivets.” -- The Washington Post

“Kiernan…brings a unique and personal perspective to this key part of American history.…Instead of the words of top scientists and government officials, Kiernan recounts the experiences of factory workers, secretaries, and low-level chemists in a town that housed at its peak 75,000 people trained not to talk about what they knew or what they did. She combines their stories with detailed reporting that provides a clear and compelling picture of this fascinating time.” ― The Boston Globe

“Kiernan’s focus is on the intimate and often strange details of work and life at Oak Ridge. It’s told in a novelistic style and is an intimate look at the experiences of the young women who worked at Oak Ridge and the local residents whose lives were changed by the presence of the project.” -- The San Francisco Book Review

“Kiernan’s book, the result of seven years of research and interviews with the surviving 'girls,' sparkles with their bright, WWII slang and spirit, and takes readers behind the scenes into the hive-like encampments and cubicles where they spent their days and nights.…The Girls of Atomic City brings to light a forgotten chapter in our history that combines a vivid, novelistic story with often troubling science.” -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“The image of Rosie the Riveter — women filling in at factories to help the war effort — is well known. But women also assisted on the Manhattan Project, signing up for secret work in Oak Ridge, Tenn., to help build the atomic bomb. Kiernan looks at the lives and contributions of these unsung women who worked in jobs from secretaries to chemists.” ― New York Post

“Kiernan’s accounts ring with authenticity.…The Girls of Atomic City is fascinating." ― Minneapolis Star Tribune

"As most of us are all too aware, the generation who fought in World War II or supported the effort from home are leaving us -- their children, grandchildren, and greats -- to carry on without them. Thanks to author Kiernan, we hear from a group of that generation's women, now in their eighties and nineties, whose wartime experience matched no one else's. Ever. Anywhere." -- Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“A fresh take on the secret city built in the mountains of Tennessee as part of the Manhattan Project during World War II… An inspiring account of how people can respond with their best when called upon.” ― Kirkus Reviews

"Denise Kiernan recreates, with cinematic vividness and clarity, the surreal Orwell-meets-Margaret Atwood environment of Oak Ridge as experienced by some of the women who were there: secretaries, technicians, a nurse, a statistician, a leak pipe inspector, a chemist, and a janitor." -- DailyBeast.com

“Kiernan snugly fits original research into the creation story of Oak Ridge and should engage readers interested in both women’s history and the background of the atomic bomb.” ― Booklist

“This intimate and revealing glimpse into one of the most important scientific developments in history will appeal to a broad audience.” ― Publishers Weekly

"A lively story about the tens of thousands of women who made the bomb -- from the power-plant janitor struggling each day through the mud to the exiled physicist in Sweden -- The Girls of Atomic City offers a bottom-up history revealing that the atomic bomb was not simply the product of J. Robert Oppenheimer's genius, but also of the work of women at every level of education and class." -- BrainPickings.org

“The Girls of Atomic City is the best kind of nonfiction: marvelously reported, fluidly written, and a remarkable story about a remarkable group of women who performed clandestine and vital work during World War II. Denise Kiernan recreates this forgotten chapter in American history in a work as meticulous and brilliant as it is compulsively readable.” -- Karen Abbott, author of Sin in the Second City

“Great, relevant, readable.” ― --The Washingtonian

"Kiernan has contributed a new and vital chapter to studies of American political development and women and politics." ― American Political Science Association

About the Author

Denise Kiernan is the author of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal bestseller The Last Castle. Her previous book, The Girls of Atomic City, is a New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and NPR bestseller. Kiernan has been published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Village Voice, Ms., Reader’s Digest, Discover, and many more publications. She has also worked in television, serving as head writer for ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire during its Emmy award–winning first season and producing for media outlets such as ESPN and MSNBC. She has been a featured guest on NPR’s “Weekend Edition,” PBS NewsHour, MSNBC’s Morning Joe, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria Books; Reprint edition (March 11, 2014)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1451617534
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1451617535
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches

Customer Reviews:
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Denise Kiernan

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Denise Kiernan is an author, journalist, producer, and host of “CRAFT: Authors in Conversation.” Her new young reader’s book, "We Gather Together: Stories of Thanksgiving" from then to now, arrives September 2023, and is a companion title to the popular adult nonfiction book, "We GatherTogether," and children’s picture book, "Giving Thanks." Her titles "The Last Castle" and "The Girls of Atomic City" were both instant New York Times bestsellers in both hardcover and paperback. "The Last Castle" was also a Wall Street Journal bestseller, a finalist for the 2018 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize. "The Girls of Atomic City" was also a Los Angeles Times and NPR bestseller, was named one of Amazon's “Top 100 Best Books of 2013,” and is now available in multiple languages. It was also awarded the 2014 American Political Science Association's Woodrow Wilson Foundation Award for the best book published in the United States on government, politics, or international affairs.

Kiernan has also co-authored several popular history titles including "Signing Their Lives Away," "Signing Their Rights Away," and "Stuff Every American Should Know." She has been published in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Village Voice, Time, Ms. Magazine, Reader's Digest, Discover and many more publications. She has also worked in television, serving as head writer for ABC's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" during its Emmy award-winning first season and has produced for media outlets such as ESPN and MSNBC.Throughout her career, Kiernan has been a featured guest on many radio and television shows, including NPR's "Weekend Edition," PBS NewsHour, MSNBC Morning Joe and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. She lives in North Carolina.

You can follow her work at:

Website: www.denisekiernan.com

Twitter: @DeniseKiernan

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DeniseKiernanAuthor

Instagram: @iamDeniseKiernan

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Jenna

Amazing Story—All True

Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2024

Verified Purchase

This is the amazing and true story of many of the women who worked at Oak Ridge during WWII, producing the uranium that fueled the world’s first atomic bomb. Although the history is fastidiously documented, it’s an interesting, gripping read. The young women who embarked on the highly secret journey come to life in these pages. This is a great companion to the Oppenheimer biopic.

3 people found this helpful

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K.B.

Part of history well worth reading

Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2018

Verified Purchase

Incredible story of how tens of thousands of ordinary American citizens worked in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and helped build the atomic bomb. Each person knew how to do their job but did not know the purpose of their individual tasks other than it was part of the war effort. When the bombings occurred in Japan, they were just as surprised as the rest of the world. It was probably the best kept secret in American history.

The book features the stories of some of the women who worked in various capacities at Oak Ridge including a chemist, nurse, secretaries, mathematician, and a janitorial service worker. Also included is the backstory on how the bomb was developed including the role of several women scientists who really have never received their fair share of credit.

While the history is utterly fascinating, the writing is just average. It did get a little frustrating having to keep flipping back and forth between the page listing the cast of characters and the actual writing because it was hard to keep track of everyone. However, I am glad the author included the stories of so many women because they played such an important role in the effort to end the war.

This book was full of random tidbits of information such as married black couples were not allowed to live together and their housing units were of much lesser quality than white workers. As I stated before, workers didn't know the reasons they were performing certain tasks like checking gauges and examining pipes, and for some it really took a toll on their mental state as it felt like you didn't have a purpose other than doing something that felt meaningless. After the bombings occurred, many workers had mixed feelings. There was a feeling of relief the war was over, but also sadness at the utter destruction and lives lost.

This is a part of history that is definitely well worth reading.

17 people found this helpful

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UrbanMonique

Excellent Read

Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2024

Verified Purchase

Enlightening and absorbing account of Oak Ridge during and after WWII. Even as a devoted reader of much WWII history, there were perspectives and stories here I’d not seen before. Very readable, and very well researched. Highly recommended for those who don’t know as much about the subject as we should.

One person found this helpful

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Sacramento reader

Very interesting subject

Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2014

Verified Purchase

This book tells the very interesting story about how the atom bomb was developed, and the people behind this enormous, unprecedented collective effort. The book alternates between telling the stories of nine women working at Oak Ridge, and describing the events beyond Oak Ridge. The book gives a vivid sense of what life was like for these women, and some of their stories have very interesting aspects. But after a while the stories are somewhat repetitive and uninteresting, and it becomes hard to distinguish between some of the women. This is partly because the author interviewed women in their nineties, asking them to recall events 70 years prior. It may also be that the people were just not that interesting - the project hired young women who followed rules and didn't ask questions, and fired those who didn't comply. By the end of the book, the portrayal of external events was the more interesting part.

The writing style is very simple, and appears to be aimed at young adults. The writing is also a bit sloppy in places, and could have been edited better. I learned something from the book, and that made it worthwhile.

4 people found this helpful

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E. Lovelady

Excellent history told well

Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2024

Verified Purchase

History buff or not, I suggest it is worth a read to remind us that women played a very significant role in out victory in WW II. MAKES me want to visit Oak Ridge

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JC87

When you sign up for a project veiled in secrecy

Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2024

Verified Purchase

It was an interesting perspective of the project and the women who played a roll. Because it is not fiction and the stories are combined, there are places that were really slow reading.

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Top reviews from other countries

Georg Erwin Thaller

The women who worked at Oak Ridge during WWII tell the tale.

Reviewed in Germany on February 25, 2020

Verified Purchase

Oak Ridge had more than 70 000 people when enriched uranium was produced there. Of course, it was all top secret. The women did not know that they worked at the stuff that was needed at Los Alamos to build the first nuclear bomb. Housing was substandard, conditions were harsh. But for young women it was a chance to flee from theier families, to earn their own money. The american society was changed after WWII, as was the case in the United Kingdom.
A book worth your time.

GEORGE THALLER

Ken Watkins

Great combination of personal anecdotes, along with some of the science, construction, and politics of the manhattan project.

Reviewed in Canada on April 30, 2013

Verified Purchase

This is a really good read for anyone interested in the period, or the project. Does a good job of putting you in the setting, gives a good sense of the times in general.

Also includes a novice level explanation of the function of the bomb, and their manufacture.

It was the first of several books I read on the project.

Amazon Customer

Interesting information

Reviewed in Canada on March 25, 2022

Verified Purchase

This book did a great job of presenting a lot of very interesting information in a highly readable way. I found the characters interesting and easy to understand in terms of their motivations. These were a lot of different types of people from different backgrounds and I find it amazing that they were able to be so secretive for so long. They are to be applauded.

Matthew Wilkes

Annoying writing style, too jumpy, full of gimmicks

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 27, 2013

Verified Purchase

I was quite disappointed by this book. Rather than following the story coherently it jumps back and forth between different viewpoints at different times, trying to handle each person individually. The reason given is to reflect the 'compartmentalised nature of the project', but it just feels annoying. The style is more suited to a 3 page Spiegel article than a book.

This theme carries on with the chapters about the technical progress of the project, which are presented in a different typeface (yuck!) to try and look more like engineering briefings, and the deliberate use of codenames throughout which leaves you constantly checking the glossary to see what is going on.

2 people found this helpful

lp

Disappointing

Reviewed in Canada on April 30, 2015

Verified Purchase

Having a hard time getting into it. The author has all the characters with such short story lines. With reading it on a kindle I cannot go back a few pages like in a book to see who is who. Not that it matters as nothing really ever happens. It should be a very interesting book. I truly cannot understand the rave reviews.

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