The Girls of Atomic City

The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II

By: Denise Kiernan

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

Length: 12 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

At the height of World War II, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was home to 75,000 residents, consuming more electricity than New York City. But to most of the world, the town did not exist. Thousands of civilians - many of them young women from small towns across the South - were recruited to this secret city, enticed by solid wages and the promise of war-ending work. Kept very much in the dark, few would ever guess the true nature of the tasks they performed each day in the hulking factories in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains. That is, until the end of the war - when Oak Ridge's secret was revealed.

Drawing on the voices of the women who lived it - women who are now in their eighties and nineties - The Girls of Atomic City rescues a remarkable, forgotten chapter of American history from obscurity. Denise Kiernan captures the spirit of the times through these women: their pluck, their desire to contribute, and their enduring courage. Combining the grand-scale human drama of The Worst Hard Time with the intimate biography and often troubling science of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, The Girls of Atomic City is a lasting and important addition to our country's history.

©2013 Denise Kiernan (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Tales of the Oak Ridge Mud Flats

If you could sum up The Girls of Atomic City in three words, what would they be?

Ants with purpose

What other book might you compare The Girls of Atomic City to and why?

No book that I have personally read.

What about Cassandra Campbell’s performance did you like?

Yes, she did an excellent job!! You really got the first person narration.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, it was enthralling and well woven. It might have taken two sittings!!

Any additional comments?

I am thankful for the exploration of the contribution of this bustling community to the war effort. I wish there would be more followup of whether atomic energy has done more good than bad!

Informative - needed more character depth

What did you like best about The Girls of Atomic City? What did you like least?

It was fascinating and informative. I learned a lot about a period in our history that I knew little about. I loved the author's decision to tell the story thru the voices of people who were there.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Girls of Atomic City?

The ability to keep so many people so successfully engaged while they had no idea what they were doing.

What three words best describe Cassandra Campbell’s voice?

Clear, pleasant, incorrect

Did The Girls of Atomic City inspire you to do anything?

I want to learn more about the same subject.

Any additional comments?

I really liked the author's choice to tell the story thru the voices of the people who were there. I liked that she chose a wide variety of participants so we got a wide variety of information. I would have rather learned more about the people and less about the physics. Also, the narrator's southern accent needs a lot of work.

Good listen

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I have read a great deal on this era, and expected this book to bring me a perspective of the women involved, but I felt that the focus was more on the project, and not on the women. Overall, I would say that this is worth a listen, and definitely good if you are just entering this area of history.

need to be accountable for our history

this book is an awesome part of history told by the people involved rather than how the government wants it told. it is good to finally be transparent and acknowledge that the u.s. had to do something and this was it.

An anecdotal and riveting historical account

What did you like best about The Girls of Atomic City? What did you like least?

I enjoyed the individual stories behind Atomic city. It was whimsy and packed with unknown historical facts (for me personally).

What aspect of Cassandra Campbell’s performance would you have changed?

I felt that Cassandra Campbell's performance fell flat. If this book had a more engaging narrator I probably would have rated it higher. The content felt sleepy and slow because of her style of performing.

Wow!!!!!

Incredible historic account of something I had never heard of nor was it told about in history classes growing up . It’s eye opening to say the least should be a mandatory read in high schools !!!!! This time should never be forgotten as it it changed the world. Can’t wait to go to the Town in Tennessee to understand and learn more!

Good history

Would have preferred a narrator who correctly pronounced "Appa -latch- uh" and "Gat-lin- burg" (not "Gate-Lin- burg").

Wonderfully Informative!

I love hearing about WWII so this title peaked my interest immediately. I am normally a bit leery of nonfiction though because sometimes those tend to drag. Not this one. It is written much like a story and has characters to follow throughout the years of the war. You also get a interesting take (and history lesson) on not only the war, but the race to end it with the Manhattan Project. Definitely worth a listen! Enjoy!

Powerful and Poignant

Would you consider the audio edition of The Girls of Atomic City to be better than the print version?

I did not read the print version. I only listened to the audio edition.

What did you like best about this story?

This books was filled with facts, all presented in a fascinating and exciting way.

What about Cassandra Campbell’s performance did you like?

She was an excellent reader. She provided emotion where it was called for, and presented the facts without emotion or judgment.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were MANY moments that were moving. It would be very difficult to select only one.

Any additional comments?

This is a superb piece of writing as well as reading. Filled with facts, Denise Kiernan's book and Cassandra Campbell's reading take the listener back and forth, from life at Oak Ridge to the challenges of the development of "the gadget." Attention to detail is very obvious on every page, as well as respect for the people and the circumstances.

Good but a little scattered

I loved the story and it's information. I had a little trouble following the storyline as it jumped from one scene to the other but overall well done.