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Full Body Burden
- Growing Up in the Nuclear Shadow of Rocky Flats
- Narrated by: Kirsten Potter, Kristen Iversen
- Length: 13 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Biographies & Memoirs, Politics & Activism
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Publisher's Summary
Full Body Burden is a haunting work of narrative nonfiction about a young woman, Kristen Iversen, growing up in a small Colorado town close to Rocky Flats, a secret nuclear weapons plant once designated "the most contaminated site in America." It's the story of a childhood and adolescence in the shadow of the Cold War, in a landscape at once startlingly beautiful and - unknown to those who lived there - tainted with invisible yet deadly particles of plutonium.
It's also a book about the destructive power of secrets - both family and government. Her father's hidden liquor bottles, the strange cancers in children in the neighborhood, the truth about what was made at Rocky Flats (cleaning supplies, her mother guessed) - best not to inquire too deeply into any of it.
But as Iversen grew older, she began to ask questions. She learned about the infamous 1969 Mother's Day fire, in which a few scraps of plutonium spontaneously ignited and - despite the desperate efforts of firefighters - came perilously close to a "criticality", the deadly blue flash that signals a nuclear chain reaction. Intense heat and radiation almost melted the roof, which nearly resulted in an explosion that would have had devastating consequences for the entire Denver metro area. Yet the only mention of the fire was on page 28 of the Rocky Mountain News, underneath a photo of the Pet of the Week. In her early thirties, Iversen even worked at Rocky Flats for a time, typing up memos in which accidents were always called "incidents".
And as this memoir unfolds, it reveals itself as a brilliant work of investigative journalism - a detailed and shocking account of the government's sustained attempt to conceal the effects of the toxic and radioactive waste released by Rocky Flats, and of local residents' vain attempts to seek justice in court. Here, too, are vivid portraits of former Rocky Flats workers - from the healthy, who regard their work at the plant with pride and patriotism, to the ill or dying, who battle for compensation for cancers they got on the job.
Based on extensive interviews, FBI and EPA documents, and class-action testimony, this taut, beautifully written book promises to have a very long half-life.
Critic Reviews
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What listeners say about Full Body Burden
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Carol
- 01-28-13
A story that no one else wanted to tell.
What made the experience of listening to Full Body Burden the most enjoyable?
Relevance.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes.
Any additional comments?
If you live near ANY government facility that is surrounded by a fence, this is a MUST-read. If you live near any of the government facilities that are discussed - by name, this is an actionable-read.
Two criticisms:
1. The audio quality of the first 45 minutes (...or so) is sub-standard. Don't be discouraged by this: keep listening.
2. The ending could have included more detail about the blitzkrieg-cleanup of the buildings and soil.
P.S. The local-alternative newspaper she mentions is named Westword. It has a web site where archival issues can be viewed. About 10 years ago, they did an investigative series on Rocky Flats that is thorough and provides supporting data/viewpoints to Ms. Iversen's material
5 people found this helpful
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- sharon
- 01-15-14
Important Information Every One should Know
At First I was not impressed with the story. The authors family is clearly dysfunctional.
It was hard to be sympathetic. The continuity was not the best. However the information
about our Nuclear program in Colorado was unbelievable . Rocky Flats was and IS one of the HOTTEST areas in the United States with plutonium pollution. Over all the information is compelling and a good "read" The narrator is very good.
4 people found this helpful
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- someone who likes dark fiction
- 08-27-12
Believable Disclosure
Would you listen to Full Body Burden again? Why?
I have listened to Full Body Burden several times. Each time I relate and tie more facts to other books, such as Area 51.
What did you like best about this story?
The story was methodical and easy to follow considering all the details.
Have you listened to any of Kirsten Potter and Kristen Iversen ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
I have listened to every non-fiction book available by Kirsten Potter. Her voice has a soothing vibration which makes for easy listening. The tone of her voice keeps my interest. She speaks at a rate of speed that is easy to follow with clear enunciation. Kirsten has done a fabulous job of fine tuning her skills.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Once again I felt deep betrayal by the government with a resentment toward the Department of Energy. I feel sad for all of those effected by the officials lying and withholding vital information. The DOE is stealing taxpayers money to create dangerous materials that are no longer necessary because of the immense quantities of manufactured plutonium.
Any additional comments?
I applaud Kristen Iversen for recording the events throughout her life, then writing such tell it all book.
3 people found this helpful
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- Jim Harris
- 07-30-12
Creative Nonfiction at its Best
What made the experience of listening to Full Body Burden the most enjoyable?
Kristen Iversen gives an intensely personal story of growing up next to Rocky Flats, a factory that made fusion bomb triggers and living with plutonium pollution. Iversen makes a great case that Rocky Flats is America's Chernobly catastrophe that was covered up by the U.S. government.
What other book might you compare Full Body Burden to and why?
I found Full Body Burden equal to The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, and The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson.
3 people found this helpful
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- William
- 09-05-12
Great book!!
What made the experience of listening to Full Body Burden the most enjoyable?
I liked the investigative journalism aspects and her "primary" source experiences in and around Rocky Flats. I found the government coverup disconcerting to say to least and I was appalled at the apparent lack of compassion and understanding the government displayed with respect to the numerous cancer and other radiological illnesses that occurred as a result of Rocky Flats.
What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?
The coverup
What does Kirsten Potter and Kristen Iversen bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
I recently got an electric car, so having a quiet vehicle on my way to work really allows me to enjoy audio books. Before this, the drumming of the engine would make listening difficult, but now, it's crystal clear and I think enhanced the experience.
Any additional comments?
The only issue I have is I would have loved for her to dive deeper into the fires that happened at Rocky Flats. What did they do to clean up these problems, and what happened to all those men who fought those fires. I would have liked to know more about her Father and his drinking and maybe some background on what may have caused his alcoholism, that would have been something I would have enjoyed learning more about.
2 people found this helpful
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- Ross D Bradley
- 12-21-17
Too much about her horses
As a native of Colorado I do appreciate her insight but I felt she goes on too much about her horses and alcoholic father. Most interesting part of the story were the facts about Rocky Flats. Wished she focused more on Rocky Flats and the area around it instead of Riding the horses!
I feel like she mentions rocky Flats to ensure the title does match the book. I doubt I will listen to this again
1 person found this helpful
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- David B. Rossetter
- 01-19-15
Eye opening and personal
Very well written. She makes the story "real". Must read if you are interested in our nuclear history. I had no idea how poorly managed and dangerous the place was when I lived in Boulder.
1 person found this helpful
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- Kathleen
- 08-28-12
Horrifying Secrets of Nuclear Exposure
Full Body Burden is a haunting work of narrative nonfiction about a young woman, Kristen Iversen, growing up in a small Colorado town close to Rocky Flats,
a secret nuclear weapons plant once designated "the most contaminated site in America." It's the story of a childhood and adolescence in the shadow of
the Cold War, in a landscape at once startlingly beautiful and - unknown to those who lived there - tainted with invisible yet deadly particles of plutonium.
It's also a book about the destructive power of secrets - both family and government. Her father's hidden liquor bottles, the strange cancers in children
in the neighborhood, the truth about what was made at Rocky Flats- best not to inquire too deeply into any of it. But as Iversen grew older, she began to ask questions. She learned about the infamous 1969 Mother's Day fire, in which a few scraps of plutonium spontaneously ignited and - despite the desperate efforts of firefighters - came perilously close to a "criticality", the deadly blue flash that signals a nuclear chain
reaction. Intense heat and radiation almost melted the roof, which nearly resulted in an explosion that would have had devastating consequences for the
entire Denver metro area. Yet the only mention of the fire was on page 28 of the Rocky Mountain News, underneath a photo of the Pet of the Week. In her
early thirties, Iversen even worked at Rocky Flats for a time, typing up memos in which accidents were always called "incidents". And as this memoir unfolds,
it reveals itself as a brilliant work of investigative journalism - a detailed and shocking account of the government's sustained attempt to conceal the
effects of the toxic and radioactive waste released by Rocky Flats, and of local residents' vain attempts to seek justice in court. Here, too, are vivid
portraits of former Rocky Flats workers - from the healthy, who regard their work at the plant with pride, the best wages around, and a denial of the safety risks. This book ends with a poem about nuclear bombs by Allen Ginsburg. Very good and very hard to read.
1 person found this helpful
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- Nikki
- 08-27-12
Who knew Nuclear Weapons were still killing?
What did you love best about Full Body Burden?
The way she wove her life's story with the events elsewhere (elsewhere being literally down the road) at Rocky Flats.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Full Body Burden?
The occasions when her father was trying to have a well dug and they were continually unable to succeed.
What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?
That the author was able to convince how you clueless the neighbors (and ultimately most-affected) were by the ongoings at Rocky Flats.
Didn't exactly like the way the story was "wrapped up."
If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
How much do you trust your government?
1 person found this helpful
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- Jessica
- 08-14-21
Absolutely amazing.
What an audiobook. I had the instant urge to start over as soon as I finished. If you live in Colorado, this is a MUST READ.