Hiroshima

By: John Hersey

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 5 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's Summary

On August 6, 1945, Hiroshima was destroyed by the first atom bomb ever dropped on a city. This book, John Hersey's journalistic masterpiece, tells what happened on that day. Told through the memories of survivors, this timeless, powerful and compassionate document has become a classic "that stirs the conscience of humanity" (The New York Times). 

Almost four decades after the original publication of this celebrated book, John Hersey went back to Hiroshima in search of the people whose stories he had told. His account of what he discovered about them is now the eloquent and moving final chapter of Hiroshima.

©1946, 1985 John Hersey (P)2019 Random House Audio

Must read book

I don't recall ever learning too much about Hiroshima in school at all. To hear these first hand accounts of people that went through this horrible event is heart wrenching. I feel this book should be read by everyone at any age to fully comprehend what happened to all those innocent, helpless people and to understand the ramifications of this type of warfare.

Real Life Tragedy

An amazing recount of one of the worst events in history. Please take the time to read this book.

Deserves to be widely read.

I recommend listening first to FALLOUT the story of the writing of this remarkable book

This can not happen again

I understand why John Hersey’s book created such a stir when it was first published. The notion that the dean of thousands was necessary to prevent more deaths by invasion is certainly questioned.as gospel by the American people. I thin on this deaths and how America alone has seen over 160,000 people die by the corona virus under incompetent leadership.

Review by Tisha Snyder

I chose 5 stars because it was a good read. It was well written, included multiple characters and made you feel like you were a part of the history of the Atomic Bomb and its affects on Hiroshima and its people. It included understanding the culture of the Japanese people and how they got through h to w aftermath of such a cataclysmic event. The reader had great time and voice inflection. I recommend highly.

There are better accounts

NAGASAKI by Susan Southard is a far better account of all aspects of the immediate consequence and long term aftermath of the bombing. Hiroshima feels somewhat empty, by comparison. Actually, I was quite bored and ceased reading by the final chapters.

Is there any reader better than George Guidall?

I don’t think so. There are those that are different-but no one better. And SIMPLY PERFECT for this material.
An astonishing read. Thank you George.

Worth a listen. Good story. Great narration.

Listening to this book, you can tell that it was an anthology that was later stitched together. But Hersey did a good job of it. I especially liked the later stories from the six subjects.

Guidall's narration was excellent. As someone who narrates for a living, I truly appreciated his ability to go from Japanese to German to English without making anything seem out of place.

Sad To Know We Are knocking At That Door Again

This needs to be taught. The lessons of, some weapons are unacceptable and should never be used against mankind. The pain and sickness caused by such a decision will pain me going forward.

Oh my....

Very said but worth understanding how that event changed the history books in so many ways. Amazing to hear the first hand story of people living through this horrific event. Well done.