Hiroshima

By: John Hersey

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 5 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

A journalistic masterpiece. John Hersey transports us back to the streets of Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945 - the day the city was destroyed by the first atomic bomb. Told through the memories of six survivors, Hiroshima is a timeless, powerful classic that will awaken your heart and your compassion. In this new edition, Hersey returns to Hiroshima to find the survivors - and to tell their fates in an eloquent and moving final chapter.

©1985 John Hersey (P)2000 Recorded Books, LLC

Reread

Reread this classic; shows human effects of 1945 nuclear event. Seen through the eyes of several survivors, it leaves to the imagination many questions. First published in 1946, this edition includes a 1989 update. As a high school student, I remember "analyzing" this book--without a lifetime's experience, that made no sense. Now, it does.

Insightful, but Apolitical; Edifying, Not Preachy.

I have never read Hersey's classic and after listening to the entire thing in one sitting I am baffled as to how I overlooked it. The book is phenomenal. It tells the story in a simple, fluid and seamless way. Hersey wrote with compassion and understanding without any hint of being a traitor to his home country which could not have been an easy line to cross in 1946. Today's world is so politically divisive and nobody escapes it -- journalists almost always show their colors in their writing and are deemed too liberal or too conservative. In the time that Hersey wrote this journalistic piece showing any empathy toward the Japanese was considered wrong and he could easily have been treated as a traitor. I am so impressed with his ability to show the right level of respect and warmth for the victims of the bomb and to do all of it without coming out of it sounding preachy.

Never Again

Learned so much from this book. It made me realize how destructive nuclear power is. I pray to God that we never drop another bomb anywhere in the world. There is a book about Nagasaki that is just as important to read. Never again.

Excellent!

Difficult in the beginning but it was completely worth it. Very enlightening.
Understanding the characters at first wax hard.

Quite moving!

This book is a true eye-opener. It shows the side of the dropping of the A-bomb that doesnt get taught in school, its true horrors. Definetely a must-read (listen).

Great Book

This is a wonderful book. It’s a little gory, but not so much that it would deter young or sensitive readers. If you listen to it while following along in the book, you’ll notice slight changes in script, but nothing too extreme. It’s honestly a must read/listen!

Moving story

Excellent account of what happened the day the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. The narrator was perfect.

Great insight into this event!

I am a history person and was looking forward to getting a deeper insight into this historic occurrence. In addition, on a recent cruise, visited Hiroshima and it became a life changing event for me personally! Too repetitive and didn't spend enough time regarding the American's involvement after the bombing!

Great Story About A Sad Time IN History

Several months ago I visited Hiroshima and the site of the bomb blast. Very moving and along with Pearl Harbor, no better place to reflect upon the horrors of war. Hersey's book brings to life that horrific time in our history and the impact on the Japanese who died and those lived through it. It puts us, the reader, at the very moment of the blast and the sad aftermath. You will be moved by reading or listening to this classic book.

Great story

What did you love best about Hiroshima?

Wonderful history of Japan during this time. It's hard to find understandable histories of Japanese culture, most are very dry. This is a very good story. I have recommended it to several friends.