To Hell and Back

The Last Train from Hiroshima

By: Charles Pellegrino

Narrated by: David Colacci

To Hell and Back offers listeners a stunning "you are there" time capsule, wrapped in elegant prose. Charles Pellegrino's scientific authority and close relationship with the A-bomb survivors make his account the most gripping and authoritative ever written.

At the narrative's core are eyewitness accounts of those who experienced the atomic explosions firsthand - the Japanese civilians on the ground. As the first city targeted, Hiroshima is the focus of most histories. Pellegrino gives equal weight to the bombing of Nagasaki, symbolized by the 30 people who are known to have fled Hiroshima for Nagasaki - where they arrived just in time to survive the second bomb. One of them, Tsutomu Yamaguchi, is the only person who experienced the full effects of both cataclysms within Ground Zero. The second time, the blast effects were diverted around the stairwell behind which Yamaguchi's office conference was convened - placing him and few others in a shock cocoon that offered protection while the entire building disappeared around them.

Pellegrino weaves spellbinding stories together within a narrative that challenges the "official report", showing exactly what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki - and why.

©2015 Rowman & Littlefield (P)2020 Tantor

Powerful Account of Nuclear War

Intensely graphic! Sobering!

This is a gripping story of how people are impacted by nuclear war. Pellegrino gives you all of the details! Warning, his writing is intellectually graphic in a way the reader can feel the pain of the victims and survivors!

the amount of detail inthe field is second to nothing i have ever read before.

i understand how it was written, but sometimes itndoesnget a small bit repetitive, when it circles back. but overall, still 5/5!

Really liked it.

The author vividly paints an accurate portrayal of the people in the cities. Big fan.

Haunting

A nanosecond by nanosecond account of the affects of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with horrifying details of both the killed and the surviving. Riveting yet difficult to get through because of its subject matter. I highly recommend this book.

Emotional, must read!

Overall, emotional . Brings whole different world to light. Comes full circle on today's world!

Never again

Nyocodo, not sure how to spell this in Japanese, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you,”show kindness.

the detailed history

I like learning about the terrible effects of being at ground zero, along with wonderful miracles

Scientifically fascinating, and absolutely enthralling and disturbing. 

I truly believe that everyone alive should listen to this book. I also would like to give a warning that it does show that the most intelligent people in the world are sometimes the dumbest. Yes… I am speaking of Einstein, Oppenheimer, and everyone else who was esteemed to be the most intelligent people in the world. Perhaps we need to redefine our definition of intelligence. This book is not for the faint of heart and at the same time it’s something that I think is a very important part of our history. We must read this and remember to never let this happen again.

A Necessary Read For All

Haunting and poignant, disturbing but necessary, everyone should know the stories of the survivors of the atom bomb.

More Than I Bargained For, In A Good Way

I read this hoping to find interesting morbid details because things like that, serial killers, and dark history is my interest. I certaintly got a lot of gory details and stories, but I also got much, much more. The most important thing I got from this book is a new appreciation for the power of mercy, forgiveness, and the human condition. I can see myself refer back to this book to help me become a better Christian. That is more than I bargained for.