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Hiroshima

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Hiroshima

By: John Hersey
Narrated by: George Guidall
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About this listen

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author John Hersey's seminal work of narrative nonfiction which has defined the way we think about nuclear warfare. “One of the great classics of the war" (The New Republic) that tells what happened in Hiroshima during World War II through the memories of the survivors of the first atomic bomb ever dropped on a city.

"The perspective [Hiroshima] offers from the bomb’s actual victims is the mandatory counterpart to any Oppenheimer viewing." —GQ Magazine


“Nothing can be said about this book that can equal what the book has to say. It speaks for itself, and in an unforgettable way, for humanity.” —The New York Times

Hiroshima is the story of six human beings who lived through the greatest single manmade disaster in history. John Hersey tells what these six -- a clerk, a widowed seamstress, a physician, a Methodist minister, a young surgeon, and a German Catholic priest -- were doing at 8:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945, when Hiroshima was destroyed by the first atomic bomb ever dropped on a city. Then he follows the course of their lives hour by hour, day by day.

The New Yorker of August 31, 1946, devoted all its space to this story. The immediate repercussions were vast: newspapers here and abroad reprinted it; during evening half-hours it was read over the network of the American Broadcasting Company; leading editorials were devoted to it in uncounted newspapers.

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 -- the variety of ways in which they responded to the past and went on with their lives -- is now the eloquent and moving final chapter of Hiroshima.
Americas Asia Japan Military Weapons & Warfare War Imperial Japan

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Critic reviews

“Nothing can be said about this book that can equal what the book has to say. It speaks for itself, and in an unforgettable way, for humanity.” —The New York Times

“One of the great classics of the war.” —The New Republic

“Everyone able to read should read it.” —Saturday Review of Literature
All stars
Most relevant
Such an amazing depiction of an event which no one could truly understand. This grounds tragedy and victims taking away from pure statistics

Harrowing

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...of a major historical moment in oth 20th Century history, and warfare. Touching and well presented, probably as impactful as the format allows. Well worth hearing.

testament through survivors' stories

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What a brilliantly told story which bring to light the struggle to survive after the bomb was dropped - the stoic people dealing with unimaginable difficulties, brilliantly told. No wonder it won awards!

Truly Excellent

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it's an incredibly important story to be heard to understand the human suffering at the dropping of the bombs, what destruction humanity creates for itself

important book to highlight suffering

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Very immersive - it feels like you are truly there when the events happen. The narration is also excellent and I really enjoyed the format, Highly recommended.

Best book on the subject

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