Questions About Empire of the Sun

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Answered Questions (2)

Advice please - I haven't read this since I was a teenager so I would be grateful if anyone could advise me as to whether an eleven year old would be OK with the content. My son is a very good reader and has managed some fairly grown up books but will this book traumatise him?

Tamsin Elsey

This answer contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

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Do you think he really could have seen the flash of the Nagasaki bomb? He was near the sea, Nagasaki is on the shore, west coast of Japan, about opposite Shanghai. 525 miles. How far away from above-ground tests did observers see the flashes? Has Ballard ever addressed the question? (The mention that he saw it is in the book as well as being in the film.) (I would mark this as a spoiler, but it doesn't drive the plot.

Mike Roper Google tells me the bomb could be seen from around 50 miles away, so perhaps Ballard was being a bit unrealistic; however, it was probably important t…moreGoogle tells me the bomb could be seen from around 50 miles away, so perhaps Ballard was being a bit unrealistic; however, it was probably important to the plot to include the bombings and this was an easy way to get it in.(less)

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