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Journey To Chernobyl: ENCOUNTERS IN A RADIOACTIVE ZONE
Glenn Cheney arrived in Kiev during those first days when the Soviet Union ceased to exist and Ukraine was reborn. Almost immediately he found himself talking with scientist, journalist, refugees, engineers, top-level government officials, doctors, environmentalists, parents of sick children and people living just a few kilometers from the Chernobyl complex. He heard stories about the disaster that went far beyond what had appeared in the Western press. The reports of atrocities, epidemics, tyrannyand dispair blend with a most unsual travelogue, considerable humor and KGB intrigue.
165 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 1995
1 person is currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Glenn Alan Cheney
91 books64 followersGlenn Alan Cheney is a writer and journalist. He is the author of more than 20 books of fiction and nnfiction and hundreds of articles, op-ed essays, translations, short stories, and poems.
Among his most recent and well known books are "Thanksgiving: The Pilgrims' First Year in America," "Journey on the Estrada Real: Encounters in he Mountains of Brazil," and "Journey to Chernobyl: Encounters in a Radioactive Zone."
Cheney is editor and translator of "Ex Cathedra: Stories by Machado de Assis -- Bilingual Edition."
Cheney's nonfiction uses a strong human element and touches of humor to bring life into subjects that might otherwise be dull or technical.
Cheney has a B.A. in Philosophy, an MA in Communication, an MA in English, and an MFA in Creative Writing.
See cheneybooks.com for free excerpts and discounts on Cheney titles.
Among his most recent and well known books are "Thanksgiving: The Pilgrims' First Year in America," "Journey on the Estrada Real: Encounters in he Mountains of Brazil," and "Journey to Chernobyl: Encounters in a Radioactive Zone."
Cheney is editor and translator of "Ex Cathedra: Stories by Machado de Assis -- Bilingual Edition."
Cheney's nonfiction uses a strong human element and touches of humor to bring life into subjects that might otherwise be dull or technical.
Cheney has a B.A. in Philosophy, an MA in Communication, an MA in English, and an MFA in Creative Writing.
See cheneybooks.com for free excerpts and discounts on Cheney titles.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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October 12, 2016I'm usually not this critical, and I am saddened when I spend time reading and finishing a book only to feel let down. It wasn't until 3/4 of the book when facts began to appear regarding the horrific meltdown of the Chernobyl reactor number 4. Most of this book seems to be written tongue in check with an arrogance that I'm sure the Russian people did not appreciate.
The author appeared to be judging the culture harshly. Case in point -- he seemed to brag about his totally rude behavior throughout a good bye party held for him by people who went out of their way to help him navigate through a country wherein he didn't bother to even try to know the language before taking it upon himself to give an accounting of an accident that required more than snarky descriptions.
Though, he did admit to tears when visiting a facility for children whose bodies were cancer ridden as a result of radiation from the meltdown. Other than that, while acknowledging that meals were prepared for him when food was not readily obtained, again he seems to put nose and pinkies in the air, acting like a spoiled college brat when in fact he was indeed a rude adult author.
There could have been less of him, and more of the Russians who continue to this day to go through bloody hell as a result of sheer incompetency of performing a test while shutting down all back up modes that might have ended the travesty of Chernobyl.
No stars for this author.
The author appeared to be judging the culture harshly. Case in point -- he seemed to brag about his totally rude behavior throughout a good bye party held for him by people who went out of their way to help him navigate through a country wherein he didn't bother to even try to know the language before taking it upon himself to give an accounting of an accident that required more than snarky descriptions.
Though, he did admit to tears when visiting a facility for children whose bodies were cancer ridden as a result of radiation from the meltdown. Other than that, while acknowledging that meals were prepared for him when food was not readily obtained, again he seems to put nose and pinkies in the air, acting like a spoiled college brat when in fact he was indeed a rude adult author.
There could have been less of him, and more of the Russians who continue to this day to go through bloody hell as a result of sheer incompetency of performing a test while shutting down all back up modes that might have ended the travesty of Chernobyl.
No stars for this author.
November 12, 2011
I've read many books on the subject of the Chernobyl accident, and I've seen references to this title pop up every now and then. It only seemed natural for me to read it.
With a couple of exceptions, this book is a complete waste of time.
This book's main offense is the author, who seems to be completely unable or unwilling to write from a neutral point of view. Having written many general-interest books and articles on the dangers of nuclear power, nuclear testing, and nuclear proliferation, Glen Alan Cheney pounces on every opportunity to throw in a gratuitous attack on every subject dealing with nuclear industry. While Chernobyl was a catastrophic event, florid descriptions of the world's plight on every other page are unnecessary, and insulting to the reader's intelligence.
Perhaps even worse is Cheney's attitude to his host country and its populace. Every description of a place, person, or action is seasoned with a snide remark, thrown in for no apparent reason other than to add further despair and misery to his narrative. Most telling is the fact that the author is completely unwilling to even attempt to learn the local language, and is proud of it! In this, Cheney is the stereotypical "American tourist."
Lastly, Cheney travels to Ukraine more than seven years after the disaster with a complete ignorance of the events that occurred, the medical and ecological consequences of the radioactive fallout, the government's response to the accident, or really anything pertaining to Chernobyl. One does not have to read between the lines to detect this ignorance; his words say exactly that - in black and white - right in the first chapter. Personally, I prefer to read books written by people who are smarter and more knowledgeable than me on the given subject.
The above reasons cause one to lose all confidence in the author's objectivity, which can make the actual information contained in the book untrustworthy. In general terms, his stories are consistent with information available from other sources, so I have no reason to doubt the broad strokes of Cheney's narrative. However, any specific information present in the book is not given from a position of authority and becomes utterly worthless for the purposes of research.
Not recommended.
With a couple of exceptions, this book is a complete waste of time.
This book's main offense is the author, who seems to be completely unable or unwilling to write from a neutral point of view. Having written many general-interest books and articles on the dangers of nuclear power, nuclear testing, and nuclear proliferation, Glen Alan Cheney pounces on every opportunity to throw in a gratuitous attack on every subject dealing with nuclear industry. While Chernobyl was a catastrophic event, florid descriptions of the world's plight on every other page are unnecessary, and insulting to the reader's intelligence.
Perhaps even worse is Cheney's attitude to his host country and its populace. Every description of a place, person, or action is seasoned with a snide remark, thrown in for no apparent reason other than to add further despair and misery to his narrative. Most telling is the fact that the author is completely unwilling to even attempt to learn the local language, and is proud of it! In this, Cheney is the stereotypical "American tourist."
Lastly, Cheney travels to Ukraine more than seven years after the disaster with a complete ignorance of the events that occurred, the medical and ecological consequences of the radioactive fallout, the government's response to the accident, or really anything pertaining to Chernobyl. One does not have to read between the lines to detect this ignorance; his words say exactly that - in black and white - right in the first chapter. Personally, I prefer to read books written by people who are smarter and more knowledgeable than me on the given subject.
The above reasons cause one to lose all confidence in the author's objectivity, which can make the actual information contained in the book untrustworthy. In general terms, his stories are consistent with information available from other sources, so I have no reason to doubt the broad strokes of Cheney's narrative. However, any specific information present in the book is not given from a position of authority and becomes utterly worthless for the purposes of research.
Not recommended.
May 6, 2010
Set in the days immediately following the fall of the Soviet Union, this is more of a travel log than any kind of serious examination of Chernobyl. Read for a passable account of a ugly American roaming through Kiev in 1991.
November 19, 2009
This is about the deadly nuclear accident in Chernobyl in 1986. The author travels to post-communist Ukraine (Kiev)and Chernobyl 5 years after the disaster, and starts asking questions. Using a very informal writing style, his interviews with the local people bring it to a human level. Some of the scenes described are unthinkable:
"Kids stopped to splash in the radioactive foam, to play in the radioactive sand, to romp in the radioactive grass."
With his sometimes dark humor, Cheney, an American in Chernobyl, tries to make sense of everything, all the while battling the complex and corrupt bureaucracy and endless cover-ups. Though this book deals with the aftermath of Chernobyl, at the same time it deals with the aftermath of communism.
Best read as a travelogue, but a strange one, filled with danger and horror.
"Kids stopped to splash in the radioactive foam, to play in the radioactive sand, to romp in the radioactive grass."
With his sometimes dark humor, Cheney, an American in Chernobyl, tries to make sense of everything, all the while battling the complex and corrupt bureaucracy and endless cover-ups. Though this book deals with the aftermath of Chernobyl, at the same time it deals with the aftermath of communism.
Best read as a travelogue, but a strange one, filled with danger and horror.
January 8, 2025
When given this book as a gift, I was at first delighted by the thought of a new point of view on the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It was to my dismay when I realized that this text is no more than a whiny diary entry written by a man who did not bother to learn the language of the nation he traveled to, only to repeatedly complain about his inability to do anything unassisted.
There are points when Cheney comes across as utterly unlikeable, case in point - he spends half a chapter describing his escapade to a train station in Ukraine, and only after complaining about his inability to read any of the signs due to his not knowing the language, he says that he was stupid enough to break an escalator and ruin the commutes of everyday citizens on their way to work.
Cheney's attitude towards those who take the time to translate and show him around is abysmal. He constantly ridicules their English and takes every opportunity to insult their economic situation. When he actually learns and documents information relating to the subject at hand -the experiences of those who lived through a tragedy and are forever affected by it- he feels the need to include the exhaustion he feels while writing exactly what he set out to write. Overall, the author paints himself as arrogant and ungrateful for the hospitality and information he has been given.
If you are not interested in Chernobyl but are searching for a whiny account of an American tourist in Ukraine, you will love this book.
There are points when Cheney comes across as utterly unlikeable, case in point - he spends half a chapter describing his escapade to a train station in Ukraine, and only after complaining about his inability to read any of the signs due to his not knowing the language, he says that he was stupid enough to break an escalator and ruin the commutes of everyday citizens on their way to work.
Cheney's attitude towards those who take the time to translate and show him around is abysmal. He constantly ridicules their English and takes every opportunity to insult their economic situation. When he actually learns and documents information relating to the subject at hand -the experiences of those who lived through a tragedy and are forever affected by it- he feels the need to include the exhaustion he feels while writing exactly what he set out to write. Overall, the author paints himself as arrogant and ungrateful for the hospitality and information he has been given.
If you are not interested in Chernobyl but are searching for a whiny account of an American tourist in Ukraine, you will love this book.
May 10, 2024
I liked the descriptions of what the author found near the site of the nuclear accident. It was a little heavy on the travelogue part.
September 18, 2012
Well, I stumble upon this book on the library's website. I was looking for a book about nuclear disasters, this was after the nuclear accident in Japan.
I've heard about Chernobyl before the accident in Japan, but I forgot it. When the accident in Japan happened, everyone was freaking out on the west coast it picked my curiosity.
When I got the book I was afraid that it was going to be all about Physics and chemistry and scary stuff, when I opened the book I was pleasantly surprised. This book reads as a diary, full of important information, mostly from Ukrainians themselves sharing what they knew and/or didn't know at the time of the disaster.
I was appalled the entire time I was reading this book. The Soviet Union tried to cover up this disaster, even years later they were still saying that things weren't "that bad" you know, like when you messed up your best friend's hair when you were trying to dye her hair blond, but you didn't read the instructions, so now her hair is green, yeah, like that. They did everything to cover their mess up, like changing the "normal standard" of radiation level. Those poor people were exposed to radiation all the time, and the government didn't care, they left them there to die. Doctors had their hands tied because the government told them to tell the patient that it was "nothing" that they didn't know why Ukrainians were getting sick.
One thing that pissed me off instantly was on page 134. The debris and everything radioactive around the plant was supposed to be removed by robots. What happened to the robots? It broke down because it couldn't handle they high levels of radiation. (WTF!?) So what do the government do? They sent people to remove all the shit that robots couldn't do. (WTFF!?) Like, really? These unlucky people in charge of removing the debris and stuff were suffering from scary diseases. Like their skin were peeling off, their muscles were falling off the bone "like overcooked meat." Let's not talk about the high rate of cancer, thyroid problems, birth defects, and the high rate of mortality & low rate of births. Everything (food, water, milk, etc. . .) was/is radioactive. Forget about taking a deep in the river (it's radioactive!) and taking in the summer sun (more radiation!)
It makes me wonder about what this government & governments around the world are trying to cover up.
I recommend this book to everyone interested on nuclear power/disaster. This book is well written, not intimidating at all. I liked it!
I've heard about Chernobyl before the accident in Japan, but I forgot it. When the accident in Japan happened, everyone was freaking out on the west coast it picked my curiosity.
When I got the book I was afraid that it was going to be all about Physics and chemistry and scary stuff, when I opened the book I was pleasantly surprised. This book reads as a diary, full of important information, mostly from Ukrainians themselves sharing what they knew and/or didn't know at the time of the disaster.
I was appalled the entire time I was reading this book. The Soviet Union tried to cover up this disaster, even years later they were still saying that things weren't "that bad" you know, like when you messed up your best friend's hair when you were trying to dye her hair blond, but you didn't read the instructions, so now her hair is green, yeah, like that. They did everything to cover their mess up, like changing the "normal standard" of radiation level. Those poor people were exposed to radiation all the time, and the government didn't care, they left them there to die. Doctors had their hands tied because the government told them to tell the patient that it was "nothing" that they didn't know why Ukrainians were getting sick.
One thing that pissed me off instantly was on page 134. The debris and everything radioactive around the plant was supposed to be removed by robots. What happened to the robots? It broke down because it couldn't handle they high levels of radiation. (WTF!?) So what do the government do? They sent people to remove all the shit that robots couldn't do. (WTFF!?) Like, really? These unlucky people in charge of removing the debris and stuff were suffering from scary diseases. Like their skin were peeling off, their muscles were falling off the bone "like overcooked meat." Let's not talk about the high rate of cancer, thyroid problems, birth defects, and the high rate of mortality & low rate of births. Everything (food, water, milk, etc. . .) was/is radioactive. Forget about taking a deep in the river (it's radioactive!) and taking in the summer sun (more radiation!)
It makes me wonder about what this government & governments around the world are trying to cover up.
I recommend this book to everyone interested on nuclear power/disaster. This book is well written, not intimidating at all. I liked it!
November 30, 2010
A must-read especially when you start thinking about nuclear power and its safety.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews