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Ghosts of Hiroshima
From the acclaimed
New York Times
bestselling author of
Her Name, Titanic
SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM ACADEMY AWARD–WINNING FILMMAKER JAMES CAMERON
For all humanity, it was, literally and figuratively, childhood’s end.
No one recognized the flashes of bright light that filled the sky. Survivors described colors they couldn’t name. The blast wave that followed seemed to strike with no sound. In that silence came the dawn of atomic death for two hundred thousand souls.
On August 6, 1945, twenty-nine-year-old naval engineer Tsutomu Yamaguchi was on the last day of a business trip, looking forward to returning home to his wife and infant son, when the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. He survived the atomic blast and got on a train to Nagasaki, only to be bombed again.
Jacob Beser, a Manhattan Project engineer, looked down on Hiroshima and saw the ground boiling. He refused to look at Nagasaki at all. Years afterward, he referred to what he witnessed as “the most bizarre and spectacular two events in the history of man’s inhumanity to man.”
From that first millionth of a second, people began to die in previously unimaginable ways. Near Hiroshima’s hypocenter, teeth were scattered on the ground, speckles of incandescent blood were converted to carbon steel, a child’s marbles melted to blobs of molten glass.
From the bombs were born radioactive substances that mimicked calcium in growing bones and which, ten years after, filled entire hospitals with a shocking nuclear weapons, more than anything else, were child-killers.
Based on years of forensic archaeology combined with interviews of more than two hundred survivors and their families, Ghosts of Hiroshima is a you-are-there account of ordinary human beings thrust into extraordinary events, during which our modern civilization entered its most challenging phase—a nuclear adolescence that, unless we are very wise and learn from our past, we may not
SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM ACADEMY AWARD–WINNING FILMMAKER JAMES CAMERON
For all humanity, it was, literally and figuratively, childhood’s end.
No one recognized the flashes of bright light that filled the sky. Survivors described colors they couldn’t name. The blast wave that followed seemed to strike with no sound. In that silence came the dawn of atomic death for two hundred thousand souls.
On August 6, 1945, twenty-nine-year-old naval engineer Tsutomu Yamaguchi was on the last day of a business trip, looking forward to returning home to his wife and infant son, when the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. He survived the atomic blast and got on a train to Nagasaki, only to be bombed again.
Jacob Beser, a Manhattan Project engineer, looked down on Hiroshima and saw the ground boiling. He refused to look at Nagasaki at all. Years afterward, he referred to what he witnessed as “the most bizarre and spectacular two events in the history of man’s inhumanity to man.”
From that first millionth of a second, people began to die in previously unimaginable ways. Near Hiroshima’s hypocenter, teeth were scattered on the ground, speckles of incandescent blood were converted to carbon steel, a child’s marbles melted to blobs of molten glass.
From the bombs were born radioactive substances that mimicked calcium in growing bones and which, ten years after, filled entire hospitals with a shocking nuclear weapons, more than anything else, were child-killers.
Based on years of forensic archaeology combined with interviews of more than two hundred survivors and their families, Ghosts of Hiroshima is a you-are-there account of ordinary human beings thrust into extraordinary events, during which our modern civilization entered its most challenging phase—a nuclear adolescence that, unless we are very wise and learn from our past, we may not
313 pages, Hardcover
First published August 5, 2025
293 people are currently reading
5202 people want to read
About the author
Charles Pellegrino
26 books155 followersCharles Pellegrino is a scientist working in paleobiology, astronomy, and various other areas; a designer for projects including rockets and nuclear devices (non-military propulsion systems), composite construction materials, and magnetically levitated transportation systems; and a writer. He has been affiliated with Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand National Observatory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Long Island, NY; taught at institutions including Hofstra University and Adelphi University Center for Creative Arts; a member of Princeton Space Studies Institute. Cradle of Aviation Museum, space flight consultant; Challenger Center, founding member. After sailing with Robert Ballard to the Galapagos Rift in the immediate aftermath of the discovery of the Titanic (in 1985), Pellegrino expanded from the field of paleontology “into the shallows of archaeological time.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 30, 2025
Does death come for everyone or does it sometimes pick and chose who will survive a cataclysm?
This was some amazing and fascinating story but it also entailed many gruesome events and details.
We all probably learned of the events of the atomic bomb dropping on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the reasons for this action, but this book tells of the destruction of the cities, the people pulverized, the shadow people and of course the survivors.
It is a story that is true and one that presents the facts of destruction, the fact that between 150,00 to 246,000 people perished (mostly civilians) sent shivers down my spine. August sixth and ninth sent thousands of soul to their death and left the effects of radiation on many especially children where the isotopes seeped into their forming bones and subjected them to leukemia.
Those who survived were oftentimes badly burned and there was little available to heal or even help their wounds.
However, there were survivors who did remain alive, some protected by a fallen structure, some wearing white, some hidden in a ditch where the destructive forces seemed to miss them, and a few even after Hiroshima, traveled to Nagasaki, and were subjected to the second bombing.
It is a story that once again alerts us to the dangers of a bomb that can bring instantaneous death and destroy a devastate a city so that only some trees and telephone poles are left.
However, it was also a story of hope, of people helping people, of survivors who went on to live productive lives and some telling their stories in the hopes that this will never be humanity's fate.
This year was the eightieth anniversary of this event. Was it necessary for this to be done will always be the question. A powerful story and one that will make you think how war is seldom the answer.
This was some amazing and fascinating story but it also entailed many gruesome events and details.
We all probably learned of the events of the atomic bomb dropping on both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the reasons for this action, but this book tells of the destruction of the cities, the people pulverized, the shadow people and of course the survivors.
It is a story that is true and one that presents the facts of destruction, the fact that between 150,00 to 246,000 people perished (mostly civilians) sent shivers down my spine. August sixth and ninth sent thousands of soul to their death and left the effects of radiation on many especially children where the isotopes seeped into their forming bones and subjected them to leukemia.
Those who survived were oftentimes badly burned and there was little available to heal or even help their wounds.
However, there were survivors who did remain alive, some protected by a fallen structure, some wearing white, some hidden in a ditch where the destructive forces seemed to miss them, and a few even after Hiroshima, traveled to Nagasaki, and were subjected to the second bombing.
It is a story that once again alerts us to the dangers of a bomb that can bring instantaneous death and destroy a devastate a city so that only some trees and telephone poles are left.
However, it was also a story of hope, of people helping people, of survivors who went on to live productive lives and some telling their stories in the hopes that this will never be humanity's fate.
This year was the eightieth anniversary of this event. Was it necessary for this to be done will always be the question. A powerful story and one that will make you think how war is seldom the answer.
August 9, 2025
4.5 Stars. Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino was published on the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. Director James Cameron has taken on the daunting task of adapting the book into a motion picture. I am confounded by this, but if anyone can do it, James Cameron can!
I had read the author's previous account of the nuclear destruction, 'The Last Train from Hiroshima,' and found it meticulously researched with eyewitness accounts and multiple interviews with over 200 survivors and their families. It was a heartbreaking, macabre, and terrifying description that placed the reader on the ground during the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I found it essential reading for heads of state, military leaders, peace activists, physicists and medical workers. The scenes were horrific, gruesome, and surreal beyond imagination.
Ghosts of Hiroshima expands on the previous book by adding further details, but I found it less accessible. This was not the author's fault, but I was overwhelmed by the technical and scientific explanations. These details included the science of making the atomic bombs, the 200,000 imminent deaths, and the aftermath and the scientific explanations of radiation illnesses were beyond my understanding. However, I couldn't put it down and read it within a day. It was difficult to envision some of the gruesome scenes. There were fascinating stories of some survivors and victims that recur throughout the narrative. I wish there had been a list to make these historical characters easier to follow. As I was reading on my Kindle, I came across an excellent list at the end of the book. This list, including descriptions of the victims and survivors, will be more helpful in other versions of the book. There were drawings as illustrations. Thirty people experienced the bombing at both sites and survived.
One man aboard the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima was so shocked at what he saw below that he refused to look down at Nagasaki. Survivors of the blasts described seeing unknown colours and experiencing a blast that had no sound.
Accounts of what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki stirred up protests against nuclear bombs. It continues the story of T. Yamagouchi, who miraculously survived both ground zeros in the two bombed cities. He lived to the age of 93 and advocated for peace, so that what he witnessed would never happen again.
This book included the history of the making of nuclear bombs, the internment camps in America where Japanese American citizens were confined, a look at a Japanese prisoner of war camp for American soldiers, the shunning of those exposed to radiation sickness and rumours that it might be contagious, the backlash at Japanese Americans after the war (even other Orientals mistaken for Japanese). Radiation effects mimicked calcium in the growing bones of children, often causing fatal results. The story continued through the Vietnam War, the 911 destruction, and with present-day mention of Obama and Trump. Trivial passages were included that seemed unnecessary.
I had read the author's previous account of the nuclear destruction, 'The Last Train from Hiroshima,' and found it meticulously researched with eyewitness accounts and multiple interviews with over 200 survivors and their families. It was a heartbreaking, macabre, and terrifying description that placed the reader on the ground during the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I found it essential reading for heads of state, military leaders, peace activists, physicists and medical workers. The scenes were horrific, gruesome, and surreal beyond imagination.
Ghosts of Hiroshima expands on the previous book by adding further details, but I found it less accessible. This was not the author's fault, but I was overwhelmed by the technical and scientific explanations. These details included the science of making the atomic bombs, the 200,000 imminent deaths, and the aftermath and the scientific explanations of radiation illnesses were beyond my understanding. However, I couldn't put it down and read it within a day. It was difficult to envision some of the gruesome scenes. There were fascinating stories of some survivors and victims that recur throughout the narrative. I wish there had been a list to make these historical characters easier to follow. As I was reading on my Kindle, I came across an excellent list at the end of the book. This list, including descriptions of the victims and survivors, will be more helpful in other versions of the book. There were drawings as illustrations. Thirty people experienced the bombing at both sites and survived.
One man aboard the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima was so shocked at what he saw below that he refused to look down at Nagasaki. Survivors of the blasts described seeing unknown colours and experiencing a blast that had no sound.
Accounts of what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki stirred up protests against nuclear bombs. It continues the story of T. Yamagouchi, who miraculously survived both ground zeros in the two bombed cities. He lived to the age of 93 and advocated for peace, so that what he witnessed would never happen again.
This book included the history of the making of nuclear bombs, the internment camps in America where Japanese American citizens were confined, a look at a Japanese prisoner of war camp for American soldiers, the shunning of those exposed to radiation sickness and rumours that it might be contagious, the backlash at Japanese Americans after the war (even other Orientals mistaken for Japanese). Radiation effects mimicked calcium in the growing bones of children, often causing fatal results. The story continued through the Vietnam War, the 911 destruction, and with present-day mention of Obama and Trump. Trivial passages were included that seemed unnecessary.
August 15, 2025
#ad much love for my finished copy @blackstonepublishing #partner
𝕲𝖍𝖔𝖘𝖙𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝕳𝖎𝖗𝖔𝖘𝖍𝖎𝖒𝖆
ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ɴᴏᴡ
𝕊𝕠𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕒 𝕞𝕒𝕛𝕠𝕣 𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖…
“Throw the dice of history long enough, and any improbable event becomes possible, no matter how impossible it might seem,” (p. 53).
✰ First: I think the black/grey sprayed edges are just perfect for this book 🥹
✰ Second: Reference pages? 😘 You have no idea! Saved me so much writing! Thoughtful to include these. Esp the witness names.
✰ Third: The maps 🥹
ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴
✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
An undebatable and unforgettable five-star read that will rip your heart out. One of my top fav nonfiction reads for 2025. The audio is also great - but you might have to speed it up some.
Cannot wait to watch the movie.
𝕄𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖:
✓ Lots of books can save you from atom bombs
✓ Lorenz’s butterfly effect
✓ Those who survived because they weren’t where they were supposed to be - much like 9/11 and other major horrific days.
𝕲𝖍𝖔𝖘𝖙𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝕳𝖎𝖗𝖔𝖘𝖍𝖎𝖒𝖆
ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ɴᴏᴡ
𝕊𝕠𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕠 𝕓𝕖 𝕒 𝕞𝕒𝕛𝕠𝕣 𝕞𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖…
“Throw the dice of history long enough, and any improbable event becomes possible, no matter how impossible it might seem,” (p. 53).
✰ First: I think the black/grey sprayed edges are just perfect for this book 🥹
✰ Second: Reference pages? 😘 You have no idea! Saved me so much writing! Thoughtful to include these. Esp the witness names.
✰ Third: The maps 🥹
ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴
✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
An undebatable and unforgettable five-star read that will rip your heart out. One of my top fav nonfiction reads for 2025. The audio is also great - but you might have to speed it up some.
Cannot wait to watch the movie.
𝕄𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖:
✓ Lots of books can save you from atom bombs
✓ Lorenz’s butterfly effect
✓ Those who survived because they weren’t where they were supposed to be - much like 9/11 and other major horrific days.
August 2, 2025
Some events don’t fade with time-they stay present through the people who lived them. The Ghosts of Hiroshima shares those stories. First-hand accounts from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, including a man who survived both, and another who watched it unfold from above and chose never to look again.
What stands out most is the detail -not just of what happened, but how it was experienced. Pellegrino doesn’t write with distance; the book puts you close to the human cost. It doesn’t just document the aftermath, it honors the memory of those who lived it.
The structure weaves testimony with science and moments of reflection in a way that feels respectful and very powerful.
Built from eyewitness testimony and scientific detail, it reconstructs not only what happened…but how it stayed with those who lived through it. I’ll also be keeping an eye on the upcoming film adaptation.
What stands out most is the detail -not just of what happened, but how it was experienced. Pellegrino doesn’t write with distance; the book puts you close to the human cost. It doesn’t just document the aftermath, it honors the memory of those who lived it.
The structure weaves testimony with science and moments of reflection in a way that feels respectful and very powerful.
Built from eyewitness testimony and scientific detail, it reconstructs not only what happened…but how it stayed with those who lived through it. I’ll also be keeping an eye on the upcoming film adaptation.
August 30, 2025
I can’t even properly put into words how this book made me feel. Anger, sadness, remorse for something that can never be undone, lives taken in such a cruel, inhuman way. We can truly learn much from the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And as we approach the 100 year anniversary in 2045, we will not have anymore survivors to tell their stories. Let there be no chance that we make more survivors of nuclear war. Never again the A-bomb.
“Omoiyari”
“Omoiyari”
August 19, 2025
This book is a mess. The author moves from person to person, sometimes a paragraph is about one person then the next paragraph is about another person. It would have been nice to tell the story about each person in a more organized manner. There are so many survivors mentioned that it is difficult to keep them straight. I felt like even the author was trying to remind himself who was who. Many times he’d introduce someone who we already know by their circumstances. He did this over and over. I kept thinking to myself “wait who??”
The writing isn’t bad and the topic is very interesting so I finished the book but I was annoyed all the way through.
And…..towards the one of the subjects goes to Vietnam only the author ONLY refers to it as ‘Nam. I felt that referring to Vietnam that way was disrespectful since it was the authors choice and not a quote from the subject.
James Cameron is supposed to be making a movie from this book. I imagine he will have to be more organized.
Definitely a historical event that everyone should know about.
The writing isn’t bad and the topic is very interesting so I finished the book but I was annoyed all the way through.
And…..towards the one of the subjects goes to Vietnam only the author ONLY refers to it as ‘Nam. I felt that referring to Vietnam that way was disrespectful since it was the authors choice and not a quote from the subject.
James Cameron is supposed to be making a movie from this book. I imagine he will have to be more organized.
Definitely a historical event that everyone should know about.
August 21, 2025
What is your weirdest reading habit? I used to like to read in trees when I was a teen.
Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @blackstonepublishing for the review copy of Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino.
Ghosts of Hiroshima is a brand-new non-fiction book published for the 80th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It’s based on forensic archaeology and over two hundred interviews with survivors and their families. It gives the reader a first-person perspective of the events. This is soon to be a movie by James Cameron.
My thoughts on this book:
• Ghosts of Hiroshima vividly describes the horrible times for those on the ground in the A-bomb attacks in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
• It was amazing how many people survived both Hiroshima and the Nagasaki bombings. After Hiroshima they fled to Nagasaki for various reasons, only to experience it again.
• There were interesting quotes at the start of each chapter. Each chapter is long but broken up into segments to discuss different key players experiencing the bomb.
• There were nice drawings with descriptions throughout the book to give detail.
• There are notes and a great index at the end of the book to help those looking for specific details.
• The pages are edged in black, which along with the cover, make it a striking book.
• There is also discussion of the internment camps in the United States and how some Japanese Americans were deported back to Japan. Many died when the A-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, but some survived to tell the tale.
• American prisoners of war were also killed in Nagasaki, and some witnessed it all and were able to tell their experiences.
• I can’t stop thinking about this book. It’s a horrible part of history that I hope we never repeat. Many of the people in the book wanted to tell their stories to make sure history does not repeat itself.
• As a parent, I can’t imagine making it through the worse thing to happen to your family and being grateful your kids made it, only for them to come down with leukemia ten or so years later. It was so sad reading about the rash of leukemia amongst the youngest survivors.
• It’s interesting that there were still those who didn’t want to surrender after the A-bombs and fire carpeting. They held the Emperor captive. I wish they would have let the Emperor surrender before the A-bombs or right after Hiroshima. So many people would have been saved.
• I didn’t know much about the strike on Nagasaki. The book states that this was kept quiet as the largest Catholic church in the country was at ground zero or the center of the strike.
• It was strange how randomly people survived by being the right place at the right time, having the right instincts to duck, or wearing white clothing.
• It was horrific trying to live through the aftereffects of the bombs for years to come. I didn’t realize there was prejudice in Japan against A-bomb survivors and their children.
• I was struck that those that were flying the plane that dropped the bombs experienced a strange electrical feeling in their teeth and the taste of lead. I don’t remember ever learning that before.
Favorite quotes:
“The false sunrise did not only smash factories and crack concrete in Hiroshima. It sometimes left a crevice in one’s soul.”
“This year [2010] came the rise of radiation denial and shadow people denial, and even claims in America [in its media] that I, and my experience of Hiroshima, did not exist. The realities of nuclear war are so horrible that there are people who claim Hiroshima and Nagasaki did not happen this way and what I lived to tell is all lies. What do they want? Do they really want a sleep of forgetfulness? So the whole world becomes hypocenters? Don’t forget. Never forget. I saw it. We all saw it. No one should ever see if again, for any reason whatsoever.” – Keiji Nakazawa, Hiroshima artist.
Overall, Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino is an important nonfiction book about horrifying events in human history that should never be repeated. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
This book was published on August 5, 2025.
This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2025...
Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @blackstonepublishing for the review copy of Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino.
Ghosts of Hiroshima is a brand-new non-fiction book published for the 80th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It’s based on forensic archaeology and over two hundred interviews with survivors and their families. It gives the reader a first-person perspective of the events. This is soon to be a movie by James Cameron.
My thoughts on this book:
• Ghosts of Hiroshima vividly describes the horrible times for those on the ground in the A-bomb attacks in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
• It was amazing how many people survived both Hiroshima and the Nagasaki bombings. After Hiroshima they fled to Nagasaki for various reasons, only to experience it again.
• There were interesting quotes at the start of each chapter. Each chapter is long but broken up into segments to discuss different key players experiencing the bomb.
• There were nice drawings with descriptions throughout the book to give detail.
• There are notes and a great index at the end of the book to help those looking for specific details.
• The pages are edged in black, which along with the cover, make it a striking book.
• There is also discussion of the internment camps in the United States and how some Japanese Americans were deported back to Japan. Many died when the A-bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, but some survived to tell the tale.
• American prisoners of war were also killed in Nagasaki, and some witnessed it all and were able to tell their experiences.
• I can’t stop thinking about this book. It’s a horrible part of history that I hope we never repeat. Many of the people in the book wanted to tell their stories to make sure history does not repeat itself.
• As a parent, I can’t imagine making it through the worse thing to happen to your family and being grateful your kids made it, only for them to come down with leukemia ten or so years later. It was so sad reading about the rash of leukemia amongst the youngest survivors.
• It’s interesting that there were still those who didn’t want to surrender after the A-bombs and fire carpeting. They held the Emperor captive. I wish they would have let the Emperor surrender before the A-bombs or right after Hiroshima. So many people would have been saved.
• I didn’t know much about the strike on Nagasaki. The book states that this was kept quiet as the largest Catholic church in the country was at ground zero or the center of the strike.
• It was strange how randomly people survived by being the right place at the right time, having the right instincts to duck, or wearing white clothing.
• It was horrific trying to live through the aftereffects of the bombs for years to come. I didn’t realize there was prejudice in Japan against A-bomb survivors and their children.
• I was struck that those that were flying the plane that dropped the bombs experienced a strange electrical feeling in their teeth and the taste of lead. I don’t remember ever learning that before.
Favorite quotes:
“The false sunrise did not only smash factories and crack concrete in Hiroshima. It sometimes left a crevice in one’s soul.”
“This year [2010] came the rise of radiation denial and shadow people denial, and even claims in America [in its media] that I, and my experience of Hiroshima, did not exist. The realities of nuclear war are so horrible that there are people who claim Hiroshima and Nagasaki did not happen this way and what I lived to tell is all lies. What do they want? Do they really want a sleep of forgetfulness? So the whole world becomes hypocenters? Don’t forget. Never forget. I saw it. We all saw it. No one should ever see if again, for any reason whatsoever.” – Keiji Nakazawa, Hiroshima artist.
Overall, Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino is an important nonfiction book about horrifying events in human history that should never be repeated. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
This book was published on August 5, 2025.
This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2025...
August 24, 2025
This book is not about whether the bombs should have been dropped, and it makes it clear right at the start. This book is about stories of the aftermath.
Charles Pellegrino has done incredible research in the writing of this book, including interviews with survivors and families of survivors, officials on both sides of the war, over a span of multiple years. It goes into detail about the firsthand experiences of the rare few who survived the bombs, and the even rarer who survived them _both_. As if the tragedy in itself wasn't bad enough, many survivors had to go into hiding to avoid the social prejudice associated with being a 'hibakusha' - someone exposed to the A-bombs or the fallout from them.
Apart from Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors' stories, the book also sheds light on some of the war-related background, including experiences of the people who flew the planes which dropped the bombs, a high ranking Japanese official who gives an insider's view of what Imperial Japan's approach to war was like, as well as stories of American citizens of Japanese descent and their internment post Pearl Harbor.
The narration is gripping, the stories heartbreaking, and the message unambiguous. It's bleak, and there's no silver lining. But it's an important part of history that nonetheless needs to be remembered.
Charles Pellegrino has done incredible research in the writing of this book, including interviews with survivors and families of survivors, officials on both sides of the war, over a span of multiple years. It goes into detail about the firsthand experiences of the rare few who survived the bombs, and the even rarer who survived them _both_. As if the tragedy in itself wasn't bad enough, many survivors had to go into hiding to avoid the social prejudice associated with being a 'hibakusha' - someone exposed to the A-bombs or the fallout from them.
Apart from Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors' stories, the book also sheds light on some of the war-related background, including experiences of the people who flew the planes which dropped the bombs, a high ranking Japanese official who gives an insider's view of what Imperial Japan's approach to war was like, as well as stories of American citizens of Japanese descent and their internment post Pearl Harbor.
The narration is gripping, the stories heartbreaking, and the message unambiguous. It's bleak, and there's no silver lining. But it's an important part of history that nonetheless needs to be remembered.
August 8, 2025
Comprehensive, eye-opening, and impactful!
𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀 is the insightful, informative, candid examination into nuclear war and the devastation, generational consequences, and survival stories of those who experienced firsthand the tragedies that started on August 6, 1945.
The writing is clear, precise, and descriptive. And the novel is an extremely well-researched account of the lead-up, execution, and fallout of two nuclear bombs being dropped on Japan during World War II.
Overall, 𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀 is, ultimately, an informative, timely, well-written account of a heinous time in history we must never forget.
𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀 is the insightful, informative, candid examination into nuclear war and the devastation, generational consequences, and survival stories of those who experienced firsthand the tragedies that started on August 6, 1945.
The writing is clear, precise, and descriptive. And the novel is an extremely well-researched account of the lead-up, execution, and fallout of two nuclear bombs being dropped on Japan during World War II.
Overall, 𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐀 is, ultimately, an informative, timely, well-written account of a heinous time in history we must never forget.
August 13, 2025
amazing collection of stories from survivors and others involved in the bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki
August 26, 2025
A powerful collection of the experiences of the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The author is at his best when discussing the human impact of the bombings, weaving heart wrenching narratives of fateful moments from those two days. I found myself less impressed when he attempted to become more philosophical. But overall this is an important and necessary read.
August 3, 2025
I dont often read non-fiction, but I've been trying to read more this year. I'll admit I picked this book up because James Cameron's name was on it. I figured if it's going to be a major motion picture, it's got to be written well, and I better read the book before the movie. And I'm glad I did!
A wonderful tribute or remembrance of Hisoshima and Nagasaki and the families affected.
10/10 everyone should read!
A wonderful tribute or remembrance of Hisoshima and Nagasaki and the families affected.
10/10 everyone should read!
August 27, 2025
Sorry, I had to DNF. I was very interested in the subject but the structure of the book is all over the place. It can’t make up its mind which subject it is focusing on when. I think there is really important information in this book, but it just isn’t sure ultimately what it wants to be.
August 25, 2025
Eighty years this month, humanity entered a terrifying new age. With the dropping of two American atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we entered a technological adolescence that we are still learning to live in as a species. Yet for all the discussions of the development of the bombs, the geniuses behind them, and the decision making that went into their use, it’s easy to reduce the people who experienced them into mere statistics. Yet in those cities mere days apart in the summer of 1945, there were people who experienced it not once but twice. Those double survivors and what they experienced forms the core of the latest book from Charles Pellegrino, Ghosts from Hiroshima.
Pellegrino, whose previous works has included an insightful trilogy of books on the sinking of the Titanic, brings a sweeping view to the historical events he writes about. One that takes in aspects of history but also science and engineering, describing the circumstances across not only a war-torn world but also inside the invisible world of atomic particles and events that occur in a fraction of a second as the bombs did their horrific work. It’s also a world of chance and coincidence, ones that tie together major historical events and with Pellegrino’s previous work in unexpected ways, such as the presence of OSS agent turned post-war historian Walter Lord. Pellegrino proves himself a successor to that late author here, moving with ease between the minute of historical events and the wider scope and how the former can shape the latter in the wildest ways imaginable.
It is the bombings themselves that are at the heart of this narrative. Events that, as Pellegrino reminds us, were notionally over in a matter of horrific moments. Moments that the book describes in sometimes horrifying detail as distance to the bomb’s ground zero determined the fate of many: instant vaporization or carbonizing as pillars of something akin to charcoal or lingering deaths from radiation sickness. Pellegrino pulls no punches or spares details, capturing vividly both the immediate impact of the bombings. But also, in the concluding chapters, the aftermath with many living for years with survivors guilt and discrimination as one of the hibakusha as the survivors became known. It can make for emotionally devastating reading that will haunt the reader for days afterwords (if not longer).
Yet, even when pulling back to provide a wider picture, Pellegrino never forgets the personal stories and details. The tale of Tsutomu Yamaguchi, for example, and how the Mitsubishi engineer not only survived the bombings but decades later became a passionate voice against the future use of nuclear weapons and became the only person officially recognized by the Japanese government as having survived both bombings. He was far from alone, however, as the book is filled with the stories of those unfortunate enough to live through the experience of the bombings not once but, in some cases, twice including children and survivors who fled hoping for apparent safety in another city. Or those who experienced the events that gave them unlikely supporting roles in events, such as a young Japanese radar operator near Nagasaki who realized only later that he had been kept on a phone line to comfort a man facing certain death from the terrifying new weapon, There’s the unlikely story of a family with relatives in Hiroshima that were interned during the war by the American government, only to find themselves once more living in the ruined city, viewed with suspicions by both sides of the recently ended conflict.
Yet for all the horror, there is hope. Pellegrino revisits the familiar story of Sadako Sasaki, the young Japanese girl who would later die of lelukemia over a decade after Hiroshima, and the paper cranes she folded. The cranes and the wish for peace they represent become a connecting story of the post-war legacy of the bombings, carrying through the wider narrative that Pellegrino explores that moves from Japan to the United States and beyond, taking in the events of 9/11 and Fukushima. Ripple effects that, as with the build-up to the bombings, reveal the little events that become impactful on larger ones.
With Ghosts of Hiroshima, Pellegrino offers more than just an another account of the atomic bombings. He presents a kaleidoscope window into the past, present, and future. One in which small events can build to incredible feats of science and horrific moments of inhumanity in a time of war, creating a hell on Earth that a handful of human beings lived through not once but twice. But from that horror comes lessons and a sense of hope that, perhaps if we can learn from the past, we might avoid a world where more cities might vanish in the artificial dawns of a nuclear inferno.
Or else, Pellegrino warns, humanity as a whole risks becoming among the ghosts of Hiroshima.
Pellegrino, whose previous works has included an insightful trilogy of books on the sinking of the Titanic, brings a sweeping view to the historical events he writes about. One that takes in aspects of history but also science and engineering, describing the circumstances across not only a war-torn world but also inside the invisible world of atomic particles and events that occur in a fraction of a second as the bombs did their horrific work. It’s also a world of chance and coincidence, ones that tie together major historical events and with Pellegrino’s previous work in unexpected ways, such as the presence of OSS agent turned post-war historian Walter Lord. Pellegrino proves himself a successor to that late author here, moving with ease between the minute of historical events and the wider scope and how the former can shape the latter in the wildest ways imaginable.
It is the bombings themselves that are at the heart of this narrative. Events that, as Pellegrino reminds us, were notionally over in a matter of horrific moments. Moments that the book describes in sometimes horrifying detail as distance to the bomb’s ground zero determined the fate of many: instant vaporization or carbonizing as pillars of something akin to charcoal or lingering deaths from radiation sickness. Pellegrino pulls no punches or spares details, capturing vividly both the immediate impact of the bombings. But also, in the concluding chapters, the aftermath with many living for years with survivors guilt and discrimination as one of the hibakusha as the survivors became known. It can make for emotionally devastating reading that will haunt the reader for days afterwords (if not longer).
Yet, even when pulling back to provide a wider picture, Pellegrino never forgets the personal stories and details. The tale of Tsutomu Yamaguchi, for example, and how the Mitsubishi engineer not only survived the bombings but decades later became a passionate voice against the future use of nuclear weapons and became the only person officially recognized by the Japanese government as having survived both bombings. He was far from alone, however, as the book is filled with the stories of those unfortunate enough to live through the experience of the bombings not once but, in some cases, twice including children and survivors who fled hoping for apparent safety in another city. Or those who experienced the events that gave them unlikely supporting roles in events, such as a young Japanese radar operator near Nagasaki who realized only later that he had been kept on a phone line to comfort a man facing certain death from the terrifying new weapon, There’s the unlikely story of a family with relatives in Hiroshima that were interned during the war by the American government, only to find themselves once more living in the ruined city, viewed with suspicions by both sides of the recently ended conflict.
Yet for all the horror, there is hope. Pellegrino revisits the familiar story of Sadako Sasaki, the young Japanese girl who would later die of lelukemia over a decade after Hiroshima, and the paper cranes she folded. The cranes and the wish for peace they represent become a connecting story of the post-war legacy of the bombings, carrying through the wider narrative that Pellegrino explores that moves from Japan to the United States and beyond, taking in the events of 9/11 and Fukushima. Ripple effects that, as with the build-up to the bombings, reveal the little events that become impactful on larger ones.
With Ghosts of Hiroshima, Pellegrino offers more than just an another account of the atomic bombings. He presents a kaleidoscope window into the past, present, and future. One in which small events can build to incredible feats of science and horrific moments of inhumanity in a time of war, creating a hell on Earth that a handful of human beings lived through not once but twice. But from that horror comes lessons and a sense of hope that, perhaps if we can learn from the past, we might avoid a world where more cities might vanish in the artificial dawns of a nuclear inferno.
Or else, Pellegrino warns, humanity as a whole risks becoming among the ghosts of Hiroshima.
August 12, 2025
**Ghosts of Hiroshima** by Charles Pellegrino
"Suddenly, all the burning of his body faded away, replaced at once by the image of his young wife and child alone at home. He devised a plan to find a working train, automobile, or even a surviving horse, and by any means necessary, escape from Hiroshima and make his way back home. Home was Nagasaki." — Tsutomu Yamaguchi.
If you're interested in the history of Hiroshima or Nagasaki, you should definitely add this book to your reading list. It delves deeper into the stories of those two fateful days in August 1945, as well as the days and years that followed.
For instance, Tomiko Morimoto shares her experience: “I was only thirteen, and, like many at that age, I often had a bratty attitude. I uttered unkind words, and oh— I never wanted to tell this: All my life, I have regretted that the last time my mother saw me, I was angry and slammed the door behind me. That’s why I want to say to everyone, when you walk out that door, please, please, leave with a hug or a word of love. I had no idea, but you do not want to end up like me. I always, always feel remorse.”
Additionally, there's Akira Iwanaga, a Mitsubishi engineer who, after surviving Hiroshima, returned to the company’s offices in Nagasaki and thus became a survivor of both atomic bombings. Charles Sweeney, the pilot of Bockscar during the Nagasaki mission, is also featured, alongside many others.
The book also explores the Japanese internment camps in America, the purchase of uranium ore, and the experiences of America's POWs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. It recounts the poignant story of the word "Omoiyari" and highlights Sadako Sasaki, the girl behind the 1,000 cranes.
I genuinely enjoyed this book, and I assure you, it's not just because I received a free copy to review.
"In Hiroshima, there is a ‘Tree of Hope’ that survived the first atomic bomb and is prophesied to continue growing until the day humanity bans nuclear weapons from the Earth. One day, this tree may be forgotten—either because human civilization changes its mindset and eliminates nuclear weapons, rendering the tree just another tree, or because nuclear weapons cause our extinction, leaving no one to care for it." — Toshiko Yamaguchi.
"Suddenly, all the burning of his body faded away, replaced at once by the image of his young wife and child alone at home. He devised a plan to find a working train, automobile, or even a surviving horse, and by any means necessary, escape from Hiroshima and make his way back home. Home was Nagasaki." — Tsutomu Yamaguchi.
If you're interested in the history of Hiroshima or Nagasaki, you should definitely add this book to your reading list. It delves deeper into the stories of those two fateful days in August 1945, as well as the days and years that followed.
For instance, Tomiko Morimoto shares her experience: “I was only thirteen, and, like many at that age, I often had a bratty attitude. I uttered unkind words, and oh— I never wanted to tell this: All my life, I have regretted that the last time my mother saw me, I was angry and slammed the door behind me. That’s why I want to say to everyone, when you walk out that door, please, please, leave with a hug or a word of love. I had no idea, but you do not want to end up like me. I always, always feel remorse.”
Additionally, there's Akira Iwanaga, a Mitsubishi engineer who, after surviving Hiroshima, returned to the company’s offices in Nagasaki and thus became a survivor of both atomic bombings. Charles Sweeney, the pilot of Bockscar during the Nagasaki mission, is also featured, alongside many others.
The book also explores the Japanese internment camps in America, the purchase of uranium ore, and the experiences of America's POWs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. It recounts the poignant story of the word "Omoiyari" and highlights Sadako Sasaki, the girl behind the 1,000 cranes.
I genuinely enjoyed this book, and I assure you, it's not just because I received a free copy to review.
"In Hiroshima, there is a ‘Tree of Hope’ that survived the first atomic bomb and is prophesied to continue growing until the day humanity bans nuclear weapons from the Earth. One day, this tree may be forgotten—either because human civilization changes its mindset and eliminates nuclear weapons, rendering the tree just another tree, or because nuclear weapons cause our extinction, leaving no one to care for it." — Toshiko Yamaguchi.
August 28, 2025
On August 6, 1945, the American military dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, and the world was forever changed. It’s difficult to comprehend the full weight of this moment: more than 200,000 people lost their lives as a result of the blast. In Ghosts of Hiroshima, Charles Pellegrino revisits this devastation through the eyes of survivors, blending history, science, and deeply human testimony. The result is a sweeping yet intimate account that captures both the scale of destruction and the lasting human cost of this turning point in history.
Like many readers, I approached this book with the realization that I knew very little about Hiroshima. In school, it was taught as part of the larger World War II story, but little attention was given to the profound human aftermath. Pellegrino corrects that by grounding the narrative in individual stories, tracing the moments leading up to August 6, 1945, and the unimaginable consequences that followed. He draws on firsthand accounts, archival research, and his scientific expertise to create a narrative that feels immediate, visceral, and raw.
What struck me most was the way Pellegrino uses memory as the central thread. He reveals how trauma lingers across decades, shaping survivors’ lives and echoing through generations. The “ghosts” of Hiroshima are not only the lives lost that day, but also the radiation sickness, survivor’s guilt, fractured families, nationalism, and the moral reckoning with nuclear warfare that followed. There are no easy answers here, only the necessity of remembering, learning, and honoring the people who lived through the unimaginable.
Ghosts of Hiroshima is a powerful, haunting read that humanizes a moment in history often reduced to statistics and summary. Pellegrino balances his scientific background with rich storytelling, making the book as informative as it is moving. It’s no surprise that filmmaker James Cameron has announced plans to adapt it for the screen. Until then, Pellegrino’s work ensures these voices—and their ghosts—are not forgotten.
Like many readers, I approached this book with the realization that I knew very little about Hiroshima. In school, it was taught as part of the larger World War II story, but little attention was given to the profound human aftermath. Pellegrino corrects that by grounding the narrative in individual stories, tracing the moments leading up to August 6, 1945, and the unimaginable consequences that followed. He draws on firsthand accounts, archival research, and his scientific expertise to create a narrative that feels immediate, visceral, and raw.
What struck me most was the way Pellegrino uses memory as the central thread. He reveals how trauma lingers across decades, shaping survivors’ lives and echoing through generations. The “ghosts” of Hiroshima are not only the lives lost that day, but also the radiation sickness, survivor’s guilt, fractured families, nationalism, and the moral reckoning with nuclear warfare that followed. There are no easy answers here, only the necessity of remembering, learning, and honoring the people who lived through the unimaginable.
Ghosts of Hiroshima is a powerful, haunting read that humanizes a moment in history often reduced to statistics and summary. Pellegrino balances his scientific background with rich storytelling, making the book as informative as it is moving. It’s no surprise that filmmaker James Cameron has announced plans to adapt it for the screen. Until then, Pellegrino’s work ensures these voices—and their ghosts—are not forgotten.
August 22, 2025
Graphic and Gruesome But An Important Read
This was a difficult book to read. The graphic descriptions of how the people on the ground in Hiroshima and Nagasaki suffered from the A bombs we dropped on them made me stop reading at times and I had more than one nightmare about it. As author Charles Pellagrino points out, the lucky ones were directly under the bombs’ blasts. They were vaporized instantaneously, their deaths most likely painless as the 4,000 degree heat generated by the bombs burned them up before their nervous systems could even send signals to their brains. The unlucky ones were further away. Many of them suffered burns that would kill them in time but make them suffer first. Still others would survive the blast but die from radation poisoning. And others would succumb to cancer many years later.
As horrific as this book is, I learned a lot and got to meet some amazing survivors, even a few who amazingly lived through both bombs, having fled from Hiroshima to Nagasaki right after the first attack.
I’m not really educated enough to know whether we should or shouldn’t have dropped these bombs. Certainly I know we weren’t the aggressor, and perhaps any country has a right to retaliate however it chooses once it’s been attacked (see Israel’s actions in Gaza as the most modern day example). And I know there’s an argument that the bombs we dropped accelerated the end of the war (Japan surrendered 3 days after the Nagasaki attack) which saved American lives. Still I found myself wondering if there wasn’t any other way to end the war than to cause that much suffering of innocent lives (perhaps up to a quarter of a million). We didn’t bomb army bases or weapons factories. We bombed cities filled with civilians, women, children, the elderly . . .
Like I said, this was a difficult book to read. But I’m glad I got through it. And not that I needed another reason to hate war, but now I have one.
This was a difficult book to read. The graphic descriptions of how the people on the ground in Hiroshima and Nagasaki suffered from the A bombs we dropped on them made me stop reading at times and I had more than one nightmare about it. As author Charles Pellagrino points out, the lucky ones were directly under the bombs’ blasts. They were vaporized instantaneously, their deaths most likely painless as the 4,000 degree heat generated by the bombs burned them up before their nervous systems could even send signals to their brains. The unlucky ones were further away. Many of them suffered burns that would kill them in time but make them suffer first. Still others would survive the blast but die from radation poisoning. And others would succumb to cancer many years later.
As horrific as this book is, I learned a lot and got to meet some amazing survivors, even a few who amazingly lived through both bombs, having fled from Hiroshima to Nagasaki right after the first attack.
I’m not really educated enough to know whether we should or shouldn’t have dropped these bombs. Certainly I know we weren’t the aggressor, and perhaps any country has a right to retaliate however it chooses once it’s been attacked (see Israel’s actions in Gaza as the most modern day example). And I know there’s an argument that the bombs we dropped accelerated the end of the war (Japan surrendered 3 days after the Nagasaki attack) which saved American lives. Still I found myself wondering if there wasn’t any other way to end the war than to cause that much suffering of innocent lives (perhaps up to a quarter of a million). We didn’t bomb army bases or weapons factories. We bombed cities filled with civilians, women, children, the elderly . . .
Like I said, this was a difficult book to read. But I’m glad I got through it. And not that I needed another reason to hate war, but now I have one.
August 13, 2025
Pellegrino is the most immersive non-fiction author I have had the pleasure of reading. His prose is a seamless and captivating expedition in literature, and it reads like experiencing (rather than merely visiting) history, like embarking on a new realm for a time. A high volume of double survivor accounts and original research make this a unique book amongst others in this subject. Ghosts of Hiroshima offers the Japanese perspective of enduring the initial and after-effects of humanity’s first episodes of nuclear warfare. But the book does not dwell on the tired moral debate of justifying or shaming their use, or fall victim to standard myopic themes of building and unleashing the bombs, which is where most publications both begin and end. This is an honest (and occasionally clinical) review of two defining events that humanity has both suffered, and remarkably survived. It communicates the harsh realities of those events and allows the reader’s own reserves of emotional intelligence to draw its own conclusions.
Ultimately, this book isn’t about Japan, the United States, or events from the past. The underlying theme here is preserving our collective future, by understanding that humanity’s empathy must always remain greater than the weapons we wield. Because in nuclear warfare, everyone loses. I can appreciate why James Cameron wishes to adapt this book to film. He directs movies the way Pellegrino writes books. As two archaeologists, I anticipate a film planned between them that like Titanic before it, allows the past to shape a better future, “for tomorrow’s child.”
Ultimately, this book isn’t about Japan, the United States, or events from the past. The underlying theme here is preserving our collective future, by understanding that humanity’s empathy must always remain greater than the weapons we wield. Because in nuclear warfare, everyone loses. I can appreciate why James Cameron wishes to adapt this book to film. He directs movies the way Pellegrino writes books. As two archaeologists, I anticipate a film planned between them that like Titanic before it, allows the past to shape a better future, “for tomorrow’s child.”
September 5, 2025
Eighty years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this is a collection of first-hand accounts from survivors (including a handful of double survivors). It is a strong, vivid narrative, and the reader does feel immersed in the otherworldly horror of those days.
The narrative does jump around between survivors a lot, so the reader will need to pay attention to be able to keep the braided stories distinct. And I wish there had been a little more time spent with the survivors over the decades following the bombings -- it sounds like there was a lot of discrimination and fear in Japan against survivors ("the exposed"), but it isn't discussed for very long. Though I understand why the main focus was on the bombings and the immediate aftermath.
I did get the feeling that this book would have been a bit stronger with a Japanese co-author. It's well-researched, but it just feels like it's lacking that perspective.
The narrative does jump around between survivors a lot, so the reader will need to pay attention to be able to keep the braided stories distinct. And I wish there had been a little more time spent with the survivors over the decades following the bombings -- it sounds like there was a lot of discrimination and fear in Japan against survivors ("the exposed"), but it isn't discussed for very long. Though I understand why the main focus was on the bombings and the immediate aftermath.
I did get the feeling that this book would have been a bit stronger with a Japanese co-author. It's well-researched, but it just feels like it's lacking that perspective.
August 20, 2025
I wanted to like this book more. So much about it is great - the research, the forty-five years of interviews, the reflective analysis, the ghostly illustrations.
But I didn’t like the writing style. It’s sometimes melodramatic, and sometimes just confusing. “… This would serve him quite well more than a quarter century into futurity.” Why not just say “in the future”? Another example: “Such is the fantastical quantum chessboard on which everything in the universe is forced to play.” I’m perhaps being nitpicky but I kept being distracted by something that didn’t sound right or was histrionic.
For what the book describes, though, the lives of people who were nearby when the atomic bombs went off in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it’s excellent - wrenching, horrifying, unimaginable. This must never happen again.
But I didn’t like the writing style. It’s sometimes melodramatic, and sometimes just confusing. “… This would serve him quite well more than a quarter century into futurity.” Why not just say “in the future”? Another example: “Such is the fantastical quantum chessboard on which everything in the universe is forced to play.” I’m perhaps being nitpicky but I kept being distracted by something that didn’t sound right or was histrionic.
For what the book describes, though, the lives of people who were nearby when the atomic bombs went off in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it’s excellent - wrenching, horrifying, unimaginable. This must never happen again.
August 22, 2025
I was born and raised in Tokyo until I was twelve, and listening to Ghost of Hiroshima really made me reflect. Wars devastate communities, taking homes, loved ones, and even people’s sense of self. Surviving such loss without losing hope is an incredible challenge, yet the human spirit can cling to even the faintest thread of light.
This year marks the 80th memorial of the end of World War II in Japan, and as survivors grow older, fewer firsthand stories remain. Though I’ve never experienced war myself, my mother is from Okinawa, a region that endured some of the fiercest battles. Listening to Martin Sheen narrate, especially the chapter about Sadako, brought tears to my eyes. It made me realize how much we live in a bubble, sheltered from the realities others have endured. Heartbreaking, yet profoundly moving.
This year marks the 80th memorial of the end of World War II in Japan, and as survivors grow older, fewer firsthand stories remain. Though I’ve never experienced war myself, my mother is from Okinawa, a region that endured some of the fiercest battles. Listening to Martin Sheen narrate, especially the chapter about Sadako, brought tears to my eyes. It made me realize how much we live in a bubble, sheltered from the realities others have endured. Heartbreaking, yet profoundly moving.
August 16, 2025
This month marks 80 years since Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Reading this book makes it clear how much I did not and still don't know about the impact of nuclear weapons.
Charles Pellegrino has assembled a remarkable cast including people in Japan of diverse ages, some who were impacted by both bombs and survived many years -- the Hibakusha. Also included are Americans who flew in the planes or were in nearby POW camps. So many stories of what happened on those unforgettable days and what life was like for them since.
There is a movie in the works. Should be a blockbuster with James Cameron in the mix. Perhaps it will remind us to be better neighbors.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Reading this book makes it clear how much I did not and still don't know about the impact of nuclear weapons.
Charles Pellegrino has assembled a remarkable cast including people in Japan of diverse ages, some who were impacted by both bombs and survived many years -- the Hibakusha. Also included are Americans who flew in the planes or were in nearby POW camps. So many stories of what happened on those unforgettable days and what life was like for them since.
There is a movie in the works. Should be a blockbuster with James Cameron in the mix. Perhaps it will remind us to be better neighbors.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2025
This book was eye-opening. What amazing first hand accounts of the devastation nuclear weapons have on civilization. Not just immediately, but long-term as well. It's easy to forget what WWII was like for Japanese-Americans too. The book is not uplifting - it can't be when talking about the effect of nuclear weapons on generations of people. The vivid descriptions are horrifying, yet essential to tell the true story. I found a few things especially amazing - a doctor with cancer that was actually helped by the radiation, multiple people who experienced both Hiroshima AND Nagasaki, and one person who in addition to experiencing both bombings, was then also exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam. A fascinating read and I can't wait for whatever movie James Cameron comes up with!
August 24, 2025
As much as I often want to read history books, I have ended up reading very few for how dry the language tends to be, and how focused they are on generals and soldiers.
This book puts you on the ground, among every day people who ended up in extraordinary circumstances. The language was simple but compelling, and the stories were emotionally captivating.
I frequently feel like staying informed these days is like people surrounding you and screaming at you. This book felt like a quiet bubble where I could listen to others and actually hear them.
My feelings about what I read are too much to say. Put simply, this is an important book, and you should read it.
This book puts you on the ground, among every day people who ended up in extraordinary circumstances. The language was simple but compelling, and the stories were emotionally captivating.
I frequently feel like staying informed these days is like people surrounding you and screaming at you. This book felt like a quiet bubble where I could listen to others and actually hear them.
My feelings about what I read are too much to say. Put simply, this is an important book, and you should read it.
September 4, 2025
This was a pretty difficult book to get through, reading about what was left behind (or rather NOT left behind) by these bombings. Likely everyone has a basic idea of what happened with the bombings, but reading about people who survived the blast, seeing the absolute devastation left behind, how so many people were just wiped out in the blink of an eye, people who suffered from radiation poisoning or other ailments…definitely a side of the events that needed telling. Truly something you need to read and realize “this could happen again someday” and you start to think “hey, maybe that song had it right when they asked what war is good for. Absolutely nothing.”
August 29, 2025
This book was heart wrenching, but so impactful. It is one thing to know about the horrendous event; however, reading the first hand account of those that was at ground zero is an entirely different understanding of the event. This realization starts to set in before even reading the first page as the inside cover is a map of Hiroshima before and after the bomb. I appreciate being selected to win this in a giveaway because I don't know if I would have read it otherwise (I tend to bounce off non-fiction) which would have been a shame.
September 1, 2025
Since we'll be visiting several cities in Japan in 2026, I'm reading a lot about it and felt it was important to understand Hiroshima and Nagasaki from the Japanese perspective. It soon became clear to me that what I knew about the bombings barely scratched the surface. The book is full of interesting albeit very disturbing facts. but there are many moments that show how resilient and good people can be. It's a VERY important book that should be read by all. Hopefully, the upcoming film will educate those who don't read the book.
August 24, 2025
Excellent read and also contains information about Nagasaki and the double Hibakusha --a handful of people who survived both bombings- which in and of itself is an incredible story. Very well written and even if you've read "Hiroshima" by John Hersey or similar books, there are stories in here I read for the first time and some are heartbreaking. I mean, they are all heart-breaking, but the emphasis on how the radiation affected children is especially so.
September 3, 2025
Picked this up after seeing James Cameron would be developing it. This is the most intense book I’ve probably ever read, it felt important to read and was horrific all at once. I could only read little bits at a time. Really gets across the weight that event had and still has. I feel way more educated on what happened after reading this but if you pick it up know it is emotionally incredibly tough to read.
August 18, 2025
Hiroshima and Nagasaki • Survivors of Both: The Horrors of "The Bomb"
I am stunned. I remember some of the stories from the book Hiroshima. Ghosts of Hiroshima paints a picture of heart stopping clarity. We really DON'T want to do this again. This book should be deterrence enough.
I am stunned. I remember some of the stories from the book Hiroshima. Ghosts of Hiroshima paints a picture of heart stopping clarity. We really DON'T want to do this again. This book should be deterrence enough.
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