Nuclear Witnesses: Insiders Speak Out

by Leslie J. Freeman

“This is a fascinating and frightening book. In vivid taped interviews, sixteen individuals who have been close to some aspect of nuclear power tell of the experiences that turned them into bitter opponents. I unreservedly recommend Nuclear Witnesses for supporters and opponents of nuclear power and for those who haven’t made up their minds.” ―Benjamin Spock, M.D. The nuclear workers and scientists who tell their stories in this book testify to the lie that has been sold to the American people. Nuclear energy is not safe, not clean, not cheap.

364 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1982

Reviews

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

In theory, this is supposed to be insiders from the nuclear industry speaking out about cover ups within the industry. It was published in 1981. What it actually is is an anti nuclear propaganda book. About the only thing I do agree with is that there is no reason for any nation, including ours, to make or possess nuclear weapons.

I'll begin with the line "there's no such thing as a safe dose of low level of radiation ever." Wrong. If you've ever been outside, had an X-ray, CT scan, flown in an airplane, walked through granite mountains, had wine made after 1945, you've been exposed. The list goes on when it comes to low levels of ambient exposure. Even if no one had developed nuclear weapons or power, it's a naturally occurring substance. One person blamed his son's Tay Sachs on not just his father's work with X-rays, but his having worked in a plant. His family is of Jewish descent. Several claimed that there were attempts on their lives for "trying to expose the truth." Carpenters and pipe fitters with axes to grind complained about problems with plants that never came online due to the age of the designs and greed, not problems.
Then there's the author himself. He was diagnosed with hypothyroidism less than a week after the incident at Three Mile Island and his doctor recommended radioactive iodine--a treatment not only still used today, but also used to treat thyroid cancer. He declined it, claiming that it causes cancer, with one of his star scientists to back him up. He repeatedly refers to Three Mile Island as if it was Chernobyl and boldly states at one point that "one in four people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes in this country." Thirty years later, the numbers aren't even close. They're not even rising.
That's not to say that our government, including the EPA has always gotten everything right. They haven't, but the author seems to go out of his way to make it sound as if that's all it does.

[Lizlemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great variety of sources—from first hand accounts of construction workers or lab supervisors, all the way to nuclear heavyweights like John Gofman.

This book doesn’t explain the way the different forms of radiation work in the body (i.e. alpha particles v gamma, etc) so having a slight understanding of this prior to reading will put the implications in context.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An eye-opener about accidents within the nuclear industry.