Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster

by Svetlana Alexievich

Death is the fairest thing in the world. No one’s ever gotten out of it. The earth takes everyone—the kind, the cruel, the sinners. Aside from that, there’s no fairness on earth.

“During the day we lived in the new place, and at night we lived at home—in our dreams.”

There’s only one government there—the man with the gun.

We showed up in their yards like demons. They didn’t understand why we had to bury their gardens, rip up their garlic and cabbage when it looked like ordinary garlic and ordinary cabbage. The old women would cross themselves and say, “Boys, what is this—is it the end of the world?”

Sometimes I think it’d be better if you didn’t write about us. Then people wouldn’t be so afraid.