Manual for Survival

A magisterial blend of historical research, investigative journalism and poetic reportage, Kate Brown sets out to uncover Chernobyl’s true medical and environmental effects … an awe-inspiring journey. * The Economist *This thrilling, frightening book tells the truth about the Chernobyl disaster … the most brilliant and essential book on Chernobyl since that of Nobel Prize winner Svetlana Alexievich. * The Irish Times *An astonishing unconventional history. * The Times *Brown’s page-turner skilfully weaves an original narrative on the long-term medical effects of the Chernobyl disaster… Her capacity to immerse herself and pick up on nuances brings these stories from factory workers, technicians, doctors and villagers alive. * Nature *Exemplary … Brown is an indomitable researcher – Luke Harding * Observer *Full of passion … [an] admirable uncovering of the hidden story behind Chernobyl. * The Guardian *Vital work, making a convincing case for the catastrophic long-term medical and ecological effects of the disaster – Tobie Mathew * Literary Review *A troubling book, passionately written and deeply researched … the book moves from science to thriller and realm of conspiracy… there is no doubt about Brown’s gift for vivid narrative. Her conclusion is chilling. * The Sunday Times *A humane book about the irreversible things a technological disaster does to people and landscapes. * Owen Hatherley, New Statesman, ‘Best Books of 2019’ *A magnificent monograph that stands out among the multiple books on Chernobyl simply because it tells us the truth - the whole unadulterated truth - about one of the worst disasters in history. As such, it may itself be regarded as a survival manual of sorts. And a guide to the future, too. * Engineering and Technology *

Kate Brown is the author of A Biography of No Place, which won the George Louis Beer Prize from the American Historical Association for the best book in International History, and Plutopia, which won seven awards, including the Dunning and Beveridge prizes from the American Historical Association for the best book in American history. She is the first historian of the Soviet Union to be nominated to the honorary Society of American Historians, and her research has been funded by the American Academy in Berlin and by Carnegie and Guggenheim fellowships. She teaches environmental and nuclear history at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Baltimore County, and lives in Washington, DC.