A BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES AND VANITY FAIR

New York Times bestselling author Lesley Blume reveals how a courageous reporter uncovered one of the greatest and deadliest cover-ups of the 20th century — the true effects of the atom bomb — potentially saving millions of lives.

In the days following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese surrendered unconditionally. But even before the surrender, the US had begun a secret propaganda campaign to celebrate these weapons as the ultimate peacekeepers — hiding the true extent and nature of their devastation. The cover-up intensified as Americans closed the atomic cities to Allied reporters, preventing information from leaking about the horrific and lasting effects of radiation that would kill thousands of people during the months after the blast. For nearly a year, the cover-up worked — until New Yorker journalist John Hersey got into Hiroshima and reported the truth to the world.

As Hersey and his editors prepared his article for publication, they kept the whistleblowing story secret — even from most of their New Yorker colleagues. When the magazine published ‘Hiroshima’ in August 1946, it became an instant global sensation, and inspired pervasive horror about the weapons that had been covertly waged in America’s name. Since 1945, no nuclear weapons have ever been deployed in war, partly because Hersey alerted the world to their true, devastating impact. This knowledge has remained among the greatest deterrents to using them since the end of World War II.

Released on the 75th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, Fallout is an engrossing detective story, as well as an important piece of hidden history, which shows how one heroic scoop saved — and can still save — the world.

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‘Meticulously researched … compelling … It’s clear that Lesley Blume poured herself into this project.’

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‘Blume [is] a tireless researcher and beautiful writer, who moves through her narrative with seeming effortlessness — a trick that belies the skill and hard labour required to produce such prose … Fallout is a warning without being a polemic … a book of serious intent that is nonetheless pleasant to read. There are knowable reasons for this, including Blume’s flawless paragraphs; her clear narrative structure; her compelling stories, subplots and insights.’

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‘Absorbing.’

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‘Blume skillfully reconstructs the players involved and the hidden history of one of the greatest cover-ups in modern history.’

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‘Journalism at its finest … Blume’s tight, fast-moving book, pegged to the 75th anniversary of the bombing, tells Hersey’s story as he raced to gather sources, wrote in absolute secrecy, and then published a deeply empathetic, almost unbelievably distressing article.’

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‘[A] thrilling behind-the-scenes account of John Hersey’s seminal 1946 report on the atomic bombing of Hiroshima … This enthralling, fine-grained chronicle reveals what it takes to cut through ‘dangerously anesthetizing’ statistics and speak truth to power.’ STARRED REVIEW

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‘Blume uncovers the fascinating backstory to perhaps the most influential piece ever published by an American magazine: John Hersey’s 1946 report on the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. A work of historical excavation … [her] narrative never flags in its drama.’ STARRED REVIEW

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‘It is a brilliantly conceived and impeccably researched book … [A] testament of the courage of a free press etc.’

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‘Blume’s meticulously researched tale of the lengths to which a government will go to keep the truth from reaching its citizens might be exactly what everyone should be reading at this deeply worrisome juncture … The book is timely on its own, however, as the idea that a democracy’s highest officials might use verbal sleights of hand to distract citizens from a crisis has been cropping up of late … is at its most gripping when Blume describes the article’s immediate, dramatic impact on a public that had been kept in the dark about the human devastation in Hiroshima … It’s clear that Blume poured herself into this project. For a sense of the sheer amount of work that went into it, just read her acknowledgments. Where most authors’ acknowledgments are heartfelt but brief, Blume’s run seven pages. Her endnotes take up a whopping 64 pages … [C]ompelling.’

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‘As a history lover, I find that Fallout gives powerful insights into the way that a government can weave a story to justify the actions it takes, and also into the fearless reporting about what really happened in Hiroshima. Blume’s tireless reporting gives important context to an understudied slice of US history.’

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‘[Fallout] is as riveting as it is disturbing.’

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‘Fallout gives the perfect backstory on an article, and an event, that reshaped the world.’

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‘[A] cliff-hanging saga of an intrepid young newsman outplaying his own government to get the facts.’

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‘Meticulously researched and elegantly written … [Fallout is] an important reminder that the biggest stories may be hiding in plain sight; that breaking news coverage is essential but may not convey the full magnitude of an event; and that a writer may be far better served by laying out a detailed, chronological account in spartan prose, even when the story is so horrific it seems to demand a polemic.’

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‘[A]n amazing testimony to the courage of [John] Hersey and a stark reminder that anti-proliferation efforts remain necessary.’

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‘[P]articularly relevant now that the US and Russia are moving away from agreements that restrained them from starting a new nuclear arms race. It is a reminder not to ignore the suffering and total destruction a nuclear war can unleash.’

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‘[C]aptures the beginning of the Atomic Age and shows us how unprepared the world was for it. It also reminds us that even democratically elected governments are inclined to secrecy, and that this inclination rarely benefits the people they serve … [A] book that deserves a wide readership.’

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‘An all-too-vivid and [an] all-too-accurate account of how New Yorker journalist John Hersey's essay, ‘Hiroshima,’ was created … Blume’s work, like Hersey’s, is a testament to the power of fine journalism. She brilliantly recreates his fragile position as the ultimate whistleblower, as well as his earth-shaking reporting.’

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‘Blume’s literary style is a seamless combination of exceptional journalism, meticulous historical investigation and superb storytelling. Her prose is accessible to both professionals as well as the general public — a feat not often achieved by authors with similar credentials … If you thought you knew everything there is to know about the dawn of the nuclear era, think again. Unless you read Fallout, your education on the subject will remain woefully inadequate. Moreover, if you want to know how your government works — then and now — you need to rush to your local bookstore and pick up a copy of this one. Highly, highly recommended.’

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‘A clearly written, insightful, and absorbing account of John Hersey … who worked out how to describe the overarching destruction and horror of nuclear war.’

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‘[S]traightforward, tightly structured, and thoroughly researched … The prose is jam-packed and doesn’t pull punches, maximising impact by presenting the contrast between government-endorsed propaganda and Hersey’s survivors’ harsh realities. Even while summarising familiar events, Blume avoids redundancy, seamlessly blending well-known elements with information gleaned through her own extensive research endeavours. Despite the age of the story, it feels timely and fresh, and Blume’s attention to detail and talent for distilling a wealth of information make for a rich, gripping read … A compelling, unsettling success, [Fallout], which doubles as a history lesson and a dire warning, provides her readers with a timely and necessary reminder that will stick with them long after finishing the book.’

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‘An absorbing new book … If the mainstream media ever regains the public’s trust, it will be because of journalists like Hersey who genuinely seek the truth wherever it is to be found, and institutions run by editors who, like Harold Ross, aim to ‘present the truth and the whole truth without fear.’’

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‘An engrossing book that offers us all the chance to learn the lessons from one of history’s terrible tragedies.’