Product Description
The fascinating story of the most powerful source of energy the earth can yieldUranium is a common element in the earth’s crust and the only naturally occurring mineral with the power to end all life on the planet. After World War II, it reshaped the global order—whoever could master uranium could master the world. Marie Curie gave us hope that uranium would be a miracle panacea, but the Manhattan Project gave us reason to believe that civilization would end with apocalypse. Slave labor camps in Africa and Eastern Europe were built around mine shafts and America would knowingly send more than six hundred uranium miners to their graves in the name of national security. Fortunes have been made from this yellow dirt; massive energy grids have been run from it. Fear of it panicked the American people into supporting a questionable war with Iraq and its specter threatens to create another conflict in Iran. Now, some are hoping it can help avoid a global warming catastrophe. In Uranium, Tom Zoellner takes readers around the globe in this intriguing look at the mineral that can sustain life or destroy it.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 23 reviews)

Every American over 30 years old needs to read this book. by R. Moten

5 Stars
December 10, 2009
If you want to learn the impact technology is really having on our economy, you need to read this book. After reading this book, I understand why inflation isn't as bad as we expect. Because the cost of technology decreases so rapidly, the cost of information decreases. As a result, the cost of services that provide information decrease. Chris Anderson does a much better job of explaining this than me, so get the book.

History Meets the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sandor J. Woren (Glendale, CA)

5 Stars
November 26, 2009
Tom Zoellner creates a wonderful tome explaining how the discovery, scientific understanding, mining, and development of uranium influenced recent history. I can remember studying about this strange element in the periodic table, atomic number 92, and its radioactive peers, such as Radon (86), Radium (88) Plutonium (94), to name a few, and how the science made me a bit listless. Had Zoellner's "Uranium" been available at that time, there would have been no doubt in my mind of why the tedious study of nuclear chemistry and physics was so important. It literally dictated the course of history since the latter half of the 20th century. This is, as one would expect, more of a history book than a scientific text. The world is the stage for this fascinating story. From it's early discovery in Shinkolobwe, in the Belgian Congo, to the post war American uranium rush centered around Moab, Utah, uranium was more coveted than gold had been in the previous century. It has been found on virtually every continent (except Central and South America). The rush to develop the atomic bomb, won by the United States during World War II during the Manhattan Project, culminating in the devastating uranium bombing of Hiroshima and the radium bombing of Nagasaki in 1945, put a merciful premature end to the most destructive war in history. Of course, the history of element number 92 did not stop there. After providing a wonderfully detailed account of this period, including a vivid description of the various colorful personalities involved (Oppenheimer, Fermi, etc), Zoellner goes on to examine the desperate pursuit of uranium 235 by the Soviets, the resulting forced labor camps in St. Joachismal (Bohemia), the slump of the uranium market after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the recent renaissance of uranium as a result of its coveting by Iran and other Islamic powers for the purpose of military domination, and other third world countries for both peaceful and non-peaceful purposes. This is not a quick or easy read. But it is really not meant to be. Still, I recommend it highly for the serious student of science and history, and especially for the reader who is interested in how the former dictates, to a large extent, the latter.

Excellent Book by R. Jacobson (Minneapolis, MN)

5 Stars
November 25, 2009
I thought Uranium came from Oak Ridge before I read this book. A lot of interesting information in this book. Two criticism: Felt like I had jet lag from going back and forth to the different locations; and page 54 'By the spring of 1945, Japan's surrender was becoming increasingly certain.' Pretty sure the author meant Germany's surrender was certain in the spring of 1945.

The history of an overburdened nucleus (3.5 stars) by J. Green (Los Angeles, California)

3 Stars
September 24, 2009
First of all, this book is *not* a science book. Instead, it is a somewhat meandering history of the use of uranium, particularly as it relates to U-238 and U-235 used in nuclear fission reactions. Initially, uranium was used for little except as an occasional colorant in stained glass, but in 1934 Enrico Fermi discovered the instability of it's atom and the potential use in bombs. Zoellner discusses the history of mining uranium in Joachimsthal (Czeck Republic), Shinkolobwe (Congo), Australia, and Moab (Utah), but much of the book discusses weapon use, starting with the Manhattan Project and the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan, and then moving variously to Pakistan's nuclear program and Iraqi and Iranian efforts. While variously interesting, Zoellner focuses mostly on sensational stories, even discussing a Japanese doomsday cult which sought a nuclear bomb but instead settled for using sarin gas. Even the historical stories seem to lean towards the sensational and feel incomplete (there was no mention of a 1950's proposal to use a nuclear weapon to create a large port in Alaska). And while he critically analyzes the US nuclear build up (including the silly government advice to "avoid panic and you'll come through alright"), there is little information on the parallel build up by the USSR except as it related to the Joachimsthal mine or the currently sloppy security in the former republic of Georgia. Discussions of nuclear electricity and questions of waste disposal are thin, and Homer Simpson rates a mention but Chernobyl gets barely a paragraph. While I was initially enthusiastic about this book, it soon grew dull and at times it sounds more like a travelogue than a history. I listened to the audio book and by the end was setting the speed faster to finish quicker. The reader does a good job, even reading quotes in various accents. I originally found this annoying - he'd speak with accents in German, Russian, Pakistani, Middle Eastern, Australian, American cowboy, George Bush, etc. - but I must admit that it helped to keep it clearer who he was talking about.

A great work of journalism about the metal itself by Zachary Moitoza (Eugene, OR)

5 Stars
August 25, 2009
Where "Uranium" stands out is in its discussion of mining, geopolitics, and the history of uranium metal. The book starts out with a well written discussion of how uranium-- once seen as worthless dirt useful only for painting-- was later transformed into one of the most valuable materials on the planet. At first for its decay-product radium, and later for its trace element U-235, which can be used for bombs. Most uranium is U-238, but less than 1% is the fissile U-235 that when "enriched" to a higher concentration can be used for bombs or power generation in light water reactors. After its discussion of the history of the metal, the book focuses on how mining for the metal was ramped up around the world due to its new value. The author travelled to Africa and Australia, and gives first-hand impressions of what mining for the metal is like. Surprisingly, mining the metal is extremely controversial. In Australia, Tom talks about how environmentalists see mining uranium as damaging aboriginal lands, and promoting nuclear technology that won't fight off global warming. If only the greens felt the same way about coal mining in Australia-- the nation's principle source of power generation. The Author also provides proof-positive evidence that Saddam Hussein was not seeking weapons of mass destruction, and how the notion that uranium mining in Africa could have been used to provide "yellowcake" for Saddam was ludicrous and couldn't have been easily concealed, another highlight of the book. Sadly, the book is lacking in its discussion of nuclear power technology, and only briefly discusses the "nuclear renaissance" at the very end of the book, and how there is growing interest for this low-carbon technology around the world. There is no mention of breeder reactors or how uranium 238 can be used to fuel generation IV plants that solve the traditional problems associated with nuclear. If someone is interested only in information about the latest in nuclear technology, I would recommend "Prescription for the Planet," by Tom Blees. Nevertheless, this timely book is a fascinating contribution to the history and mining of the metal itself.

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