Gwyneth Cravens

Twice attempted to read, twice deserted, this book will now leave my shelves to look for another reader.
Still, here are a few quotes:
- All knowledge was immediately available - you needed only to look.
- How was it that every morning his body, his brain, performed a miracle? How was it that at an instant the laws of sleep were broken and he was knocked back inside time and space?
- [And yet she inevitably would see her hand reaching for the washcloth on its peg on yet another day, ] and that image would be stored in her brain for as long as she lived, added to the thousands of images of her hand reaching for the washcloth which already were laid up in her memory, useless, in rows of transparent jars.… (más)

Daughter read this book for her Biology debate and told me that it may change my opinions about the right kind of energy to use in the future...so here I am. After finishing the book in two days, I have to say...I'm impressed. Gwyneth Cravens presented a very complex and scary subject(in most people's mind, including mine) in a way that is fun and simple to read. She addressed every fear that we have, including waste disposal, safety, radiation, cost, cancer risk..., about nuclear energy (which most were speculation) and convinced me and most readers that this IS the best option. It's not only the best, but the only option that we have for energy generation for now....in order for our children and grandchildren to continue to enjoy the world as we do...

There are many surprising facts about nuclear energy, as well as the alternatives, that she presented in her book. The ones were the most shocking was that if we use nuclear energy to power all our need, in our whole life, the amount of waste would fit perfectly in a SODA CAN. I also learned the cost, the pollution, the danger, and the space and cost that are required to use other forms of energy production, including wind, sun, water and our present fuels. There's just no other way that would produce enough energy to power what we need, which increases exponentially yearly, with lowest cost and the least pollution. This book definitely opened my eyes..and my narrow-mindness, and I'd recommend it to everyone I know. We need to educate our children early, so they're not fed with fear and the wrong information.… (más)

For anyone who is truly concerned about the environment and is willing to accept that we've been given a bunch of feel-good bones while oil and coal manufacturers politically maneuver our leaders and the media into positions that ensure their profits and bypasses any regulation to curb their underestimated environmental impact. At times, the book is a bit heavy-handed as Cravens dispels myths about radiation, nuclear power, nuclear waste, and the impact of the nuclear industry on the environment. Nevertheless, the science is sound.… (más)

Informative, and readable but I couldn't conclude that it is completely even-handed. "In 50 years of operation, they have caused no deaths to the public" - that just isn't true. Check out "Idaho Falls" (ISBN 978-1550225624) for details on the SL-1 accident, which killed 3 US personnel. Human error will continue with nuclear power, resulting in radiation exposure and casualties, and it's important to consult several works to stay informed.

Some of the statements are difficult to square with international experiences. Chernobyl resulted in deaths.… (más)