Comments (22)

The Girls of Atomic City

the Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II
Community comments are the opinions of contributing users. These comments do not represent the opinions of Surrey Libraries.
What did you think about this title?
1 to 22 of 22 items
Dec 14, 2020stephanie_shelton rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I really enjoyed the audio book. I think if I had gone print, it would have been harder to follow as the stories of these women are woven together, narration was excellent.
Dec 11, 2020joe_strnad rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Informative and entertaining nonfiction account of the workers stationed at the Clinton Engineer Works (CEW), known as Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Kiernan makes good use of declassified military documents, the weekly Oak Ridge Journal, and…
Jul 31, 2019GracieLucy rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
Good story but the authors attemp to be"clever" or "cute" greatly distracted. Would have been a much better read if better written. She has so much material - too bad she couldn't have used a better tecnique too write
Mar 01, 2019IndyPL_SteveB rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
In late 1942, the United States government created an entire secret city in the hills of Tennessee. Oak Ridge was not on any maps. 75,000 people lived there, including thousands of young women from across the eastern United States. It…
Dec 05, 2018Nuggetasaurus rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Let me just start by saying that Non-Fiction is not my normal preferred genre. I find most Non-Fiction dry and hard to get through due to authors who throw their opinions in where it should be facts. This book is not anything like that.…
Sep 07, 2018swaitesonline rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This book tells about an important, yet secretive, chapter of US History and how women played such a big role. This book also talks about segregation at the highest level of government work. The best thing about this book is that it brings…
Oct 23, 2017
on 2017 reading ballot
Jun 07, 2017IV27HUjg rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Enlightening on US history & women's studies. We'll never see this kind of gumption again - at least not in my lifetime. It sure hits home how African Americans were treated, even as they worked for the same goal, plus all those who…
Apr 12, 2017lcassity rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
So much history that was kept silent for so many years appears in this book in a style that makes the chemistry understandable for readers. The human side of the story is remarkable and points out again how good the Greatest Generation…
Melissa_RA_Librarian
Nov 22, 2016
I have been in a bit of a women's history mood. I read Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly and then I went on to Rise of the Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt. Both were wonderful books that outlined how some really intelligent women were…
Jun 30, 2016shayshortt rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
After introducing the code name for uranium—tubealloy—in the opening pages, Denise Kiernan refers to it by that code name throughout the text, until after the Secret is out. The narrative actually begins with the revelation of the Secret,…
Feb 13, 2016EmilyEm rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Thousands of women eventually worked at the facility now known as Oak Ridge in Tennessee, many like the recent high school and college graduates Kiernan profiles. What they knew was they were helping to shorten the war, what they didn't…
Feb 12, 2016
Excellent hidden history of the patriotic and devoted young women who worked unbelievably hard and lived in appalling situations without question in order to help bring the war to a quick end. Albeit controversial, these women were heroes…
Jan 15, 2016JCLJenP rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
My book club chose this book, and few members finished it. The subject matter was fascinating, but the book itself was hard to get into. It jumps around between many people and points in time, and the author tries too hard to make an…
Jul 20, 2015WCLSSumasLibrary rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Fascinating look at Oak Ridge and the people who lived there. I enjoyed how chapters about the lives of the women were interspersed with technical chapters about the making and secrecy of the bomb. The book was a little longer than I…
Apr 18, 2015ferritalelibrarian rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Though The Girls of Atomic City does some work to situate this history, mostly Denise Kiernen focuses tightly on Oak Ridge and the women working there. It uses a story telling format relying on extensive interviews with women who worked…
Dec 08, 2014HerNoseInABookGal rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Historical narrative about the day to day workings to accomplish the build of the devastating atomic bomb USA dropped on Japan. Details, secrets within the framework of a normal working life in a seemingly factory town that's not what it…
Dec 04, 2014goodcooker rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Fascinating story-and it is true! I learned a lot about a long secret part of U.S. History.
Aug 16, 2014MrFrida rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
This book is for anyone who enjoys an historical and true story. Denise Kiernan offers an insightful look into the daily lives of the women who lived and worked in what was a secret city--Oak Ridge, Tennessee--established as part of the…
Jane60201
Jul 05, 2014Jane60201 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Having had an uncle who was present as a graduate student "under the stands" at Stagg Field for the first atomic reaction, an aunt who worked as a scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and a friend who was with her family at Oak Ridge…
Apr 26, 2014dionyzus rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
An interesting look behind the scenes at the top secret city behind the war effort to enrich uranium for the Manhattan Project. It's fortunate that the author was able to interview people who were there, as many of them are now in their…
Jul 08, 2013walkermom rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Great scientific history that reads like a novel.