The Menace of Atomic Energy

“This book by Nader and John Abbotts, a nuclear engineer who has worked for Nader for the last five years, is the only one that covers the field. I predict it will become the handbook for a long time for anyone who is worried about the biological, social, and economic cost of this technology.” ―David Dinsmore Comey, Chicago Sun-Times Book Week

In this book, Ralph Nader and John Abbotts replace the myth of nuclear energy with a clear description of the technology and its attendant perils. They analyze the performance of the atomic energy industry as it affects workers, consumers, taxpayers, and future generations. They take the reader step by step through the political thicket of atomic energy from the local community level to international relations. Decisions now being made about nuclear power will have far-reaching effects upon our economy, our institutions, and our freedom. Above all, this book emphasizes that such choices must not be left only to experts and politicians. This is both a chilling and a hopeful book, one for readers who want to be informed as well as for those who want to get involved. It is a book of solutions. Alternative energy sources―safer, cheaper―are discussed, as are the efforts of citizens’ groups around the country to explore these possibilities. For the paperback edition, the authors have revised and expanded the chapter “Challenging Electric Utilities,” the list of information sources, and the notes, and have added a chapter detailing new developments.

Ralph Nader's unrelenting public advocacy over the years has led to safer cars, medicines, and workplaces, healthier foods, and cleaner air and water. The Atlantic named him one of the 100 most influential figures in American history. Time magazine called him the "U.S.’s toughest customer." He lives (and does battle) in the nation’s capital.