Our students are familiar with the writing of award-winning
journalist Eric Schlosser, author of Chew on This and Fast Food
Nation. Now they can choose a newer
title by him, Command and Control, which fits well with the increased
emphasis on non-fiction choices for Junior Theme.
Command and Control: nuclear weapons, the Damascus
accident, and the illusion of safety is Schlosser’s take on the dangers
inherent in our nuclear program today. Schlosser’s
investigative reporting and research on newly declassified materials results in
a truly fascinating read filled with details of an accident in 1980 at a nuclear
missile silo in rural Arkansas.
With starred reviews
from around the world, including being named a New York Times notable
book for 2013, Command and Control is called “nail-biting … thrilling…”
and “vivid and unsettling;” no wonder I found myself reluctant to pick it up as
before bed-time reading. I did enjoy it, though. This exciting page turner deftly and
immediately immersed me in the underground environment at the military base. As
Schlosser develops this narrative, he also focuses on the development of nuclear weapons since
WWII, describing the historical context which is so important for our students’ essays and research.
Think about it: although they have certainly heard concerns about
“weapons of mass destruction,” almost all of our high school students have been
born since the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons was extended indefinitely
(May 11, 1995) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty was signed (Sept.
10, 1996). Yes, they have recently been exposed to talk of “Cold War” rhetoric
and resurgence, but Schlosser is writing about near misses, concerns about the
American bureaucracy and a domestic nuclear detonation. His own
extensive research is documented with over 120 pages of notes and bibliographic
citations.
This important book will help to raise awareness and stimulate
dialogue on a key issue. More reviews and
interviews are available here:
The Economist: http://www.economist.com/news/books-and-arts/21586814-unless-things-change-accident-may-be-inevitable-start-worrying
Mother Jones: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/09/interview-eric-schlosser-command-control-nuclear-weapons-accidents
Rolling Stone: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/q-a-eric-schlosser-on-the-secret-history-of-americas-nuclear-arsenal-20130916
San Francisco Chronicle:
http://blog.sfgate.com/bookmarks/2014/01/07/qa-with-eric-schlosser-author-of-command-and-control/
Wall Street Journal: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324549004579065750053378722
and C-Span video: http://www.c-span.org/video/?314853-1/words-eric-schlosser
