Hiroshima
Six survivors of the atomic bombing tell their stories, from the moment of detonation through the aftermath.
The Verdict
The piece of journalism that made the atomic age real. In 1946 John Hersey followed six survivors through the morning the bomb fell on Hiroshima and the months after, and The New Yorker gave its entire issue to the result. Stripped of editorializing, it lets the facts do everything — and the facts are devastating. Three-quarters of a century on it remains the single most important account of what a nuclear weapon does to human beings, and a permanent argument for never using another.
Who Should Read It
Read it if you want
- The essential human account of the atomic bombing
- A short, unforgettable read
- The Japanese civilian experience
- A landmark of literary journalism
Look elsewhere if you want
- The science or politics of the bomb (see Rhodes)
- Military or strategic history
- Emotional distance from the subject
Why We Rated It 4.8
Historical Context
The bomb fell on Hiroshima on 6 August 1945, killing tens of thousands instantly and many more by year's end. Hersey's account, following six survivors, first appeared in The New Yorker in August 1946 and was published as a book the same year. A fifth chapter, 'The Aftermath,' was added in 1985.
Events Covered
Editions & Reading Notes
Read It Alongside
Where to Buy
ISBN: 978-0679721031
Other Books About the Same Events
More by John Hersey
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long is Hiroshima?
- It is short — readable in a single sitting — though its impact far outlasts the reading.
- Which edition should I read?
- The 1985 edition, which adds a final chapter following the six survivors over the intervening forty years.
- What should I read alongside it?
- Richard Rhodes's The Making of the Atomic Bomb supplies the science and history; together they give both the how and the human cost.