We've all heard of the Manhattan Project and the research and development that took place at Los Alamos in New Mexico. But much of the actual production of the uranium was done in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a town that didn't exist until 1942, when the Army Corps of Engineers built it just for this purpose.
Normal, everyday citizens came from all over the country to work here--not realizing what they were doing, except that they were helping to win the war. The Atomic City Girls is the story of June Walker, eighteen years old, who moved to Oak Ridge because it was a good job with good pay. June's roommate is Cici, who is much more worldly and experienced than June. Cici is at Oak Ridge to get a rich husband. There are many more available men here than in the general population. June eventually meets one of the scientists, Sam, and they begin an unlikely relationship.
Another point of view comes from Joe, an African-American construction worker. The conditions for these workers was, as you would expect, not nearly as nice as their white counterparts. But the pay was good, so they put up with a lot.
Security is everything. The workers are constantly being reminded to not talk about what they are doing, even to those in Oak Ridge. And it is a breach in that security that eventually turns everything upside down for June.
The Atomic City Girls is well researched and interestingly written. All of the characters are distinct and add to the rich atmosphere that Beard has created. I thought there were some slow spots, particularly before June meets Sam. Also, June has a sister, who works at Oak Ridge, that is just kind of left hanging. June never sees her, except a casual mention at Christmas and at the end of the book. If you needed her for the end of the book, she should have played at least some part earlier in the story.
These are minor niggles, and if you are interested in World War II history, The Atomic City Girls should definitely be placed on your list. Xe Sands, the narrator, does a superb job, so I highly recommend the audio version.
Published by HarperCollins and Blackstone Audio, 2018
Audiobook obtained from the library
384 pages
Rating: 4.5/5
I also liked this book and learned a lot about a new aspect (to me) of World War II.
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