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Folding Paper Cranes: An Atomic Memoir

Name: Folding Paper Cranes: An Atomic Memoir
Price: 14.95 USD
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Rating: 5 (11 reviews)

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Book Synopsis: Between 1951 and 1962 the Atomic Energy Commission triggered some one hundred atmospheric detonations of nuclear weapons at the Nevada Test Site. U.S. military troops who participated in these tests were exposed to high doses of radiation. Among them was a young Marine named Leonard Bird. In Folding Paper Cranes Bird juxtaposes his devastating experience of those atomic exercises with three visits over his lifetime—one in the 1950s before his Nevada assignment, one in 1981, and one in the early 1990s—to the International Park for World Peace in Hiroshima.

Among the monuments to tragedy and hope in Hiroshima’s Peace Park stands a statue of Sadako Sasaki holding a crane in her outstretched arms. Sadako was two years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on her city; she was diagnosed with leukemia ten years later. According to popular Japanese belief, folding a thousand paper cranes brings good fortune. Sadako spent the last months of her young life folding hundreds of paper cranes. She folded 644 before she died.

As he journeys from the Geiger counters, radioactive dust, and mushroom clouds of the Nevada desert to the bronze and ivory memorials for the dead in Japan, Bird—himself a survivor of radiation-induced cancer—seeks to make peace with his past and with a future shadowed by nuclear proliferation. His paper cranes are the poetry and prose of this haunting memoir.

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Experience the gripping and moving memoir, "Folding Paper Cranes: An Atomic Memoir," which takes you on a journey through the haunting aftermath of nuclear tests and the power of human resilience. Step into the shoes of Leonard Bird, a young Marine who bravely participated in the atmospheric detonations of nuclear weapons in the 1950s.

Through vivid storytelling, Bird exposes the devastating effects of radiation on military troops during those tests. But his memoir doesn't stop there - it takes you on a soul-stirring adventure as he visits the International Park for World Peace in Hiroshima, a place filled with monumental reminders of hope and tragedy.

Immerse yourself in the poignant tale of Sadako Sasaki, a two-year-old survivor of the atomic bomb drop who, ten years later, was diagnosed with leukemia. Her story of strength and determination resonates deeply in Japanese culture, as folding a thousand paper cranes is believed to bring good fortune. Witness her inspiring journey as Bird uncovers her quest to fold hundreds of paper cranes before her untimely death.

Inspiring, thought-provoking, and filled with powerful symbolism, "Folding Paper Cranes" gives you a unique perspective on nuclear proliferation and its devastating consequences. Bird's personal account of his battle with radiation-induced cancer creates a compelling backdrop for his exploration of peace, both with his past and an uncertain future.

Don't miss the opportunity to delve into this haunting memoir that will leave you inspired and deeply moved. Discover the poetry and prose of Leonard Bird's journey by grabbing your copy of "Folding Paper Cranes: An Atomic Memoir" today.

Grab your copy of "Folding Paper Cranes: An Atomic Memoir" now.

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