Nuclear War, Nuclear Winter

School Library Journal

Gr 8-12 Opening chapters describe a hypothetical nuclear attack and give a brief history of the arms race. Subsequent chapters, which rely heavily on Carl Sagan's 1983 TTAPS Model, deal mainly with climatic changes that may occur if a nuclear disaster leaves the atmosphere filled with dense sun-blocking dust. Stress is placed on the irreparable damage that may be done to ecosystems by the prolonged cold and lack of light. Fossil evidence suggests that similar conditions could have led to the sudden extinction of dinosaurs. Final sections consider both optimistic and pessimistic views of the chances of human survival after a nuclear exchange. Williams provides an objective presentation of a topic that is grim at best. Public or high-school librarians will want to consider Nuclear War, Nuclear Winter, but Nuclear War (Greenhaven, 1985) offers a broader, more balanced choice. Another source of material for technically-oriented readers is Lydia Dotto's concise Planet Earth in Jeopardy (Wiley, 1986). Sue A. Norkeliunas, Arlington Senior High School, LaGrangeville, N.Y.