The Cult of the Atom: The Secret Papers of the Atomic Energy Commission

An impressively documented and disturbing account of the ways in which the Atomic Energy Commission and its successor, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, have placed the goal of rapid development of nuclear-generated electrical power ahead of safety. Here is a tale of unfounded optimism, suppressed warnings and widespread incompetence. The author, a leader of the Union of Concerned Scientists, obtained access to AEC files through the Freedom of Information Act.