About this episode
Laurie Hertzel interviews Emily Strasser about her book exploring her grandfather's role in the Manhattan Project and the impact of nuclear weapons.
In this episode, Laurie Hertzel, a distinguished professor of practice in the University of Georgia’s MFA Narrative Nonfiction program, interviewed Emily Strasser about her book, “Half-Life of a Secret: Reckoning With a Hidden History.” Emily visited Athens in January to speak to our MFA students during their winter residency. In this conversation, she discussed her 10 years of research and writing about her grandfather’s role in developing the atomic bomb while a scientist in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, home to the top-secret Manhattan Project. She also talked about her growth as a journalist while weaving together family secrets into this propulsive narrative that explores the long-term impact of nuclear weapons.
People in this episode
Host: Laurie Hertzel
Guest: Emily Strasser
Topics covered
- nuclear weapons
- journalism
- family secrets
- historical research
- atomic bomb
Keywords
- nuclear history
- journalism
- family narrative
- atomic bomb
- research
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of Georgia
Books & works: Half-Life of a Secret: Reckoning With a Hidden History
Places: Oak Ridge, Tennessee
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