Oliviate

This book really made me feel as if I knew what it felt like to live and work at Oak Ridge in the lead-up to the glorious, horrible end of World War II. Although I could have used a bit more clarity in the chronology, and certain events felt glossed over, the focus on women's experiences both at Oak Ridge and in the international scientific community was compelling and illuminating. While this will never be anyone's first choice for a comprehensive history of the Manhattan Project, the on-the-ground experiences and day-to-day detail of the workers at the various plants are just the kind of thing a writer looks for in a history she's reading for book research. Highly recommended.