Chernobyl B. Medvedev Chernobyl Notebook

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G. Medvedev's "Chernobyl Notebook" is highly regarded for its technical description of the Chernobyl disaster and eyewitness accounts of the aftermath. The book is noted for its detailed narrative, although some participants argue it contains inaccuracies and biases, particularly regarding the blame for the disaster. It was published in German as "Verbrannte Seelen," but the English version includes more testimonies. A free translation is available online, although some links provided in the discussion have become outdated. Overall, the book is recommended as a significant read for understanding the Chernobyl incident.
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G. Medvedev "Chernobyl Notebook"

This is the best book about Chernobyl, in my opinion. I read and reread it many times back then in 1990s when it was first published. It gives both a good technical description about the disaster timeline and causes per se, and also it provides an eyewitness account of post-disaster efforts.

I think it might be much less well known in English-speaking world. I found that there is a free translation online:

http://dodreports.com/pdf/ada335076.pdf

(I edited a typo in the post: "B. Medvedev" -> "G. Medvedev", but the thread list still shows wrong title. If possible, can moderators fix it too?)
 
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Thanks that will be an interesting reading... to be read as soon as possible
 


Yes, thanks from me too. Looks like an excellent read.
 


Damn interesting and revealing.

This book has been published in German in the 1990s under the title "Verbrannte Seelen", but the german version is shorter (lacking many of the testimonies of all these people interviewed). So I found quite many new details I didn't know of before.

Thanks for finding and posting this!
 


Thanks for the link
 


A remarkable read (a good use of a spare weekend). There were many heores of Chernobyl and (in time) we will get to know the heores of Fukushima Daiichi too. The author is one of those heroes.

This account is somehow awe inspiring and humbling at the same time. Please take the time to read it.
 


I recall reading it a while ago (in original). A very good book indeed.
 
Bandit127 said:
There were many heores of Chernobyl and (in time) we will get to know the heores of Fukushima Daiichi too. The author is one of those heroes.

This account is somehow awe inspiring and humbling at the same time. Please take the time to read it.

I'm sorry, but you're wrong.
The book has a lot of technical inaccuracies and outright lies ..,
Then regurgitate giving the lie for the truth.
Writing the book was in the depths of the KGB to improve the image of the RBMK reactor designers.
And that would tarnish the operating personnel.
We are well aware that the staff was not "white and fluffy", but they were not such idiots as they were described in the book.
The blame for the catastrophe at Chernobyl lies mostly on the designers of the reactor.
The author of the book was in Chernobyl 10 years before the disaster, and to eliminate the effects he has very little to do...

In our time, the official version here

THE[/PLAIN] CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT: UPDATING OF INSAG-1
INSAG-7
A report by the International Nuclear Safety Advisory Group
 
Last edited by a moderator:
a.ua. said:
I'm sorry, but you're wrong.
The book has a lot of technical inaccuracies and outright lies ..,
Then regurgitate giving the lie for the truth.
Writing the book was in the depths of the KGB to improve the image of the RBMK reactor designers.

Bool sheet.

And that would tarnish the operating personnel.
We are well aware that the staff was not "white and fluffy", but they were not such idiots as they were described in the book.
The blame for the catastrophe at Chernobyl lies mostly on the designers of the reactor.
The author of the book was in Chernobyl 10 years before the disaster, and to eliminate the effects he has very little to do...

First. The author visited Chernobyl in May 1986.

Second. The book is not focused on assigning the blame, rather on recording eyewitness accounts during and after the event, and based on them, trying to figure out what happened. The description of technical aspects of accident is remarcably accurate.

Book does not focus on whether *RBMK design* is flawed or not; hewever, it does mention that it has positive void coefficient, which is bad.
 
  • #12
nikkkom said:
This is the best book about Chernobyl, in my opinion. I read and reread it many times back then in 1990s when it was first published. It gives both a good technical description about the disaster timeline and causes per se, and also it provides an eyewitness account of post-disaster efforts.

I think it might be much less well known in English-speaking world. I found that there is a free translation online:

http://dodreports.com/pdf/ada335076.pdf

(I edited a typo in the post: "B. Medvedev" -> "G. Medvedev", but the thread list still shows wrong title. If possible, can moderators fix it too?)

Thanks, but please update the link.


LabratSR said:

Thanks very much, I hope it is the same book the thread maker voted for. Regards
 
  • #13
Yes, it is the book.
 
  • #14
Bump
 
  • #15
Thanks !
 

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