Recommended Books

Barefoot Gen (Hadashi no Gen)
Written by Keiji Nakazawa

The Barefoot Gen series by Keiji Nakazawa is a commanding and heart-wrenching account of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima. Seen through the eyes of Nakazawa as a child, Barefoot Gen exposes the ethical dilemma of being a peace-loving person in a militarized culture and the problems that arise trying to negotiate these two opposites in one's identity. Barefoot Gen exposes the disaster of the nuclear age and is a testament against it.

Available at www.amazon.com.
 

Death in Life: Survivors of Hiroshima
Written by Robert Jay Lifton

Death in Life: Survivors of Hiroshima is the classic study about "hibakusha" or survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Winner of the 1969 National Book Award in science, Death in Life: Survivors of Hiroshima exposes the devastating psychological effects of the atomic bomb, the threat is poses to mankind, and is a warning against nuclear warfare.

Available at www.amazon.com.
 

Hiroshima
Written by John Hersey

Hiroshima by John Hersey is a journalistic masterpiece that reencounters the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Based on interviews with survivors of the bombing, Hiroshima is a poignant and stirring account of the aftermath of the atomic bomb that stirs humanity's conscience.

Available at www.amazon.com.
 

Hiroshima Notes
Written by Kenzaburo Oe, and Translated by David L. Swain & Toshi Yonezawa

Hiroshima Notes by the 1994 Nobel Laureate author, Kenzaburo Ore, is an exquisite look at the bombing of Hiroshima and its devastating legacy. Oze provides an in-depth and intense look into the lives of the survivors of the bombing and those who cared or them, immediately after the attack and years later, exposing the horrifying effects and reality of the nuclear age.

Available at www.amazon.com.
 

Shockwave: Countdown to Hiroshima
Written by Stephen Walker

Shockwave: Countdown to Hiroshima is a riveting account of the three weeks leading up to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Through interviews with individuals who were directly involved with the bombing—pilots, scientists, world leaders, and victims—Shockwave: Countdown to Hiroshima is an unparalleled account of the consequences the atomic bomb had on mankind.

Available at www.amazon.com.
 

Recommended Films

Barefoot Gen (1992)
Directed by More Masaki

Barefoot Gen, based on the world famous manga "Barefoot Gen" by Keiji Nakazawa, portrays life in Hiroshima after its atomic bombing through the eyes of a child. This film encapsulates the spirit of a nation to overcome the destruction of the atomic bomb and is a testament of strength to its survivors. Footage from the film Barefoot Gen and interviews with Keiji Nakazawa are featured in White Light/ Black Rain.

Available at www.barefootgendvd.com.
 

Day After Trinity (1981)
Directed by Jon Else

The Day After Trinity is a powerful and moving account of the rise of the nuclear age, a piercing history of mankind's most destructive achievement, and the man behind it—J. Robert Oppenheimer, "the father of the A-bomb." Through the use of newsreel footage, recently declassified government film, and commentary from soldiers and scientists involved with the Manhattan Project, this academy-award nominated film is a captivating and ominous portrayal of the nuclear age.

Available at www.amazon.com.
 

Kuroi Ame (Black Rain, 1989)
Directed by Shohei Imamura

Based on the novel by Masuji Ibuse, Black Rain is a gripping movie about mankind and survival after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. This award-winning film is an aesthetically stunning portrayal of life after the bomb and exposes how survivors of the atomic bomb struggle with radiation sickness while attempting to piece together their shattered lives.

Available at www.amazon.com.
 

The Mushroom Club (2005)
Directed by Steven Okazaki

Filmed 60 years after the dropping of the atomic bomb, The Mushroom Club is a personal and powerful look at Hiroshima—the place, the people, the historical event, the idea. The film follows the life of six survivors, exposing the immeasurable destructiveness of the a-bomb and the growing trend in Hiroshima of forgetfulness towards its painful past. The Mushroom Club is a testament to the lives of the survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in order to keep their memories and stories alive.
 

Why the Bomb was Dropped (1995)
Directed by Gerald Thomas

Why the Bomb was Dropped is a riveting portrayal of the decision process behind President Truman's conclusion to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Through footage from the war and contemporary interviews, Why the Bomb was Dropped is a new, interesting, and necessary element in the historical debate over what Truman's motivations were in dropping the bomb.

Available at www.amazon.com.