Acknowledgments



THIS BOOK could not have come into being without the understanding, concern and support of many individuals whose help I was privileged to receive during the years in which the events recounted here took place.

Although it is impossible to list all those to whom I have become deeply indebted, there are a few individuals whose help went far beyond anything I shall ever be able to acknowledge adequately.

First among these is my wife Marilyn, who not only stood by my side throughout these years, but also provided the constant counsel, encouragement and understanding needed in the long and arduous task of writing this book.

And it was the great personal dedication of my editor, Joel Griffiths, that shaped the first edition of the book, helping immeasurably in the difficult task of explaining for the non-scientist the complex scientific and technical arguments underlying the events described. Thus, though the responsibility for the accuracy of the facts and their interpretation must remain mine, whatever success this book may have in clarifying the nature of the scientific problem and the dangers arising from the misuse of nuclear radiation will be to a large extent a reflection of his efforts.

Among the many others who contributed importantly to bringing this book into being, I must express my indebtedness to Larry Bogart, long-time conservationist and founder of the National League to Stop Environmental Pollution, who together with Leo Goodman of the United Automobile Workers was responsible for first drawing my attention to the full hazard of an unchecked nuclear technology.

In these researches, I was greatly aided by two of my colleagues, Dr. Donald Sashin and Ronald Rocchio, who worked out the computer programs that made the analysis of the vast amount of statistical data possible, as well as by Michael Szulman, Diane Gaye, Mitchel Margolis and Debbie Conant, without whose dedication in patiently collecting and analyzing the data the task would have been insuperable.

In the collection of the basic data, I was also generously helped by a number of young volunteer student assistants who spent long hours in the library. My gratitude goes to all of them, and in particular to David and Harold Colker, Randolph Strothman, and Gary Harris, whose important contributions were particularly appreciated.

Last but not least, I must express my deep appreciation to my secretary, Judy Czachowski, who patiently suffered through the agonies of gathering the data, preparing papers and repeated retyping of the original manuscript, and without whose cheerful help and dedication the task would have been vastly more difficult.

The present, greatly expanded edition owes its existence to my new editor, Joanne Dolinar, who persuaded me that it was important to tell the story of the developments in the ten years since the book's original publication. For her persistence in this I am deeply grateful. I am also grateful to my secretary, Nancy Siegel, who greatly eased the task of completing the expanded version of the book with her unwavering patience in tackling the never-ending pages with their illegible revisions.

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