М. П. Грабовский, зам. директора Шевченковской АЭС;
***
…Автор собрал воедино, обработал и изложил на языке, доступном для мало посвящённого читателя, сведения из малоизвестных научных публикаций и мемуаров работников «Маяка».
Особый интерес представляет глава, в которой содержится описание ранее практически неизвестных радиационных инцидентов. Многие из них могут рассматриваться сейчас как радиационные аварии. Автор дает их описание на основании ряда собранных оригинальных материалов и воспоминаний работников «Маяка».
Книга будет полезна как для специалистов, так и для тех, кто интересуется историей советского атомного проекта.
В. Н. Якимец, кандидат технических наук,
старший научный сотрудник «Института системного анализа РАН»;
The opinion of experts on the book «Atomic „Mayak“ – Problem for the Ages»2
…The main feature of V.I. Larin’s book is that it was written by an «outsider», and the author managed to remain within the framework of an unbiased, objective analysis of most problems of the nuclear industry related to its specific danger – the handling of radioactive substances and radiation. It does not escalate or impose a negative attitude towards this type of technology, but in no way masks or glosses over problems. He tries to show everything as it is in the most accessible form and in full coverage. In terms of the scope of the problem, the author went through all the issues: from a detailed description of the discovered facts and events to legislation in the field of nuclear insurance.
Any omission or disguise of problems only creates distrust and always does more harm than good. A sign of the author’s «mature» attitude to the problem is not to impose a position, but to give the reader the opportunity to develop it himself on the basis of sufficiently detailed knowledge. Throughout the text, the author repeatedly recalls that the main reason for all flawed decisions and tragic events are primarily global political and strategic factors that caused the rush, not the best (by today’s standards) ways to solve technical and social issues, placed within the strict framework of the realities of the post-war state of the economy and existing social relations.
The result is a useful book for any reader interested in this problem. Including for specialists who can try on their understanding and attitude to various issues – to what they will read in the book. Of course, every specialist in his question can find interpretations that differ from his ideas and facts known to him, but, apparently, this does not take the text of the book beyond a positive assessment.