Hiroshima
- Genre: Nonfiction; historical; journalism
- Originally Published: 1946
- Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1190L; grades 10-12; college/adult
- Structure/Length: Approximately 160 pages; approximately 5 hours and 23 minutes on audiobook
- Central Concern: Hiroshima chronicles the immediate aftermath of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6, 1945. Through the personal stories of six survivors, Hersey paints a vivid picture of the devastation and the human suffering caused by the bomb, while also highlighting the resilience and spirit of the Hiroshima residents.
- Potential Sensitivity Issues: Graphic descriptions of injuries and death; themes of nuclear warfare and its ethical implications; scenes of immense human suffering
John Hersey, Author
- Bio: Born 1914; died 1993; American journalist and novelist; served as a war correspondent during WWII; was one of the first Western journalists to visit Hiroshima after the atomic bombing; his reportage and fiction have garnered significant acclaim.
- Other Works: A Bell for Adano (1944); The Wall (1950); The Child Buyer (1960); The Call (1985)
CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:
- The Horrors of Nuclear Weapons
- The Simultaneous Fragility and Tenacity of Life
- The Commonalities of Humans
STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:
- Consider the role that New Journalism played in shaping nonfiction storytelling, and how this style and philosophy succeeds in certain contexts.