Engaging book club questions for The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan.
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Denise Kiernan's The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II, unearths the forgotten history of the women at Oak Ridge. In the midst of World War II, thousands of women work in the small town of Oak Ridge, their jobs shrouded in mystery and secrecy. None of the workers know exactly what they're doing- until the United States drops nuclear bombs on Hiroshima, Japan, which leads the workers to a shocking discovery.
The Girls of Atomic City Book Club Questions
Discuss the fact that the government did not tell the women what it was they were actually working on. Do you think the government did the right thing by keeping it a secret, or was it unethical of them to do so?
Did you know about the women of Oak Ridge prior to reading this book? How can we help remember important historical women whose stories are often not told?
Discuss the discrimination and racism seen at Oak Ridge. How did those beliefs influence America’s decision to bomb Japan?
Which of the Oak Ridge workers was your favorite and why? Which did you see yourself in the most?
How do you think American opinion has changed from the 1940s to now regarding nuclear weapons, government secrecy, and war in general?
What message do you think the author was trying to send/make? What was her purpose in telling this story?
Did you know about the women of Oak Ridge prior to reading this book? How can we help remember important historical women whose stories are often not told?
Discuss the discrimination and racism seen at Oak Ridge. How did those beliefs influence America’s decision to bomb Japan?
Which of the Oak Ridge workers was your favorite and why? Which did you see yourself in the most?
How do you think American opinion has changed from the 1940s to now regarding nuclear weapons, government secrecy, and war in general?
What message do you think the author was trying to send/make? What was her purpose in telling this story?
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Check out our entire 2019 Book Club Line Up Below
Here's what we will be reading in 2019. Click each cover to learn more about these titles.
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