Reviews
“Tuhus-Dubrow, a freelance journalist, was brought up in the nineteen-nineties by environmentalist parents who opposed nuclear power. As an adult, she still viewed atomic energy skeptically—until she learned that some prominent environmentalists were calling it the world’s best hope for limiting climate change. She set out to learn more, and chronicles her journey of discovery in ‘Atomic Dreams.’”
— Elizabeth Kolbert, the New Yorker
Named one of the “best books we read this week,” by the New Yorker (part of “The Best Books We’ve Read in 2025 So Far”)
“Tuhus-Dubrow presents an in-depth, well-researched discussion around the pro-nuclear movement and provides a holistic overview acknowledging the polarization surrounding nuclear energy, both sides not quite seeing the entire picture clearly...an engaging narrative that takes the conversation far beyond nuclear fission. Tuhus-Dubrow works through her own thoughts and reservations right alongside readers, which makes her book both digestible and thought-provoking.”
— Kristen Shaw, Booklist
“A convincing argument on a controversial topic.”
Interviews
Going from Idea to Published Book
Interview with Erika Hayasaki for “The Reported Essay”
Is Nuclear Power Good for the Environment?
Podcast Interview with Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe
Advance Praise for Atomic Dreams
“This moment calls out for this book. Atomic Dreams is an investigation of great courage, heart, and nuance into the energy debate that has riven the environmental movement and may define our future. An essential work for anyone who wishes to understand how we got here and where we’re going.”
―Nathaniel Rich, author of Losing Earth and Second Nature
“Far more than a book about the science of electrons and uranium. This is a deeply human exploration into one of the most important issues of the century: not just how we produce energy, but what role we play in shaping the future for those who come after us. Filled with interesting — and often surprising — characters, Atomic Dreams brings this debate to life.”
―Hannah Ritchie, author of Not the End of the World
“Atomic Dreams is about so much more than nuclear power. It’s a fascinating tale filled with activists and polemicists, converts and curmudgeons, who all debate, with each other and themselves, the future of energy. Tuhus-Dubrow asks a very relevant question: Can we build our way out of this climate catastrophe? The answers she arrives at are both surprising and revelatory.”
―Russell Gold, author of Superpower and The Boom
“A fascinating, nuanced look at one of the most important and contentious issues in the climate fight—and essential reading whether you regard nuclear energy as a salvation or a scourge.”
―Jake Bittle, author of The Great Displacement
“Atomic Dreams expertly tracks the resurgence of nuclear energy, weaving together voices of advocates and critics into a nuanced account of this controversial energy source. To understand the current debate about nuclear, start here."
―Kate Crawford, author of Atlas of AI
“Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow has gifted us an enjoyable, intriguing, and evenhanded account of America's reappraisal of nuclear power, a battle of ideas at the nexus of science, politics, and environmentalism. Atomic Dreams will be required reading for anyone seeking to understand electricity in the time of climate change.”
―Henry Grabar, author of Paved Paradise
“In this immensely readable yet nuanced exploration of the changing futures of nuclear power in the United States, Tuhus-Dubrow gives us nuclear power as both an idea and a technology in the midst of immense cultural flux. An elegant treatment of this divisive power source, Atomic Dreams is at once historical and prescient, making us feel the heat and urgency to do something energetic to abate the effects of climate change, while showing how a (modestly) pro-nuclear present is still bound to its contentious past. Ever attentive the people nuclear has displaced and those who have long struggled against it, Atomic Dreams stays true to its title, as a quirky, but also trustworthy band of nuclear enthusiasts (and industries) find in this power, something to champion.”
―Gretchen Bakke, author of The Grid