Theres plenty of places in this country that encourage disenchantment, cities and states that practically compete to provide visitors with a sense of disillusionment and despair. Full body burden is kristen iversens story of growing up in a small colorado town in the shadow of rocky flats, a secret nuclear weapons plant. Kristen iversen grew up in arvada, colorado with three siblings and an. The reason for the books existence is to demonstrate the damaging effects of silence, secrecy and. Kristen iversen is the author of several books including the awardwinning full body burden. Under the nuclear shadow of colorados rocky flats ncpr. Kristen iversen is the author of full body burden, a true story from a woman who grew. Growing up in the nuclear shadow of rocky flats, a book of memoir and investigative journalism that traces her experience of growing up in a small colorado community near rocky flats, a secret nuclear weapons plant once designated as the most contaminated site in america. Growing up in the nuclear shadow of rocky flats, by kristen iversen. Official website kristen iversen on npr fresh air university of memphis.
Full body burden growing up in the nuclear shadow of rocky flats book. Kristen meinzer is culture producer for the takeaway and cohost of the takeaways movie date podcast for the takeaway, kristen produces stories on contemporary social issues, history, health. Ive been on npr s fresh air and cspan, and ive done. Kristen iversen is the author of full body burden, a true story from a woman who grew up next to the rocky flats nuclear weapons production facility in colorado. Hawaii gabby pahinui music kristin iversenoctober 3, 2016. By andrew horning class of 2017 reading full body burden has been difficult. Kristen iversen 1897 kristen iversen in 1901 denmark census kristen iversen was born on month day 1897, to mads malling iversen and lene fodt pedersen. Drink kristin iversenjune 27, 2016 korean air lounge terminal 1, john f. She is the author of the awardwinning books full body burden. It is also a story about the destructive power of secrets family secrets and government secrets and the cost of deception. Her fathers hidden liquor bottles, the strange cancers in.
Kristen iversen is currently considered a single author. Book summary a narrative report by a woman who grew up near the rocky flats nuclear weapons facility describes the secrets that dominated her childhood, the strange cancers that afflicted her. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. We knew nothing about radioactive and toxic contamination.
Kristin iversen is the executive editor at brooklyn magazine. Kristen iversen grew up in arvada, colorado near the rocky flats nuclear weaponry facility and received a ph. Kristen iversen grew up in a small colorado town close to rocky flats, a secret nuclear weapons plant once. Kristen iversen spent her childhood in the 1960s in colorado near the.
Iversen has paid the price for this silence, and her. Kristen iversen was born on month day 1903, to kristen jensen iversen and mette marie iversen. Kristen iversen will discuss her book, full body burden. Kristen iversen, growing up in a small colorado town close to rocky flats. Full body burden is a haunting work of narrative nonfiction about a young woman, kristen iversen, growing up in a small colorado town close to rocky flats, a secret nuclear weapons plant once designated the most contaminated site in america. Off the shelf kristen iversens interview with the boulder book store, june 15, 2012. Art and craft in creative nonfiction, was the first to cover the major subgenres of creative. Her forthcoming book of nonfiction explores the relationship between nikola tesla and mark twain, and she is. Kristen iversen, author of the highlyacclaimed book, full body burden. Kristen iversen is an american writer of nonfiction and fiction. Book talk kristen iversens interview with stephen usery at book talk, wypl 89. Awardwinning author to speak at ua about nuclear weapons.
Full body burden a feature length documentary from haveypro cinema based on the book by kristen iversen. She had a huge success with her first book and has since then published several books and novellas 7 more books in the with me series alone. Kristen iversen s interview with leonard gill from the memphis flyer, june 14, 2012. Kristen iversen grew up in colorado and writes literary nonfiction and fiction.
This narrative report by a woman who grew up near the rocky flats nuclear weapon facility describes the dark secrets that dominated her childhood, the strange cancers that afflicted her neighbors, her brief employment at rocky flats and the efforts of residents to achieve legal justice. My childhood was also shadowed by the secrecy surrounding my fathers alcoholism. Kennedy international airport theres a saying in denmark. Its exciting, author kristen iversen reported in a recent email. Its the story of a childhood and adolescence in the shadow of the cold war, in a landscape at once startlingly beautiful and. Kristen iversens full body burden is a book that both dazzles with its literary versatility and astounds with its revelations about the nexus of greed, fear, and indifference that created, and continue to create, a culture of silence surrounding the rocky flats nuclear weapons plant. Full body burden audiobook, written by kristen iversen. Westerville, oh kristen iversen, author of otterbein universitys 2016 common book, full body burden. Book talk kristen iversen s interview with stephen usery at book talk, wypl 89. Kristen iversen will discuss her book, full body burden, at. Twotime winner of the colorado book award, her books include full body burden. Iversen is a seasoned speaker on the secret plant that was designated the most contaminated site in america by the department of energy and the consequences of prioritizing the bottom line over the publics health. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes.
Kristen iversen grew up in colorado and earned her phd in literature at the university of denver. Jun 12, 2012 kristen iversen spent her childhood in the 1960s in colorado near the rocky flats nuclear weapons factory, playing in fields that now appear to have been contaminated with plutonium. Growing up in the nuclear shadow of rocky flats, will visit campus from oct. Kristen iversen grew up in arvada, colorado, near the rocky flats nuclear weaponry facility and received a ph. Kristen iversen kristen iversen is the author of full body burden. Join facebook to connect with kristen iversen and others you may know. Growing up in the nuclear shadow of rocky flats, is in part a memoir about her troubled family, and also an investigation into the decadeslong environmental. This maxim typically gets employed every summer, when germans vacationing along the danish coastline are swept away by the ferocious north sea currents. Growing up in the nuclear shadow of rocky flats, is in part a memoir about her troubled family, and also an. Full body burden book columbus metropolitan library.
Growing up in the nuclear shadow of rocky flats author. She has appeared on cspan, nprs fresh air, and bbc world outlook, and. Kristen iversens interview with leonard gill from the memphis flyer, june 14, 2012. Full body burden was also chosen as best book about justice by the atlantic and. She is director of the mfa program in creative writing at the university of memphis and editorinchief of the pinch, an awardwinning literary journal. Growing up in the nuclear shadow of rocky flats crown. Kristen published her first book come away with me on the 7th of november 2012 which became a amazon and usatoday bestseller.
Full body burden is kristen iversens story of growing up in a small colorado town close to rocky flats, a secret nuclear weapons plant. Kristen iversens book doesnt quite require a knowledge of nuclear physics, but it wouldnt hurt to look up the topic to get a better understanding of the terminology when she talks about how the plutonium has adversely affected the health of people, animals, and the land in general. Growing up in the nuclear shadow of rocky flats, molly brown. Under the nuclear shadow of colorados rocky flats ncpr news. Growing up in the nuclear shadow of rocky flats, an autobiography about growing up near a nuclear weapons plant in colorado, will give a lecture, rocky flats and the secrets of the cold war, tuesday, nov. Full body burden book arapahoe libraries bibliocommons. An intimate and deeply human memoir that shows why we should all be concerned about nuclear safety, and the dangers of ignoring science in the name of national security. Under the nuclear shadow of colorados rocky flats wbfo.
A serious and alarming book that has its share of charming moments. Kristen iversen spent her childhood in the 1960s in colorado near the rocky flats nuclear weapons factory, playing in fields that now appear to have. Kristen iversen mfa in creative writing regis university. Parts of this post originally appeared on book riot. Both a memoir and a brilliant work of investigative journalism, full body burden is a detailed, shocking account of the governments sustained attempt to conceal the effects of the toxic and radioactive waste released by rocky flats, and of local residents vain search for justice. Kristen iversen historical records and family trees. I am a writer and teacher of creative nonfiction and fiction. She is director of the mfa program in creative writing at the university of memphis and also editorinchief of the pinch, an awardwinning literary journal. Rocky flats was the big secret of my childhood, says kristen iversen, author of full body burden. When kristen iversen was a child, she and her family moved to a small subdivision just outside of denver. Its the story of a childhood and adolescence in the shadow of the cold war, in a landscape at once startlingly beautiful andunknown to those who lived th. Off the shelf kristen iversen s interview with the boulder book store, june 15, 2012. Full body burden was also a finalist for the barnes. She has two sons who share her love of travel and the outdoors, and a small dog who fits in a book bag.
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