Strong in the Rain

“A harrowing story of the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster that turned Japan upside down . . . contemporary journalism and history at its finest.” —Douglas Brinkley, New York Times–bestselling author Blending history, science, and gripping storytelling, Strong in the Rain brings the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Japan in 2011 and its immediate aftermath to life through the eyes of the men and women who experienced it. Following the narratives of six individuals, the book traces the shape of a disaster and the heroics it prompted, including that of David Chumreonlert, a Texan with Thai roots, trapped in his school’s gymnasium with hundreds of students and teachers as it begins to flood, and Taro Watanabe, who thought nothing of returning to the Fukushima plant to fight the nuclear disaster, despite the effects that he knew would stay with him for the rest of his life.This is a beautifully written and moving account from Lucy Birmingham and David McNeill of how the Japanese experienced one of the worst earthquakes in history and endured its horrific consequences.“A solid, first class work of journalism. A thoroughly researched and masterfully written account of the horrific Tohoku disaster of the spring of 2011 and its aftermath that brims with telling detail. Gripping, heart wrenching, yet ultimately uplifting in its depiction of the power of the human spirit to overcome unimaginable adversity. Hats off to Japan experts Lucy Birmingham and David McNeil for giving us this valuable work.” —Robert Whiting, author of You Gotta Have Wa“Powerful and evocative.” —Jake Adelstein, author of Tokyo Vice