Atomic Pilgrim - by James Patrick Thomas (Paperback)

About the Book

A memoir of the Bethlehem Peace Pilgrimage (a 6700-mile walk across the United States and nine other countries) and the author's subsequent quarter-century spent investigating radioactive pollution at the Hanford site in Washington State.

Book Synopsis

James Patrick Thomas's path toward nuclear disarmament began on Good Friday, 1982, when he and his fellow peace pilgrims started walking away from the Trident Nuclear Submarine Base near Seattle. Their Bethlehem Peace Pilgrimage would span 6,700 miles across the United States and nine other countries, each step aimed at ending the nuclear arms race.

After two years on the road, Jim continued his pursuit of peace and disarmament. Back in Spokane, Washington, Jim turned his attention toward the Hanford plutonium factory-one of the original Manhattan Project sites just 110 miles from his home. Over the next two decades, Jim helped uncover stunning revelations about Hanford's toxic regional impact and its role in our nation's nuclear weapons complex.

Atomic Pilgrim is the story of how one person's faith, actions, and persistence can impact seemingly immovable systems and hold even the most powerful bureaucracies to account.

Review Quotes

"Atomic Pilgrim is an inspiring memoir about courageous actions taken for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons. While Thomas's intense internal battles rocket from hope to despair, both parts of the book reflect his faith in God and belief in the basic goodness of human beings." Kristine Morris, Foreword Reviews

"Atomic Pilgrim is both a journey of public witness but also one of examination of the soul.... Inspiring - Informative - Impactful." Charlene Howard, Executive Director, Pax Christi USA

"Atomic Pilgrim is an inspiring memoir that raises important questions for today about the human costs of nuclear weapons." Cynthia C. Kelly, President of the Atomic Heritage Foundation

"Thomas's messages on the importance of faith, reflection, persistence, and acceptance, and his vivid description of the struggles and rewards of fighting for truth and justice will inspire readers, and hopefully encourage at least some to live a life of service and walk a similar path for peace." Stephen I. Schwartz, editor and co-author of Atomic Audit: The Costs and Consequences of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Since 1940

"Jim Thomas is a peacemaking miracle. He walks a way of peace that can turn humanity from extinction to life. Read him and believe in miracles for us all." James Douglass, author of JFK and the Unspeakable

"A passionate memoir by an anti-nuclear activist and committed patriot." Gregg Herken, author of Brotherhood of the Bomb: The Tangled Lives and Loyalties of Robert Oppenheimer, Ernest Lawrence, and Edward Teller

"Atomic Pilgrim tells the remarkable story of a life lived in the service of nuclear disarmament. Spanning thousands of miles and decades of research and advocacy, Jim Thomas's message is at once hopeful and haunting: Peace is more than a dream. It is a necessity." Shannon Cram, PhD, author of Unmaking the Bomb: Environmental Cleanup and the Politics of Impossibility

"During these chaotic times, when we so desperately need to identify our heroes, this book will give you new and important perspectives." Teri Hein, author of Atomic Farmgirl: Growing Up Right in the Wrong Place

"This is a wonderful hope-inspiring book! A tonic for sagging spirits in these dark days." Shelley Douglass, co-founder of the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action