Atomic Testing in Mississippi adds to the body of work on nuclear testing by focusing on the Project Dribble pair of underground nuclear detonations and the follow-on work with nonnuclear explosions. . . . The book provides good coverage of issues surrounding the tests, such as local politics, concerns over outsiders coming to the state, the handling of damage claims, and the possible cancer-rate links to the tests. Further, the book offers clear explanations of the geology of salt domes in the southeastern United States, the local history of the Tatum salt dome where the tests were conducted, and a condensed history of nuclear-weapons testing and negotiations with the Soviet Union to end such testing. The technical details of the tests and their seismic effect are lucidly presented." - Technology and Culture
"The great strength of this book is the sheer depth and relentlessness of Burke's research. He has uncovered every document possible about the testing program and has spoken to as many local residents as will talk about the events. He has dug into the politics of the tests as well as the ways in which local landowners tried to use the program for their own financial gain. Given document classification issues as well as the reluctance of some people to speak on the record, Burke's achievements should not be underestimated. He weaves documents, maps, photos, and interviews together into a coherent narrative, and this history is brief, clear, and to the point." - American Historical Review
"Burke has written an enlightening and provocative book that deserves attention. . . . [ It is] a well-researched and well-written study of a very important topic." - Journal of Southern History
