On April 26, 1986, the worst nuclear reactor accident in history occurred in Chernobyl and contaminated as much as three quarters of Europe. Voices from Chernobyl presents personal accounts of the tragedy. Journalist Svetlana Alexievich, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, interviewed hundreds of people affected by the meltdown -- from innocent citizens to firefighters to those called in to clean up the disaster -- and their stories reveal the fear, anger, and uncertainty with which they still live.

Translator's preface -- Historical note -- Prologue: A solitary human voice -- Part one: The land of the dead. About what can be talked about with the living and the dead -- About a whole life written down on doors -- Soldiers' chorus -- About what radiation looks like -- About a song without words -- About a homeland -- About repentance -- By those who returned -- Part two: The land of the living. About old prophecies -- About a moonlit landscape -- About a man whose tooth was hurting when he saw Christ fall -- About a single bullet -- About how we can't live without Chekhov and Tolstoy -- About war movies -- A scream -- About a new nation -- About writing Chernobyl -- About lies and truths -- People's chorus -- Part three: Amazed by sadness. About what we didn't know: Death can be so beautiful -- About the shovel and the atom -- About taking measurements -- About how the frightening things in life happen quietly and naturally -- About answers -- About memories -- About loving physics -- About expensive salami -- About freedom and the dream of an ordinary death -- About the shadow of death -- About a damaged child -- About political strategy -- By a defender of the Soviet government -- About instructions -- About the facts -- About why we love Chernobyl -- Children's chorus -- A solitary human voice -- In place of an epilogue.