The cover of “The Atomic City Girls” novel by Janet Beard is pictured above. (Submitted photo)
The author of a new novel inspired by the experiences of the Americans who fueled the World War II-era Manhattan Project will visit the American Museum of Science and Energy on Thursday, February 15. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Janet Beard, whose grandmother worked on the Manhattan Project, will give a presentation on her writing process for “The Atomic City Girls,” which was informed by many captivating oral and written histories, a press release said. Beard also will read excerpts and sign copies of her book. Copies will be on sale at the AMSE gift shop beginning February 6.
Through its fictionalized tale of 18-year-old June Walker, her romance with a young physicist, and her search for the truth about the goals of the Manhattan Project, “The Atomic City Girls” brings to life the previously untold story of thousands who moved to East Tennessee in the 1930s and 1940s to join the effort to win the war and highlights the role women played at a pivotal moment in the country’s history and Oak Ridge’s founding.
The book launch is free of charge and will start in the museum’s auditorium. This event should be of interest to readers who enjoy historical fiction, women’s stories, and Oak Ridge history, the press release said.
Beard, who was raised in East Tennessee, studied screenwriting and creative writing in New York City. Her novels have both been set in Appalachia. The AMSE event is one of three book launches planned in East Tennessee. For more information on the author, visit http://www.janetbeard.com or find her on Facebook at janetbeardauthor.
Information about AMSE
The U.S. Department of Energy’s American Museum of Science and Energy is located at 300 South Tulane Avenue in Oak Ridge. Museum hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. AMSE tells the story of the World War II-era Manhattan Project that created the Secret City of Oak Ridge and the science that followed. The museum features interactive exhibits related to science, fossil fuels, and alternative energy sources, and visitors participate in live demonstrations. For more information on admission, exhibits, and programs, visit http://www.amse.org. To schedule a group visit, call (865) 576-3200.
Janet Beard
More information will be added as it becomes available.
Do you appreciate this story or our work in general? If so, please consider a monthly subscription to Oak Ridge Today. See our Subscribe page here. Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today.
Copyright 2018 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Leave a Reply