PART 3: A Patroitic, Non-Questioning Population
Series: Downwinder Diaries
From: Claes Andreasson
Length: 00:02:52
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More from Claes Andreasson
PART 5: We Were Considered Expendable
(00:02:39)
From: Claes Andreasson
Downwinder about experiences of radioactive fallout in the 1950s
PART 4: The Family List
(00:02:49)
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Elmer Picket lost fourteen of his family members to cancer
PART 2: The Son of a Bitchin Bomb Went Off
(00:03:23)
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Sheep farmer experience Dirty Harry nuclear test
PART 1: When the American Dream turned into a Nightmare
(00:02:46)
From: Claes Andreasson
Downwinder affected by the radiocative fallout from test at Nevada Test Site
Cajun Crawfish Boil
(00:29:15)
From: Claes Andreasson
Celebrating Cajun cooking in Los Angeles. People who were evacuated from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, gather for a taste of real Cajun crawfish in the backyard of ...
After The Storm
(00:19:32)
From: Claes Andreasson
A documentary follows the production of the musical "One on this Island" performed by New Orleans teenagers.
Katrina's Children
(00:12:41)
From: Claes Andreasson
Director Laura Belsey talks about her documentary "Katrina's Children"
Stories from Beyond the Border
(00:28:53)
From: Claes Andreasson
Migrant stories from the Tijuana - San Ysidro border region
Piece Description
In May of 1953 Shot Harry, a 32 kiloton blast, was detonated at the Nevada Test Site. Not far from there, Janet Gordon’s brother Kent was attending the family’s heard of sheep. After the shot Kent came back home he, some of the sheep and his horse could feel the affects of the test:
Broadcast History
Interview has never aired on American public radio, but was part of a documentary for Swedish NPR
Timing and Cues
Running time: 2:34 plus 0:03 intro and 0:17 outtro ambience/music
Musical Works
"I Forgive You" (Thomas Newman) from motion picture "Pay it forward
"Letter from Lee" (Jeff Beal) from motion picture "Pollock"




Deborah Astley
Posted on September 15, 2004 at 11:54 AM | Permalink
Review of PART 3: A Patroitic, Non-Questioning Population
The five segments of The Downwinder Diaries available on PRX are powerful pieces. They are short, to the point and consist of first person interviews, along with audio from original newscasts. These are rich, moving, informative pieces, made even more powerful by their brevity.
When one reads a book, the author doesn't stand over one's shoulder, explaining each nuance. The reader is respected. The presentation of the Downwinder Diaries respects the listeners' intelligence. Mr. Andreasson stands back and allows the stories to tell themselves. A courageous move and one that makes these pieces even more powerful.