Series: Downwinder Diaries
From: Claes Andreasson
Length: 00:02:49
Elmer Picket, former mortician in St. George, Utah – turned hardware store owner, remembers the early fifties, when the big red clouds came rolling in from the test site. In his store he kept a list of the family members who had passed away as a result from, what he believes, the radioactive fallout. (Elmer Picket himself passed away in 1997, and became number 22 on his list of diseased family members)
The interview has never aired on American public radio, but was part of a documentary for Swedish NPR
Running time: 2:10, plus 0:10 intro and 0:17 outtro (ambience/music)
"There Your Are" (E. Peters)
Deborah Astley
Posted on September 15, 2004 at 11:59 AM | Permalink
Review of PART 4: The Family List
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.