RaveBookPageHorrifying details and anecdotes pile up as the story unfolds, and it’s easy to understand how righteous anger could fuel a lengthy legal quest with no promise of financial reward. Propulsive and written with flair, Valley So Low is a valuable addition to the pantheon of legal thrillers.
M G Sheftall
RaveBookPage\"Sheftall’s story is brutal but necessary (a second volume about Nagasaki survivors is on the way). In carefully recording the experiences of remaining hibakusha, he is providing crucial labor in service to our collective memory. But he does so with a literary flair that belies any stereotypes of academic writers and at times surpasses Hersey’s famous work of journalism. Painful in substance but lyrical in form, Hiroshima should be required reading for political leaders, those interested in war and peace, and anyone who has grown numb to the specific horrors of World War II.\
Dean Jobb
PositiveBookPageAt times, it can feel that the buildup is too thorough, too slow, but the narrative soon gets a move on. The story of Barry’s escalating crimes... followed by his inevitable downfall, is breezily told.
PositiveBookPageThis narrative transcends the true crime genre ... Limited records and eyewitness accounts can at times limit the storytelling ... A vital look at a neglected history.
Steve Coll
RaveBookPageThanks to Steve Coll’s crisp and dynamic prose, what’s between the covers feels little like an academic tome ... Coll... has a special combination of mostly unrelated skill sets that eludes so many narrative nonfiction writers: He’s a groundbreaking reporter and researcher who is able to uncover new information in a tightly wound arena, but also a deft stylist with a natural gift for both narrative structure and fluent yet surprising writing.
