Category Archives: Denise Kiernan

At the height of World War II, thousands of civilian women were recruited to work in a secret city, where they were told their efforts would end the war. Few would ever guess the true nature of the tasks they performed in the hulking factories amid the Appalachian Mountains. Denise Kiernan, author ofThe Girls of Atomic City,rescues a remarkable, forgotten chapter of American history from obscurity.  Here, she discusses how her book has resonated with students across the United States.