The Meltdown

A nuclear meltdown occurs in Anywhere, U.S.A., and a boy falls in love with a girl. When an atomic power plant runs out of control, and other reporters are busy rounding up the usual suspects, young reporter Tom Parker sees his chance to win a woman's affections. Contrasting a nuclear meltdown with such disparate calamities as the great Baltimore fire and the Johnstown flood, the book suggests America has become a nation of natural-born hypesters who, in a crunch, believe no one. Not a deep, dark novel, The Meltdown is a tale of very young adults whose energy, naivete, and lifestyle make it, in spite of its sobering subject matter, a fun read.