Book Nook: One Second After

 No more water. No more medication. No more food. This is the cascade of deadly events that would be triggered if something were to cripple the U.S. power grid, and one weapon capable of such destruction is an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack. William R. Forstchen, Ph.D., widely considered one of the foremost experts on EMP attacks, says society needs to do more to prepare for this very real threat.

“We’re spending a trillion dollars on infrastructure. Not one dime to protect us against an EMP strike. It is a real threat,” Forstchen said during a recent interview. 

Forstchen has been consulted by agencies within the federal and state governments and has spoken at conferences all over the United States on the topic of EMP attacks.

He has also written extensively about the devastating impact of EMP strikes, beginning with his New York Times bestseller, One Second After, a realistic look at a weapon and its awesome power to destroy the entire United States, literally within one second.

One Second After immerses readers in the terrifying concept of an EMP attack, prompting discussions regarding:

•    The frightening specifics about EMP
•    The societal impact of an EMP attack
•    Hour-by-hour, day-by-day, month-by-month details on the effect an EMP attack would have on a community
•    What, if anything, can be done to protect people and the country against an EMP attack?
•    If EMP is such a threat, why aren’t we preparing?
•    The serious threats facing America regarding physical and cyberattacks on our nation’s infrastructure

The publication of One Second After spawned a series that includes One Year After, The Final Day and the upcoming book, Five Years Later. A feature film based on One Second After is currently being developed.

“EMP is a byproduct of detonating a nuclear weapon,” Forstchen said. “If you detonate a weapon 200-250 miles above the center of the United States … the gamma ray burst when it hits the upper atmosphere starts a chain reaction. … By the time this hits the earth’s surface at the speed of light, it is a giant electrostatic discharge … it blows out the entire power grid of the United States. Game over.”

William R. Forstchen is a New York Times bestselling author and holds a doctoral degree from Purdue University with a specialization in military history and technology. He is a noted expert historian and public speaker and has been interviewed on FOX News, C-SPAN, and Coast to Coast on topics ranging from history to technology and cultural issues, to space technology development, to security threats.

For more information about the One Second After book series, please visit https://www.onesecondafter.com/.