The Incredible True Story of the Making of the Eve of Destruction

October 1, 2018
In 1984, the only interesting thing about Griffin Flat, Ark., is that it’s surrounded by nuclear missile silos. But when it’s picked as the filming location for the adaptation of Boudreaux Beauchamp’s novella “Eve of Destruction,” everyone is excited—even Laura Ratliff. Laura, 16, is still reeling from her parents’ divorce due to her mother’s scandalous affair with (and subsequent marriage to) Dennis Jennings, the only African-American man in town. Obsessed with the possibility of a nuclear war, Laura wins a radio call-in contest for a walk-on role in the film, but things quickly escalate for everyone when what is supposed to be a scripted nuclear explosion may or may not have been the real thing. Brashear (No Saints in Kansas) sprinkles the novel with information about the ’80s, offering a nuanced sense of the time and what it felt like to grow up under nuclear threat. Footnotes for popular culture references, such as Columbia House (“It’s a mail order music club”) give the well-paced novel some levity while providing important background information. In this moment where what constitutes fact is up for debate, Brashear’s seemingly nostalgic romp is extremely timely. Ages 14–up. Agent: John Cusick, Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management.

January 1, 2019
In 1984, the small town of Griffin Flat, Arkansas, is known only for its nuclear missile silos--making it the perfect location to shoot a movie about nuclear annihilation. Sixteen-year-old Laura Ratliff wins a radio contest for a walk-on role and gets thrust into the surreal experience of making a movie about something she has grown up fearing. Funny, fresh, and totally unique.

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Starred review from December 1, 2018

Gr 8 Up{amp}mdash;It's Arkansas, 1984, and Laura Ratliff is afraid of nuclear weapons. Her father works with nuclear weapons on a nearby base. Her parents recently divorced after her white mother's affair with Dennis, one of the few black men in town, was very publicly revealed. When her mom married Dennis, Laura gained a (very nice) stepbrother, Terrence, but lost her sense of security and feels adrift. Meanwhile, the townspeople are ecstatic that a Hollywood director is coming to town to film a movie about a nuclear war titled The Eve of Destruction. Laura wins a role as an extra and brings Terrence along. Her usually even demeanor becomes tested as there are more and more nuclear drills. She's barely keeping it together with the help of Pops, Terrence's grandfather who looks out for her; Max, her friend; and her stepbrother. Then the last day of filming arrives, and it brings harrowing changes for everyone in town. Brashear has adeptly researched the time period and captures the fear of nuclear war perfectly. Footnotes, more frequent at the beginning than the end, help familiarize today's teens with popular groups, terms, and athletes of the time. Excerpts from the movie script keeps the plot moving along to its inevitable explosive conclusion. VERDICT Given that nuclear war is still a hot topic, this snarky and insightful historical novel will ring true with many young adults. A strong pick for YA shelves.{amp}mdash;Kelly Jo Lasher, Middle Township High School, Cape May Court House, NJ

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Starred review from September 15, 2018
Truth and fiction blur after Laura Ratliff wins a walk-on role in a Hollywood nuclear disaster film set in her small town.Living on the nukemap--one of the top Soviet nuclear targets in the U.S.--leaves Laura more than a little bit anxious. It's 1984, her junior year of high school, and the threat of "Mutually Assured Destruction" is on everyone's mind. To make matters worse, Laura's mother (who is white like Laura) had an affair with and later married a black man. The scandal was the talk of Griffin Flat, Arkansas, population 8,000, but one good thing that came out of it was her stepbrother, Terrence. Since the divorce, Laura rarely sees her father, a member of a special Air Force squadron responsible for intercontinental ballistic missile sites. Things seem to be looking up after Laura wins a local radio contest and a small part in Eve of Destruction, bringing Terrence along as her invited guest. Then Laura's father begins making strange phone calls. This tragicomic story of Laura and her motley crew is a page-turner from start to finish. Laura's penchant for pop culture, history, and science trivia, presented in explanatory footnotes throughout, brings the late Cold War-era to life. A clever, superbly written, laugh-out-loud-hilarious story within a story and movie within a movie about nuclear war anxiety in small-town America.You might not learn to love the bomb, but you will love this book. (Fiction. 14-adult)

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