September 12, 2006 For more information: Frank R. Scatoni 619-807-1887 frank@ventureliterary.com "No Kill Date" Venture Literary Sells Captivating Profile of America’s Only Fatal Nuclear Accident to Free Press/Simon & Schuster On September 12, 2006, Frank R. Scatoni of Venture Literary sold the North American rights to Todd Tucker’s Super Critical: The Lessons of America’s First and Only Fatal Nuclear Accident to Liz Stein at Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster. Tucker’s Super Critical chronicles the story of the first and only American casualties of the atomic age, in the explosion that ripped apart the U.S. Army’s SL-1 nuclear reactor in Idaho more than four decades ago. The deaths of three men at SL-1 in 1961 did more than literally expose the radioactive core of an experimental reactor; it laid bare some of the fundamental issues that still swirl around mankind’s nuclear ambitions, whether in Idaho, Iran, or North Korea. Is there such a thing as a purely peaceful application of nuclear science? Can a nuclear power plant truly be “inherently safe?” Just how thin is the line between a nuclear power plant and a nuclear weapon? In the aim of understanding the story of the fascinating rise of nuclear power, critically acclaimed author Todd Tucker explores this fatal incident and the reasons it happened, as well as how its aftermath changed the face of nuclear power forever. By exposing the engineering and leadership failures that led to the SL-1 catastrophe, Super Critical demystifies the complexities of nuclear power and explains what makes some reactors safe and others dangerous. The New York Times reported that a “nuclear renaissance” was currently underway, with more than a dozen nuclear plants in the planning stages (the first in more than three decades). Hawks praise the firepower of nuclear energy; while Greens are enamored with its low impact on the environment (more than 70 percent of Vermont’s power comes from nuclear energy). But fears of another Three Mile Island or Chernobyl disaster still pervade the public’s consciousness. Because the catastrophe at SL-1 was, in true government fashion, swept under the carpet, Todd Tucker’s exposé of the accident covers all of the elements of the burgeoning public debate, including the national security implications of atomic power. Todd Tucker has been a member of the United States Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion program and has completed studies at the Nuclear Power School in Orlando, Florida. He was the veteran of six patrols aboard a Trident nuclear submarine and completed his tour by qualifying as Naval Nuclear Engineer—the most challenging technical qualification in the military—making him uniquely qualified to write this book. Tucker’s writing has appeared in a number of national magazines, including The Rotarian, Inside Sports, Historic Traveler, and TWA Ambassador. His first book, Notre Dame Game Day, was published by Diamond Communications in 2000. His second book, Notre Dame vs. the Klan, tells the fascinating story of the 1924 riot between the students of Notre Dame and the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan—it was Loyola Press’s lead title for fall 2004. Tucker’s third book, The Great Starvation Experiment was published by Free Press in 2006 to much critical acclaim. To learn more about Venture Literary, visit: www.ventureliterary.com. To learn more about Free Press, visit: www.simonsays.com. To learn more about Todd Tucker, visit: www.toddtuckerbooks.com