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1.63k reviews for:
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
Martin J. Sherwin, Kai Bird
4.33 AVERAGE
1.63k reviews for:
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
Martin J. Sherwin, Kai Bird
4.33 AVERAGE
This is a very dense book, but very informative and interesting. The middle drags a bit, but the most interesting section of the book is the kangaroo court trial/not trial. Oppenheimer was a very interesting man.
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
A basic description:
The authors present a highly detailed view of Oppenheimer’s life, from his early childhood, through his education and career as a revered physicist, to his appointment as head of the Manhattan Project and his eventual demise. It illuminates in minute detail his personal and professional relationships, as well as their complexities. The progress of the project to develop an atomic bomb is fraught with challenges, secrecy, and intrigue, and we see how Oppenheimer navigated these many threads while trying to reconcile his own position, morally, as the man chiefly responsible for bringing to fruition a weapon of mass destruction. Years later, he endures a hearing in which he is accused of disloyalty by way of his closeness to many in the Communist Party and his reputation is smeared. He also spent his subsequent years deeply regretful, opposing further development of any such weapons.
While all that might sound a bit dry, it's quite intriguing. There are many references and descriptions of the time he spent with his closest friends and family in the rugged desert of Los Alamos, New Mexico, as well, which Oppenheimer held very close to his heart. We also see his developmental years at Cambridge University, and later, on the Caribbean Island where he retired, giving us a panoramic picture of his life experience.
While all that might sound a bit dry, it's quite intriguing. There are many references and descriptions of the time he spent with his closest friends and family in the rugged desert of Los Alamos, New Mexico, as well, which Oppenheimer held very close to his heart. We also see his developmental years at Cambridge University, and later, on the Caribbean Island where he retired, giving us a panoramic picture of his life experience.
My thoughts:
Robert J. Oppenheimer was a great man. His talents were multi-faceted. He was brilliant, creative, intuitive, detail-oriented and driven. He accomplished more than most could ever dream of. He was surrounded by many other brilliant minds and was highly revered. But not long after the culmination of his paramount achievement, he was disgraced. He also spent his subsequent years regretful of his actions and the impact they had on the world at large. It brings to mind the question of futility of a life's work, even for a man of such great achievement.
Questions:
Who can we really trust?
Do our achievements even matter?
Will the development of innovative technology always be utilized for purposes of military security?
Criticisms
My only criticism of the book was its length during certain parts. Much time is spent detailing the accusations of many of his detractors during the hearings, and there are too many names and minor details to track. It took away from the overall flow of the book, and in my opinion, it could have been about 20% shorter.
informative
medium-paced
A thoroughly (almost to a fault) well researched biography that is well written, but a difficult read owing to the amount of information.
challenging
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.5 stars. Fascinating biography not just of Robert Oppenheimer but also his wife and family. Took me a long time - I had to renew twice at the library!
I thought this would be slow and dry and it was anything but. It ended up being one of the most poignant, captivating and engaging books that I've come across. I think this has a chance to be the best book I'll ever read and almost certainly the best biography I'll ever read. The level of detail is astounding, and every little weird idiosyncratic thing that comes up almost always becomes relevant again later in the book. I was even fighting off tears at the end.
I started reading this book because I did not know much about the creation of the atomic bomb or anything about Robert Oppenheimer. While it is interesting to learn about Oppenheimer and the bomb, what is most interesting for me is the history of the unchecked power of the early FBI, political innuendo, and the scare tactics of the anti-communist 1940s and 1950s.
Overall this was a interesting book. I listened to it (as I like to do with many long biographies). But the sound quality was not great. The volume kept changing and it would be a bit muffled and then go very clear, and then back muffled again.
A longer review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/american-prometheus-the-triumph-and-tragedy-of-j-robert-oppenheimer/
Overall this was a interesting book. I listened to it (as I like to do with many long biographies). But the sound quality was not great. The volume kept changing and it would be a bit muffled and then go very clear, and then back muffled again.
A longer review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/american-prometheus-the-triumph-and-tragedy-of-j-robert-oppenheimer/
In a word, tedious. American Prometheus was the inspiration for the film "Oppenheimer," but except for the basic facts of Oppenheimer's involvement with the development of the atomic bomb, and the revenge against him extracted by Lewis Strauss, the book and movie bear little resemblance to one another.
Oppenheimer is clearly a fascinating subject, but there is simply way too much information here. The book was exhaustively researched, and it seems the author included every detail about Oppy that he encountered. We learn of each friend, girlfriend, wife, mistress, meeting, conference, vacation, house, job interview, conversation, etc. etc. in a very full life. It is chronologically narrated and the writing is competent if a bit pedestrian. Bird seems incapable of weeding out the extraneous which makes the book a bit of a slog.
About two thirds of the way in things finally get interesting. Lewis Strauss' jealousy and hatred for Oppenheimer drives him to relentlessly seek revenge on Oppy until he ruins his (Oppy's) career and possibly his life. The sort of political machinations that Strauss used in aid of his mission are being repeated in the U.S. House of Representatives today as some in Congress pursue the Biden family nonstop.
Despite all this, because of Oppenheimer's fascinating character and life, the book being so well researched, and its relevance to our political situation today, I think it's worth a read.
Oppenheimer is clearly a fascinating subject, but there is simply way too much information here. The book was exhaustively researched, and it seems the author included every detail about Oppy that he encountered. We learn of each friend, girlfriend, wife, mistress, meeting, conference, vacation, house, job interview, conversation, etc. etc. in a very full life. It is chronologically narrated and the writing is competent if a bit pedestrian. Bird seems incapable of weeding out the extraneous which makes the book a bit of a slog.
About two thirds of the way in things finally get interesting. Lewis Strauss' jealousy and hatred for Oppenheimer drives him to relentlessly seek revenge on Oppy until he ruins his (Oppy's) career and possibly his life. The sort of political machinations that Strauss used in aid of his mission are being repeated in the U.S. House of Representatives today as some in Congress pursue the Biden family nonstop.
Despite all this, because of Oppenheimer's fascinating character and life, the book being so well researched, and its relevance to our political situation today, I think it's worth a read.
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced