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1.64k reviews for:
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
Martin J. Sherwin, Kai Bird
4.33 AVERAGE
1.64k reviews for:
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
Martin J. Sherwin, Kai Bird
4.33 AVERAGE
Going into reading this book after watching Oppenheimer, I sought further detail and insight about this story that would help me determine how I felt about Oppenheimer as a character in history. This book went above and beyond my expectations for a biography encompassing such a renowned, famous figure. The author balanced poignant observations with well-researched findings that substantiate the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer in a way that left me pondering about the incredibly complex nature of World War II and the Cold War era. I appreciated how so many perspectives were highlighted throughout Oppenheimer's life that underscored the imperative of an individual's experience in one's social exposure and career, both in science and politics. Further, Bird's ability to articulate this story in a narrative, cohesive manner, as oppose to just listing all the facts, drew me into the time period and left me emotional from the weight of the events of our history. At the end, I am still unsure as to whether I feel positively or negatively about Oppenheimer, but I do know I am in awe of his contributions (and that Truman sucks).
informative
reflective
This ended up being a DNF. While fascinating, I could not bring myself to get through over a thousand pages of nonfiction right now.
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
I started this book in Oct 2023, a few days before I got engaged. I finished it in Feb 2025, a few weeks from my 6 month wedding anniversary. To say I took my time with this book is an understatement. I wanted to finish it by the end of 2024 but there was actually a wait in Libby when I wanted to check it out for the umpteenth time.
Anyway, the book is incredibly well-researched and laid out in excruciating detail. I thought about giving it 3 stars because I was often annoyed at the level of detail. I'm used to reading memoirs, not biographies, and memoirs don't go off on 5 page discussions about every new character's life story. They stick to one person.
I think Robert's childhood and school years were interesting, the Los Alamos years fascinating, and the entirety of Part 5 about the security hearing and it's aftermath were very illuminating. But this book did not need to be 600+ pages to cover all that.
Yes, I saw the movie (twice) and did enjoy seeing the parts that Nolan pulled out verbatim. But of course a Christopher Nolan film is going to be infinitely more engaging than a mostly dry and dense biography. Like Robert himself, it had a tendency to talk overlong.
Anyway, the book is incredibly well-researched and laid out in excruciating detail. I thought about giving it 3 stars because I was often annoyed at the level of detail. I'm used to reading memoirs, not biographies, and memoirs don't go off on 5 page discussions about every new character's life story. They stick to one person.
I think Robert's childhood and school years were interesting, the Los Alamos years fascinating, and the entirety of Part 5 about the security hearing and it's aftermath were very illuminating. But this book did not need to be 600+ pages to cover all that.
Yes, I saw the movie (twice) and did enjoy seeing the parts that Nolan pulled out verbatim. But of course a Christopher Nolan film is going to be infinitely more engaging than a mostly dry and dense biography. Like Robert himself, it had a tendency to talk overlong.
informative
medium-paced
This book paints a photorealistic image of an incredibly influential man and amazing scientist. It also describes the attempted political assassination of this visionary. The research is incredibly thorough.
informative
tense
medium-paced
Fascinating biography of Oppeinheimer's life
I don't know that a detailed biography is my genre but this book is objectively very good.
Far more compelling than *most* fiction. Tingling just thinking about how Nolan will bring this to the big sceen. Important to note that Truman is without a doubt THE worst president ever - period.
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
The product of 25 years of research, this book goes into exhaustive detail about all aspects of Oppenheimer's life and career, with the exception of the actual physics he did. Anything having to do with science is glossed over in favor of discussion of his politics, personality, and relationships. This resulted in me spending hours on Wikipedia reading about nuclear physics.
The red scare and overall conduct of the US government in the 1950s is completely reprehensible, with a special shout out to the FBI for illegal and invasive bullshit.
The red scare and overall conduct of the US government in the 1950s is completely reprehensible, with a special shout out to the FBI for illegal and invasive bullshit.