Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird, Martin J. Sherwin

8 reviews

billievee's review

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

If you thought the Oppenheimer movie was too short, this is the book for you!

...That sounds sarcastic, but I kinda mean it. I went into last year's Oppenheimer knowing almost nothing about the famous scientist, and it breezed through so much history in its 3 hour runtime that I found it hard to follow. This book, on the other hand, is extremely detailed about every aspect of Oppenheimer's life, and by the end it feels like he was someone who you knew well: a complex genius with some very human flaws. It's a long read, but worthwhile.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Genocide, Racism, Suicide, Antisemitism, and War

Minor: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders

issyd23's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

4.0

Worth the effort! 4🤠 

“Modern Prometheans have raided Mount Olympus again & have brought back for man the very thunderbolts of Zeus.” Scientific Monthly

Imagine having one of the greatest minds of the 20th century & the first 4 chapters of your biography is about how much of a loser you were at school/uni, how little you had sex & how you had 0 friends & low key tried to kill yourself & your professor.

Thankfully Oppie’s neuroses ‘subsided during middle age’ & he went on to have many affairs, friends & lead the Manhattan project & other groundbreaking discoveries. 

Jokes aside this biography is incredible: the best I’ve read & well worth the slog if you’re a fan of the film! 

It was so great reading the backstories of Jean Tatlock, Kitty, Isi Rabi & other fascinating people (I now finally understand what happened with Haakon Chevalier).

My eBook was so filled with highlights it started lagging. 

Bird & Sherwin’s attention to detail & research is considerable. Take a bow! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, War, and Classism

hannahgingerich's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

This book is huge but it is unlike any other biography I have ever read.  Even though it’s large the book does not read like a dense textbook.  It has a story and it flows.  This book is not just straight facts about Oppenheimers life, at time it also feels like it has an undertone of philosophical understandings.  The idea that Oppenheimer was naieve enough to believe that he creates something that is so destructive and that it might not be used, or change warfare in general.  Then to watch him slowly become disillusioned with the politics and government regarding the issues.  It’s a remarkable book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Infidelity, Suicide, and War

abicaro17's review

challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

This book is incredibly slow and reads like a textbook but I think it's important to read. It brings an insight I don't think is readily taught about the Cold War and atomic energy dealings after the Trinity test. I would be the first to say i'm not normally interested in biographies but this account is so interesting and insightful it counteracts that. If readers can get past the slow and methodical accounts then they'll be pleasantly surprised by how invigorating the whole story is. (Also for those who saw Oppenheimer and are wondering if this is as entertaining: it's better!) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

parkersicle's review

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Antisemitism, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and War

aileron's review against another edition

informative reflective sad medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Mental illness, Suicide, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Infidelity, Antisemitism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War

Minor: Genocide, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

mondovertigo's review

challenging informative reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Death, Infidelity, Suicide, Terminal illness, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Mental illness, Antisemitism, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Genocide and Xenophobia

mlewis's review

adventurous challenging dark informative reflective tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Death, Genocide, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Xenophobia, Alcohol, and War

Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Antisemitism, and Car accident

Minor: Child death, Death of parent, and Abandonment