Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

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

20 reviews

bcvogel90's review

informative slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Suicide

serenalovely's review

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

4.5

When I say I want to read a biography, this is what I mean. You get a deep sense of Oppenheimer and his friends (and enemies) along with opinions of the time from people around the world and a look into academia , the world of physics, government and how they became one. I recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about academia, government, WWII and it’s after math, or the Cold War. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide

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

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness

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

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: War, Infidelity, Genocide, Suicide, and Death

jennneely82's review against another edition

adventurous informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

This was a beast of an audiobook, 26 hours, but it was an amazing listen. Chemistry, physics, atomic bombs, New Mexico, politics, government and their conspiracies, FBI, parties, and debauchery are just a few of the themes in this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Cancer

Moderate: Death, Suicide, and War

jordansmoot's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

The 2023 film only captures a fraction of Oppenheimer’s life, though it does so well. For a more complete picture, this book is a must.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide, War, and Terminal illness

Minor: Antisemitism

grace_b_3's review

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

Like many others, I picked this up because of the Oppenheimer movie, which I quite liked. Obviously, the book is different from the movie, but I found both worth the time I put into them. 
This is a really well-done biography; I totally understand why this received the Pulitzer. There is so much material to pull from when it comes to Oppenheimer’s life, as there are reams of government papers on him. The authors also conducted extensive interviews with those who knew him. 
The picture of Oppenheimer that emerges is that of a complicated man. While he himself is interesting, I also enjoyed learning more about US history through the lens of his life—especially in regards to US atomic policy. Overall, this was an excellent read if you are in the mood for something dense and thought-provoking. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide, and Antisemitism

Minor: Sexual content, Racism, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

rowy148's review

challenging informative mysterious sad tense slow-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Suicide, and Infidelity

Moderate: Cursing

Minor: Domestic abuse and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

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