Reviews

Big Science: Ernest Lawrence and the Invention That Launched the Military-Industrial Complex by Michael Hiltzik

spitzig's review against another edition

2.0

Boring. Very little interesting. What was interesting could have been done in a couple of pages.

I learned a little about the history of building the science structure. It wasn't about the military-industrial complex. Just one part of it-the nuke. The military-industrial complex involves the whole military and all the goods produced for it.

eat_a_tron's review against another edition

5.0

Fascinating account of Ernest Lawrence and how science changed around him during his career. Very in-depth look at the (pretty dark) impact of Cold War politics on science. Awesome, awesome, awesome.

krayfish1's review against another edition

4.0

Interesting local history. Interesting that he kept his family and work life so separate. Did not previously know what methods Oak Ridge used or details about plutonium vs. uranium bombs. Mix of science and politics started with atom bomb. Could draw parallels between nuclear bomb & climate change as politicized science questions. Did not know Oppenheimer was a pro-union lefty & got caught in McCarthy-ism, or that Lawrence was conservative leaning. Not sure if I would have wanted to work in the Rad Lab of 1940's-50's. Cult of personality not described as being that great. Recognized a lot of names from Berkeley, MIT, LBNL.