A review by eriojas
American Prometheus by Martin J. Sherwin, Kai Bird

4.0

So here’s the thing about “American Prometheus…” it’s very long. It’s longer than I thought when I started reading. But the reason it’s long is that it’s a legal drama, and the author is like a lawyer building a slow case… While I wanted to know everything about the Manhattan project, it’s not until you get to the security hearings that you suddenly understand why the author needed to explain his background so thoroughly. And while I understand why it’s over 700 pages long, I can’t help but knock it down a star for length, because it could still use some editing. This is a thought provoking book about an incredible scientist’s life revolving around a highly controversial and monumental achievement and a great primer on McCarthyism. Highly recommend and can’t wait for the Nolan movie.