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hlwilkins 's review for:
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
by Martin J. Sherwin, Kai Bird
An incredibly detailed, well researched biography of Robert Oppenheimer who many credit as the father of the first atomic bomb.
“Oppi” was a world leading theoretical physicist known for his awkward style and erratic teachings. He never settled on one thing long enough so never won the Nobel Peace prize but many of the physicists he worked with and teached did. During the Second World War he was asked to head up the lab responsible for experimental nuclear weapons and devised 2 types - Little Boy and Fat Man. The first was explosion at his lab in New Mexico he named Trinity
After the bombs were used in the Pacific War in Japan (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) Oppi debated politically against the use of nuclear weapons against the Soviet Union. He was heavily against the development of the Hydrogen Bomb which (although the simized the physics himself) knew it was too dangerous to make.
Oppi had lots of Communist Party links and it was at a time thought to be a Soviet Union spy. His security clearance was removed and he was no longer able to work on nuclear weapons. Therefore his voice could not be heard on the damaging effects of what he had had in creating.
During his final years Oppi was advocate of science working together with politics and humanities for good.
I found this book way too detailed for me but I enjoyed the story and have learnt a lot I had absolutely no idea about. I wanted a challenging book and this was it. The book is research from interviews and writings at the time so reads a lot like a Wikipedia page. I’d be interested in developing my learning with some dramatized creations with a bit more emotional connection.
“Oppi” was a world leading theoretical physicist known for his awkward style and erratic teachings. He never settled on one thing long enough so never won the Nobel Peace prize but many of the physicists he worked with and teached did. During the Second World War he was asked to head up the lab responsible for experimental nuclear weapons and devised 2 types - Little Boy and Fat Man. The first was explosion at his lab in New Mexico he named Trinity
After the bombs were used in the Pacific War in Japan (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) Oppi debated politically against the use of nuclear weapons against the Soviet Union. He was heavily against the development of the Hydrogen Bomb which (although the simized the physics himself) knew it was too dangerous to make.
Oppi had lots of Communist Party links and it was at a time thought to be a Soviet Union spy. His security clearance was removed and he was no longer able to work on nuclear weapons. Therefore his voice could not be heard on the damaging effects of what he had had in creating.
During his final years Oppi was advocate of science working together with politics and humanities for good.
I found this book way too detailed for me but I enjoyed the story and have learnt a lot I had absolutely no idea about. I wanted a challenging book and this was it. The book is research from interviews and writings at the time so reads a lot like a Wikipedia page. I’d be interested in developing my learning with some dramatized creations with a bit more emotional connection.