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Paperback American Prometheus: The Inspiration for the Major Motion Picture OPPENHEIMER Book

ISBN: 0375726268

ISBN13: 9780375726262

American Prometheus

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Format: Paperback

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Book Overview

THE INSPIRATION FOR THE ACADEMY AWARD(R)-WINNING MAJOR MOTION PICTURE OPPENHEIMER - "A riveting account of one of history's most essential and paradoxical figures."--Christopher Nolan

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - PULITZER PRIZE WINNER - The definitive biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, one of the iconic figures of the twentieth century, a brilliant physicist who led the effort to build the atomic bomb for his country in a time of war, and who later found himself confronting the moral consequences of scientific progress.

In this magisterial, acclaimed biography twenty-five years in the making, Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin capture Oppenheimer's life and times, from his early career to his central role in the Cold War. This is biography and history at its finest, riveting and deeply informative.

"A masterful account of Oppenheimer's rise and fall, set in the context of the turbulent decades of America's own transformation. It is a tour de force." --Los Angeles Times Book Review

"A work of voluminous scholarship and lucid insight, unifying its multifaceted portrait with a keen grasp of Oppenheimer's essential nature.... It succeeds in deeply fathoming his most damaging, self-contradictory behavior." --The New York Times

Customer Reviews

31 customer ratings | 5 reviews

Rated 5 stars
How the bomb got built here first

My father spent most of his career in nuclear engineering researching the mathematics of nuclear reactors at Brookhaven. My father had visited all the national labs and got to know all the key players in nuclear physics in the period from 1950-1970. Growing up in that environment I naturally knew a bit about Oppenheimer and Teller and others. It was clear to me that my father had sympathy for Oppenheimer and a great deal...

18Report

Rated 5 stars
The Price of Genius

In their book, American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin have created a biographical masterpiece that will not soon be outdone. The authors research and writing has given the reader a candid, yet complicated and conflicted portrait of one of America's leading scientific minds of the twentieth century. Their research is comprehensive and their writing intelligible...

4Report

Rated 5 stars
A compelling portrait of a complex man

Oppenheimer was a man of his time for a time and quickly became a man out of time when he warned with foresight at the dangers of nuclear proliferation. This compelling, well researched biography by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin provides the most complete picture of one of the most enigmatic, charistmatic and iconic figures of the 20th Century. Pulling from a variety of sources, the authors create one of the most complete and...

1Report

Rated 5 stars
A Great Piece of American History

Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin have produced a masterpiece in "American Prometheus." This is the truest, deepest portrait of J. Robert Oppenheimer we have ever known. This is the genius-physicist with a human face. I encourage everyone to read this book, especially those who were dissatisfied with previous attempts to define the man. Prometheus gives a good balance to all the issues, childhood, education, Berkeley, Cal...

3Report

Rated 5 stars
A Sharp, Lucid Look at Oppenheimer

Kai Bird's and Martin J. Sherwin's biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer is a deeply researched, carefully judged and well-written examination of the life and politics of the man who directed the development of the atom bomb. The story is a complex one of murky motivations and large consequences, and to the credit of the authors, who offer their own point of view on central questions, they do not evade the complexity of the...

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American Prometheus Mentions in Our Blog

American Prometheus in How Many Best Pictures Were Based on a Book?
How Many Best Pictures Were Based on a Book?
Published by Amanda Cleveland • March 21, 2024
With Oppenheimer's recent Oscars win, we had a question: How many Best Picture winners were based on a book? Countless classic films are adaptations, as if a great story tends to start in literature. Let's look at the numbers and the amazing books that have lead to great films.
American Prometheus in Your 2024 Oscars Reading List
Your 2024 Oscars Reading List
Published by Ashly Moore Sheldon • February 08, 2024

Are you excited for the Oscars next month? If so, you might want to catch up on the literature that inspired some of the nominated movies. Here's your reading list for the 2024 Academy Awards.

American Prometheus in Staff Picks: The Best Reads of 2023
Staff Picks: The Best Reads of 2023
Published by Amanda Cleveland • December 05, 2023
Ask a book lover about their favorite reads of the year instead of the best book of the year, and you will get answers that span genres, subjects, and across time. So I did just that, with the bibliophiles at ThriftBooks! When you open up best book of 2023 to favorite read of the year, people land on fascinating books you could never have caught on any best books lists because they aren’t new. Read on to find out our favorite books of the year, and our favorite reads of the year, too.
American Prometheus in What Kind of Reader Are You?
What Kind of Reader Are You?
Published by Ashly Moore Sheldon • November 14, 2023

Our most recent survey with OnePoll asked 2,000 U.S. adults about their reading habits and what they look for in a book. And what we learned painted an illuminating portrait.

American Prometheus in Bookify Your Secret Santa
Bookify Your Secret Santa
Published by Ashly Moore Sheldon • November 12, 2023

Are you looking for ideas for an upcoming Secret Santa gift exchange? Learn about how we spread holiday cheer all season long here at ThriftBooks. And peruse some of the popular gift books from the year to get inspiration.

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