About this title: "American Prometheus" is a rich evocation of America in mid-century and a compelling portrait of scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, a man shaped by, or helped to shape, its major events--the Depression, World War II, and the Cold War.
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Description: Good. Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Vintage
Date Published: 2006-04-11
ISBN-13:9780375726262ISBN:0375726268
Description: New in None as issued. jacket. New, unread copy. Tip of bottom front corner of cover is bent. We ship 6 days a week, generally within 24 hours; single CDs and DVDs upgraded to 1st class! read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Vintage Books
Date Published: 2006-04-11
ISBN-13:9780375726262ISBN:0375726268
Description: NEW. Softcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9780375726262. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Vintage
Date Published: 2006
ISBN-13:9780375726262ISBN:0375726268
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Description: BRAND NEW PAPERBACK. (736 pages) the triumph and tradegy of robert oppenheimer. 2006 pulitzer biography prize winner. (PAPERBACK) read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: ATLANTIC BOOKS Country = UNITED KINGDOM
Date Published: 2009
ISBN-13:9781843547051ISBN:1843547058
Description: BRAND NEW PAPERBACK. 736 pages. Physicist and polymath, as familiar with hindu scriptures as he was with quantum mechanics, j robert oppenheimer, director of the manhattan project that developed the atomic bomb, was the most famous scientist of his generation. this biography reveals a brilliant man, profoundly involved with some of the momentous events of the twentieth century. 2 x 16pp b/w plates (Paperback) read more
Binding: Hardback
Publisher: ATLANTIC BOOKS Country = UNITED KINGDOM
Date Published: 2008
ISBN-13:9781843547044ISBN:184354704X
Description: BRAND NEW HARDBACK. 736 pages. Physicist and polymath, 'father of the atom bomb' j robert oppenheimer became the most famous scientist of his generation. this work is a portrait of a brilliant, ambitious and flawed man, and of the major events of the twentieth century. it is at once biography and history. 2x16pp b/w plate sections illustrations (Hardback) read more
Edition: First Edition
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Knopf, NY
Date Published: 2005
ISBN-13:9780375412028ISBN:0375412026
Description: Very Good in Very Good jacket. First edition stated. The book is slightly edge worn but is unread. Winner of the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for biography or autobiography. read more
Description: Good. Ships within 2 business days with delivery confirmation. Good condition. May or may not contain highlighting. Expedited shipping available. read more
""I am become death, the destroyer of worlds." Such are the lines attributed to Oppenheimer (quoting from his own translation of the Bhagavad Gita) upon viewing the explosion of the first atomic weapon. Even with such a dubious sentiment, however, pages later Oppenheimer is not only approving the use of the bomb against Japan, he is actually involved of the selection of the targets, and displays no qualms about what he is doing. He would only find out years later that Japan had been days or weeks away from surrendering anyway, and that the desire to use the atomic weapon was more of an effort for the U.S. to flex its military muscles around the world (particularly in front of the Soviet Union), as well as to end the war before the Soviet Union could take part in the peace negotiations, thus providing a containment against the spread of communism. Despite this lack of knowledge, Oppenheimer and other scientists involved in the Manhattan Project felt various twinges of guilt afterwards, Oppenheimer's so large that he's reported to have said during a meeting with Truman "I feel I have blood on my hands" (to which Truman is supposed to have replied after his exit: "He thinks he has blood on HIS hands?!").
Viewing the devastating effects of a nuclear explosion (people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki close to ground zero were vaporized on the spot) reveals the gravity of such a technological development as the nuclear bomb. Kai Bird and whoever do a good job of explaining how Oppenheimer, et al., had mixed feelings on working on the bomb, most feeling that if they didn't do it first, Germany was certain to develop one soon. There was an enormous sentiment of patriotism, yet the scientists, naturally, were more interested in the science of it. Indeed, it seems quite a foreign sentiment in today's world when when "anti-Americanism" is still somewhat in vogue. The biographers also do a good job also of exploring both Oppenheimer's ethical background (his high school was particularly devoted to the subject, to add a twinge of irony), and his quasi-spiritual sentiment of the place that would eventually become the testing ground for the first atomic weapons.
The last half of the book deals with Oppenheimer's efforts to quell the surge of mass production of nuclear weapons, advocating for an international agency (which now exists) to regulate the use of nuclear energy and prevent further weapons development, particularly of the H-bomb (which was developed anyway). Such gestures in the late 40's and into the 50's were seen as nothing short of "un-American" by McCarthy and his cadre of anti-communist witch-hunters, and Oppenheimer quickly found himself in their crosshairs. In his young life, like many young intellectuals of the 20's and 30's, Oppenheimer had expressed an interest in Communism, and had many friends who were openly Communist, but became disillusioned with it after seeing it result in a kind of fascism. But his interest and his ties didn't help him, and the authors do a good job of describing how events of his early life would lead to trouble later. Oppenheimer did have his security clearance removed, was bugged and followed practically the rest of his life, and was shamed in front of the whole country. Many sympathized with him, however, seeing the hearings as unjust and unfair, and he became a kind of intellectual martyr, certainly ahead of his time in his vision for nuclear arms reduction and containment.
Dense of detail, this is a very robust biography. While it is hard not to sympathize with Oppenheimer in plain view of the facts, it is also not hard to detect the clear bias the authors have in defending him. Thus, the objective historicism of this telling of the story is somewhat diminished. Nevertheless, the complexity and irony of Oppenheimer's life and thought comes through tremendously clearly, and the narration of events is, for the most part, rather lucid. I just found myself not as highly interested in this period of history (the McCarthy era) as others might be. More appealing is the development of Oppenheimer's ethical thought and intellectual pursuits, although I suppose that is more a subject of philosophy than history."
"In all fairness, I cannot give a complete review of this book because I did not finish it. While I thought both the subject and story to be courageous and tragic, I found the book to be not all that well executed. Like a few people whose reviews I have read, i too would have much preferred the abridged version. It meanders, and seems to want to cover EVERY aspect of Oppenheimer's life. All this is well and good, except that it makes the biography feel more like a textbook. I almost flipped to the end to see if there really might be a test on it later. What I read of the story, I liked. While I had heard of him before, I had not realized Oppenheimer's significance on the world stage untill this point. I would be interested in reading another biography of him if one can be suggested, but this one proved too much to take in all at once. I felt like it was written for a specific group of people...scientists or science enthusiasts...and I wish it had been aimed towards the general public. Perhaps then, more people would learn of the tragedy of Robert Oppenheimer and the dark lesson it contains....I lesson I think everyone should learn and remember."
"My failure to - until now - realize Oppenheimer's historical significance, in terms of his impact on science and his role in American history, must be one of the great gaps in my education. Here is a man responsible for atomic power - and all the consequences of its creation. And yet, somehow he manages to turn the very establishment that empowered his creation, against him. All of this takes place in the backdrop of some of the greatest events in American history (WWII, the cold war), and throughout it, Oppenheimer is a true enigma. On the one hand, he's the brilliant scientist doted with unphantomable intellectual gifts that allow to dissect situations logical and calculating ways. On the other hand, he's an ambivalent participant in all he despises. He is drawn to acquiesce by an inevitable force - one that leads him to believe that he must be a participant in the government to stir it in the right direction. But whether he realizes it or not, this often leads him to be a silent conspirator in all that he stands against.
If anything, this book is almost a fable. One that says that scientists and policy makers should forever remain separated. For those who make policy are not interested in the truth only in the point of view that advances their current interest. And when you don't hold that point of view, you are no longer useful or respected. If it could happen to the father of american theoretical physics then it can happen to anyone.
Overall, this is a book that made me love - and hate - Oppenheimer all at the same time. It left me bewildered that such an intellect could exist. And it made me wonder what it would have been like to be young physicist sitting in a room with Oppenheimer, Fermi, Bohr, Feynman, Von Neumann. Is this possibly the greatest assembly of intellects in history?"
"Epic, thorough, thoughful biography of the great Oppenheimer covers pretty much every aspect of his unusual life. It's definitely a historian's biography, as none of the scientific details are adequately elaborated on, but that's not really the point.
At times it reads like an ode to science, education and progress, and at other times like a spy novel or political thriller. It's biggest flaw is a laggy third quarter, which is mostly about people's attitudes towards the man which I didn't really enjoy reading.
Still a good biography. Very long though, a substantial time sink.
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