Ed

American Prometheus

Plus ça change and all that. We have some pretty contemptible people in our current government. Is it reassuring, or depressing, to know that other eras have had their share of evildoers? Yes, Oppenheimer really should have stood up and told the inquisitors to go fly a kite--but then what? He was up against monsters bent on destroying him; they would have kept attacking.

Fascinating book about a fascinating man. Oppenheimer is portrayed in rich detail as a complex being, human and so much more. His enemies get short shrift, appearing one- dimensional, but who cares? This isn't their book.

Disappointingly, the authors present a skewed view of the decisions to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki, making them appear unjustified. Terrible they may have been -- no man should have had to make the call -- but there is much reason to believe that they were the right decisions, both at the time and even in hindsight. Through omission of key facts (e.g. the loss of life expected in the invasion) and exaggeration of others (intercepted communications), the authors paint a one-sided picture that uninformed readers may find difficult to overcome.

Despite its flaws, I highly recommend American Prometheus. Absorbing, educational, inspirational.