Rating: 
Summary: Hey Kids! Kaboom!
Review: I had some sleepless nights while reading this. Rhodes was quoting Edward Teller (nuke physicist who allegedly gave rise to Peter Sellers' Dr. Strangelove) who mused that if you strapped enough H-bombs together you might literally blow apart the whole world (as did Charlton Heston in Beneath the Planet of the Apes). Later on, Teller realized, that wouldn't happen: rather, an H-Bomb of that size would simply blast the first few miles of topsoil and the surrounding chunk of atmosphere into space. With that, I was able to sleep again. Great narrative, especially on the chapter "Super Lend Lease" on Soviet espionage.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing and terrifying tale of the ultimate weapon
Review: I have just finished Rhodes' "Dark Sun: The Making of the HydrogenBomb". Some years ago I reluctantly finished his book on the ManhattanProject, "The Making of the Atomic Bomb". I say reluctantly because the breadth of his scholarship was amazing and I did not want to leave when he had finished writing. Happily he has followed up with "Dark Sun". Rhodes weaves an engrossing account of the scientists who worked in the last days of WWII on the atomic bomb and their internal controversy on whether or not to pursue "the super", the hydrogen bomb. Against this he also describes the Soviet Union's attempts to rebuild their country while keeping pace with America. Russian scientists, though, were threatened with the paranoia of Stalin and his henchman Lavrentia Beria. Connecting the two continents is the espionage story of Klaus Fuchs, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg and Harold Gold. Rhodes blends the three narratives together, furnishing his own original scholarship, in a taut fashion which keeps one turning the pages. Rhodes also deals with the destruction of Robert Oppenheimer by his rival Edward Teller, whose insecurity and jealousy arguably started the destructive arms race. The most frightening aspect of this story, however, is the borderline insubordination of Gen. Curtis LeMay, commander of SAC, who urged Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy to preepmtively strike the Soviet Union. Rhodes deftly mixes biography, history, science and social commentary in the intriguing tale and terrifying tale of the ultimate weapon. And it's all true. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing and terrifying tale of the ultimate weapon
Review: I have just finished Rhodes' "Dark Sun: The Making of the Hydrogen
Bomb". Some years ago I reluctantly finished his book on the Manhattan
Project, "The Making of the Atomic Bomb". I say reluctantly because the
breadth of his scholarship was amazing and I did not want to leave when
he had finished writing. Happily he has followed up with "Dark Sun". Rhodes weaves an engrossing account of the scientists who worked in the
last days of WWII on the atomic bomb and their internal controversy on
whether or not to pursue "the super", the hydrogen bomb. Against this
he also describes the Soviet Union's attempts to rebuild their country
while keeping pace with America. Russian scientists, though, were
threatened with the paranoia of Stalin and his henchman Lavrentia
Beria. Connecting the two continents is the espionage story of Klaus
Fuchs, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg and Harold Gold.
Rhodes blends the three narratives together, furnishing his own original
scholarship, in a taut fashion which keeps one turning the pages. Rhodes also deals with the destruction of Robert Oppenheimer by his
rival Edward Teller, whose insecurity and jealousy arguably started the
destructive arms race. The most frightening aspect of this story,
however, is the borderline insubordination of Gen. Curtis LeMay,
commander of SAC, who urged Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy to
preepmtively strike the Soviet Union.
Rhodes deftly mixes biography, history, science and social commentary in
the intriguing tale and terrifying tale of the ultimate weapon. And
it's all true. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Essential Reading !
Review: I just finished reading this monumental book. Although at first I was surprised that Rhodes devoted so many pages to covering Soviet espionage on the Manhattan Project and subsequent atomic bomb work, it quickly became clear that he was writing a history not just of the H-bomb, but of the Cold War, its impetus, and one of its key drivers and manifestations, the arms race. This book is essential to understanding a critical period of world history that is no less relevant now that the Cold War is over. The picture this provides of the scientists and administrators of the weapons teams on both sides is fascinating and reveals new evidence and clearer perspectives on issues that many of us grew up thinking about, such as the trial of the Rosenbergs and the effort to tar Oppenheimer's reputation. The only area in which I found myself seriously questioning Rhodes's conclusions (perhaps unfairly, since 7 years and some key events have transpired since he wrote them), was in the area of nuclear terrorism and its deterrence. An engrossing read.
Rating:
Summary: Essential History
Review: I just finished reading this monumental book. Although at first I was surprised that Rhodes devoted so many pages to covering Soviet espionage on the Manhattan Project and subsequent atomic bomb work, it quickly became clear that he was writing a history not just of the H-bomb, but of the Cold War, its impetus, and one of its key drivers and manifestations, the arms race. This book is essential to understanding a critical period of world history that is no less relevant now that the Cold War is over. The picture this provides of the scientists and administrators of the weapons teams on both sides is fascinating and reveals new evidence and clearer perspectives on issues that many of us grew up thinking about, such as the trial of the Rosenbergs and the effort to tar Oppenheimer's reputation. The only area in which I found myself seriously questioning Rhodes's conclusions (perhaps unfairly, since 7 years and some key events have transpired since he wrote them), was in the area of nuclear terrorism and its deterrence. An engrossing read.
Rating:
Summary: the on the last
Review: I recommend this work to you for two reasons: first, I believe it important for a citizen of the world to understand the development and initial employment of this "gadget" (as its creating physicists designated the bomb), and second, this is a fine read: significant history with minimal political taint. This is a story more fascinating than Clancy's best, due simply to its veracity. No wonder this won the Pulitzer! This is well-written and captivating history. Rhodes includes dialog and writings to allow his reader to meet the physicists, soldiers, and politicians. His technical descriptions of the involved science satiate me, a chemist, yet he supplies the definitions and background to permit ready comprehension by readers not versed in nuclear theory. Finally, his account of the events in the two decades prior to and during the Manhattan Project educates without boredom. Much of this work concerns the men and women discovering the constituents of the atom and of its potential to be affected for some utility. The science is not overwhelming, but well-written and clear. This is written as a historical text book, with documentation galore. I concur with my fellow reader who remarked on their amazement that one man could compile this. What a tome of research! I shall limit my complaints to two. I found the account to be heavy on the early days and developers of nuclear theory. I also tired of reading Bohr's philosophy on the need to share science with the world. Anyone interested in the history of the 20th Century or in atomic weapons would not regret reading The Making of the Atomic Bomb. What struck me most? How quickly the industrial capability of the United States put this into motion, once committed. Trinity, the first test shot, was July 16, 1945. Less than one month later, Little Boy dropped. Los Alamos was established for only two years prior to the first bombing. These men and women were not evil: they were giants and pioneers in science. Many of the key players were European, serving their adopted nation to beat the enemy to discovering a bigger stick. Several were forced to leave their home lands due to some Jewish blood in a spouse. They were chilled to observe the power they had made when they watched Trinity through their welders glass, several miles distant. Hitler, the Japanese, and the Russians were working on atomic weapons of their own. Would the world be a better place if they had beaten the US in this race? Some seem to forget that the conventional fire bombings, poison gases, flame throwers, and concentration camps were also unspeakably horrible. Remarkable prescience: as these scientists were assembling their first bombs, they realized that a policy of mutual deterrance via escalation in the US and USSR would ensue. I was humbled to read of the brilliance of so many involved. I do not consider myself to be a pessimist, but I think there remain few men and women like these men and women. Imagine a place Where it all began They gathered from across the land To work in the secrecy of the desert sand All of the brightest boys to play with the biggest toys-- "
Rating:
Summary: the on the last
Review: I recommend this work to you for two reasons: first, I believe it important for a citizen of the world to understand the development and initial employment of this "gadget" (as its creating physicists designated the bomb), and second, this is a fine read: significant history with minimal political taint. This is a story more fascinating than Clancy's best, due simply to its veracity. No wonder this won the Pulitzer! This is well-written and captivating history. Rhodes includes dialog and writings to allow his reader to meet the physicists, soldiers, and politicians. His technical descriptions of the involved science satiate me, a chemist, yet he supplies the definitions and background to permit ready comprehension by readers not versed in nuclear theory. Finally, his account of the events in the two decades prior to and during the Manhattan Project educates without boredom. Much of this work concerns the men and women discovering the constituents of the atom and of its potential to be affected for some utility. The science is not overwhelming, but well-written and clear. This is written as a historical text book, with documentation galore. I concur with my fellow reader who remarked on their amazement that one man could compile this. What a tome of research! I shall limit my complaints to two. I found the account to be heavy on the early days and developers of nuclear theory. I also tired of reading Bohr's philosophy on the need to share science with the world. Anyone interested in the history of the 20th Century or in atomic weapons would not regret reading The Making of the Atomic Bomb. What struck me most? How quickly the industrial capability of the United States put this into motion, once committed. Trinity, the first test shot, was July 16, 1945. Less than one month later, Little Boy dropped. Los Alamos was established for only two years prior to the first bombing. These men and women were not evil: they were giants and pioneers in science. Many of the key players were European, serving their adopted nation to beat the enemy to discovering a bigger stick. Several were forced to leave their home lands due to some Jewish blood in a spouse. They were chilled to observe the power they had made when they watched Trinity through their welders glass, several miles distant. Hitler, the Japanese, and the Russians were working on atomic weapons of their own. Would the world be a better place if they had beaten the US in this race? Some seem to forget that the conventional fire bombings, poison gases, flame throwers, and concentration camps were also unspeakably horrible. Remarkable prescience: as these scientists were assembling their first bombs, they realized that a policy of mutual deterrance via escalation in the US and USSR would ensue. I was humbled to read of the brilliance of so many involved. I do not consider myself to be a pessimist, but I think there remain few men and women like these men and women. Imagine a place Where it all began They gathered from across the land To work in the secrecy of the desert sand All of the brightest boys to play with the biggest toys-- "
Rating: 
Summary: Boring atomic spying
Review: I thought that a book about the H-bomb would have Teller, Ulam, Sakharov, Stalin and Truman as the main figures. No, it is about some obscure atomic spies: spying for the A-bomb, not the H-bomb !!!!! The H-bomb appears shortly in the end of the book. A real dissapointment, because it also fails as a spy novel.
Rating:
Summary: Positively an enduring testament to the nuclear age!
Review: I was absolutely astounded at the richness of research, the depth of insight, and the turn of story. I bought the book as a research tool and immediately found it to be a maximal compendium of references. However, I was most entranced by the telling of the story itself. Rhodes weaves the many threads into a fiery tapestry of scientific discovery, politics, trickery, deception, and romance. My academic background in physics and experiences in the military tell me there are few holes here. This book belongs in every thinking person's library. It should also be required reading for high school seniors or college-level world history courses
Rating: 
Summary: A somewhat misleading book
Review: I was disappointed in this book. It was primarily a history of Soviet Espionage in the atomic era with very little in the way of history and details about the hydrogen bomb. It details recollections of Soviet Spies in mind-numbing detail throughout the development of the atomic bomb, with very little attention devoted to the time during the development of the hydrogen bomb. I think the title of the book is completely misleading. I give it 3 stars because if the history of atomic espionage is your thing, this book is for you. Also because I was startled by the extent and reach of Soviet intelligence. But this is not why I bought the book.
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