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4.32 AVERAGE
4.32 AVERAGE
informative
slow-paced
challenging
dark
informative
tense
slow-paced
My interest in reading American Prometheus was born after watching Oppenheimer last summer. I came out of that movie wondering, "How could such an intelligent person be part of something so reprehensible, and not predict the consequences?" After reading this biography, I think Max Born, a mentor of young Oppenheimer, sums it up best: "It is satisfying to have had such clever and efficient pupils, but I wish they had shown less cleverness and more wisdom."
My copy of American Prometheus is flush with little orange flags that denote what I feel are clues revealing Oppenheimer's psyche around the atomic bomb. I came away with an impression of a brilliant (if not diligent) scientist and humanitarian who generally had the right idea, but like many, was ailed with the American diseases of Ego, Over Deference to Authority, and Tunnel Vision.
This is a phenomenal biography. It is meticulous, detailed, and excellently written. The cast of "characters" is huge, and Sherwin and Bird do a very good job at keeping the details straight, and telling an extremely complicated story in a way that is easily understood. My one criticism is that certain events and people are relayed sometimes out of chronology, which can be confusing. I certainly recommend making liberal use of the index to remind yourself of where you heard that name 200 pages back.
This took me longer to get through than my normal pace, but that's par for the course with me and non-fiction. I tend to chew on it a bit more. But overall an incredible bit of history writing, which masterfully documents the duality of Robert Oppenheimer's brilliance and naïveté.
My copy of American Prometheus is flush with little orange flags that denote what I feel are clues revealing Oppenheimer's psyche around the atomic bomb. I came away with an impression of a brilliant (if not diligent) scientist and humanitarian who generally had the right idea, but like many, was ailed with the American diseases of Ego, Over Deference to Authority, and Tunnel Vision.
This is a phenomenal biography. It is meticulous, detailed, and excellently written. The cast of "characters" is huge, and Sherwin and Bird do a very good job at keeping the details straight, and telling an extremely complicated story in a way that is easily understood. My one criticism is that certain events and people are relayed sometimes out of chronology, which can be confusing. I certainly recommend making liberal use of the index to remind yourself of where you heard that name 200 pages back.
This took me longer to get through than my normal pace, but that's par for the course with me and non-fiction. I tend to chew on it a bit more. But overall an incredible bit of history writing, which masterfully documents the duality of Robert Oppenheimer's brilliance and naïveté.
Incredibly in depth regarding one of the most polarizing figures of history. I do think at times the lengths the author goes to explain everything is unneeded but I suppose with biographies its better to be too much than too little.
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
My first five-star read of 2025! This Herculean book is more than just a biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer—it’s a sweeping history of the early to mid-20th century. It delves into the life of a man who was not only shaped by an era of immense change in science, technology, and politics but ultimately one who became one of its key architects.
A must read!
A must read!
slow-paced
'American Prometheus' is one of the best books I've read (or, in this case, listened to) so far this year.
This biography tracks closely with last summer's film "Oppenheimer," and I actually recommend seeing the film first. There are a lot of names, after all, and being able to put actors' faces to those names helps the listener keep clear regarding who's doing what to whom. With that said, the book tracks very closely with the film while adding more depth to its subjects.
I find Oppenheimer to be a fascinating man in all his brilliance, fallibility, complexity, and stupidity. I find his milieu, surrounded by many of the great minds of the twentieth century, particularly compelling. And I found author Kai Bird's writing to be clear, direct, and illuminating.
If I have one quibble, it's with the sound mixing of the Audible edition of this book. Sessions recorded on different days seem to have been recorded in different studios, or with different microphones. The clarity and tenor of the narrator's voice sometimes shifts in the middle of a chapter. It can be distracting.
This, however, is a minor quibble. Oppenheimer is an important man who found himself at the center of events during a critical time in America. His life, both in its triumphs and persecutions, offers us lessons today. In short, this is an excellent biography of a worthy subject. I strongly recommend it.
This biography tracks closely with last summer's film "Oppenheimer," and I actually recommend seeing the film first. There are a lot of names, after all, and being able to put actors' faces to those names helps the listener keep clear regarding who's doing what to whom. With that said, the book tracks very closely with the film while adding more depth to its subjects.
I find Oppenheimer to be a fascinating man in all his brilliance, fallibility, complexity, and stupidity. I find his milieu, surrounded by many of the great minds of the twentieth century, particularly compelling. And I found author Kai Bird's writing to be clear, direct, and illuminating.
If I have one quibble, it's with the sound mixing of the Audible edition of this book. Sessions recorded on different days seem to have been recorded in different studios, or with different microphones. The clarity and tenor of the narrator's voice sometimes shifts in the middle of a chapter. It can be distracting.
This, however, is a minor quibble. Oppenheimer is an important man who found himself at the center of events during a critical time in America. His life, both in its triumphs and persecutions, offers us lessons today. In short, this is an excellent biography of a worthy subject. I strongly recommend it.
I really enjoyed this deep dive into Oppenheimers life. The author did a great job of collecting data and organizing it in an easily and fast paced way. Though he made some mistakes, his work and brilliance was amazing to learn more about. I found myself frustrated that people could so blatantly ruin such an important man’s life for vengeance.
An utterly thorough examination of a man who greatly shaped the 20th century and a telling indictment of a government that destroyed the reputation of a great hero. Oppenheimer was the epitome of the right person for the moment who knew how to surround himself with the right people to deliver on a project that would forever alter the trajectory of humanity.
The book itself starts a bit too dry for my palate but the pace picks up rather nicely once work begins on the Manhattan project. Those earlier glimpses into his life do serve purpose and finds value later in the book. This is a long read but worth the effort.
The book itself starts a bit too dry for my palate but the pace picks up rather nicely once work begins on the Manhattan project. Those earlier glimpses into his life do serve purpose and finds value later in the book. This is a long read but worth the effort.
Fascinating read. Obviously I love the film (and have watched it at least 4 times) so I thought I should probably read about the full story, and it’s incredible how word-for-word the film is at times. So many of the transcripts are copies verbatim - mad.