This was breathtaking. Literally, there were sections where I had to close the book and catch my breath. The prose is so beautiful that, coupled with the subject matter, it was sometimes a very physical experience to read the book. My heart pounded, my breath came faster, and there were times when I wanted to cry. I've read a great deal of non-fiction on the idea of atomic weapons and nuclear holocaust and none of them had anywhere near the power of this novel.