OPPENHEIMERAND THE ATOMIC BOMB

OPPENHEIMER AND THE ATOMIC BOMB by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. Adapted by Eric S. Singer.

OPPENHEIMER AND THE ATOMIC BOMB ( YA ADAPTATION OF AMERICAN PROMETHEUS : THE TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY OF J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER) by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. Adapted by Eric S. Singer

Rarely does a book grab me as intensely as OPPENHEIMER and the Atomic Bomb did which is why I'm adding it to my TOP PICKS LIST. Rarely do I walk away from a read wishing I could fully understand the political and emotional climate, the secret meetings, the motivations for decisions made, etc. it is impossible to unravel the "whys" without seeing directly into man's heart and mind. As I sit here and write this, I long for my grandparents, so I could ask them their thoughts on the Oppenheimer situation. (My maternal grandfather was a doctor during WWII stationed along the Panama Canal. My paternal grandmother was a secretary for the US military stationed in Germany just after WWII.) Anyway, to say this book is thought provoking would be to say that it rains in the Amazon Jungle during the rainy season. It's the understatement of the year.

So, who was Oppenheimer? Oppenheimer is ultimately known for heading up the Manhatten Project as the lead physicist that brought about the completion of the atomic bomb. Growing up in a privileged background, it was clear that Oppenheimer was brilliant and consumed learning somewhat like a black hole. There was no quenching his pursuit. The biggest challenge was keeping him engaged and not bored. Through his teen and early adulthood years, he struggled with depression and did some very questionable/troubling things (see HEADS UP below). Thankfully, it appears that he got his feet under him in life and was able to move on in a more even keeled manner. What he was later able to complete as a result of his unbelievable grasp on physics is really amazing. Later, he understood what he helped to birth into the world and the consequences it would bring as a result. He advocated for a world sharing of the information to hopefully bring about the realization and shelving of the destruction that was possible as a result. This led to intense investigation into his personal life and the man that was once hailed as a hero was destroyed in the public's eye. So, here I find myself pondering and thinking of a nation who came out of WWII, who feared the spread of communism and world dominance, who desired to stay one step ahead of the enemies of that day, parents whose sole wish it was to keep their children and loved ones safe, and a man who created the weapon advocating for world sharing to hopefully keep us from all destroying each other who then lost his reputation and career as a result. Is it possible to share info with the dictators of the day then and the ones we hear of today? I struggle with that thought. But a man should not have been destroyed for his questions. My soul battles.

HEADS UP- There is a small amount of language in quotes (4-5 words). No f-bombs.

SPOILER ALERT As a child, Oppenheimer was made fun of because he was not athletic like other boys. He was stripped naked, his genitalia area painted green, and locked in an ice house. The book also mentions at one point he tried to poison a professor by an apple he injected with cyanide. There is a lot of debate as to whether or not this actually happened. He also attempted to choke a friend once. His friend was much stronger than he was and was able to throw him off pretty easily. It seems as though as time went on, Oppenheimer was able to wrestle through some of his mental issues, became more comfortable and confident with himself, and no longer a threat to those around him.

 There will be lots to think about and discuss as you read through this book.