I also (really) liked The Doomsday Machine and The Dead Hand, and felt that The Making of the Atomic Bomb was a bit of a disappointment. Haven’t read the other books Ryan mentions.
I also recommend American Prometheus, a biography of Oppenheimer (although it focuses too little on the science, relative to the politics). The author has just published another relevant book, Gambling with Armageddon, which I’m looking forward to reading.
I liked Command and Control, The Doomsday Machine, and The Dead Hand, but didn’t get many interesting ideas from The Making of the Atomic Bomb.
Only some parts are relevant to nuclear risk, but Spy Schools by Daniel Golden taught me some interesting stuff about science and espionage.
I also (really) liked The Doomsday Machine and The Dead Hand, and felt that The Making of the Atomic Bomb was a bit of a disappointment. Haven’t read the other books Ryan mentions.
I also recommend American Prometheus, a biography of Oppenheimer (although it focuses too little on the science, relative to the politics). The author has just published another relevant book, Gambling with Armageddon, which I’m looking forward to reading.
Not a book, but the multi-part CNN documentary, Cold War, is excellent. So is The Day after Trinity.