Books by Richard Rhodes
“This is the second volume…It’s the seminal history of nuclear weapons from their beginnings in early 20th-century physics through the development of the hydrogen bomb and beyond.” Read more...
Books about J Robert Oppenheimer (to Read After the Movie)
Mark Wolverton, Science Writer
“It is just a fascinating study of the history of energy, particularly in Europe and North America.” Read more...
Richard Wolfson, Scientist
“This is, of course, the gold standard for that story. It won a Pulitzer Prize, a National Book Award and a whole bunch of other awards. And even though it was published in 1986, it still holds up. I’ve written a lot about nuclear weapons and atomic bombs, so I’ve read basically every book that’s available on it—from the earliest postwar stuff to the present—and Rhodes is just the master at putting it all together. He tells the entire story, from its very beginnings in quantum physics in the early 20th century, and even before that, and how it developed into the atomic bomb. All the figures are in there, all the important physicists. He’s also masterful at explaining the science…If you’re going to read one book on the atomic bomb, that’s the book to read.” Read more...
The best books on The History of Physics
Mark Wolverton, Science Writer
Interviews where books by Richard Rhodes were recommended
-
1
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
by Kai Bird & Martin Sherwin -
2
The Oppenheimer Alternative
by Robert J. Sawyer -
3
The Making of the Atomic Bomb
by Richard Rhodes -
4
Dark Sun: The Making of the Hydrogen Bomb
by Richard Rhodes -
5
Genius in the Shadows: A Biography of Leo Szilard, the Man Behind the Bomb
by William Lanouette & with Bela Silard
Books about J Robert Oppenheimer (to Read After the Movie), recommended by Mark Wolverton
Books about J Robert Oppenheimer (to Read After the Movie), recommended by Mark Wolverton
It’s not often that a movie about something we know a lot about lives up to expectations, but when it came to the Oppenheimer movie, science writer Mark Wolverton—who has read almost every book he could find about the making of the atomic bomb—was impressed. As a bonus to his interview (on the history of physics), he shared some recommendations of books to read for others who enjoyed it, including a sci-fi novel in which Oppenheimer’s life takes a different turn.
-
1
The Day We Found the Universe
by Marcia Bartusiak -
2
The Physicists: The History of a Scientific Community in Modern America
by Daniel Kevles -
3
The Making of the Atomic Bomb
by Richard Rhodes -
4
How the Hippies Saved Physics: Science, Counterculture, and the Quantum Revival
by David Kaiser -
5
The Quantum Labyrinth: How Richard Feynman and John Wheeler Revolutionized Time and Reality
by Paul Halpern
The best books on The History of Physics, recommended by Mark Wolverton
The best books on The History of Physics, recommended by Mark Wolverton
In the 20th century, the United States emerged as a leading centre of experimental physics, with a lot more going on than just the Manhattan project and the use of atomic energy in warfare. Science writer Mark Wolverton, author of Splinters of Infinity, recommends some of his favourite books about the history of physics, with a focus on the 20th century and the United States. (For books about classical physics, browse all our physics book recommendations).
The best books on Being Inspired by Science, recommended by Tom Clarke
The Science Correspondent for the Uk’s Channel 4 discusses the magical allure of science. He chooses five great books on subjects ranging from genetics to natural history and astro-physics
-
1
Critical Assembly: Poems of the Manhattan Project
by John Canaday -
2
Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout
by Lauren Redniss -
3
The Four Faces of Nuclear Terrorism
by Center for Nonproliferation Studies -
4
An Indispensable Truth: How Fusion Power Can Save the Planet
by Francis Chen -
5
Energy: A Human History
by Richard Rhodes
Nuclear Books, recommended by Richard Wolfson
Nuclear Books, recommended by Richard Wolfson
In science, the word ‘nuclear’ refers to anything to do with the atomic nucleus, whether you’re using it to generate power or create weapons of mass destruction. Here, physicist and science educator Richard Wolfson recommends five books relating to things nuclear, from a book of graphic nonfiction about the Curie family to how fusion can save the planet.
