The Hand of God: From Oppenheimer to Hypersonics
A Crash Course on Nuclear Weapons and Humankind's Most Dangerous Game
by Paul McCarthy
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Pub Date 28 Jul 2023 | Archive Date 28 Aug 2023
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Description
Delve into the world of the most powerful and destructive weapons ever created. In this book, you will learn the history of nuclear weapons, from their development in the early 20th century to the present day, discovering how these weapons work, their devastating effects, and about the global superpowers that control them.
This is not a dry history book. It is an informative and suspenseful account of the most dangerous technology ever devised by humankind. Using previously top secret sources, you will take a step back in time to read about the figures who developed these weapons; you’ll learn the differences between types of nuclear weapons and delivery systems, from fission and fusion, to intercontinental ballistic missiles and designs for so-called “doomsday” bombs; and you’ll explore the harrowing tales of the near-misses, accidents, and close calls that have forced the world to the brink of nuclear apocalypse.
If you are interested in a fast-paced but comprehensive background on nuclear weapons for readers of any level of expertise that will make you knowledgeable on the topic, this book is for you. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand one of the most important existential dangers of our time.
Featured Reviews
Stephen G, Reviewer
I enjoyed this book. I think it provided a good basic background to the science and weaponization of the atom. But the book did better at discussing the associated political and historical information. There are a lot of good books on this subject, but this book’s strength is its broad scope, which is a good starting point for future reading. I also think it is important to read McCarthy’s honest Foreword where he sets out his objectives for the book. In my opinion, he accomplishes these. I would have preferred, however, where McCarthy compares the various bombs and missiles, etc to have placed things like dimensions in a table, which would have made it easier to parse the comparisons. Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Angela A, Reviewer
Title: The Hand of God: From Oppenheimer to Hypersonics
Author: Paul McCarthy
POV: Author, Paul McCarthy
Genre: Nonfiction
This book is an account of how nuclear weapons came to be and how nuclear weapons have developed up until now. From the Little Boy bomb dropped on Hiroshima and the Fat Boy bomb dropped on Nagasaki, to try to end World War 2. How dangerous they were to how dangerous weapons are now. It is a great reading if you’re interested in how nuclear weapons came to be and how they are even more deadly today. Filled with many references and sources showing Mr McCarthy researched a great deal.
