Manhattan Project: The Untold Story of the Making of the Atomic Bomb

Manhattan Project: The Untold Story of the Making of the Atomic Bomb

Author: Stephane Groueff

Publisher: Plunkett Lake Press

Published: 2023-12-13

Total Pages: 481

ISBN-13:

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“Groueff, a Paris-Match reporter, was sponsored by The Reader’s Digest to write this prodigious account of the multiple efforts which went into the creation of the first atomic bomb between 1942 and 1945. The book is a history of the men involved, mainly; and Groves, the military commander, is obviously the author’s hero. Reading like the account of a hurdle race, the book charges into a discussion of a problem, then ‘finds’ and describes the man who bested it. Thus are described the building of Oak Ridge, Fermi’s atomic pile, the electromagnetic process, the crises over the barrier and the valves for the gaseous diffusion process, the last-minute decisions concerning the implosion process with plutonium. Groueff does convey well a scene of fantastic activity, where different solutions to one problem were worked on simultaneously, where industrial equipment came before scientific results were known, where the ‘impossible’ was achieved — in time. The material is fascinating, and the scientific information is well presented... [an] excellent overall view of a monumental project.” — Kirkus “Groueff has for the first time given due recognition to some of the minor figures, particularly engineers and technicians, and has preserved in his pages much information that would otherwise perish with the participants or lie forever buried in the archives.” — Kendall Birr, The American Historical Review “Groueff... covers the Manhattan Project from its beginning in 1942 to the bombing of Hiroshima... [he] concentrates on the engineering and industrial effort that went into producing the first atomic weapons... The result is a popular but responsible account, episodic in structure, rich in detail and human interest... for the first time a book aimed at the mass market gives engineers and industrialists their due. It is a great story of the almost incredibly complex task of translating theory into industrial and military reality.” — Oscar E. Anderson, Jr., Science “So intriguing in fact and in style is the text of the narrative of this book that, once begun, it cannot be put down until the end... In these pages the names and roles of some of the world’s greatest scientists and engineers unfold in thrilling parade, with Dr. Vannevar Bush the leader. These men of vast knowledge and ability unite with the commercial managers and their companies mobilized by the hundreds for the construction and operation of the many facilities involved.” — Leo A. Codd, Ordnance “Excellent... maintains a high degree of exciting suspense.” — Washington Star “A fascinating account of a stupendous effort.” — Chicago Tribune


Life Atomic

Life Atomic

Author: Angela N. H. Creager

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2013-10-02

Total Pages: 506

ISBN-13: 022601794X

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After World War II, the US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) began mass-producing radioisotopes, sending out nearly 64,000 shipments of radioactive materials to scientists and physicians by 1955. Even as the atomic bomb became the focus of Cold War anxiety, radioisotopes represented the government’s efforts to harness the power of the atom for peace—advancing medicine, domestic energy, and foreign relations. In Life Atomic, Angela N. H. Creager tells the story of how these radioisotopes, which were simultaneously scientific tools and political icons, transformed biomedicine and ecology. Government-produced radioisotopes provided physicians with new tools for diagnosis and therapy, specifically cancer therapy, and enabled biologists to trace molecular transformations. Yet the government’s attempt to present radioisotopes as marvelous dividends of the atomic age was undercut in the 1950s by the fallout debates, as scientists and citizens recognized the hazards of low-level radiation. Creager reveals that growing consciousness of the danger of radioactivity did not reduce the demand for radioisotopes at hospitals and laboratories, but it did change their popular representation from a therapeutic agent to an environmental poison. She then demonstrates how, by the late twentieth century, public fear of radioactivity overshadowed any appreciation of the positive consequences of the AEC’s provision of radioisotopes for research and medicine.


Atomic Bomb: The Story of the Manhattan Project

Atomic Bomb: The Story of the Manhattan Project

Author: Bruce Cameron Reed

Publisher: Morgan & Claypool Publishers

Published: 2015-06-01

Total Pages: 142

ISBN-13: 1627059911

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This volume, prepared by an acknowledged expert on the Manhattan Project, gives a concise, fast-paced account of all major aspects of the project at a level accessible to an undergraduate college or advanced high-school student familiar with some basic concepts of energy, atomic structure, and isotopes. The text describes the underlying scientific discoveries that made nuclear weapons possible, how the project was organized, the daunting challenges faced and overcome in obtaining fissile uranium and plutonium, and in designing workable bombs, the dramatic Trinity test carried out in the desert of southern New Mexico in July 1945, and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.


The Biography Book

The Biography Book

Author: Daniel S. Burt

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2001-02-28

Total Pages: 636

ISBN-13: 0313017263

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From Marilyn to Mussolini, people captivate people. A&E's Biography, best-selling autobiographies, and biographical novels testify to the popularity of the genre. But where does one begin? Collected here are descriptions and evaluations of over 10,000 biographical works, including books of fact and fiction, biographies for young readers, and documentaries and movies, all based on the lives of over 500 historical figures from scientists and writers, to political and military leaders, to artists and musicians. Each entry includes a brief profile, autobiographical and primary sources, and recommended works. Short reviews describe the pertinent biographical works and offer insight into the qualities and special features of each title, helping readers to find the best biographical material available on hundreds of fascinating individuals.


Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1978-10

Total Pages: 64

ISBN-13:

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The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is the premier public resource on scientific and technological developments that impact global security. Founded by Manhattan Project Scientists, the Bulletin's iconic "Doomsday Clock" stimulates solutions for a safer world.


A History of Online Information Services, 1963-1976

A History of Online Information Services, 1963-1976

Author: Charles P. Bourne

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2003-08-01

Total Pages: 522

ISBN-13: 9780262261753

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A detailed chronology of the early, pre-Internet years of online information systems and services. Every field of history has a basic need for a detailed chronology of what happened: who did what when. In the absence of such a resource, fanciful accounts flourish. This book provides a rich narrative of the early development of online information retrieval systems and services, from 1963 to 1976—a period important to anyone who uses a search engine, online catalog, or large database. Drawing on personal experience, extensive research, and interviews with many of the key participants, the book describes the individuals, projects, and institutions of the period. It also corrects many common errors and misconceptions and provides milestones for many of the significant developments in online systems and technology.