Men Who Play God: The Story of the Hydrogen Bomb

By Norman Moss

Book Overview

"A detailed and brilliant account... full of illumination... fascinating.' New Yorker.

Men Who Play God is a captivating history of the political decisions, global events and scientific experiments that led to the invention of the most powerful bomb in history.

A renowned British journalist and broadcaster, Norman Moss' acclaimed book provides a detailed summary of the inception and production of the bomb itself. A thought-provoking narrative on a highly complex issue, it also examines the problems that arose, such as the potentially lethal effects of nuclear fallout.

Moss also brings to life the opposing views between scientists and politicians alike as the idea of a "Super" bomb capable of mass destruction rapidly began to transform into a reality.

Governments sought to endorse or denounce thermonuclear weapons programmes in their countries - after crucial events such as President Harry S. Truman's public declaration of support for the American Atomic Agency Commission and its work on the hydrogen bomb in 1950. This led to issues that ranged from serious ethical questions to political decisions that would resonate across the world.

Offering vivid portraits of the eminent men whose decisions and expertise were crucial to the process, Moss pays particular attention to the theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, and his colleague Edward Teller, who became known as the "father of the hydrogen bomb".

Men Who Play God provides a thorough, gripping overview of a series of the most significant nuclear events in history that brought lasting global consequences.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 179219577X
• ISBN13: 9781792195778
• Release Date: December 2018
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 376 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Insightful Look at a Dangerous Time

British journalist Norman Moss presents a clear and engaging account of the origins and general acceptance of the hydrogen bomb in world affairs. Moss gives a brief history on the production of the H-bomb as well as chapters on physicist Edward Teller, the Bikini Island tests, protester Pat O'Connell, "On Thermonuclear War" author Herman Khan, Robert McNamara, etc. Focusing on the main actors on the nuclear stage (the United States and the Soviet Union), Moss also includes details on the nuclear ambitions of Great Britain, France, and China. The U.S. is often painted as the aggressor in nuclear production as the Soviet Union still regarded ground troops as the main force in future wars.Although the topic of the book is highly complex, Moss writes in a journalist's style that is easy to understand even if the reader knows nothing about physics. Moss also examines the human side of the issue-offering a glimpse of the life of a British bomber pilot, the concerns of an otherwise law-abiding grandmother who has been arrested numerous times for anti-nuke demonstrations, and a look inside an American missile silo.A professor recommended this book to my class. I sought it out and have read it twice. It is very eye-opening , especially the information on how devastating the nuclear forces of the Cold War nations were. A case study of the Radiation Subcommittee determined one Russian nuclear attack would kill 28% of the U.S. population. Of course, this book was written over 30 years ago, so imagine how dangerous it would become and still may be! As Moss states in his conclusion, from the moment we gained the knowledge to produce nukes, they remain a permanent aspect of human culture. The info in this book will never be obsolete as is evident in the latest rush to build shelters in this latest time of chemical warfare.