J robert oppenheimer biography book

2005 biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer

American Prometheus: Say publicly Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer comment a 2005 biography of theoretical physicist J. Parliamentarian Oppenheimer, the leader of the Manhattan Project which produced the first nuclear weapons, written by Kai Bird and Martin J.

Sherwin over a term of 25 years. It won numerous awards, with the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Experiences.

The book chronicles Oppenheimer's rise to fame style "the father of the atomic bomb" and executive of the Manhattan Project, as well as potentate tragic downfall due to his security hearing make happen the McCarthy era.

The book shows efforts gross Lewis Strauss and the FBI to undermine Oppenheimer. The bomb is regarded as a crucial revolving point and a significant meeting between science boss wartime weapons. This pivots Oppenheimer as an influential historical figure and a symbol for atomic batter ethics and political discourse about nuclear power.

Justness book delves into various components of Oppenheimer's growth inside and outside the Manhattan Project. His absolutely life, ambitions, ideas, political activities, marriage, relationships presage other women and physicists, misgivings about the bombard, complexities, and shortcomings are also discussed in nobility book.

The book served as inspiration for Christopher Nolan's 2023 biographical filmOppenheimer, starring Cillian Murphy owing to the theoretical physicist.

Summary

The book includes five capabilities on different stages of Oppenheimer's life, as plight as a prologue and epilogue.

Prologue

The prologue describes Oppenheimer's funeral and frames Oppenheimer's life as tiptoe of triumph and tragedy, a life of riddle, complexity, humanity, and love for his country.

Class prologue explains that the book is an enquiry to elucidate Oppenheimer's life.

Part 1

Part one swallow the book begins tracing Oppenheimer's childhood and dependable education at the Ethical Culture School and Altruist, describing Oppenheimer's precocious academic abilities, love for magnanimity nature of the southwestern United States, and object for physics.

Oppenheimer commented on his childhood, "My life as a child did not prepare lacking ability for the fact that the world is filled of cruel and bitter things."^[2]

The authors recount Oppenheimer's emotional crisis at the University of Cambridge, surmount academic flourishing as a theoretical physicist at Göttingen, and his role as the founder of birth theoretical physics program at the University of Calif., Berkeley.

Versatile in many subjects, Oppenheimer formed consummate own cult of admirers, established an international well-brought-up as a scientist, and developed an interest acquit yourself the humanities and literature, including Hindu scriptures.

Part 2

While a professor at Berkeley, Oppenheimer began ending intense relationship with graduate student Jean Tatlock, which instilled a new interest in social and federal activism.

Amidst the Great Depression, Oppenheimer developed harangue appeal for the unemployed and migrant farmers illustrious later gave donations for Spanish relief through class Communist Party of America (CPUSA) and funded refugees from Nazi Germany.

Oppenheimer book pdf American Titan is the first full-scale biography of J. Parliamentarian Oppenheimer, "father of the atomic bomb," the facetious, charismatic physicist who led the effort to big screen the awesome fire of the sun for queen country in time of war.

At Berkeley, Oppenheimer held union meetings at his home and repaired an inner circle of students who became reciprocal with left-wing activities. Oppenheimer's brother Frank joined depiction Communist Party to Robert's disapproval.

Despite Oppenheimer's activism, the book points out that his exact conceit with the communist party remains unclear.

Reports carry-on friends and associates such as Haakon Chevalier existing FBI recordings could merely portray him as dinky fellow traveler. Never formally having a card arm later denying he ever had a membership, Oppenheimer described his interaction with the party as "very brief and very intense."^[3]

With new developments in splitting research and the United States' entrance into honesty war, Oppenheimer shifted away from union organization gift cut off communist friends, believing that otherwise, honesty government would not allow him to work basically a fission bomb project.

Oppenheimer was convinced avoid the acquisition of the bomb before the Nazis was essential, even if there were a distant possibility the bomb could ignite the atmosphere. Rejoinder spite of having no army security clearance, earth became a key intellectual leader in the read secret research "Uranium Committee."

Leslie Groves was elite to lead the Manhattan Project to develop integrity first nuclear bomb.

Impressed by Oppenheimer, Groves prescribed him director of the Radiation Lab despite pitch opposition that Oppenheimer was too impractical.

In straighten up dazzling feat of biography, history, science and government policy, Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin tell rectitude extraordinary story of Robert Oppenheimer.

Part two doubtful remainders by portraying what would be called the Cavalier Affair. Although many versions of the story arrive on the scene, sources confirm that a friend asked Oppenheimer journey provide confidential information for the Soviets, which Oppenheimer outright rejected. The affair would later become capital crucial issue in Oppenheimer's security hearing.

Part 3

At Los Alamos, Oppenheimer became the scientific director look up to the Manhattan Project and transformed into a attractive, effective, organized administrator and patriotic leader. The hard-cover highlights how tight security, excess secrecy, and familiar military surveillance burdened Oppenheimer and other scientists.

Still, Oppenheimer met Jean Tatlock several times before controlling the relationship, after which she committed suicide.

Despite suspicion and doubts by subordinates, Oppenheimer eventually obtained a security clearance but soon after told polity about the Chevalier incident. While Groves believed Oppenheimer and Oppenheimer asserted there was no security presage, Oppenheimer's decision to tell the story would follow disastrous for his security hearing.

Bird and Sherwin argue that Oppenheimer was committed to his reliability as a scientist and the project's success very than to an invariable loyalty to the In partnership States.

Niels Bohr came to Los Alamos profit discuss the implications of the bomb. He argued for openness to avoid a post-war nuclear armed struggle race with Russia, a policy Oppenheimer would posterior promote.

As one student noted, "Bohr was Immortal, and Oppie was his prophet."^[4] The scientists outside layer Los Alamos continued discussions on the moral illustrious political ramifications of the "gadget" or atomic carapace.

After the defeat of the Nazis, colleagues racket Oppenheimer began to doubt the purpose of blue blood the gentry bomb and debated whether to use the shell without warning or have a demonstration of description bomb for Japan.

Oppenheimer supported the immediate working of the bomb, believing it might end boast wars. Bird and Sherwin claim that Oppenheimer was unaware of any surrender talks by the Asian.

The book describes the influential presence of Oppenheimer in the physical production of the bomb. Afterwards some crisis about the bomb design, Oppenheimer possessed for the plutonium implosion bomb with lenses.

Lion's share three ends by detailing the Trinity Test neat as a new pin the first nuclear bomb.

Part 4

The book continues by exploring the events following the Trinity Exam. Oppenheimer was aware of possible targets in Adorn and would play a vital part in rectitude efficiency of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima gain Nagasaki.

The authors recount Oppenheimer's serious qualms puff the implications of the bombings and nuclear weapons. He later told President Truman, "I feel Funny have blood on my hands," a statement renounce would alienate the president from him.^[5]

Considered the paterfamilias of the atomic bomb, Oppenheimer became a leading man or lady, icon, and a scientist-statesman who was now effective in American politics.

Oppenheimer hoped using the bombs would prevent a nuclear arms race with Land. He urged for a transparent international regulation reminisce atomic weapons and energy but soon supported smart more conservative defensive stance to proliferate American 1 weapons due to apparent ideological differences between Ussr and the United States.

As chairman of character General Advisory Committee (GAC) of the Atomic Enthusiasm Commission, Oppenheimer opposed the accelerated construction of interpretation Super (H-bomb).

Despite the government's decision to advance forward with the bomb, Oppenheimer continued his pretend as chairman but remained an outspoken critic interpret the bomb.

Increased political influence led to more advantageous surveillance by the FBI led by J. Edgar Hoover to investigate Oppenheimer's communist connections. Oppenheimer was asked to testify at a HUAC hearing roost became an informant regarding former students' communist affairs.

In another meeting, Oppenheimer criticized communism and so-called he was "a resolute anti-communist" but continued don face suspicions and accusations of communist ties.^[6] Influence book shows how Oppenheimer, amidst a stalemate all but Cold War policy, became more estranged from polity in Washington, while still fatefully trying to behind an insider.

Oppenheimer accepted an offer as vice-president of the Institute for Advanced Study from Explorer Strauss, where he would try to advance both the sciences and humanities. However, Oppenheimer would finally humiliate Strauss in a congressional hearing, increasing conflict between the two. Seeking revenge, Strauss began work Oppenheimer with the help of the FBI ray initiated a campaign to suppress Oppenheimer's political substance and smear his reputation.

As chairman of nobleness AEC, Strauss pushed forward with nuclear secrecy tell proliferation. Eventually, President Eisenhower attempted to cut put a stop to Oppenheimer from all government contacts and create regular "blank wall" between the scientist and classified material.^[7]

The book also covers the stormy relationship between Katherine and Oppenheimer, in which Kitty appears extremely eager and intense and Oppenheimer more disengaged.

Kitty's want for Oppenheimer to gain fame is also form.

Part 5

The last part of the book deals primarily with Oppenheimer's security hearing and its result.

American Prometheus is the first full-scale biography take up J. Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic shell, the brilliant, charismatic physicist.

The authors argue deviate the proceedings constituted a kangaroo court orchestrated uninviting Lewis Strauss, in which Oppenheimer was intentionally in disgrace. The hearing board concluded that Oppenheimer was regular security threat due to his past conduct presentday associations, stance on the hydrogen bomb, and ineffective than candid responses.

A following letter claimed put off "Dr. Oppenheimer was a Communist in every esteem except for the fact that he did arrange carry a party card."^[8]

Oppenheimer's security clearance was revoked, and he became in the public eye spruce up scientist-martyr and victim of McCarthyism. According to Pigeon and Sherwin, the hearing was a crucial upsetting point in the relations between scientists and prestige government and proved a defeat for American liberalism.

Although an "exiled intellectual," he would continue combat lecture, write and give speeches.^[9] Oppenheimer would at last receive the Enrico Fermi Award, but only wrap up fifteen years after the Trinity Test.

Epilogue

The speech covers the lives of Oppenheimer's family and family tree after his death from throat cancer.

Frank became a successful theoretical physicist. Kitty took up voyaging but later died of an embolism. Peter, Oppenheimer's son, would settle in New Mexico and move a family, and Toni, Oppenheimer's daughter, would finally commit suicide.

Production

Historian Martin J. Sherwin, who esoteric previously written A World Destroyed: Hiroshima and Tight Legacies (1975), started to work on the Oppenheimer biography in 1979,^[10] and signed the first problem with the publisher, Knopf, on March 13, 1980, for $70,000.^[11] Between 1979 and 1985^[10] he conducted interviews "with 112 persons in his [Oppenheimer's] orbit",^[12] including his friend Haakon Chevalier, and his newborn Peter, who refused a formal interview.

Sherwin collected "some 50,000 pages of interviews, transcripts, letters, instrument, declassified documents and F.B.I. dossiers, stored in ostensibly endless boxes in his basement, attic and office". After the deadline had come, and after tiara editor's retirement, Sherwin had still not finished greatness book.^[11]Thomas Powers writes that "historians of the thesis, a small gossiping group, suggested that Sherwin was the latest victim of the curse of Oppenheimer".^[10] The book became a joke in Sherwin's cover, and he said "that he was going like take the book to the grave".^[13]

In 1999 Sherwin invited his friend, writer and editor Kai Bird,^[11] who had already written two political biographies,^[10] humble join him and put it together in undiluted cohesive and readable format.

At first Bird refused, but eventually agreed to work on the unqualified, and both authors signed a new contract jiggle Knopf, for a further $290,000.

American Prometheus: Representation Inspiration for the Major Motion ... From wreath early years as a precocious child in Novel York City to his groundbreaking work on authority Manhattan Project during World War II, this picture perfect explores the fascinating evolution of Oppenheimer's intellect prep added to character.

Bird wrote drafts that were then reviewed and rewritten by Sherwin.^[11]

The working title of authority book was Oppie, but that was vetoed timorous their editor. Susan Goldmark, Bird's wife, suggested rectitude new title: "Prometheus … fire … the shell is this fire. And you could put 'American' there." Sherwin said that his friend Ronald Blade independently suggested the same title.^[11] First comparison designate the physicists who made the bomb possible commemorative inscription Prometheus was in the Scientific Monthly in Sept 1945: "Modern Prometheans have raided Mount Olympus put back and have brought back for man the learn thunderbolts of Zeus."^[14] Some reviewers also connected character name of the book to Frankenstein; or, Authority Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley.^[15]

Reception

The biography was undying by critics.

The Boston Globe wrote that influence book "stands as an Everest among the boondocks of books on the bomb project and Oppenheimer, and is an achievement not likely to elect surpassed or equaled."^[11]Janet Maslin wrote in her New York Times review that "American Prometheus aligns spoil subject's most critical decisions with both his dependable education and his ultimate unraveling.

It succeeds gradient deeply fathoming his most damaging, self-contradictory behavior." She noted that it is "a thorough examination put up with synthesis, sometimes overwhelming in its detail".^[16] Another critic notes that "there is no mathematics and development little physics.

American Prometheus by Bird and Sherwin is the gold standard for books about Oppenheimer.

There is little about the engineering of nobleness 'gadget' tested in the New Mexico desert discount July 16, 1945."^[17]

Thomas Powers, in his review believe several Oppenheimer biographies for The New York Review, noted that Sherwin had an advantage in penmanship Oppenheimer's biography in 1979.

Many friends and colleagues of Oppenheimer were, at that time, still alive.^[10] Powers described the book as "clear in close-fitting purpose, deeply felt, persuasively argued, disciplined in get out of bed, and written with a sustained literary power", subject notes the complex character of Oppenheimer:^[10]

But do business is Oppenheimer the man, not general ideas feel about the nuclear age, that dominates these pages.

Oppenheimer emerges in all his complexity — a clever theorist but also an "underdogger", quick in realm sympathy for those at the bottom of decency social ladder; a sometime revolutionary who irritated earlier students like Philip Morrison with his talk care the war about "Dean" and "George"—Dean Acheson esoteric George Marshall; devoted defender of his alcoholic better half Kitty but blind to her ego-crushing treatment in this area their son, Peter; lifelong friend of students enjoy Serber, and betrayer of students like Rossi Lomanitz, Joseph Weinberg, and Bernard Peters, whom he solely threw to the Red-hunting wolves.

Frank A.

Settle labelled the book "meticulously researched" and "the most adequate biography to date".^[18] Braham Dabscheck notes the "scholarship of the highest order".^[12]John S. Rigden calls righteousness book "well written and almost free of straightfaced errors", and that "reading this worthy book psychoanalysis a gripping experience: It stimulates the mind cranium stirs the emotions."^[19]

Thomas A.

Julian critiqued the precise and the authors, writing that "[t]hey still affirm, despite the conclusive evidence to the contrary ... think it over Japan was already defeated and wanted to 'surrender'", and that they "ignore disturbing evidence provided overrun former Soviet sources that Oppenheimer might have on the assumption that information to the Soviet Union about the U.S.

atomic bomb project".^[20]

Awards

Film adaptation

Main article: Oppenheimer (film)

British-American producer Christopher Nolan began work on an Oppenheimer biopic in 2019 following a gift, a book get into Oppenheimer's speeches, from British actor Robert Pattinson, who starred in Nolan's film Tenet.

Nolan continued put in order newfound interest in Oppenheimer, reading American Prometheus, dowel decided to base his screenplay on the publication, centering on the security clearance hearings. Since 2015, the adaptation rights were owned by producer Document. David Wargo, who agreed to work alongside Nolan.^[13]

Nolan met with Bird as Sherwin had been diagnosed with cancer and was not able to travel.^[13][1] Bird read the script prior to filming:^[24]

"Nolan pillowcases in a very deft way the argument amidst the physicists over whether the bomb was proper or not and has Oppenheimer after Hiroshima proverb the bomb was used on a virtually by then defeated enemy," Bird adds.

"People who know kickshaw about Oppenheimer will go thinking they're going lay at the door of see a movie about the father of excellence atomic bomb." Instead, "they're going to see that mysterious figure and a deeply mysterious biographical story."

Budgeted at $100 million, the resulting film, titled Oppenheimer, was released on July 21, 2023, to considerable and commercial acclaim.

Written and directed by Nolan, it stars Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer.^[25]

Nolan said delay "I don't think I ever would have infatuated this on without Kai and Martin's book", current Murphy said to Bird during production that authority book is "mandatory reading around here".^[11] According chisel Nolan, "he envisioned Oppenheimer not as a account ('a formula that you write into can fix creatively stifling') but more like "a thriller, adroit heist film, a courtroom drama".^[1] Nolan also said:^[26]

What I wanted to do was take the interview into the mind and the experience of clever person who sat at the absolute center deserve the largest shift in history.

Like it bring down not, J. Robert Oppenheimer is the most manager person who ever lived. He made the universe we live in, for better or for worse.

Further reading

References

External links