American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer

American Prometheus is the first full-scale biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, "father of the atomic bomb," the brilliant, charismatic physicist who led the effort to capture the awesome fire of the sun for his country in time of war.

Immediately after Hiroshima, he became the most famous scientist of his generation-one of the iconic figures of the twentieth century, the embodiment of modern man confronting the consequences of scientific progress.

It is at once biography and history, and essential to our understanding of our recent past—and of our choices for the future.