this was a fascinating historical nonfiction book, it had that tension and worked as a learning concept. The overall concept told the story that it needed to and the research was so well done. Frank Close has a strong writing style and am excited to read more from them.

Anyone interested in the future of our world should read this book. Lots of eye-opening information available for those curious enough to look for it.

There are few things I love more than reading about the history of science, but the history of science as it intersects with global politics is one of them.

Frank Close's Destroyer of Worlds is a fascinating in depth look at the history of the atomic age, from the discovery of radioactive rocks to, ultimately, the creation of the hydrogen bomb and it's effect on the world. Reminiscent of the in depth yet accessible science of Sam Kean and Adam Higginbotham, Frank Close has written an excellent book about the scientists of the 20th century who shaped what our world would become.

Despite Title, This Is A Physics History - Not A WWII History. Despite using J. Robert Oppenheimer's famous quote upon seeing the detonation of the first atomic bomb - quoting from the Bhagavad Gita, he proclaimed "I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" (in case you've been living under a rock and had never heard that tale) - and indeed even showing that moment in this history of physics, this really is exactly that - a history of nuclear physics and the scientists involved.

Even when the book finally gets into WWII and the Manhattan Project - as well as at least touching on both Germany and Japan's efforts to also create the first atom bomb - it still primarily focuses on the science, scientists, and the technical, logistical, and political challenges they were having. Indeed, this is really as close as this text gets to discussing the larger picture of WWII - or the Cold War after it ended.

Instead what we get is a fascinating, and perhaps first of its kind in just how detailed and comprehensive it is, examination of the history of scientific discovery as it relates to nuclear and even quantum physics. Yes, it has a lot of complex - as in, truly seemingly PhD level in the field - images of some of the various mathematical equations involved, but Close does a pretty great job of actually explaining them in such a way that someone with at least a high school physics class under their belt should be able to follow along reasonably well, and even for those that don't have even that background in physics, it really is more "history of physics" than "physics" in the text's actual discussions of the relevant histories. (Though I could absolutely see this being used as a textbook, particularly at the collegiate level and particularly in certain history classes or even physics classes, as a way of showing all that has come before to get us to roughly where we are in our understanding of the topics at hand.)

At least I had an easy enough time following along with the text here- though as others frequently tell me, this could very well be a "*my* abilities" thing rather than a more general level of ease. So please, read this book and write a review yourself, no matter who you may be, and please briefly describe your own educational background when you do. (For me, I have a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, came within a handful of classes of getting two other degrees in Secondary Mathematics Education and Mathematics -long story there - and had physics classes in both high school and college. In addition to several history classes, including a few covering the time and issues in question.) I also had a great time reading this over US Memorial Weekend 2025, as we prepare for the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki later this summer - though I *did* expect this book would be more about those events than it was, which was one main reason I had originally picked it up and chose to read it at this exact time. So again, to be crystal clear yet another time: This is a history of nuclear physics, *NOT* a history of the atomic bomb directly or exclusively.

Truly a fascinating and compelling history, particularly for anyone at least remotely interested in the field for any reason.

Oh, and the star deduction? For all that is discussed here, the bibliography is actually rather short, clocking in at just 10% or so of the text. Astonishing, really, considering the sheer amount of history presented here.

Very much recommended.

"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings."

-- W. Shakespeare, <i>Julius Caesar</i>

1. I have nothing but praise for this book. I think that Frank Close does a masterful job here of doing his absolute best of trying to explain both the personalities and idiosyncrasies of the scientists involved (including Ettore Majorana, who you probably have never heard of, but it's a fun story from an alt-history perspective if nothing else).

2. What Close is doing, though, is trying to explain the science of nuclear weapons to people like me. I like to think of myself as a reasonably intelligent person. I think that I learned some things from reading this book. But I haven't taken any kind of science class in thirty-five years and reading about beryllium and its properties makes my eyes glaze over. Large bits of this book were just completely incomprehensible. Imagine trying to explain to Joe Biden what a skibidi toilet is, let's say, or the plot of FOURTH WING.

3. This, I would like to point out, is entirely my fault. I am not a stupid idiot (well, only intermittently). I like World War II history just as much as the next middle-aged dad. I can respect the time and craftsmanship that went into the book. I am sure that there are many people who will read this and say, well, of course Fermi was wrong about a neutron being comprised of a proton and an electron, how obvious is that? I read that, and thought, well, um, sure? I guess? Sounds reasonable enough? (I think I almost understood what a neutrino was at one point while reading this, but I was binge-watching SLOW HORSES soon afterwards and that knowledge leaked right out.)

4. I will also point out that Close points out that the reason why Fermi (one of a score of interesting and quirky characters) could do what he did was because he could visualize in his mind the pathways of protons and neutrons and positrons and all that other good stuff. I cannot visualize a single blessed thing and am suspicious of people who say they can. I close my eyes, and it's all black and that seems normal. This may be why I didn't grow up to be a nuclear physicist (that, and growing up in a trailer park).

5. For the lay reader, what I think the value of this book is that it describes, in loving detail, the iterative process of science, the false starts and instant revelations that make up the twisting path from the first discovery of radiation to Hiroshima. This is what Close does best, and it almost makes up for all the intensive technical detail.

Thank you NetGalley and Basic Books for the ARC.

DNF

I was initially drawn to this book by the title, cover art and description. As I started reading it, I realized some concepts were over my head and it would require a lot of patience and work to get through it.

I was managing up until about 20% completion, and that is where the knowledge base needed for me to understand became insurmountable. I did not go into this thinking this would be a layman’s term book, but I also did not think it would be so over my head to be impossible for me to finish. This is my first DNF.

If I had been able to keep up with the terminology and concepts it would have been a 4-star book for me. My rating and inability to complete does not reflect on the author or content, simply my shortcoming in being able to take it all in and understand.

Imagine you've gone to the bookstore to hear an author read from their new book that you believe is a history of the people who collectively figured out all the theories and breakthroughs that led humanity to the ability to create atom bombs. You're hoping for an entertaining evening with some eye-opening scientific tidbits, but mostly a story about interesting scientists, including your personal favorite, Marie Curie. You sit down with some anticipation, just to slowly realize that you've gotten it all wrong and have ended up in a graduate symposium on nuclear physics.

Your fellow audience members must be PhDs, they're jotting down equations as the author laboriously chalks them on the board. He explains how each formula implies certain characteristics about the fundamental building blocks of matter and how that then begets additional theories. Nobel prizes are mentioned, and scientists are cited as being on the right track or wrong track, even some WWII-era politics are referenced, but mostly it's way over your head and you find yourself nodding off and wondering how to politely slip out the back before the end of the lecture.

That's how I found this remarkably erudite history of the theories and ideas surrounding the composition of the atom, what radioactivity is, how fission and fusion work, and how the design of the periodic table implies the required existence of certain elements (or does it?).

While Destroyer of Worlds is billed as being " centered on an extraordinary cast of characters" in fact the book is much more the "story of the physics that deciphered the atom and created the hydrogen bomb" with formula, visualizations, graphs, tables, and other data shared and more or less explained for the layman.

I was overwhelmed. If you're not well versed in nuclear physics, this is probably not the book for you on this important subject.