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Nuclear Weapons: What You Need to Know Jeremy Bernstein. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Written by Jeremy Bernstein, Professor Emer- itus of Physics at the Stevens Institute of Tech- nology, and the author of several books about modern physics and physicists, Nuclear Weapons: What You Need to Know is an informal history of the discovery of the atom, and the development of the atomic bomb and subsequent nuclear weap- ons, emphasizing the irregular and serendipitous path that led a number of curious and determined physicists, chemists, and mathematicians to dis- cover the unusual qualities of radioactive elements that enabled humans to disassemble or assemble these elements to create the largest and most dan- gerous weapons ever developed. Bernstein has written a quirky but ultimately fascinating book about key individuals, key processes, and key events in the history of atomic weaponry. Bernstein begins with the discovery of the atomic nucleus in the years before World War I, and then describes the developing scientific awareness of the three main forms of radioactive emissions, the alpha, beta, and gamma rays. En- rico Fermi developed the idea of the possibility of the annihilation (fission) and creation (fusion) of atomic particles. Just prior to World War II, two German physicists, Lise Meitner and Otto Frisch, identified the theoretical possibility of fis- sion while on a walking and skiing outing near the coast of Sweden. This method—of inter- spersing personal anecdotes about the scientists with fairly intensive scientific explanations— contributes to the appeal and, occasionally, con- fusion of Bernstein’s narrative style. Although it occasionally causes disruptions in the flow of his explanations, it works very well to make these individuals take on some kind of human personality in a narrative that covers so many in- dividuals so quickly. Leo Szilard, a Hungarian physicist, realized that the energy that could be liberated from an atom had been grossly underestimated. When the discovery of fission was announced, Szilard, who was in the United States, realized how this energy might be liberated, and the clear military appli- cation of such a liberation process; he visited Al- bert Einstein, who was also living in the United States by this time, and together they wrote a let- ter (which Einstein signed) to President Roose- velt. The effect of this letter was the start of the Manhattan Project and the eventual creation of the first atomic bomb. Bernstein follows the several strands of the atomic puzzle in the chapters that follow: efforts to confirm the theory that a fission explosion could be created out of a relatively small sample of the right fissionable material (uranium-235) in a very short time; the need for cyclotrons, the development of plutonium, and the importance of nuclear reactors (the first one was built under the football field of the University of Chicago in 1941). The focal point of Bernstein’s discussion of the development of atomic weapons in World War II is the achievements of the individuals who worked in the Manhattan Project, the group of scientists led by Robert Oppenheimer and Gen- eral Leslie Groves. The bombs developed at Los Alamos, New Mexico, were of two designs—the ‘‘gun-assembly’’ fission device (‘‘Little Boy’’), which became the Hiroshima bomb, and the large implosion device (‘‘Fat Man’’), which became the Nagasaki bomb. Bernstein next traces the evolution of the hy- drogen bomb, based on the principles of fusion rather than fission. Bernstein follows this discus- sion with a chapter on spies, the most important of whom was Klaus Fuchs, who transmitted the principles of the hydrogen bomb to the Soviet Union, and concludes with a chapter on proli- feration, which focuses primarily on the Euro- pean-trained Pakistani physicist A. Q. Khan, 242 Journal of American Cultures Volume 31, Number 2 June 2008

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NuclearWeapons:WhatYouNeedto Know

Jeremy Bernstein. Cambridge: CambridgeUniversity Press, 2007.

Written by Jeremy Bernstein, Professor Emer-itus of Physics at the Stevens Institute of Tech-nology, and the author of several books aboutmodern physics and physicists, Nuclear Weapons:What You Need to Know is an informal history ofthe discovery of the atom, and the development ofthe atomic bomb and subsequent nuclear weap-ons, emphasizing the irregular and serendipitouspath that led a number of curious and determinedphysicists, chemists, and mathematicians to dis-cover the unusual qualities of radioactive elementsthat enabled humans to disassemble or assemblethese elements to create the largest and most dan-gerous weapons ever developed. Bernstein haswritten a quirky but ultimately fascinating bookabout key individuals, key processes, and keyevents in the history of atomic weaponry.

Bernstein begins with the discovery of theatomic nucleus in the years before World War I,and then describes the developing scientificawareness of the three main forms of radioactiveemissions, the alpha, beta, and gamma rays. En-rico Fermi developed the idea of the possibility ofthe annihilation (fission) and creation (fusion) ofatomic particles. Just prior to World War II,two German physicists, Lise Meitner and OttoFrisch, identified the theoretical possibility of fis-sion while on a walking and skiing outing nearthe coast of Sweden. This method—of inter-spersing personal anecdotes about the scientistswith fairly intensive scientific explanations—contributes to the appeal and, occasionally, con-fusion of Bernstein’s narrative style. Althoughit occasionally causes disruptions in the flow ofhis explanations, it works very well to makethese individuals take on some kind of human

personality in a narrative that covers so many in-dividuals so quickly.

Leo Szilard, a Hungarian physicist, realizedthat the energy that could be liberated from anatom had been grossly underestimated. When thediscovery of fission was announced, Szilard, whowas in the United States, realized how this energymight be liberated, and the clear military appli-cation of such a liberation process; he visited Al-bert Einstein, who was also living in the UnitedStates by this time, and together they wrote a let-ter (which Einstein signed) to President Roose-velt. The effect of this letter was the start of theManhattan Project and the eventual creation ofthe first atomic bomb.

Bernstein follows the several strands of theatomic puzzle in the chapters that follow: effortsto confirm the theory that a fission explosioncould be created out of a relatively small sampleof the right fissionable material (uranium-235) ina very short time; the need for cyclotrons, thedevelopment of plutonium, and the importance ofnuclear reactors (the first one was built under thefootball field of the University of Chicago in1941). The focal point of Bernstein’s discussion ofthe development of atomic weapons in World WarII is the achievements of the individuals whoworked in the Manhattan Project, the group ofscientists led by Robert Oppenheimer and Gen-eral Leslie Groves. The bombs developed at LosAlamos, New Mexico, were of two designs—the‘‘gun-assembly’’ fission device (‘‘Little Boy’’),which became the Hiroshima bomb, and the largeimplosion device (‘‘Fat Man’’), which became theNagasaki bomb.

Bernstein next traces the evolution of the hy-drogen bomb, based on the principles of fusionrather than fission. Bernstein follows this discus-sion with a chapter on spies, the most importantof whom was Klaus Fuchs, who transmitted theprinciples of the hydrogen bomb to the SovietUnion, and concludes with a chapter on proli-feration, which focuses primarily on the Euro-pean-trained Pakistani physicist A. Q. Khan,

242 Journal of American Cultures � Volume 31, Number 2 � June 2008

Page 2: Nuclear Weapons: What You Need to Know by Jeremy Bernstein

responsible for helping Pakistan obtain a nuclearweapons capability, but also, very probably,North Korea and Iran.

Bernstein’s nervous worry about effective con-trol of nuclear weapons does not drive his narra-tive into an anti-nuclear mode as he tells his story.He is clearly fascinated, not repelled, by the storyhe has to tell, a story he tells surprisingly well,given its complexities of historical, scientific, andtechnical detail.

—David K. VaughanEmeritus, Air Force Institute of Technology

OldWhitman Loved Baseball andOther Baseball Poems

Edward J. Rielly. Westbrook, ME: Moon PiePress, 2007.

Jacques Barzun once said that in order to un-derstand America one must understand baseball.If that is correct then in order to understandbaseball one must get to the soul of the game, theorganics and spirits that drive the players and thespectators. Rielly turns a page on that under-standing in this fine volume. He writes of howWhitman watched the game, wrote about it forBrooklyn newspapers and talked about it when-ever he could. On May 25, 1935, ‘‘the mightyBabe’’ hit his last ‘‘massive home run—and then,finally, all was done’’ (9). With Rielly stacks ofbats and memories are always in his sight. His finepoems should likewise be on our shelves.

—Ray B. BrowneRay & Pat Browne Popular Culture Library

Bowling Green State University

Popular Ideologies:Mass CultureatMid-Century

Susan Smulyan. University of Pennsylvania Press2007.

Professor Smulyan concentrates on the refor-mulation of popular culture in the years followingWorld War II. She draws on the concept of ‘‘pop-ular ideologies’’ as a guide to her analysis of theacceleration changes that were occurring at mid-century. The content of her book includes suchtopics and themes as minstrel shows as a disap-pearing cultural form, and ‘‘ the magic of the ny-lon’’ as a Dupont creation that transformed genderidentities and behavioral patterns. The military oc-cupations of Germany and Japan attempted topromote American values through widespreadshowing of a large number of selected films. Show-ing the film did not succeed in promotion ideology,but it did make a contribution to globalizing aninterest in Hollywood productions. The authoralso examines popular ideologies by reviewing thelarge number of post-war novels focusing on thedeception, manipulation, and persuasive effects ofthe advertising industry and organizational life.

The chapter on ‘‘minstrel laughs’’ focused onthe transition from amateur productions at thelocal level to mass culture. The minstrel showprovided entertainment by providing a contextfor the middle class to test local talent on the stageor as scriptwriters. Minstrel shows peaked inpopularity in the late 1800s and had becomeobjectionable as a form of entertainment bythe 1960s. With the passing of time, the minstrelshows became commodified by publishers whomade available an instruction book and the entirescript for a theatrical production. In retrospect,minstrels were a shameful part of the culture ofracial prejudice and oppression.

Professor Smulyan examines the linkage of aseries of events following the invention of nylon

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