A review by wifescullys
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird, Martin J. Sherwin

5.0

Very crazy. Written in a way that speaks to a Shakespearean ugly little comedy even with all the dense information packed in. Awaiting the panel's judgement, Kitty and him spent hours in front of the black-and-white television set, his reaction to Kennedy being shot, his difficulty with connecting with his children; every detail helped make up the landscape of the 50s in a way that caught attention and held it. Very sad but appropriate ending, w/ the idea of Toni's unfittedness in the world another consequence of Oppenheimer's climbing to greatness, what you leave behind, and also Oppenheimer's illness and physical failing and fragility of his body and the attitude surrounding it reminded me a lot of Humphrey Bogart's own (alcoholism , too, much more)—leaving me with a great deal of sadness. A lot said about ambiguity and the failing/stupidity of trying to chalk everything up to black or white. Finally, as Oppenheimer's son put it, Strauss is rotting in hell. 
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