Oppenheimer and the Atomic Bomb

Young Readers Edition of AMERICAN PROMETHEUS: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer

By: Kai Bird, Martin J. Sherwin, Eric S. Singer

Narrated by: Nikola Hamilton

A young readers edition of the #1 New York Times bestselling, Pulitzer Prize-winning book American Prometheus was the inspiration for the blockbuster film, Oppenheimer.

This brand-new edition introduces the next generation to one of the twentieth century's most iconic and complex global figures.

J. Robert Oppenheimer was a brilliant physicist who led the American effort to build the atomic bomb during World War II, and who later found himself confronting the moral consequences of the revolutionary weapon he helped create.

Readers of all ages will witness the rise and fall of a scientific and historical icon in this masterful new edition. Exploring his childhood, his secret work on the bomb, his central role in the Cold War, and his tragic downfall, this quintessential biography is history at its finest. Filled with dozens of photographs and updated information, this riveting and deeply informative account is now available to a middle and high school audience.


* This audiobook edition includes a downloadable PDF containing select photographs and the list of Historical Figures from the text.

Critic reviews

★ "[A] superb adaptation....An undivided pleasure to read, excellent for classroom use as well as independent reading."—Booklist (starred review)

“An accessible, vivid, and suspenseful account of the troubled life of the father of the atomic bomb.”—Science Magazine

"A meticulous account of the rise and fall of a brilliant scientist."—Kirkus Reviews

"A strong choice for nonfiction shelves and as a curricular tie-in due to the significance of the subject’s contribution to science and world history." —School Library Journal

"[A] cohesive, entirely accessible portrait of a complex, often reticent man whose life’s work left a mark both on the physical and scientific worlds." —BCCB