Review–Chasing Heisenberg: The Race for the Atom Bomb by Michael Joseloff (Tunisia)
Chasing Heisenberg: The Race for the Atom BombMichael Joseloff (Tunisia 1967–69)
Amazon Publishing
January 2018
148 pages
$2.99 (Kindle)
Reviewed by Denis Nolan (Ethiopia 1964-66)
This book is mesmerizing. I could not put it down. It is the story of the race between the United States and Germany to develop an atom bomb, from the time when the key figures worked together before the war to the final stages of World War II and the eventual dropping of two quite different bombs. It reads more like a novel than a factual account of history, with the personalities and lives of the men involved interwoven with the actual events. Joseloff has done his research well, and he weaves a remarkable story about the three different approaches taken and the fear of failure that drove the participants to near breakdowns at times. He is an excellent writer and he brings the complex world of nuclear physics down to an understandable level for the reader. I cannot recommend this book too highly, for you will come away with knowledge and enjoyment and a new view of history that you never expected.
Denis Nolan (Ethiopia 1964-66) has a degree in aeronautical engineering and a second major in history from Notre Dame University, thus his interest in the technical and historical aspects of this book. After graduating from college, he worked in the space industry and then joined the Peace Corps. After his service, he returned to college and earned teaching credential in history and has taught for 35 years in Northern California.
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