Eubie's notes

The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes

Great book mixing science, history and politics. The story goes back to understand the science (and the struggle to find the right path and understanding). It also helps you appreciate the way scientists work. It is a thick book, but very rewarding for its insights.

This was a major development in science, but Rhodes downplays it’s military importance. During the way it was speculation on how far along the various countries were in developing an atomic weapon. When the war ended it was clearer that the countries were much farther behind. Rhodes also writes about that time when only Japan is still fighting and the leaders in the U.S. are trying to decide how to bring the war to a quick end.

The atomic bond was terrible but so was the incendiary bombing in cities such as Dresden and Tokyo. Those bombings killed tens of thousands of people too. In the decisions of which cities might be bombed with an atomic bomb, those targets were chosen partially on cities that had not been bombed with incendiaries.

Rhodes book stop with the bombing of Nagasaki, but the book discusses how the scientists were already far along on the development of the thermonuclear bomb. The development of atomic weapons shows just how terrible the rise of Hitler and Nazism was viewed across the world. It was evil that must be stopped.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Because this book was so groundbreaking when it published and it has inspired others, it’s hard to appreciate it. The story is told in a powerful voice over a shocking crime by two people who also have an interesting back story. It doesn’t excuse what they did, but shows this crime was the result of bad information, misguided ideas and dreams. The murder of the Clutter forever changed many lives. One should read the book as based on a true story, since there have been questions about the license Capote took in improving the storytelling. Despite the reservations it is still a great book

Undaunted Courage: The Pioneering First Mission to Explore America’s Wild Frontier by Stephen E. Ambrose

It’s a wonderful adventure tale. It’s hard to believe how Lewis & Clark’s expedition had faded from history the first 100 years

Reamde by Neal Stephenson

The story moved too slowly for me, but it was still compelling enough to get to the end. I put it down for awhile, but was so close to the end, that it didn’t matter if I mixed up the characters at the end

Good overview of some risks modern armies face against today’s technology and cyberwar. I always appreciate a book that offers readers ways to learn more about the topics.

I’m more used to this genre thanks to Tom Clancy, so it’s harder to get as excited about a book following that path. But it does remind us that regardless of the technology, in the end it comes down to people, sometimes acting independently.

At the end of the book, I felt unsettled, because the threats so strongly identified in the book still exist today.

Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War by P.W. Singer

Good overview of some risks modern armies face against today’s technology and cyberwar. I always appreciate a book that offers readers ways to learn more about the topics.

I’m more used to this genre thanks to Tom Clancy, so it’s harder to get as excited about a book following that path. But it does remind us that regardless of the technology, in the end it comes down to people, sometimes acting independently.

At the end of the book, I felt unsettled, because the threats so strongly identified in the book still exist today

The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

The story of what the Wright Brothers did in 1903 is well known, but McCullough tells more. Especially interesting was the time after their first flight. They did not build a huge corporation after their flight. Their actions show being first to market does not always guarantee success. Business is very different than solving the issues of powered flight.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful book. It makes me appreciate the talent of the movie makers more because they captured so much of the wonderful stuff and weren’t tempted by some of the minor stories in the book.

Dance of the Reptiles: Selected Columns by Carl Hiaasen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s eerie how this book’s tale feels as if it could happen so easily. A little nudge here or an overreaction there and you find yourself in this world. Readers should find strength in the book as it shows how easy it is to control others is to remove their ability to read. how on of the ways to control is to remove their ability to learn to read or remove the need to read.