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  • American Prometheus

  • The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
  • Auteur(s): Kai Bird, Martin J. Sherwin
  • Narrateur(s): Jeff Cummings
  • Durée: 26 h et 30 min
  • 4,5 out of 5 stars (55 évaluations)

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Page de couverture de American Prometheus

American Prometheus

Auteur(s): Kai Bird, Martin J. Sherwin
Narrateur(s): Jeff Cummings
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Description

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • The definitive biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, one of the iconic figures of the twentieth century, a brilliant physicist who led the effort to build the atomic bomb for his country in a time of war, and who later found himself confronting the moral consequences of scientific progress.

THE INSPIRATION FOR THE MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
OPPENHEIMER

J. Robert Oppenheimer is one of the iconic figures of the twentieth century, a brilliant physicist who led the effort to build the atomic bomb for his country in a time of war and who later found himself confronting the moral consequences of scientific progress.

When he proposed international controls over atomic materials, opposed the development of the hydrogen bomb, and criticized plans for a nuclear war, his ideas were anathema to powerful advocates of a massive nuclear buildup during the anti-Communist hysteria of the early 1950s. They declared that Oppenheimer could not be trusted with America’s nuclear secrets.

In this magisterial biography twenty-five years in the making, which won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for biography, the authors capture Oppenheimer’s life and times, from his early career to his central role in the Cold War.

©2005 Kai Bird; 2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Ce que les critiques en disent

"The definitive biography...Oppenheimer's life doesn't influence us. It haunts us." ( Newsweek)
"[A] profoundly fascinating, richly complex, and ineffably sad American life.... Bird and Sherwin are without peer...in capturing the humanity of the man." ( Booklist)
"A work of voluminous scholarship and lucid insight, unifying its multifaceted portrait with a keen grasp of Oppenheimer's essential nature.... It succeeds in deeply fathoming his most damaging, self-contradictory behavior." ( New York Times)

Ce que les auditeurs disent de American Prometheus

Moyenne des évaluations de clients
Au global
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 étoiles
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    11
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Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • 1 étoile
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Histoire
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 étoiles
    42
  • 4 étoiles
    2
  • 3 étoiles
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  • 2 étoiles
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  • 1 étoile
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Filtrer
  • Au global
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Histoire
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Pip
  • 2023-04-27

Excellent book, poor sound editing

Both the book and the narration are excellent, but almost every line sounds like it was recorded on a different day from the last. This results in annoyingly inconsistent volume from line to line.

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4 les gens ont trouvé cela utile

  • Au global
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Histoire
    5 out of 5 stars

Audio inconsistencies really take away from this.

Great story. The Author is sympathetic to Oppy but does not pull punches on character flaws, peoples opinions of him, and the effect on his personal life. If you are looking for information on the Manhattan Project look elsewhere first. This is the biography of a man and knowledge of the historical events is a critical frame of reference but not the intent of the book.
 
Blackstone Audio needs to re-record this in its entirety. As I listened to this I wondered if they didn't initially record an abridged version and then, at the very last minute, ask the voice actor to record the omitted lines at home on his computer. I can't stress enough how jarring the differences are in the audio and voice acting quality between what I assumed to be the initial reading and the edits. The narrator himself on the base recording has done a fine job. Engaging and lively reading. The edits and corrections vary wildly in quality. There are times when name pronunciations have clearly been re-recorded outside of a studio and the single word edited in. I have several Blackstone Audio recordings in my library and this is the first time I've been able to notice edits and corrections. Very strange that this is still available in the condition it is in.

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1 personne a trouvé cela utile

  • Au global
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Histoire
    5 out of 5 stars

Phenomenal

One of the best reads I’ve ever read. Thorough, entertaining, well written: would love more like this. Books I mean, no world events

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1 personne a trouvé cela utile

  • Au global
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Histoire
    5 out of 5 stars

A profound and moving book

Superb! This book is large, but it never feels long. The title actually captures all of it, "triumph and tragedy". Mr. Oppenheimer's patriotism and competence in developing The Bomb, combined with his deep regret that it was ever used, all comes shining through. The travesty of his trials in the McCarthy era, with his enemies searching for Communist sympathizers, is epic. The family dramas are heart-wrenching. One of the best biographies I have ever read.

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1 personne a trouvé cela utile

  • Au global
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Histoire
    3 out of 5 stars

Alternate vantage point of mid 20th century histor

It is a remarkable account of the time if not a bit slow and repetitive. I love a good historical biography. It is a bit jarring how more it jumps around with asides in different time, making hard to keep track of the timeline.

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1 personne a trouvé cela utile

  • Au global
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Histoire
    2 out of 5 stars

Way too long

This book is interesting but the author goes into painfully excruciating detail time and again on the most irrelevant topics.

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1 personne a trouvé cela utile

  • Au global
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Histoire
    5 out of 5 stars

Great insight into a complicated person.

A great companion to the film. If you enjoyed the film, then read this book it was based on. Plus some interesting history of quantum physics. Highly recommended.

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  • Au global
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Histoire
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Book. Criminally Bad Sound Quality

Do yourself a favor.. buy the text version. Historian/Biographers Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherman were correctly awarded the Pulitzer Prize for this outstanding meticulously accurate biography of a genuinely fascinating historical figure. The authors follow a rigidly strict chronological structure (which often inteferes with efforts at interpretation), but incorporate perceptive observations & insightful conclusions - backed up by excerpts from interviews with colleagues/friends/rivals/lovers - yielding a solid understanding of the man's strengths and weaknesses.

Now for presentation: Despite impressions you may get from reviews, the narration performance by Jeff Cummings, himself, is actually quite commendable. His professional diction, timbre, pacing, and cadence are matched with a remarkably interested tone (given the length of the book and the relatively dry subject matter - including some cursory technical summaries of physics/mathematics principles, for example). Yes, Cummings takes injudicious deep breaths on occasion, but the overall reading is genuinely praiseworthy.
Unfortunately, Blackstone Audio Inc. sound engineers evidently don't even *try* to soundmatch re-recorded & spliced segments, sentences, and even single words. The lazily constructed audiobook consequently sounds "thrown together". This product either needs a serious remaster or another attempt at recording the book altogether (i.e., scrap this one).

I must confess that I have not seen the Christopher Nolan film based on this book.. but if it's faithful to it, it must be a great movie. Altogether, this book is likely too long - but rarely gets boring. It is an edifying profile of a near-legend in 20th-Century Physics/Academia & an exemplary AntiCommunist Show-Trial target. You absolutely should read this book.
Sadly, the unforgivably bad production values render this recording of it a mere 6.5 stars out of 10. As a 'Plus' option, it's serviceable, I suppose.. but spend your Credit on something else should they ask for one.






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  • Au global
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Histoire
    3 out of 5 stars

Good book. Not exactly what I expected.

Entertaining. Well told. Lots of detail. I didn’t realize the security clearance trials were such a profound part of his life. It was interesting but a tad tedious at times.

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  • Au global
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Histoire
    5 out of 5 stars

The greatest period piece surrounding the Atomic bomb

Dislikes: Too over detailed in non trivial topics and people.
Likes: Overall characterization of Robert Oppenheimer surrounding his life and the era piece on atomic warfare. Tensions between soviet Russia and America and the Mcarthy period within history.
Overall a classic must read

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