Audiobook Review & Giveaway: BOMB: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin

You all know that I love to do “firsts” here on Kindles & Wine—well, today I have the honor of reviewing our first ever YA nonfiction title! This isn’t a genre you typically hear much about, but I’m hoping to change that with this review.

Laura‘s Review

I know, I know, it’s the start of summer vacation and here I am reviewing a history book about the atomic bomb, for heaven’s sake! Do I know beach reading or what? But seriously, stay with me, because I hope to convince you to pick this one up sooner rather than later. (And, if you have kids ages 10 and up, summer might be a fun time to give this one a listen while you’re in the car on the way to and from the pool! There are tons of online resources and discussion guides for making it an awesome learning experience. And it’s always good to keep the learning going in the summer, right?)

Anyway, like most people, I knew the broad strokes of the development of the atomic bombs that the United States dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, ending World War II. My interest in the topic greatly increased after moving to New Mexico, however, since much of the development and testing of the bombs took place in this state. I was looking for a good nonfiction overview of the topic when I came across this gem of a book.

This is EXACTLY what I’m looking for in an introductory book on a historical topic. Sheinkin (who used to write history textbooks, by the way, but let’s not hold that against him) gives enough detail without going overboard and presents facts in a clear and chronological way. The book reads like a spy thriller at times, and he keeps the interest up by focusing a lot on the people who were involved. I loved how he integrated first-person accounts and quotations into the story, making it feel more like a story and less like a history textbook.

The awesome part about a book like this is that it can stand alone or it can be a jumping off point for learning more about the subject. For example, if you find yourself drawn to the more scientific parts of the book, perhaps a biography of Oppenheimer would be right for you. Or if you are interested in the ethical aspects, you could pick up a book on the ethics of dropping the bomb. Or if you were interested in the Norwegian resistance, or the people who were punished for being spies for the Soviet Union, or…etc. Without a good background like this, though, it’s hard to know where to start on such a big topic. Personally, I know that I wouldn’t want to read a 500-page book on atomic fission, but I loved the chapter on it in this book.

This book is marketed as “young adult” nonfiction. Which begs the questions: “Is it too simple? Will I be bored because it’s for kids?” No and no. As a college-educated person with quite a few history classes under my belt, I can confidently say that I learned a LOT from this book. No, it isn’t unnecessarily complicated or pretentious, and sometimes things are a bit simplified for the younger audience. But at no time did I feel like I was being “talked down to” or that things were TOO simplified—I think he did a good job presenting the facts evenhandedly in a way that didn’t make the war out to be good guys vs bad guys. I also for the first time got a good idea of the moral dilemma facing the scientists who developed the bomb and also the rationale behind why someone might have been tempted to steal secrets for the Soviet Union.

I just cannot praise this book highly enough. It’s especially wonderful on audio, as I was really impressed with the narrator, Roy Samuelson. I listened to this book every spare moment (even while running, which is a first for me!). I really admire what Sheinkin is doing to make history interesting and accessible to a younger audience. (I’m such a fan that I’m already in the middle of listening to another book by him, The Port Chicago 50.)

Very highly recommended, especially for somewhat reluctant nonfiction readers. This time in history is still so important to what is going on in the world today that I think it’s something everyone should read.

Rating: A

Wine/Beverage Pairing: A Manhattan (whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters, topped with a Maraschino cherry), in honor of The Manhattan Project, the government’s code name for the bomb-building mission.

More Titles By Steve Sheinkin

The Port Chicago 50
(2014 National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature; 2014 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction)

Lincoln’s Grave Robbers
(2015 Washington State Sasquatch Award Nominee; 2014 Camellia Award Nominee for Grades 6–8 Nonfiction)

Bomb Giveaway

I am giving away a Kindle copy of Bomb to ONE lucky Kindles & Wine reader.

To enter for your chance to win, you must:

1. Be a follower of our blog (click HERE to subscribe), AND…
2. Hit the comments and tell me about an event in history that you would like to learn more about. Have you considered reading a book about it?
   

Please note: All entrants must review and adhere to our official giveaway policy. This contest will close on Sunday, June 14, 2015 at 11:59 PM (CDT) and the winner will be notified via email on Monday, June 15.