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    Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon
    Unavailable
    Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon
    Unavailable
    Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon
    Audiobook7 hours

    Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon

    Written by Steve Sheinkin

    Narrated by Roy Samuelson

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned 3 continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb.

    Bomb     is a 2013 Newbery Honor, winner of the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction, Winner of the Robert F. Sibert Medal, and a National Book Awards finalist for Young People's Literature.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJan 8, 2013
    ISBN9780804122191
    Unavailable
    Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon
    Author

    Steve Sheinkin

    Steve Sheinkin is the acclaimed author of fast-paced, cinematic nonfiction histories, including Fallout, Undefeated, Born to Fly, The Port Chicago 50, and Bomb. His accolades include a Newbery Honor, three Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards, a Sibert Medal and Honor, and three National Book Award finalist honors. He lives in Saratoga Springs, New York, with his wife and two children.

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    Reviews for Bomb

    4.5/5

    331 ratings51 reviews

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    • 5/5
      When I decided to read this book, I knew the outcome; we dropped two bombs on Japan forcing them to sign the peace treaty, but wow, I was glued to every page. No one could be trusted, everything was cloak and dagger and this was no James Bond movie. War is hell. Be sure to read the afterward. You won't believe how many WMD's that are out there and how many countries possess them, yet the book did not leave me with a gloom and doom feeling. Sheniken is a master of historic fiction.
    • 5/5
      Excellent non-fiction book about the race with Germany and Russia to build the world's first atomic bomb. Great details and the Manhattan Project and the people involved in bringing our world into the nuclear age. Shows how top secret it was and how spies were trying to get information for their countries. Also shows us that this changed our world forever. Excellent read if you like history and details about huge events in the history of mankind.
    • 5/5
      Excellent story of the building of the bomb during WWII and the host of spies surrounding the development. Well written devoid of prejudices that could easily slip into such a telling. The best of the three I have read from this author.
    • 3/5
      A World War II history buff would love this book. Since it was required reading for me, I did not enjoy it as much. Non-fiction is not my cup of tea, but this would be a good choice for students learning about the atomic bomb.
    • 4/5
      Excellent compilation of several worlds involved in the formation of the first atomic bomb: the scientific world, the political world and the world war, the world of spycraft, and the various teams involved in creating, testing, and taking the bombs to Japan. Great writing; fast paced for young people.
    • 5/5
      Fast paced. Reads like a spy thriller. Indeed there are spies before, after and during the war trying to get the secrets of nuclear reactions. Spellbinding non-fiction
    • 4/5
      Bomb by Steve Sheinkin is a non-fiction book about the making of the atomic bomb. It takes place during World War 2 and has all of the excitement of an adventure book. My favorite part of this book was all of the espionage. It is crazy to think that this story is true. It is an important story to tell because whoever won the race to build the atomic bomb would most certainly win the war. Thank goodness we won!
    • 5/5
      Steve Sheinkin is a master at writing engaging non-fiction. Although many of his books are published and promoted for the Young Adult market, they are perfect choices for adults who enjoy a narrative approach rather than an academic approach to non-fiction. In Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon, Sheinkin weaves three storylines together. After the discovery of nuclear fission in the 1930s, physicists became aware that weapons of immense destruction could be built. As World War II heated up, the race to build an atomic bomb took on new importance to both Germany and the Allies, with both sides realizing the danger of letting the enemy complete production first. The Americans, working in cooperation with the British, assembled working groups of leading scientists and also sent teams of saboteurs deep into Norway to slow Germany's production efforts. Although allied with the Soviet Union, Roosevelt and Churchill refuse to share information on the bomb with Stalin, leading to extensive, and ultimately successful, efforts to steal the technical details of the bomb. All three threads kept me eager to turn the page. The science was fascinating, rather than overwhelming. Although the intense work of the Manhattan Project scientists is to be admired, the book does not glorify the use of atomic weapons, but ends with sobering thoughts on how their work affected them personally as well as the next several decades of U.S. history.
    • 5/5
      5Q, 5P, non-fiction, siebert award, atomic bomb, sheinkin, M - YA: This is the story of the global race to build the world's most perfect weapon. It is an amazing patchwork of spies, scientists, politicians, military leaders and everyday heros that keeps the reader enthralled and guessing despite a general awareness of the final conclusion. All individuals involved are made multi-dimensional and empathetic (well, maybe not Stalin). Sheinkin is a master of historical detail and dialogue. Bomb is one of the best books I have read in a long time. The chapters are perfectly paced to keep a younger reader engaged and lyrical enough to appeal to an older reader.It is already a hit with my middle school students, especially those who like military thrillers.
    • 3/5
      Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon is a historical account of the building and effects of the world's first atomic bomb, which was built in the United States during World War II. The story follows the Manhattan Project, Soviet spies in America, and how the nuclear war began. The novel includes actual quotes from the people involved from Presidents Roosevelt and Truman to top officials in the Military, and spies from both sides. This text was quite interesting. Since it is a historical text, it isn't the most fun thing to read. However, i did end up getting attached to some of the characters. The way that the story is set up, piecing different story lines together through out the entirety of the book was kind of confusing and hard to keep up with.
    • 5/5
      This is a great book that is very informational. It would be a great history book because it tells about many facts about how the atomic bomb was created and who was the first country to use the atomic bomb. This book also provides many facts of individuals and tells about how the bomb was important in their lives.
    • 5/5
      Spies, bombs, war, racing to be the first. Told in a narrative style that makes you want to keep reading.
    • 5/5
      5Q, 5P. This book takes an already-engaging subject and makes it even more accessible by deftly painting character studies of the principal actors and explaining the complex science behind nuclear bombs in a way that's easy to understand. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in science and history! The narrative jumps around a bit in time, but is never hard to follow: in fact, this is used to enhance the experience, as in the account of Gold's collaring by the feds which bookends the story. I listened to this as an audiobook and found the narration decent, though without quite the warmth of a George Guidell.
    • 5/5
      During World War II, one of the most decisive battles was fought, not on a battlefield, but in a laboratory. The race to build the atomic bomb was on, and pretty much all of the world's top physicists were working on the problem in one way or another, for one major power or another. In Los Alamos, New Mexico, scientists from the Manhattan Project, headed up by Robert Oppenheimer, worked tirelessly to build and test the American bomb -- but a few of them were also leaking secrets to the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, American spies worked hard to sabotage Germany's nuclear efforts, despite not knowing exactly what German scientists knew, or even where they were.This is an amazingly gripping and readable work of nonfiction. The pacing is excellent as the author switches from one story to another, and he does a great job of making the historical figures come alive without sacrificing historical accuracy. And his brief summation of the Cold War and the development of more powerful weapons at the end of the book is quite chilling. I listened to the audiobook and found myself completely captivated by it. I'd recommend this title for its intended audience (ages 9-14), but also for adults like myself, with an interest but not a lot of knowledge on the topic of the Manhattan Project and the creation of the first nuclear weapons.
    • 3/5
      [BOMB] by [Steve Sheinkin] is the story of the development of the atomic bomb during World War II. It is broken into readable chunks and although it is very information heavy it is still interesting. As a YA nonfiction novel it is ok. The topic itself lends itself to being a little dry.
    • 5/5
      This was a great story about the development of the atomic bomb. It was a sweet spot of being incredibly informative and enjoyable by kids ranging from 6 to 46. I consumed it as an audiobook during a long drive with the kids. It kept all of us entertained and informed.
    • 4/5
      This was a very complex subject,but Mr. Sheinkin deserves every accoldade this book has received. It is written in a manner that is easy to understand and enjoyable to read.It is definietly thought provoking.It is a great history lesson and given recent world conflicts it is a lesson we need to hear yet again.
    • 3/5
      There was nothing remarkable about this story but it was informative.
    • 5/5
      I was hooked from the first word of the first chapter. It reads like a spy novel, but with incredible facts and interviews that strengthen the story to an ultimate mix of war and espionage. Sheinkin did an amazing job of incorporating fact without bogging the exciting action story down. Not only do we get to clear about building the atomic bomb but also the spy and espionage happening all over the world to further the Manhattan Project. I love love loved it!
    • 4/5
      A well written collection of stories of the making of the atomic bomb for young adults - from the early science, to the espionage, to the uncovering of the spies and their punishments. I remember enjoying the "You are there at the..." series of historical novels written for the younger reader. This history captured a bit of that pleasure for me with all the researched quotes and details in the stories. There is much told here that I had not been aware of before. Some of the details are amusing, others tragic. There is an anecdote about Robert Oppenheimer as a Berkeley student leaving his date parked in his car. He excuses himself for a short walk. After a long wait his date waves down a police car and they start a missing person search until they find him at home in bed! He had got lost in thought and walked home and went to sleep. What a goof ball!

      As I said I really enjoyed having read this book. The story ends after describing the world situation we are now living in - the arms race has left us with still too many nuclear weapons and no real solution to avoid international terrorism or war.
    • 5/5
      5Q 4PSteve Sheinkin brings readers an exciting yet true and informative spy novel about the race to build the world's deadliest weapon - the atomic bomb. This fast-paced non-fiction book reads like fiction and provides the history behind each of key players that had a hand in creating, planning, and building the atomic bomb. The roles of the various scientists, leaders, and spies are weaved together to bring together the story of World War II and the outcome of each individual's role in history. Sheinkin gives readers another way of reading history - in a way that is unforgettable and to some, an easier way to comprehend and remember history. This books was exciting and I didn't want to put it down even though I knew the outcome of the story.
    • 5/5
      I am so excited about this book. I have been looking and looking for excellent narrative nonfiction history books for so long. I saw Steve Sheinkin speak at the Children's Literature conference at WWU and was so excited to hear about how he wants to tell the stories of history--not just the dull facts in textbooks. This book makes history interesting and reads as an adventure story. I also love that it focuses on different characters of World War II, and a topic that isn't often touched upon. Great read.
    • 5/5
      This historical fiction gives a reader some prospectives about the WWII, about risk taking, spying and a race against other countries to develop a nuclear bomb. It is for those who is interested in either history or science (physics).
    • 5/5
      This informational book by Steve Sheinkin chronicles the evolution of the atomic bomb, from the discovery of fission to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This book is expertly written in a way that will keep you on the edge of your seat. In addition, it raises important questions and wonderings about the implications of these powerful weapons. In a classroom, this would be an excellent alternative to a textbook about WWII. It is factual, and written in a way that is very engaging. With additional texts it could make a comprehensive history unit. Additionally, the book provides many points of view and would lead perfectly to discussions about war, democracy, and morality. This book would be a fantastic addition to any classroom.
    • 4/5
      Good book, great narrator. Not really any new data... there were some tidbits about Los Alamos that maybe haven't been in another book, but nothing stellar exposed. The cool thing about this book is its presentation of the info - stories of the creation of Los Alamos, the spies that stole information, and various other tidbits, were niced woven together to make an easy to follow book. It was also interesting to learn how communism and socialism were more a common day occurrences - nowadays we don't hear much about those parties as a USA thing but in the early 1900s those were common parties I guess, and people actually didn't think it "bad" to be part of the communist party.
    • 4/5
      45. Bomb: The Race to Build--And Steal--The World's Most Dangerous Weapon (Audio Book) by Steve Sheinkin, narrated by Roy Samuelson (2012, 266 pages in paper format, listened to Sep 30 - Oct 4)Another audio book. This is a winner of the Newberry Honor and other children's books awards, as well and a National Book Award finalist, which left me wondering what to expect. It was thoroughly entertaining. The story of making of atomic bomb almost as a thriller. Sheinkin did a great job of making this a story, and of capturing characters, especially Robert Oppenheimer, but of so many others, even Mo Berg, a second rate baseball player hired as a hitman to assassinate a leading German physicists. The clueless Berg somehow correctly concluded the German wasn't close to making an atomic bomb. I was happy to have Richard Feynman brought life in an inspiring way. At then end Sheinkin makes an effort at looking at the consequences of this episode, and it's sad and then scary...and there is the question of, well, the reality was the Germans were never close to making an atomic bomb, so it wasn't necessary (The reaction of the German physicists to news of the bomb was a fascinating piece. They were so relieved not to have invented the bomb themselves!) But all-in-all Sheinkin doesn't spend much time on the big after story. His story is done.
    • 5/5
      Once it was discovered that huge power could be released by fissioning uranium atoms, it was only a question of time. Whichever power developed a bomb first would win the war. The cook is a detailed history of the Manhattan project, the scientists and politicians, and the spies who wanted the information for the Soviet Union.
    • 5/5
      Once it was discovered that huge power could be released by fissioning uranium atoms, it was only a question of time. Whichever power developed a bomb first would win the war. The cook is a detailed history of the Manhattan project, the scientists and politicians, and the spies who wanted the information for the Soviet Union.
    • 5/5
      It is refreshing to read a historical account that is suspenseful, terrifying and thought-provoking. History is full of drama and the development of the A-bomb, and later the H-bomb, is full of moral, ethical, and philosophical questions. Sheinkin delivers the tale in a forthright manner that is full of danger, espionage, and the patriotic fervor that influences many turning points in wartime. Once you start it you won't want to put it down.
    • 3/5
      This book follows three different historical events; US development of the atom bomb, US sabotage of the German atom bomb program and the Soviet spy program that gave them the US atom bomb. The book includes a laundry list of sources and some pictures but it's best trait by far is the sense of immediacy that lead me to feel paranoia, anxiety and horror over the course of the novel. The use of direct quotes and first hand accounts allowed the reader to feel more connected to the work, and descriptions of actions and feelings allowed the reader to feel the horror, etc. The language and pace gave it a sense of suspense and immediacy that can sometimes be lacking in nonfiction.