--- product_id: 75906004 title: "American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Vintage)" price: "$60.00" currency: USD in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/75906004-american-prometheus-the-triumph-and-tragedy-of-j-robert-oppenheimer store_origin: US region: United States of America --- # American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Vintage) **Price:** $60.00 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Vintage) - **How much does it cost?** $60.00 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/75906004-american-prometheus-the-triumph-and-tragedy-of-j-robert-oppenheimer) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR NONFICTION • “The definitive biography" (Newsweek) 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.In this magisterial, acclaimed biography twenty-five years in the making, Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin capture Oppenheimer’s life and times, from his early career to his central role in the Cold War. This is biography and history at its finest, riveting and deeply informative.“A masterful account of Oppenheimer’s rise and fall, set in the context of the turbulent decades of America’s own transformation. It is a tour de force.” —Los Angeles Times Book Review Review: Excellent read - # American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin. # Triumph and Tragedy of Robert Oppenheimer. It's a kind of backward integration for me. I first watched the film Oppenheimer last year and that led me to the book. The movie is an adaptation of this book. The book gives granular details of what was shown in the film but the focus was more on the Manhattan Project. Obviously it's difficult to scope in all that is there in the book in about 3 hours. Considered as the Father of Atom bomb, Oppenheimer fell in the wrong books of President Truman as he opposed deploying atom bomb on Japan. The purpose of the bomb was to destroy Germany. But by the time it was ready, Germany surrendered and Hitler had committed suicide. Oppenheimer was against using it against Japan which was already defeated and ready to surrender. But Truman was determined to show America's might and strength. And there began the problems for Oppenheimer. Subsequently he also opposed the development of the Hydrogen bomb. And the witch hunt begins. Oppenheimer once was a member of the Communist Party but now had completely severed his links but that was enough for the Republican governments to indict and crucify Oppenheimer. He was stripped of all Government positions and security clearances withdrawn. He was holding a key position at Princeton University. US wanted to strip that as well but the scientific community led by Einstein protested strongly and the Government was unsuccessful. Oppenheimer's image was resurrected after the Democrat John F Kennedy was elected US President. Sadly even after Oppenheimer's death, his children continued to suffer. His son didn't use his second name to eke out living doing menial jobs and his daughter committed suicide as she could not secure jobs as security clearances were denied to her. It made for sad reading towards the end. An excellent book provided one has patience to read a 700 page tome in small size print. 5/5. Review: Great book delivered in excellent condition by desertcart - The book was delivered in outstanding, excellent, brand new and undamaged condition with strong & sturdy packaging. All thanks to desertcart for fast and quality delivery. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #463,224 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #1,082 in Biographies & Autobiographies (Books) #7,656 in World History (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 13,588 Reviews | ## Images ![American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Vintage) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81ozr-phoSL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent read *by S***I on 8 June 2024* # American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin. # Triumph and Tragedy of Robert Oppenheimer. It's a kind of backward integration for me. I first watched the film Oppenheimer last year and that led me to the book. The movie is an adaptation of this book. The book gives granular details of what was shown in the film but the focus was more on the Manhattan Project. Obviously it's difficult to scope in all that is there in the book in about 3 hours. Considered as the Father of Atom bomb, Oppenheimer fell in the wrong books of President Truman as he opposed deploying atom bomb on Japan. The purpose of the bomb was to destroy Germany. But by the time it was ready, Germany surrendered and Hitler had committed suicide. Oppenheimer was against using it against Japan which was already defeated and ready to surrender. But Truman was determined to show America's might and strength. And there began the problems for Oppenheimer. Subsequently he also opposed the development of the Hydrogen bomb. And the witch hunt begins. Oppenheimer once was a member of the Communist Party but now had completely severed his links but that was enough for the Republican governments to indict and crucify Oppenheimer. He was stripped of all Government positions and security clearances withdrawn. He was holding a key position at Princeton University. US wanted to strip that as well but the scientific community led by Einstein protested strongly and the Government was unsuccessful. Oppenheimer's image was resurrected after the Democrat John F Kennedy was elected US President. Sadly even after Oppenheimer's death, his children continued to suffer. His son didn't use his second name to eke out living doing menial jobs and his daughter committed suicide as she could not secure jobs as security clearances were denied to her. It made for sad reading towards the end. An excellent book provided one has patience to read a 700 page tome in small size print. 5/5. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great book delivered in excellent condition by Amazon *by A***R on 4 June 2026* The book was delivered in outstanding, excellent, brand new and undamaged condition with strong & sturdy packaging. All thanks to Amazon for fast and quality delivery. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ great read but long *by K***R on 28 August 2023* Expansive in scope and revealing in content A good read for people interested in that era . Could have been shorter But I guess wouldn’t have won the Pulitzer then ## Frequently Bought Together - American Prometheus: The Inspiration for the Major Motion Picture OPPENHEIMER - Einstein: His Life and Universe - Benjamin Franklin: An American Life --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.us/products/75906004-american-prometheus-the-triumph-and-tragedy-of-j-robert-oppenheimer](https://www.desertcart.us/products/75906004-american-prometheus-the-triumph-and-tragedy-of-j-robert-oppenheimer) --- *Product available on Desertcart United States of America* *Store origin: US* *Last updated: 2026-07-19*