PositiveFinancial Times (UK)Timely ... The strength of Atoms and Ashes lies in Plokhy’s ability to explain the technical aspects of the unfolding disasters while also exploring the role of human and organisational factors, as well as the political demands that created the imperatives to meet ambitious targets.
Gideon Rachman
PositiveThe Sunday Times (UK)... timely and somewhat bleak ... Rachman has been well placed to observe their rise and has often interviewed them or their close associates. He has a journalist’s eye for the telling quote combined with a sharp analysis of the factors that enabled them to achieve power and hold on to it.
Daniel Ellsberg
PositiveThe Financial TimesEllsberg’s attempt to make sense of this casual approach to mass death makes for a compelling narrative. He records his efforts to improve matters but is doubtful whether the risks are much less now than they were 50 years ago … Ellsberg’s message is that in the nuclear age nothing should be taken for granted. He wishes for the abolition of nuclear weapons, but his prescriptions stress measures to make them harder to launch, abandoning strategies that envisage first use and risk hair-trigger alerts.
