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The Bastard Brigade

The True Story of the Renegade Scientists and Spies Who Sabotaged the Nazi Atomic Bomb
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( 4,319 ratings, 500 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Bastard Brigade unveils the secretive Alsos Mission during World War IIβ€”a covert Allied effort to infiltrate and sabotage Axis scientific research, particularly the German atomic bomb programme. Combining espionage, sabotage, and scientific ingenuity, the story follows a daring team of soldiers, scientists, and spies, including a celebrated baseball player, working to prevent Hitler from acquiring nuclear weapons. Drawing on forgotten history, it blends thrilling spy drama with monumental scientific achievements like the Manhattan Project.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book suits readers fascinated by historical nonfiction that reads like a spy thriller, those interested in World War II, espionage, and the scientific race for atomic power.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean tells the incredible story of how a renegade group of spies kept Hitler from obtaining his ultimate prize: a nuclear bomb.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Scientists have always kept secrets. But rarely in history have scientific secrets been as vital as they were during World War II. In the midst of planning the Manhattan Project, the U.S. Office of Strategic Services created a secret offshoot - the Alsos Mission - meant to gather intelligence on and sabotage if necessary, scientific research by the Axis powers.

What resulted was a plot worthy of the finest thriller, full of spies, sabotage, and murder. At its heart was the 'Lightning A' team, a group of intrepid soldiers, scientists, and spies - and even a famed baseball player - who were given almost free rein to get themselves embedded within the German scientific community to stop the most terrifying threat of the war: Hitler acquiring an atomic bomb of his very own.

While the Manhattan Project and other feats of scientific genius continue to inspire us today, few people know about the international intrigue and double-dealing that accompanied those breakthroughs. The Bastard Brigade recounts this forgotten history, fusing a non-fiction spy thriller with some of the most incredible scientific ventures of all time.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

An exciting history of the battle for atomic supremacy during World War II, The Bastard Brigade delivers an engrossing cinematic drama that prioritises action and momentum over dense detail. Kirkus praises Sam Kean's approach for its consistent brio and thrilling narrative flow.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529374889

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 23 July 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Hodder Paperback

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 34.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 340g

Pages: 496

About the Author

Sam Kean is the New York Times bestselling author of Caesar's Last Breath, The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons, The Disappearing Spoon, and The Violinist's Thumb, all of which were also named Amazon top science books of the year. The Disappearing Spoon was a runner-up for the Royal Society of London's book of the year for 2010, and The Violinist's Thumb and The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons were nominated for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award in 2013 and 2015, as well as the AAAS/Subaru SB&F prize. His work has appeared in The Best American Nature and Science Writing, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, the New York Times Magazine, Psychology Today, Slate, Mental Floss, and other publications, and he has been featured on NPR's 'Radiolab,' 'All Things Considered,' and 'Fresh Air.'

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