In the long years and global reach of World War 2, there seems to be no limit to great stories and brave exploits. Sam Kean's new book tells the story of a loosely assembled team of spies and scientists whose goal was to prevent Hitler's Germany from developing a nuclear bomb. Kean's account includes the personal stories and the developing plot that involved famous Americans such as baseball player Mo Berg and Joseph Kennedy, Jr., as well as Nobel-winning scientists on both sides of the conflict.



Kean brings the events alive, placing the events into the larger picture of what's going on in the war. For obvious reasons, these exploits were little known during the war, and, in some cases, for many years after. I found his accounts of the relationships among the scientists to be particularly interesting. In the close-knit community of physics, all of these scientists knew each other. As the field transformed from an eccentric specialty to playing a central role in a global war, their relationships with each other and with their research interests were strained.



Reading about the espionage element, including raids, sabotage, theft, and general sneaking around, I was reminded that these people are merely human, and Murphy's Law rules. There were so many close calls, bungled projects, and miscommunications, that it's a wonder the Allies came out on top. That also tells me the Axis powers were probably subject to a similar level of chaos.



Kean is one of those writers of history who finds great stories, thoroughly digs into the stories, and puts the stories together in a captivating, readable format. Who says history is boring? Kean shows quite the opposite.





Thanks to NetGalley for the complimentary electronic review copy!

Are you looking for a read that promises, intrigue, dashing heroes, derring-do galore, plus a dash of science? Well then, just settle yourself down, pick up The Bastard Brigade and join with Sam Kean as he finally writes a book on physics!

After opening with Boris Pash leading an Alsos team to capture a scientist in France during the Summer of 1944, Sam Kean returns to the 1930s and starts introducing characters such as Moe Berg, a major league catcher who also managed to become an accomplished spy, White Russian Boris Pash who started out as a teacher at the Hollywood High School, an all-star cast of scientists of many nationalities, and other bit players in this high-stakes drama. Kean then walks the reader through the formation of Germany's Uranium Club, the growing awareness among the Allies that Germany was trying to create nuclear fission, followed by the urgent need to stop that from happening. Thus was born the Manhattan Project, the Alsos teams with Boris Pash, and several OSS ventures starring Moe Berg and many others agents. And he manages all this in just 60 short chapters.

In The Bastard Brigade, Sam Kean has produced a very readable popular history of the struggle to stop the Nazi Atomic Bomb from ever occurring. As in other books he has written, he provides lists of sources, but not direct citations which limits the use of this title by scholars and students, but perfect for public libraries.

This is the best kind of history book -- exciting true events that I previously didn't know anything about! I have read other books by this author, and each one has been worthy of the highest praise. I am going to seek out other books by Sam Kean so that I can read them all! And I will continue to recommend his books to everyone who enjoys nonfiction.

Magnificent book on the crossroads of science and history

There are the occasional science/history books, that when I reach the end, I go, "Oh no, I want more." The Bastard Brigade is one of those books. I loved it. Sam Kean is a wonderful science writer and this book is exactly what I expect in great science writing: lots of biographical and historical content, well-explained science, and a good sense of humor. Considering the subject matter, the fact that Kean can use humor attests to his skills as a writer. Kudos also to Kevin Cannon for his excellent illustrations. The on-line notes and photographs are another bonus and are worth a look.
This book is a must read for everyone interested in history, regardless of their science background.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.

Thank you NET GALLEY for my copy

Great book of TRUE HEROES and events that have already been forgotten. From Madame Curie to the "strangest man to ever play baseball" this author keeps it simple on the physics and goes deep into the supporting cast. Wonderful writing.

The Bastard Brigade: The True Story of the Plot to Stop the Nazi Atomic Bomb was a surprise in a number of ways. In spite of my interest in WWII, I wasn't sure if this one would be a winner for me. There is some physics involved, which made me a bit leery, but Sam Kean keeps it simple even for the layman, and the oddball (and totally real) characters involved are fascinating examples of all the strengths and flaws human beings can exhibit.

from description: From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes the gripping, untold story of a renegade group of scientists and spies determined to keep Adolf Hitler from obtaining the ultimate prize: a nuclear bomb.

Some of the information was already familiar to me because I've read a lot of WWII nonfiction, but not in the same detail.

I knew about the attempts to sabotage the Venmorck Heavy Water facility in Norway to prevent the Germans from gaining access to heavy water for nuclear experiments, but not how many on died on the original British attempt or any details about Operation Grouse and the unbelievable hardships of the Norwegian team.

I knew about Marie Curie, but not that she was asked not to attend the ceremony for her second Nobel Prize for moral reasons--because after the death of her husband, she was having an affair with a married scientist. She attended anyway.

And I had no idea about her daughter Irene Joliot-Curie and her husband Frederick Joliot-Curie's experiments, their connection to heavy water, and Frederick's work with the Resistance.

I knew about Moe Berg, the baseball catcher turned spy, but not about the details of his career and that during baseball's off seasons, he attended the Sorbonne and graduated from Princeton and Columbia Law School. Casey Stengel called him "the strangest man ever to play baseball."

I knew almost nothing about the scientists involved other than the most famous names, but all of these men and women came alive as real people, not just historical footnotes.

Although I had some quibbles about the author insertions in parentheticals or italics, the book was easy to read, fascinating, and informative. Many missions failed or missed, and the book doesn't present any of these individuals as comic book heroes or paragons, many of them had no background in clandestine activities and were eccentric in one way or another, but each one played a vital role in helping prevent Germany achieving nuclear power.

Read in May. Blog review scheduled for June 23.

NetGalley/Little, Brown, & Co
Nonfiction/WWII. July 9, 2019. Print length: 464 pages.