Atomic Adventures: Secret Islands, Forgotten N-Rays, and Isotopic Murder: A Journey into the Wild World of Nuclear Science

Although the atomic craze peaked in the mid-20th century, the topic continues to fascinate, and Mahaffey (Atomic Accidents) has tapped into the excitement. A former government scientist and researcher, he provides a practitioner's view of subjects such as the search for cold fusion and the dangers of unshielded radioactive elements. The tone is casual and even funny at times. However, this book assumes a high tolerance for technical details and an above-average familiarity with the development of nuclear weapons in the United States during World War II. The different types of fusion are examined in excruciating detail, but other aspects, such as the Manhattan Project, are glossed over. The purpose of the footnotes is unclear, since they frequently undermine the narrative with contradictory information or snark. Readers less familiar with some of these themes but who want to learn more about the making of atom bombs in the United States would be better served by Denise Kiernan's The Girls of Atomic City.