Book · 2024 · Biography & Autobiography
American Prometheus
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The book on which the movie Oppenheimer was based.
Neil deGrasse Tyson · StarTalk Radio · Sep 2023 Listen at 1:36 What they say about it
- Movie basis“the book on which the movie Oppenheimer was based”2
- Reading the book“I read the book American Prometheus”2
The best things said about it
I read the book American Prometheus.
David and I brought Chuck a book called American Prometheus and said, "Do you think you can call your associate and friend Chris Nolan, see if you can get him interested in this project that we've been trying to get off the ground for 5 years?
You know my biography of Oppenheimer I did with a co-author who alas is no longer with us Martin J Sherwin and Marty spent 25 years on this biography.
Where and when it comes up
Most mentions, by podcast
4 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin is a Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer that details the triumphs and tragedies of the physicist who led the Manhattan Project. The book serves as the literary foundation for Christopher Nolan's acclaimed film Oppenheimer. On The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast, Niall Ferguson mentioned reading the biography rather than watching the movie, expressing a strong preference for books. Neil deGrasse Tyson enthusiastically plugged the biography on StarTalk Radio, welcoming co-author Kai Bird to discuss the massive twenty-five-year effort required to research and write it. James Woods recounted on The Megyn Kelly Show how he and David Wargo originally brought the biography to producer Chuck Roven to pitch a cinematic adaptation to Christopher Nolan, initiating the project that eventually reached the big screen. Throughout these podcast discussions, commentators and creators alike celebrated the meticulous historical depth of the text, emphasizing its unique role in bringing the complex legacy of the father of the atomic bomb to contemporary audiences through both the written page and major cinema.
Every mention
Neil deGrasse Tyson He's the author of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of Jay Robert Oppenheimer, on which Christo… 3
“He's the author of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of Jay Robert Oppenheimer, on which Christopher Nolan's hit movie Oppenheimer is based.”
“He is the biographer of J. Robert Oppenheimer, with a book that appeared back in 2005 called American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer. And you know why we're talking about that: because that's the book on which the movie Oppenheimer was based.”
“let me remind people uh Kai bird along with uh the late Martin Sherwin is author of American Prometheus the Triumph and tragedy of J Robert Oppenheimer came out in 2005 won a pol surprise on which the recent Christopher Nolan film Oppenheimer is based”
Niall Ferguson I haven't watched the movie but I read the the book American Prometheus I I prefer books to movies and the… 2
“I haven't watched the movie but I read the the book American Prometheus I I prefer books to movies and the book”
“I should be clear: I haven't watched the movie, but I read the book American Prometheus.”
James Woods David and I brought Chuck a book called American Prometheus and said do you think you can call your associa… 2
“David and I brought Chuck a book called American Prometheus and said do you think you can call your associate and friend uh Chris Nolan see if you could get him interested in this project”
“David and I brought Chuck a book called American Prometheus and said, "Do you think you can call your associate and friend uh Chris Nolan, see if you can get him interested in this project that we've been trying to get off the ground for 5 years?"”
Kai Bird you know my biography of Oppenheimer I did with a co-author who alas is no longer with us Martin J Sherwin… 1
“you know my biography of Oppenheimer I did with a co-author who alas is no longer with us Martin J Sherwin and Marty spent 25 years on this biography he only brought me aboard in the year 2000 and it took us another five years nevertheless to produce the book”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (3: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Kai Bird is also interesting because he was the co-author of American Prometheus. It was the Pulitzer winning biography that eventually got adapted into the movie Oppenheimer”
“he's the author of American Prometheus the Triumph and tragedy of Jay Robert Oppenheimer on which Christopher Nolan's hit movie Oppenheimer is based”
“today we're gonna have a special edition featuring my exclusive conversation with Kai bird who is Kai bird the biographer of J Robert Oppenheimer in a book that appeared by back in 2005 called American Prometheus the Triumph and Tra tragedy of J Robert Oppenheimer”