- Hardcover: 208 pages
- Publisher: Jonathan Cape; illustrated edition edition (9 Oct 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0224064517
- ISBN-13: 978-0224064514
- Product Dimensions: 27.5 x 2.7 x 34 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 326,271 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Book Description
An awesome collection of 100 previously classified photographs of nuclear tests conducted by the US between 1945 and 1962, with detailed captions and chronology of the development of the nuclear bomb.
Product Description
'100 Suns' refers to J. Robert Oppenheimer's response to the first Los Alamos test of the atomic bomb, at which he famously quoted a description from the Bhagavad Gita - 'a sun brighter than a thousand suns'. This extraordinary book photographically documents one hundred US nuclear detonations from the 215 declared atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by the US between July 1945 and November 1962. After that date the tests were carried out underground. Within that period a total of 1030 tests in total are known to have been executed. The atmospheric tests were conducted in the Nevada desert and on various islands in the Pacific. The book is divided between the desert and the ocean.
The photographs have been gathered by Michael Light, who previously collected the material from NASA for Full Moon, published by Jonathan Cape in the UK and worldwide for the millennium. He has drawn the material from the archives at Los Alamos and from the US National Archives in Maryland. This material was formerly classified but is now in the public domain. It includes photographs taken by the clandestine Lookout Mountain squad based in Hollywood, whose 250 producers, directors and cameramen together with thirty to forty still photographers were sworn to secrecy.
The photographs are presented with no embellishment. There is no introductory essay with the voice of a moral authority, but simply the presentation of the evidence. Each photograph is presented with the name of the test, its size in mega or kilotons, the date and the location. At the back of the book there are detailed captions, a chronology of the development of nuclear weapons, a list of the names of the declared 1030 tests, and an extensive bibliography.
One of the virtues of the book is its emphasis on data not on argument. Every reader will bring to the book their own imagination of the consequences and implications of such weaponry. The pictures are all taken at the moment of detonation, not during the aftermath. The pictures of explosions are accompanied by pictures of the witnesses - the onlookers from what has been described as the 'US imperial verandah'. Given the global political situation, the timing of the book's publication unfortunately could not be more apt.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
30 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Within the covers of this book Michael Light has collected official photographs from 100 of the 215 nuclear explosions set off in the atmosphere by the United States Government between 1945 and 1962: the point where they began carrying out tests underground. Shot entirely for scientific and archival purposes, perhaps the first thing to say about these photographs is that they have an absolutely staggering beauty. The notion of a fascinated child playing with fire springs to mind, along with the revulsion of what a thing of such beauty can do to a child's delicate skin. But even confined between the carefully designed pages of this book, regarded with a cognisance of the fact that the most recent was made more than forty years ago, their sheer force quickly gives reason to Oppenheimer’s famous quote from Hindu scripture: “I am become death, shatterer of worlds”. Oppenheimer, the polymath who alongside his scientific education found time to study Greek, Latin, French, German, Classics and Eastern philosophy, was apparently not quite the man for melodrama that those unfamiliar with direct sight of a nuclear blast might assume. Less than a month after he witnessed the detonation of the world’s first nuclear bomb in the New Mexico desert on 16th July 1945, as demonstrations of how the world had changed, two Japanese cities ceased to exist, and on 10th August 1945 the Japanese absolute surrender brought about the end of the World War that had accelerated the development of nuclear weaponry. But the nuclear genie could never be put back in the bottle.
Atom bombs it transpires all had names. Little Boy, the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, is described in the book as “ a crude gun-type uranium device”, which caused 201,468 casualties while only actually harnessing 1.3% of the atomic energy in its core. By 1952, seven years later and still twelve months prior to the death of Stalin, technology had marched significantly forward with the testing of a bomb cosily called Mike at Enewetak Atoll, bombs having now become too big to test on the American mainland. Mike, a 10.4 megaton, experimental liquid deuterium bomb, had an explosive force greater than the entire combined ordinance used in both the World Wars. Looking back now the word insanity creeps to mind. History continues to debate the point we came nearest to blowing ourselves from the planet; but the statistics remain terrifying.
In some ways 100 Suns might be said to stand before the world as evidence of the arrogance of the human race. Robert Oppenheimer would have approved of this. He opposed the development of the thermo-nuclear Hydrogen bomb, but at the instruction of President Truman continued working on the project. In assembling 100 Suns, Michael Light shows a considerable self discipline. The Bomb after all, in all it’s immensity, horror and beauty, encourages the utterance of rhetoric. In avoiding such opportunities as introductory essays Light, and editor Mark Holborn, have produced a very much more powerful message.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A wonderfully presented pictorial guide showing almost half of the American atmospheric atomic & h-bomb detonations, dividing tests between the continental USA and pacific proving grounds. It's a large book containing the photos and individual test descriptions, giving you a rare insight to the destructive power of man's most powerful deterent to date. The closing sections of the book gives a guide to each detonation featured plus a chronological history of US weapon invantory. If you think you have all the books on this subject and don't have this one, you're missing out!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I had to check this book out after I saw a 2hr documentary on the history channel about the A-Bomb. A great counterpart and in depth photographic look at the most powerful man-made destructive device on earth
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Facinating images
Some really great images in here - I particularly like the images taken using a high-speed camera a few microseconds after detonation. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Dr. J. Moores
Top eye candy with a difference!
The stars of the show are undoubtedly the Military photographers who produced the images in this book. Read more
Published on 21 Sep 2009 by Huckleberry Finn
"I am the Destroyer of Worlds"
...so said Robert Oppenheimer- who provides the name of this book, clipped from a description of the Trinity test explosion. Read more
Published on 20 May 2009 by Mr. Ryan J. Fitch
100 Suns - Disappointed
Having read and enjoyed Oppenheimer : American Prometheus, I was not sure what I expected from Michael Light's book "100 Suns". Read more
Published on 1 Jun 2008 by The Bookworm
The Greatest Firework Show on Earth
I found Michael Light's "100 Suns" purely by chance in the Tate Modern's art shop.
I almost bought it purely because of the fantastic, remarkable photos. Read more
I almost bought it purely because of the fantastic, remarkable photos. Read more
Published on 8 Sep 2004 by "rogmur"
Real, Scary Art.
I have flicked through this book a number of times and each time it makes me think about why these weapons were built. What are they for, really? Read more
Published on 10 May 2004 by Paul
Hidden Menace...
The casual observer of this book will see 100 images of above ground nuclear detonations. Some of the images are spectacular, some are technically poor. Read more
Published on 18 Oct 2003 by P. White
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