Nuclear weapons, the damascus accident, and the illusion of safety by eric schlosser 20, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Oct 15, 20 in his gripping new book command and control, eric schlosser shows that the united states has often relied on what he calls the illusion of safety when it comes to nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons outlast cold war local news for bismarck. The us nuclear arsenal is a gigantic accident waiting to. Eric schlosser is the author of the new york times bestsellers fast food nation and reefer madness. Nuclear weapons, the damascus accident, and the illusion of safety. Schlossers conclusions, on the other hand, are clear.
Eric schlossers command and control probes the safety. News deskthe growing dangers of the new nucleararms race the trump administrations push for more nuclear weapons is part of a perilous global drive to miniaturize and modernize devices that already promise annihilation. The oscarshortlisted documentary command and control, directed by robert kenner, finds its origins in eric schlossers book and continues to explore the littleknown history of the management and. In command and control, eric schlosser investigates the safety of stored nuclear warheads. Nuclear weapons, the damascus accident, and the illusion of safety is a 20 nonfiction book by eric schlosser about the history of nuclear weapons systems in the united states. For more on nuclear weapons from eric schlosser, you can find his. Its like a whole book about penicillin that only covers its side effects. Dec 23, 2016 eric schlosser on trumps tweets and nuclear war by john mecklin, december 23, 2016 as presidentelect trump tweeted in favor of expanding the us nuclear arsenal, eric schlosser explained why harsh nuclear rhetoric and insecurities in the american nuclear commandand control system pose a real danger of enabling armageddon. Oct 07, 20 every nucleartipped missile is an accident waiting to happen new history of nuclear weapons control and lack thereof cites national security archive documents on war plans, nuclear accidents, and command systems. After reading eric schlosser s command and control.
Sep 17, 20 command and control ebook written by eric schlosser. Aug 11, 2014 eric schlosser, author of fast food nation, spent six years researching americas nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons, the damascus incident, and the illusion of safety, i felt a sense of wonderment that mankind has survived the cold war and the nuclear age in general. Fast food nation 2001, reefer madness 2003, and command and control. The oscarshortlisted documentary command and control, directed by robert kenner, finds its origins in eric schlossers book and continues to explore the littleknown history of the management and safety concerns of americas nuclear aresenal. Nuclear weapons, the damascus accident, and the illusion of safety, which was a pulitzer prize finalist. Eric schlosser is the author of command and control. This scary new film shows why americans should be very. Well the accepted probability of a nuclear disaster according to eric schlosser, author of the book command and control. Eric schlosser was born on august 17, 1959 in new york city, new york, usa. Nuclear weapons, the damascus accident, and the illusion of safety selected as one of the new york times most notable books of 20.
Schlosser, who earned a pulitzer prize in 20 for his work, has written a forceful indictment of american nuclear. Eric schlossers command and control probes the safety of. None the less this was excellent and consumed it greedily. Dec 23, 2016 that also applies to the united states nuclear weapons.
Eric schlosser on trumps tweets and nuclear war by john mecklin, december 23, 2016 as presidentelect trump tweeted in favor of expanding the us nuclear arsenal, eric schlosser explained why harsh nuclear rhetoric and insecurities in the american nuclear commandand control system pose a real danger of enabling armageddon. The author takes the story of the 1980 accident in the missile launch complex 3747 in arkansas. Command and control, by eric schlosser the new york times. The subsequent book is based on interviews with those who ran americas nuclear enterprise from the bottom up, and on many thousands of pages of documents obtained through the freedom of information act. In military talk this sort of thing is known as a broken arrow, an accident involving nuclear weapons that falls short of causing risk of war, and schlossers book is about the several dozens of. Eric schlosser and the illusion of nuclear weapons safety eric schlosser and the illusion of nuclear weapons safety. Dec 23, 2016 eric schlosser on the lack of security surrounding nuclear weapons, the vulnerability of their safeguards, and the possibility of nuclear war with russia. Nuclear weapons, the damascus accident, and the illusion of safety eric schlosser read it in hardcover at an investment of 640 pages thick with it. He avoids the twin traps of falling into anti nuclear polemicism or of writing military techno porn and the resulting impeccable balance and avoidance of sharpening axes magnifies the books impact. Fast food nation author will return with book on nuclear. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Eric schlosser on nuclear weapons future of life institute. Apr 30, 2014 after reading eric schlossers command and control. Sep 15, 20 if we dont slash our nuclear arsenal, a major city is going to be destroyed author eric schlosser on americas terrifying history of atomic mishaps.
Eric schlosser moves from big macs to nuclear accidents. For anyone who thinks the end of the cold war lessened the danger of nuclear conflict, schlosser says, the opposite. His work has appeared in the atlantic monthly, rolling stone, the new yorker, vanity fair, and the nation. Schlosser relates tales of murphys law writ large, errors and random events that but for timely intervention, great ingenuity and courage, and a generous amount of pure luck might have detonated a nuclear weapon or even launched a nuclear war. Nuclear weapons, the damascus accident, and the illusion of safety, asked former secretary of defense william j.
A chilling, concise history of americas precarious nuclear arsenal. The book is primarily a book about the safety of nuclear weapons, the command and control system for us nuclear weapons and a detailed narrative of the disaster which destroyed a titan ii missile at site 3747 near damascus, arkansas in 1980. Sep 26, 20 in command and control, eric schlosser investigates the safety of stored nuclear warheads and lists incidents when disaster was narrowly averted, as in damascus, ark. Get the best of the new yorker in your inbox every day. Is the chance of a nuke war getting more likely every day. Command and control shows how cold war priorities, pervasive secrecy and public ignorance about the volatility of radioactive material have led to an false illusions of safety. Nuclear weapons, the damascus accident, and the illusion of safety ala notable books for adults kindle edition by schlosser, eric. As a filmmaker, schlosser was involved with two films that premiered at the 2016 tribeca film festival. Nov 04, 2015 todays nuclear dilemma in a paper just released by the bulletin of the atomic scientists entitled, todays nuclear dilemma, eric schlosser considers the possible consequences of a new nuclear arms race, which now appears to be underway. He is a producer and writer, known for there will be blood 2007, food, inc. Eric matthew schlosser born august 17, 1959 is an american journalist and author known for his investigative journalism, such as in his books fast food nation 2001, reefer madness 2003, and command and control. Browsing the book bin at costco is dangerous, especially when you walk out the door with a 640 page tomb. A new book explores the alarming threat of accidental nuclear detonations. The acclaimed investigative journalist eric schlosser brings the vietnam war into play several times in command and control.
Command and control by eric schlosser vietnam veterans. He has been married to shauna redford since october 5, 1985. Eric schlosser describes command and control as a cold war book told through the eyes of ordinary service people, not. Right now as we sit here, given your decades of public service in this realm, how. Eric schlossers superb account of nuclear nearmisses reveals the absurdity of the arms war, writes nick cohen skip to main content the guardian back to home. Incidents schlosser discusses in the book include the 1980 damascus titan missile explosion and the 1961 goldsboro b52 crash. Mentioning harrowing mishaps in the history of the american atomic arsenal, schlosser singles out one for detailed dramatization, the explosion in 1980 of a titan ii missile.
The us nuclear arsenal is a gigantic accident waiting to happen. In command and control, he details explosions, false attack alerts and accidentally dropped bombs. Unfortunately, the command and control of americas nuclear weapons has been far from 100% perfect, as investigative journalist eric schlosser points out in his latest book command and control. During the first minutes of the summit at santa fes historic lensic theater, eric schlosser, author of the book command and control. The documentarycommand and control, directed by robert kenner, finds its origins in eric. Sep 15, 20 you have to read eric schlossers brilliant, hairraising book on americas nuclear mishaps his sixyear investigation will scare the daylights out of you. If we dont slash our nuclear arsenal, a major city is going to be destroyed author eric schlosser on americas terrifying history of atomic mishaps. Command and control by eric schlosser vietnam veterans of. Nuclear weapons, the damascus accident, and the illusion of safety, eric schlosser, author of fast food nation, turns his formidable investigative talent on the cold war and americas development and deployment of nuclear weapons. Although the cold war is now more than 20 years over, the us still has an arsenal of 4,650 nuclear weapons, aimed at russia, china, north korea, syria and iran, with potential to swivel round at. Jan 06, 2015 in this excerpt from the event, command and control, eric schlosser, acclaimed investigative journalist, author and producer, uncovers the dangerous history of the management of nuclear weapons. Some airmen were killed and injured, but since the warhead didnt detonate, the safety system appeared to have worked. The oscarshortlisted documentary command and control, directed by robert kenner, finds its origins in eric schlosser s book and continues to explore the littleknown history of the management and safety concerns of americas nuclear aresenal. After the cold war ended, most of the world supported calls to reduce nuclear arsenals, and such a.
Oct 05, 2012 eric schlosser, the journalist and author of the bestselling fast food nation, has taken on the vexing issue of the control of nuclear weapons in a new book to be published by penguin press next year. Excerpt from eric schlossers terrifying book on nukes and a. Accounts of potential disasters, carefully reconstructed from the files and from interviews with old servicemen, punctuate schlossers grand narrative of the united states attempts to manage nuclear weapons. Eric schlosser is a playwright, filmmaker, and journalist best known for his investigative reporting. A mythshattering expose of americas nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons, the damascus accident and the illusion of. Sep 15, 20 as far as schlosser can tell, the american arsenal is safer than it used to be though some troubling weak spots remain, and since the end of the cold war we have stepped back from the nuclear brink.
The near misses are not a distraction from his account of high military strategy or an aside. The threat of nuclear weapons has never really disappeared. He avoids the twin traps of falling into antinuclear polemicism or of writing military techno porn and the resulting impeccable balance and avoidance of sharpening axes magnifies the books impact. Sep 26, 20 author eric schlosser and the cover of his book command and control. Eric schlosser s most popular book is fast food nation. Permissive action links and the threat of nuclear war. A mythshattering expose of americas nuclear weapons famed investigative journalist eric schlosser digs deep to. Eric schlosser on trumps tweets and nuclear war bulletin.
Every nucleartipped missile is an accident waiting to happen. Barnes and noble the lesson of this powerful and disturbing book is that the worlds nuclear arsenals are not as safe as they should be. Its critical reading in a nation with thousands of nukes still on hairtrigger alert. Nuclear weapons, the damascus incident and the illusion of safety is 1 in 1,000,000. Eric schlosser, the journalist and author of the bestselling fast food nation, has taken on the vexing issue of the control of nuclear weapons in a new book to be published by penguin press next. That incident, which led to an antinuclear movement in britain, where the plane was bound, is one of many stories eric schlosser, the author of fast food nation, tells in command and control. Eric schlosser, author of fast food nation, spent six years researching americas nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons, the damascus incident, and the illusion of safety penguin, 632 pp. Eric schlosser has 22 books on goodreads with 369637 ratings. Nuclear weapons, the damascus accident, and the illusion of safety, from 20, and a producer of the documentary command and control. Author eric schlosser and the cover of his book command and control. Eric schlosser has written a book which should be read by everybody.
Nuclear weapons, the damascus accident, and the illusion of safety ebook written by eric schlosser. In this excerpt from the event, command and control, eric schlosser, acclaimed investigative journalist, author and producer, uncovers the dangerous history of the management of nuclear weapons. Eric schlosser s hefty, 600pluspage command and control. Nuclear war is a very important topic and schlosser delivers a well researched entertaining history from the angle of nuclear weapon safety. Sep 19, 20 this freakish event is at the core of eric schlossers new book, command and control. His detailed history of our decadeslong flirtation with apocalypsea relentless reminder that. Fast food nation author will return with book on nuclear weapons eric schlosser describes command and control as a cold war book told through the eyes of. That also applies to the united states nuclear weapons.
Schlosser is the author of three bestselling nonfiction books. Fast food nation author will return with book on nuclear weapons. Oct 25, 20 in military talk this sort of thing is known as a broken arrow, an accident involving nuclear weapons that falls short of causing risk of war, and schlossers book is about the several dozens of. It would be impossible to fully replicate the depth of dread and disbelief that command and control eric schlosser s 20 book chronicling the air forces history of nuclear weapons mishaps. Aug 11, 2014 easily the most unsettling work of nonfiction ive ever read, schlossers sixyear investigation of americas broken arrows nuclear weapons mishaps is by and large historicalthis stuff is top secret, after allbut the book is beyond relevant. Schlosser is the author of the bestselling expose fast food nation, published in 2001. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read command and control. Published by penguin books i think this book qualifies as the best thriller i have ever read and its all true. Dec 15, 2014 schlosser hurriedly put aside studying space warfare in order to write an investigative piece about nuclear war. These stories, and many more, can be found in eric schlosser s command and control penguin, an excellent journalistic investigation of the efforts made since the first atomic bomb was exploded, outside alamogordo, new mexico, on july 16, 1945, to put some kind of harness on nuclear weaponry. Eric schlosser and the illusion of nuclear weapons safety. Nuclear weapons, the damascus accident and the illusion of safety.
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