Command the Morning

by Pearl S. Buck

Man and the Atom!

Command the Morning is a story of love and determination and hope, involving the most important topic of our time.

It is above all a story of men and women—of scientists pursuuing an idea that could benefit all mankind; of generals diverting the emphasis to the destruction of the enemy; of wives suddenly alone and unnoticed in the frenzied struggle to succeed.

Command the Morning tells the moving human story behind the headlines and historic drama of the atom bomb. It catches the excitment of man's dream of harnassing a power as great as the sun itself, and it surges ahead to the momentous day that ended a war and plunged mankind into a frightening new era.

Genres: Fiction, American, Historical Fiction, War

238 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Pearl Comfort Sydenstricker Buck was an American writer and novelist. She is best known for The Good Earth, the best-selling novel in the United States in 1931 and 1932 and which won her the Pulitzer Prize in 1932. In 1938, Buck became the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature "for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China" and for her "masterpieces", two memoir-biographies of her missionary parents.
Buck was born in West Virginia, but in October 1892, her parents took their 4-month-old baby to China. As the daughter of missionaries and later as a missionary herself, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in Zhenjiang, with her parents, and in Nanjing, with her first husband. She and her parents spent their summers in a villa in Kuling, Mount Lu, Jiujiang, and it was during this annual pilgrimage that the young girl decided to become a writer. She graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia, then returned to China. From 1914 to 1932, after marrying John Lossing Buck she served as a Presbyterian missionary, but she came to doubt the need for foreign missions. Her views became controversial during the Fundamentalist–Modernist controversy, leading to her resignation. After returning to the United States in 1935, she married the publisher Richard J. Walsh and continued writing prolifically. She became an activist and prominent advocate of the rights of women and racial equality, and wrote widely on Chinese and Asian cultures, becoming particularly well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption.

Reviews

[Owen Hatherley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weirdly horny romance novel about the Manhattan Project. Basically drivel, and there is no point where I believed that anyone involved spoke even remotely like these ham characters, but a really fascinating snapshot of middlebrow America in the fifties, and of what it had on its collective mind, nonetheless.

[Pete · Rating 1 out of 5]

Command in the Morning is a fictionalized account of the making of the atomic bomb. I find that episode to be one of the most fascinating in US history, so I was really looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. The dialog was incredibly contrived, sometimes laughingly so. The characters were all chauvinistic, which may have been a sign of the times, but it still made it difficult to stomach. I would not have finished the book, but I enjoyed the subject.

[Benjamin Hahs · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book disintegrated while I was reading it - fitting end for a book where half reads like a physics 101 textbook, and the other half a diatribe against women being scientists.

[Meri · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something inevitably poignant about the ending. The atomic bomb was meant to be the end of war. And here we are, still at war. Burt wants to forget, Yasuo says he won't. Pearl.S Buck observes humans with language so naked yet vivid it hurts. Not a passionate hurt but a quiet hurt. I wish she were alive today; I would have liked to ask so many questions.

[Jessica DeWitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is first and foremost a analysis of gender politics. Although definitely of its time, Buck subtlety brings gender performativity and the complications of attraction to the surface of a story that is otherwise about science and war and the existentialities that come with both these topics. As someone who has worked in a primarily male field, I didn't find Jane's character unrealistic at all. I've been her. Men falling in love with the women near them is a thing that happens. Having to deal with this attention while maintaining one's career, keeping your own feelings in check, and looking out for one's self is a real thing. People being unhappy in marriages is real thing. The characters may be largely unlikeable, but they are also very familiar. They are human. Clearly these gender aspects were my favourite part of the book, but the rest of the story is good too. I can't think of anything else that I'd want from a fiction story based on the topic of the development of the atomic bomb.

[Mady · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about the creation of the atomic bomb after scientist found out how to use the atomic energy, in the beginning of 2nd World War.
However, scientists are divided between researching about something that can be a big source of energy and contributing to make a bomb whose ability to destruction they have no idea about.

[Sondra · Rating 5 out of 5]

The year is 1944. World War II is nearing an end, with all major combatants having either withdrawn or surrendered, and Japan the only holdout. A group of American scientists, having succeeded in splitting the atom, is charged with the task of producing the world’s first atomic bomb, in the hope of using the threat of massive annihilation to convince the Japanese to surrender. Time is of the essence, since Nazi Germany is also involved in the quest for the first atomic bomb, and, it is feared, if Germany gets there first, the results will be disastrous.
While the American scientists are united in their dedication to produce the first atomic bomb, there is some debate among them as to how this weapon of mass destruction will be used and the moral dilemma of being the first among nations to detonate a weapon capable of wiping out entire city and hundreds of thousands of people in a matter of minutes.
The suspense builds as, once they have succeeded in producing the bomb, the scientists are divided over its use and the way our nation will be perceived in the event that we are the first to make use of this weapon. The debate over its use polarizes the nation, tearing families apart, and causing a rift between the scientific community and the military-industrial complex which believes that dropping the bomb on Japan is the only way to end the war.
While the characters are somewhat stereotypical and predictable, the plot is compelling and historically accurate, and this novel provides a history lesson that in my opinion should be required reading for every man, woman, and child in America.

[Joe Rodeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Command the Morning* is great historical fiction. Subject: The Manhattan Project (ending with the bombing of Hiroshima & Nagasaki).

Initially, I'm sure many readers have been scared off by the nuclear physics (Transuranic elements, U-235, slow neutrons, fast neutrons). Lots to learn, such as the importance in scientific history of Enrico Fermi. Einstein was the thinker, Fermi who makes it happen.

Others may laugh at that 50's style bodice ripper adultery; yet it fits in. Great minds binding together while working on a huge scientific breakthrough, one with world ending possibilities. When it's over, they come back to their senses.

"He anticipated the glow that could still creep through his veins. In its own secret fashion this too was atomic explosion."

Most interesting is the debate that will never end: should we have used the Bomb? Pearl Buck seems to be on the "not" side, Japan practically fully defeated and "already on her knees."

"The Asians will say we waited until Germany was out of the war so we wouldn't have to use it on white people."

"The glory of science compelled me to devise superlative means to murder."

[fareedah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a novel about a nuclear bomb
And how scientists were confused to make the nuclear bomb
In reality they make it for peace and no more wars
But a general used it in a war .. so They regretted that they had done something terrible ...
it's an amazing novel ...Greetings to the writer
the most Character I like is "The wife of Stephen Coast" i don"t remamber the name .. but she was like me in her situation ^^
in sum it is great book
fareedah

[Thibault Jacquot-Paratte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, written, well built characters. Good human dimension. certain clichés, but nothing worth too much criticism in my opinion. It was nice to read a novel that had as a main subject scientific achievements, research, and as main characters, scientists. Not too many contemporary novels use those as themes, etc. I would recommend it without hesitation.

[SaraB · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well. I actually liked the science bits, but couldn't deal with the Mary Sue lady and worldwide scientists making a fool of themselves for her. The ending... made me ponder why. Great style, great author, but just no.

[Shirley · Rating 1 out of 5]

If this was the first Pearl S. Buck book I'd ever started, I would never have read any of her other work. Thank God I've read many others before I came to this one! I will stick with her books set in Asia; I love those.

[Lisa the Tech · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally read in 2008. Plans to re-read.

[Carolyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

atomic bomb - didn't like it

[Zane · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my all time faves..should be a film

[Leah Wrightsob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely incredible book. I admit it starts very dry and the story itself is probably niche but I absolutely enjoyed every minute.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A splendid, fascinating work telling of the challenges, triumphs and consequences of creating the atomic bomb, and the forever changed world in its wake.

[Lisa Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found myself reading about uranium and plutonium over and over again. The male/female relationships were kind of repetitive too. I don't know, not my favourite.

[Trisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Inhoud:
In dit boek beschrijft Pearl Buck de levens van een aantal mannen en vrouwen die op een afgelegen plaats in de Verenigde Staten een geheime staatsopdracht uitvoeren.

Er wordt gewerkt aan een allesvernietigend wapen, maar Pearl Buck schrijft over de mensen àchter dit project, over een aantal boeiende karakters tegen de achtergrond van de ware geschiedenis van de ontwikkeling van een wapen, groter dan de mens: de atoombom.

Zij voert ons binnen in de woning van Burton Hall, de leider van de groep, en zijn vrouw Mollie, en in het huis van zijn jonge assistent Stephen Coast en diens trouwe echtgenote Helen. Zij laat ons ook kennis maken met de charmante en briljante vrouwelijke geleerde Jane Earl, die zich tot deze beide mannen aangetrokken voelt, maar zichzelf niet toestaat een van hen lief te hebben.

De naam van de schrijfster staat garant voor een boeiende roman, waarin met warme menselijkheid de beproevingen, de angsten en de liefde van de hoofdpersonen worden beschreven.
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Waardering:
Het is een apart verhaal die het menselijk aspect belicht tijdens het maken van iets gevaarlijkst. Het grote geheim is zodanig dat relatieproblemen een gevolg zijn. Af en toe is het verhaal moeilijk te volgen i.v.m. wetenschappelijke termen. Hierdoor maakt het dat het ritme van het verhaal daalt. Juist hierdoor wil ik het boek niet meer geven dan twee sterren.
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Over Pearl S. Buck. Geboren in 1892 in Hillsboro als Pearl Sydenstricker. Haar ouders waren missionarissen in China en naar haar geboorte gingen ze weer terug. Buck groeit op tussen de Chinesen en leert daar hun cultuur en gewoontes. Haar moeder gaf haar de Amerikaanse gewoontes mee. Buck kreeg thuisscholing en moest al vroeg opstels schrijven. Haar eerste publicatie was op 6 jarige leeftijd voor het weekblad Shanghai Mercury children's edition. Ze leerde cufuciaans, De Chinese geschiedenis en Chinees in schrift en taal. In 1910 gaat Pearl terug naar de Verenigde Staten om daar aan Randolph Macon Woman College te gaan studeren. Ze haalt haar graag in filosofie en gaat lesgeven. Ze stopt daar vrij snel weer mee om naar China terug te gaan om voor haar zieke moeder te zorgen. In 1917 trouwt ze met John Lossing Buck en woont samen met hem de eerste vijf jaar van hun huwelijk in het noorden van China. De herinneringen aan die tijd zijn de basis voor haar bestseller "The Good Earth", waarmee zij in 1932 de Pulitzer Prijs wint. In 1920 wordt Carol geboren, hun enige biologische kind. Buck heeft al snel door dat haar dochter ziek is, maar wordt hierin niet gesteund door de doktoren en haar man. In de VS terug heeft ze intensief contact met Richard Walsh die in haar geloofde en haar boeken onder de aandacht bracht van de uitgeverij waar hij werkte. Hun contact wordt zo intiem dat Pearl in 1935 gaat scheiden van Buck en trouwt met Walsh. Ze gebruikt nog wel de naam van John Buck, omdat dat haar bekendheid gaf. In 1938 krijgt Pearl S. Buck de Nobelprijs voor de Literatuur en is daarmee de eerste vrouw die zowel de Pulitzer als de Nobelprijs wint. In 1973 overlijdt ze aan longkanker.
Meer informatie over Pearl S. Buck en haar nalatenschap is te vinden op de onderstaande sites.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
http://www.psbi.org/page.aspx?pid=369
http://www.english.upenn.edu/Projects...
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0118406/bi...
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Boekinformatie:
Uitgeverij: De Geïllustreerde Pers
ISBM: Gulden Pocket 10
192 pagina's; pocket

[Ron Grunberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of men who built the A-bomb in the early 40’s. she brings to life the urgency of the times—the belief among scientists, many of them good noble men who would never think to do mass harm, that the Nazis were fast apace putting together the ingredients to successfully create a nuclear weapon, and the consequential need to act quickly to build a bomb of our own so that we would not be held at the terrorists’ mercy—and in addition to conveying the intelligent debate and scientific knowledge within the community, Ms. Buck details the personal lives between the leading scientists and their wives, investigates everyone’s consciences, and tells a riveting story, the ending of which we all know too well. The result of the successful completion of the atomic bomb project may well have led to victory in WWII and the leg up through the ensuing decades that prevented future holocausts, but it also seems to have led to a further callousness among the generation coming to age after the war; the first generation that, perhaps, believed it really did "command the morning."

Ah, listening. Is it true we only listen when it’s virtually too late? This book brings the reader into the debate. As one reads, one can’t help but think of one’s own answers to the critical questions. Was dropping the bomb right? Would one take back that action if one could? Is saying you’re a pacifist enough? I think our national debate on all critical issues suffers because of the practice of rarely going beyond the rote answer, the knee-jerk, expected response. Are you a liberal? Then answer this way. A conservative? Then this.

I shall give my answers the best I can. Looking back, as I look back on many fateful decisions that went awry, or terribly destructively, both in my world’s historical life and in my own personal life, I see one constant: there was a lack of listening. For if there had been listening, let’s take for situations that end up leading to war, one imagines all crises could be avoided, because proper listening would leave the participants cognizant of their commonality, there would surely be no dispute worth killing for.

For example had Harry Truman agreed to let the Japanese surrender not "unconditionally" but just with some other use of language, from what I understand "face" could have been saved and the same result, i.e. an end of hostilities without the need to drop the bombwould have followed. Or had conventional weaponry been used for some more days. Satellite reports indicated devastation, Japan’s capabilities nearly vanquished…it was just a question of pride…and so many people, scientists, people who admire America all over the world, were counseling…do not do this…you—America—will be hated for ever more. It is not worth it. Explore other means.

Also one has to ask to what extent one need act to kill others so as to save one’s self. How valuable is life to have to do that?

This book, like all of Ms. Buck's is simple and eminently readable, and provocative.

[Nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book screams 1950's because it's a fictional portrayal of the scientists making
the nuclear bombs during WW2 and a partial romance between two of the scientists (theres a lot of "WOAH A LADY SCIENTIST" moments in this book) and the inhuman atrocity that is dropping two nuclear bombs on millions of innocent people is, at best, a footnote, something that the two main characters can have a slight argument over.

Pearl S. Buck is no lightweight, she wrote a Pulitzer-winning novel. And her charitable contributions to impoverished areas of Eastern Asia are well documented so I'm sure her intentions were good in writing this, but it's still an America-Forward account of the building of the nuclear bomb which simply does not read well in a modern context.

But if you want to read it for the pulpy story that it is, yeah it does a pretty good job of that, so w.e.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an interesting look at the scientists who developed the atomic bomb. There was a lot that went into it that I had no idea about. It also was interesting that it looked at the point of view of the women in the lives of these scientists. The book did seem very dated, however. The moral issues they wrestled with in connection with the bomb (will we destroy the world?) the roles of the women (You can't be a scientist AND a woman), and the background romance (the men falling in love with the one woman scientist) didn't resonant with me -- though likely would have for one reading the book when it was written.

[Virgilio Machado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Em O Amanhecer, os críticos acharam os protagonistas fracos e que as histórias pessoais dos cientistas eram de uma escala totalmente diferente do tema da bomba nuclear. Earl W. Foell queixou-se de que «Os personagens, na maior parte, permanecem inexpressivos ou, quando muito, tornam-se simbólicos.

Introduction to Contemporary Literary Criticism of Pearl S. Buck

http://www.enotes.com/pearls-buck-cri...

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really learn so much history when I read books by Pearl S. Buck. Things it seems I ought to know already, but sadly I don't. This is an interesting look at the scientists behind the atomic bomb - their drive, their lives, their feelings about it all. I really love the way she writes.

[John · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well at least Mrs. Buck is predictable. When ever she writes about americans living in America, she does so poorly. It always comes off as a screen play for a third rate movie. when she sticks to the far east, she is always great.

[Birgit Bottner]

Great!

[Margareth8537 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story told from a rather unusual angle. Was very relevant with CND marches going on

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

good

[Marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books!