Mushroom Cloud

First Strike #1

by Thomas J. Yeggy

For a decade, Dr. Caleb young, a gifted physicist and chief science officer for the CIA, had shaded National Intelligence Estimates and Rand reports on war gaming. He wanted to thwart the US military's push for a nuclear first strike. Soviet GRU Colonel Oleg Penkovsky had passed information to Young at more than one Pugwash Peace Conference, revealing how inept Soviet capabilities were. A US preemptive strike would destroy the earth's ozone layer.

Dr. Young, secretly an Einstein schooled pacifist, felt a personal obligation to prevent a globally destructive nuclear war. However, the realities of US nuclear superiority were progressively becoming harder to manage. By mid-1953, the United States had 1,169 deliverable atomic bombs. It could drop them with 160 B-36 heavy bombers and 350 B-47 medium bombers. The Soviet Union had 120 atomic bombs that could only be delivered to the US by a handful of one-way TU-4A experimental bombers through thousands of F-86 Sabres. By 1962, the US had more than 3,000 thermonuclear warheads and 5,000 tactical nuclear weapons. U-2 flights and Corona satellite images were exposing Khrushchev’s lies about “grinding out missiles like sausages.” The US had a 17-1 advantage in deliverable warheads.

The Soviets intercontinental ballistic missiles (only four were verified) took four hours to prepare for launch. US B-52s could easily destroy them from fail- safe points with a pair of 20 megaton bombs. Even more ominously, the Thor and Jupiter intermediate range ballistic missiles could deliver warheads in less than 8 minutes after launch from England, Turkey, or Italy. The US could locate and destroy the Soviets' 150 round- trip bombers before they left Soviet runways. Soviet SSBN subs were noisy and had to surface to fire missiles. They were easy prey for the US Navy. In late October 1962, President John F Kennedy stopped the US military from initiating a first strike. It came to be known as the “Cuban Missile Crisis.” “We lost” Air Force general Curtis Lemay shouted at Kennedy. Military leaders wanted a nuclear war that day while they had a clear first strike advantage.

Now the Department of Justice (DOJ) has many questions, and they believe Dr. Caleb Young has the answers. Nicholas Katzenbach, the DOJ's chief deputy, is ready to prosecute Dr. Young on trumped up espionage charges. And he wants to know about the CIA's involvement in the November 22, 1963, assassination of President Kennedy

Genres: Historical Fiction

393 pages, ebook

First published July 1, 2023

About the author

Thomas J. Yeggy has undergraduate degrees in English and psychology. He is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law and practiced law in Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois, for many years. He served as the mental health and substance abuse judge for Scott County, Iowa, for more than 25 years. In that position he developed a keen understanding of the difficulties that everyday life presents regardless of social or economic status. As a judge, he authored more than 1,500 opinions, and only one was reversed by the appellate courts. Thomas was also a licensed Series 7 broker at Beyer & Company Investments in Davenport, Iowa, for more than two decades.

Yeggy’s interest in the development and control of nuclear weapons goes back to images he once saw of the nuclear destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With his keen insight into the nature of humankind and their proclivity to use violence as a problem-solving mechanism, he wondered how we had made it through crisis after crisis without destroying ourselves. In 1992, when Robert McNamara stated that we had made it through the Cuban Missile Crisis with “just plain dumb luck,” Yeggy decided to investigate just how lucky we have been. He explains what he found in this First Strike series. We have been incredibly lucky, but it may not continue.

​Thomas currently resides in Pensacola Beach, Florida, with his wife, Eileen, and spends summers back in Davenport with his grandchildren, Jeff and Ashley Brown. You can usually find Thomas and Eileen at Emesis Park in Davenport on a late summer afternoon running with their granddogs, Otis and Emme.

Reviews

[Cara Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

To what extent are the means worth the end results? That question is asked of Dr. Caleb Young in this historical fiction about the nuclear threat and his part in it all.

Well written and researched, this novel delves into the history that led the world to reaching the brink of destruction, and the choices made by both those in power and those behind the scenes to keep it all from tumbling over the edge. Is Dr. Young guilty of treason for the part he played, or is he simply logical in his approach to avoid another world war? How many lies can be told, and lives and careers destroyed, in the name of security before it's too much?

This novel takes you on the fictional journey of all too real facts of the state of the world that brought about nuclear power. There's a level of military knowledge and scientific facts that may be a little daunting to wrap your head around if those are not areas of personal interest, but this book is worth the read! An exciting idea of historical truth blended with conspiratorial intrigue will keep you turning the pages. Would love to see this on the screen!

[Paul Weiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

“After Dwight Eisenhower won the presidential election in November 1952, he chose to attend only one debriefing with President Truman, …”

“The decision angered the little man from Missouri, but Eisenhower felt his combat experiences would stand him in good stead. He processed logistical information and grasped strategic concepts faster than perhaps any human being on the planet.

Well, LOL, ‘twas ever the same, doncha think? Obviously, Trump thought his bone spur deferment was sufficient military experience that he could afford to pass on even that single debriefing with Obama. And, God knows, HE at least believes that he processes logistical information and grasps strategic concepts faster than any human being on the planet!

Obviously, I digress but as I read THE MUSHROOM CLOUD I shook my head more than a few times with more than a small measure of dismay and disgust at how little the USA has learned since the close of World War II.

Speaking of the close of World War II, while THE MUSHROOM CLOUD is categorized as historical fiction, to me it read much more like a very softly fictionalized high speed relating of the history of the USA-USSR Cold War from the time of the USA dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki through the Korean War to Stalin’s death and the end of his reign of terror in 1953.

I’ll admit it was somewhat too dry and technical for my tastes but I’ll also rush to concede that it was informative and quite compelling to realize how thin the razor’s edge was that the world tiptoed on on when it came to the possible igniting of a nuclear World War III. The depth of the political bullshit and the magnitude of the diplomatic scam that the USA had to pull on Russia to convince them that they had the power to incinerate the entirety of the USSR was positively mind-blowing.

Recommended for its information content, if not for its value as a political historical fiction thriller!

Paul Weiss

[John Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading “Mushroom Cloud: Book I of the First Strike Series” by Thomas J. Yeggy who in my opinion, is a highly intelligent and fascinating writer. I felt the author created a captivating and engrossing book. And as an added plus, the author thoroughly and meticulously researched this story and provided an extensive bibliography and over 70 references in Book I.
The author explains at the beginning of the book that the reason he put years of research into this story is to make readers aware of the exceptional people behind the avoidance of a planned first strike and the extreme importance of these brave people. He demonstrates how these courageous selfless persons truly deserve a high place in history and in my opinion, he accomplished that in an amazingly intriguing manner.

In my view, this story is exceptionally well written, and I found it to be eye-opening. I feel this author has written an intriguing story with high action, suspense, drama, strong emotional events, and much more.
I liked the protagonist, Dr. Caleb Young, the chief scientist of the CIA, and as an example of how the author develops this character, here is a brief excerpt from the beginning of the story, with Dr. Young speaking,

“…The sum of my life’s experiences has me convinced of how close we are to a limited strategic or global war. I believe it is time to go into survival mode.”
“Why can’t we just stop that from happening with the right information from you?” Forde raised his voice with each word. “The way you are talking, it seems you are holding something back. Your reluctance indicates that you think war is imminent. What the hell are you not telling me? I want specifics, not generalized paranoid ideations. If you are afraid, I want to know of whom and about what!”
The sound of palms slapping the table made Forde jump. Young’s eyes burned with evangelical fire. “You do not understand,” Young bellowed. “No one understands. There are hundreds of situations where a deliberate act like the firing of a TNW—that’s a tactical nuclear weapon in case you didn’t know—with a 20-kiloton yield that isn’t secured by a PAL—oh, and that’s a permissive action link—will escalate at a speed beyond our capacity to respond. If the Russians mass thirty divisions on NATO’s border, we cannot afford to let them strike first. It would be suicide! The Soviet Union was embarrassed on the world stage in late ‘62. It will not suffer such an indignity again…”
In my opinion, the author writes in a professional manner, and I enjoyed the very real characters. The author researched the authentic persons involved and based most of the characters on real people (other than the protagonist who the author describes as a "composite of the many brilliant scientists of that era).
The extensive research done by this author, in my opinion, certainly increased the enjoyment and thought-provoking aspects of this story giving it realism and an awakening on how fragile we all are with the real possibility of a nuclear war and the immense threat it poses to our existence.

Kevin Costner realized this well when he said, “We still live with this unbelievable threat over our heads of nuclear war. I mean, are we stupid? Do we think that the nuclear threat has gone, that the nuclear destruction of the planet is not imminent? It's a delusion to think it's gone away.”

I think this book will greatly increase awareness of the real possibility and horrors of nuclear war and unimaginable devastation.

I felt this story most certainly encourages everyone to closely scrutinize the present-day leaders of nuclear-armed countries and their threats and actions.

I also liked the way this author writes in a clear and concise manner with just the right amount of description of the events. I felt the author’s style put me right into the scene.

For example, here is another brief excerpt,
About two hours into the mission, Staff Sergeant John Hirsch keyed the intercom. “Captain Dunham, we are being tracked by radar installations with a bearing of 330 degrees and a range of 65 miles.”
“Roger that, Hirsch,” Dunham said. He turned to Brock. “Maintain course and altitude at 31,000.”
Eight minutes later, it was Staff Sergeant Samuel Colgan’s turn. “Captain Dunham, I have picked up communication intercepts from tower control to hostile fighter aircraft. Nemuro radar is tracking two bogeys inbound from 270 degrees at 15,000 feet doing over 400 miles per hour— believed to be Fangs.”
Airman First Class Thomas Shipp spoke. “Captain, be advised that three F-84s are on their way. Intercept should be in twenty-two minutes.”
Dunham did some quick mental calculations. He knew the F-84s would not be able to 314 reach them in time. “Alter course. Full throttle, 90 degrees east.”
Airman Second Class Frank Neil and Airman Second Class Fred Kendrick spotted the incoming hostiles. Five minutes later, they opened fire. Dunham sent out a mayday call and then said, “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

I also liked the pace of the story which is told at varying paces as the action, suspense, and drama unfolds. Also, I thought this author also uses an economy of words and tells the story well as this intensely dramatic story unfolds.

Finally, I felt this stimulating book is one of those that stays with you, and it brought me to a heightened plateau of how I view the threat of nuclear war and its disastrous effects on the entire human race. It is truly a captivating and engrossing story. I felt this book also has more relevance in today's world with the ongoing Ukraine war, and issues with China, and North Korea and hopefully will encourage more to speak out.
Very well done and highly recommended!

[Nancy Fagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew. Grew up going to bed every night wondering if tomorrow would be the day the US or USSR started a nuclear war. So glad I didn't know this background stuff at the time. Very interesting now.
I especially liked how the author used one scientist, Caleb Young, to tell the story instead of jumping around among many. Would have been too confusing.
A really interesting read. Waiting impatiently for book two.
This book was received from the author through Voracious Readers Only.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book to read and it jump back and forth Years. It about the atomic bomb year.and the first time read about the author.

[Stephen Jackson]

Very interesting book, a good read with interesting characters. When I finished the book it left me wanting it to. Continue.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a Goodreads giveaway winner. This was well researched book. Intense time in history.

[Mike Slawdog · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Disclaimer* I received this book for free as a Goodreads Giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

For this book Yeggy chooses to detail the backstory of the development of nuclear weapons and early Cold War brinksmanship/strategy as a historical fiction. As he discloses, his protagonist is kind of amalgam of several people, and the story/history is told the lens of a man who is basically a brilliant nuclear scientist who then becomes a government insider/adviser. Much of the book is in an investigative interview by another US government agent, so there's kind of an Oppenheimer-movie feel to how the history of some of those same events (and many follow-on ones) are revealed and dissected with a degree of interpersonal tension and defensiveness by a brilliant person. The period covered by this book is essentially WWII through the early 1950s with some flashbacks to the protagonist's childhood, philisophical assertions, and some scientific discussions about splitting the atom. With that said, most of the book is about history versus science or character development.

The fact that the book is historical fiction does make things a bit murky. Yeggy cites something like 70+ real sources but there's some conspiracy intrigue to the book so as a reader I found myself sometimes wondering which parts of the story were true, which were plausible, and which were fabrications. The parts that were demonstrably true were really interesting, though, and I learned more about the B-36 from this than anything else I've read or watched.

Also annoying is that Yeggy had some clumsy errors in technical details and syntax. For example, at one point he describes aircraft climb rates in meters per second squared, whereas it should be in just meters per second unless they're literally accelerating as they climb (and no, the F-15 was not discussed lol). He also at one point seems to confuse Herbert and J. Edgar Hoover and has some name misspellings. He also at times shows his inexperience with fiction writing, overusing the device of having someone silently nodding to encourage a speaker to continue. With that said, none of that ruined the story beyond briefly distracting me.

If you're interested in how close we've been, and how both lucky and human our success at averting a nuclear war has been, this is definitely worth a read. I intend to read the other two books in the series.

[Book Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mushroom Cloud: Book 1 of the First Strike series by Thomas J. Yeggy is a gripping historical thriller that delves into the complex world of nuclear warfare and its devastating consequences. The novel follows the life of Dr. Caleb Young, a highly intelligent and thoughtful American who goes from working for the CIA to advocating for bomb shelter construction in the aftermath of President John F. Kennedy's assassination. In the wake of Kennedy's death, Marshall and Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach visit Dr. Young to learn what he knows about the CIA's potential role in the tragedy. Identified as the likely source of a National Security Council leak regarding the heightened danger of nuclear war, Dr. Young finds himself embroiled in a web of conspiracy and deceit.

Throughout the book, historical figures such as Harry S. Truman, Albert Einstein, and Adolf Hitler come to life, adding a rich layer of authenticity to the narrative. The protagonist, Dr. Young, is a complex and multifaceted character whose life story reveals the profound consequences of the development of nuclear weapons and the power struggles between nations in the mid-1900s. As a history buff, I found the book to be a compelling and engaging read. However, I must note that some of the technical information regarding military equipment and procedures and the plans and instructions are intricately detailed. Additionally, the protagonist has a particular disposition that will have readers experiencing a love him / hate feeling. This character development serves to make Dr. Young a more complex and nuanced character, adding depth to his personality and motivations.

Mushroom Cloud is a thought-provoking and timely read that raises serious concerns about power, ambition, and the devastating impact of nuclear warfare. It is a gripping and entertaining read that will stay with readers long after they turn the final page.

[John Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have finished the first two books in Thomas Yeggy’s First Strike series. This is a historical fiction series following the development and deployment of nuclear weapons in WWII and Cold War. Book 1 is Mushroom Cloud and is set from the start of WWII to the death of Stalin. Book 2 is Finding Designated Ground Zero and is set from the death of Stalin to JFK’s assassination.

I found these two books to very interesting and covers the political and military discussions around the development and deployment of nuclear weapons. The story is primarily set in a conference room and an interrogation of Dr. Caleb Young by William Forde of the FBI. The setting is about one year after the JFK assassination. The books go back and forth in time between the events discussed during the interview and the interactions of the two main characters in the conference room.

The fictional Dr. Caleb Young was a physicist who served in the U.S. State Department and the CIA during his career. He was also a member of the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos, NM. He has kept daily journals of his meetings and major events during his government service. He references the documents during the interrogation. He participated in high level discussions with the White House, military, espionage services, and foreign governments during his service.

The story line through these two books is well documented and footnote references to a number of government documents. As a reader who is interested in the cold war, this was a very interesting series to read. To anyone with similar interests regarding the policy development during the cold war, this is a very good novel to further your understanding of the series of events that occurred during this period of history.

I received these two books through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. I found them to very good and have purchased the third book in the series. I strongly recommend these books to anyone who likes historical fiction.

[alleycats · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The sealed rooms where nations decide who gets to survive.”

This book is fundamentally about power — who has it, who shouldn’t, and what happens when science hands godlike force to bureaucracies. The nuclear bomb is not just a weapon here; it is a political instrument, a bargaining chip, a moral eraser. Every decision in the book is filtered through institutions: CIA, military command, Cold War doctrine, deterrence theory, secrecy.

The science is important.
The war history is important.

But the novel actually shows how politics colonizes both.

Mushroom Cloud is both a historical epic and a political mirror. Thomas Yeggy thrusts you into the highest stakes of the Cold War, where “the bomb” isn’t just a weapon — it’s an idea with a pulse. Dr. Caleb Young is a brilliant and flawed protagonist caught in the machinery of power, and the book doesn’t soften the moral cost of that collision. As one memorable line puts it:

“Power becomes a prism through which every truth is refracted.”

That’s what this novel does — it makes you see the world not just in black and white, but in every moral shade between. The narrative moves from Los Alamos labs to Washington corridors with relentless urgency, and Yeggy doesn’t let you forget that when science becomes politics, every choice is a burden. This is historical fiction that reads like geopolitical suspense — deep, thoughtful, and emotionally charged.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Review

This was a compelling and captivating read. The blend of almost spy thriller tactics with historical fiction and government intrigue made the story feel larger than life, and the powerful imagery brought the horrors and terror of the Cold War and nuclear war as a whole made this a truly atmospheric read.

The heart of the narrative was in the history and the character growth of the story. The struggle that Caleb went through will play well with fans of the recently released film Oppenheimer, as the character struggles with his role in the development of nuclear warheads and the journey of redemption he finds himself on made this story so compelling, and the amount of detail the author was able to put into the story from a historical standpoint made the story shine with realism and heart.

The Verdict

Thrilling, enthralling, and chilling, author Thomas J. Yeggy’s “Mushroom Cloud” is a must-read historical fiction thriller and a great entry into the First Strike series. The twists and turns in the character development and the heart-pounding moments that keep the protagonist on his toes constantly will keep readers drawn back into the story more and more.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I have learned so much by reading well-written historical fiction. Mushroom Cloud, set during the post-WWII/Cold War years, is about a period in our recent past that I was eager to learn more about. I found it generally to be easy to read and the author included a list of acronyms and an extensive bibliography and end notes. My reason for giving it only 3.5 stars was that at several places I was slowed by editing errors. Two come immediately to mind. 1) The first sentence of Chapter 45: "The size of the crowd jammed into the briefing room at Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa, Japan . . . " It should read: Kadena Air Base (Bases in the U.S. are AFB; overseas are AB) on Okinawa (Okinawa is the largest island in the Ryukyu chain. One is "on" an island, not "in" one) Japan (Okinawa most definitely was not part of Japan on 4/12/51. U.S. -> Japan Reversion did not occur until the mid-70s.) This is repeated in several other places in the text. 2) Chapter 53, para 7, #4: "In February 1952 . . . a summit in Lisbon, Spain." (Portugal) Again, this caused a full stop in the reading flow. I will likely continue to read the series.

[James McMILLAN · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written novel set around the events of the nuclear arms race from the 1950s. I thought that there was a little too much ‘technical’ dialogue in chapters 4 & 5. However, realizing that the author needed to establish Caleb’s formative years, the further I read, the harder it became to put the book down. I’ve been reading history for well over fifty years but learned much from ‘the cold war’ decades. Good work Thomas.
I received this book from LibraryThing for an honest review and I award it 4 stars.

[Louanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

J'ai reçu ce livre contre une critique honnête de la part de LIBRARYTHING, the early reviewer.

J’avoue ne rien avoir compris en essayant de lire " Mushroom Cloud « .
Un récit confus, qui trazite de l’après période de l’assassinat de JKF Kennedy, en décembre 1963, et les implications que ce crime a causé.

Mais je n’ai pas accroché à sa lecture, trop brouillon, sans plan défini. Cela ressemble à un essai inabouti.

[Laura Wessels · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not finish this. I got to about 63% mark. .I started it after watching the movie oppenHeimer, Which I really enjoyed .This follows the same idea but they never actually leave the interrogation room. So it definitely lacks a lot of drama and instead it feels more like reading a history textbook but none of this is actual historical fact . So there's no real payoff like with reading an actual textbook.

[Carole Yost · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, I thought that the Mushroom Cloud: Book I was going to be like a textbook read. I was wrong. It was a very eye-opening read. Our lives truly depend on our leaders being mentally able to realize the consequences of their actions.
This is a must-read. My children are all grown and I know that they would read this book and I will recommend Mushroom Cloud: Book 1 to them.

[Lyndsay Fiorentino · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very captivating and in depth look at the conflicts between US/NATO countries and the Soviet Union under Stalin's command. Incredibly detailed with factual information-appeals to anyone who enjoys non fictional war type stories.
I was given a complimentary copy of the book from the author via voracious readers only.

[Myra McCulloch · Rating 3 out of 5]

A free book from Voracious Readers thank you.

Historical, fact based novel with a fictional character narrating the behaviours of both Eastern and Western governments facing off with the threat of nuclear war.
Well researched as to events taking place throughout the world at the time.

[Penny Lynch · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really interested in this book. I have studied the bombing with the nuclear weapons of Little Boy and Big Man. I started reading the book but could not finish it. I was totally lost. Couldn't keep up with boy Genius.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started a little slow. finished very strong. Interesting read.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was an interesting book. I received it for an honest review and I liked it. suspense at its core. I will reread again it's that good.

[Caroline Browne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a bit bored did finish. Would not read again.

[Nicole Cleaveland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a very good concept however felt more like a textbook. I ended dnfing this because of that reason. Thought it could have been written a little better, parts just didnt flow well.

[Krystalyn Rebelo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book kind of read like a textbook. It was very scientific and informative. I felt like I was right there in the room with the characters, but it just wasn't as captivating as I hope. I got last in all the technical jargon, but liked the over idea of the book. Fans of the Oppenheimer movie will love this book!
I received an advandced reader copy of this book, to read and share an honesty review.

[Darren Bourn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author, the publisher, and the fine folks at Voracious Readers Only in return for a fair and honest review.

Mushroom Cloud is Book 1 of the First Strike series by Thomas J. Yeggy. It is a work of fiction even though the names of various Presidents of the United States of America and timelines of various wars that occurred during their tenures are used. It questioned the decisions of leaders who, in their attempt to win wars and make the first strike, disregarded the lives of their citizens, placing nationalistic ideology over humanism.

The main character of the story, Dr. Caleb Young, was the only child of two physicists who migrated from central Europe in 1919. He was not only a genius who received his Ph.D. in physics from Princeton University in 1939 at the age of 18, but also a good basketball player. People sometimes described him as blunt or arrogant, but he saw himself as a man who knew his worth and was confident in his potential. As such, even at a young age, he was able to gain the attention of the reputable scientist Albert Einstein while at Princeton.

Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach, and General George Marshall tried to get information out of Dr. Young on the C.I.A.'s involvement in the plot with the help of Assistant U.S. Attorney William Forde. During the questioning of Dr. Young, Mr. Forde was led on a comprehensive journey that included intricate details on the wars fought between the Nazis, the creation of NATO, and the Soviet Union from 1933 to 1953.

Major countries of focus during this period were the United States of America, Japan, Germany (Berlin), China, North Korea, and South Korea.

Also, prominent names such as President Franklin Roosevelt and President Harry S. Truman—Presidents of the U.S.A. during that time—were mentioned alongside Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi party, and Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union during that era.

There was a line in this book (chapter 15, I believe) that states "that history is not linear...." and upon reading this book, the events laid out within were definitely not laid out in a linear fashion, as Dr. Caleb Young made frequent flashbacks (in both directions) as he narrated his tale for Assistant US Attorney, William Forde. Having a particular date or year at the beginning of the chapter and then going back five or seven years can lead to a lack of understanding of the novel and also slow the flow of the story.

I admired the fact that, though Dr. Young was only the Chief Science Officer of the C.I.A., he knew so much about U.S. intelligence that few knew. His urge to learn more about the things going on around him fascinated me. The book was able to give a fictional insight into those in the scientific community who dedicated their lives to the defense of freedom as well as bring to light the shortcomings of some of the paramilitary intelligence organizations set up by the government of the United States of America.

I love how descriptive the author was with his words, making it easy for me to picture every event described in the book. It was as if those historical events were playing out right before my eyes. I appreciate that the author added pictures of the various figureheads mentioned in the novel. I also loved that the book contained a bibliography to enable the readers to make references for more information. Another thing that I admired about the book was that it didn't focus on religion but on the consciences of the various characters—what they thought was right or wrong for the nation's greater good.

The book was exceptionally well edited, as I encountered no errors while reading it, so I commend the author. I would recommend Mushroom Cloud by Thomas J. Yeggy to lovers of philosophy, science, and war history. Those who love reading books about U.S. history will love this one. The negative aspect I mentioned earlier really affected my reading experience, and because of that, I am rating the book 4 out of 5 stars. Apart from that, the book was great in every other aspect.

As with all my literary ramblings, this is just my five cents worth.

[AMAO · Rating 5 out of 5]

💛💛💛💛💛

[Felina Pittman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a historical albeit fictional story about how the arms race developed between the U.S. and USSR after World War II when the fate of fallen Germany was decided upon by the Allies. After wielding influence over the Eastern Bloc countries, the erstwhile USSR was intent upon spreading Communism in Europe while the US was determined to inhibit it through deterrence. A direct military confrontation between the two superpowers during that period would be a gateway to a nuclear war and was to be avoided at all costs.

The narrative records the details of how the near head-on engagement between the U.S. and USSR was replaced by a massive arms race and built-up whose lethal weapon includes that of a nuclear bomb. One of the main characters Dr. Caleb Young was a composite character and representative of the scientific community who was working towards the creation of the bomb. An interesting account of his lineage, family background and professional influences typical of his time and how he got involved with working with the US government are discussed in the novel.

The theme of establishing peace through deterrence is being espoused and expounded by the writer.

And this idea has never more applicable to this time and age when a possible military conflict between two nuclear powers today-namely that of the United States and China over Taiwan- is on the horizon.