Rhodes, Richard

Describes a farm couple and their struggle to wrest a livelihood from the land, despite the hardship and economic challenge.

Presents the life of legendary film siren Hedy Lamarr, including her involvement in the breakthrough invention spread-spectrum radio alongside composer George Antheil.

Follows the explorations of scientists who research the fatal maladies known as prion diseases, tracking the origin of the stealthy plague to a cannibal feast in New Guinea in 1950 and discussing the risk posed to those who eat meat.

A collection of writings that discuss how technology has changed society and whether or not those changes have been beneficial.

Describes in human, political, and scientific detail the complete story of how the bomb was developed, from the turn-of-the-century discovery of the power of the atom, to the first bombs dropped on Japan.

The secret story of how and why the hydrogen bomb was made, how it became the defining issue of the Cold War, and how close the world came to nuclear destruction before the U.S. and the former Soviet Union learned the lesson of nuclear stalemate.

Opens with a recounting of the Chernobyl explosion in April of 1986 which compelled Russian leader Gorbachev to take a stand on nuclear disarmament along with Ronald Reagan. The author then describes their dialogue on the nuclear arms race and other related matters.

Describes the ordeal of a young boy and his brother after his mother killed herself, their father remarried, and a stepmother nearly killed them.

Chronicles the life of John James Audubon, discussing his emigration to New York from France, his marriage to a wellborn English girl, travels across the Appalachians, observations of wilderness birds, creation of his famous book "The Birds of America", and other related topics.