First published 2010
Tom Vanderbilt takes readers on a journey through America's Cold War ruins. He visits deserted missile silos, atomic storage bunkers, and classified test sites that once prepared the nation for nuclear war. These forgotten places reveal how Americans lived with the constant threat of annihilation during the 1950s and beyond. Vanderbilt uncovers the architecture of fear that shaped an entire generation. Walter Cotten's photographs document these decaying monuments to atomic anxiety. The book examines how Cold War paranoia influenced American culture and daily life. Vanderbilt shows readers the physical remnants of a time when nuclear destruction seemed inevitable. His exploration reveals both the dreams and terrors that defined the latter twentieth century.
Genres: history, science, 20th-century, non-fiction, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: exploration, historical-non-fiction
Setting: America, United States
Period: 1950s, Cold War
Kindle Edition · University of Chicago Press