Nuclear War (Annie Jacobsen novel)

Anyone read this book

I’m about 35% of the way through. Interesting book, although there really aren’t characters in the book so far. No one to root for or despise.

Quite frightening, in many ways. I do wonder if the book will continue on its very clinical approach. So far, it almost reads as a book about military history.

I have.

The characters are generic: for example, you have the President of the United States, but I do not recall that he (it does say he is male) is ever named, nor do you find out anything about him personally like what is his professional background, if any, besides politics, what hobbies he has to relax on his days off, anything like that. It is not that kind of novel.

As for being clinical, I would not say it is 100% utterly clinical, but, you know, global thermonuclear war. End of civilization. Game over. How did we get there? That kind of sets the tone.

I didn’t like it as much as other books of hers, but she does provide an interesting “what if” blow-by-blow timeline.

Dan Carlin discussed the book with her on his Hardcore History Addendum podcast. Worth a listen if you’re a fan.

EP-29 The Handmaidens of the Apocalypse

It’s good but has multiple inaccuracies. Nuclear winter wouldn’t be anywhere near as bad as shown in the book. Most people would still be alive if NATO, Russia, China etc. had a total nuclear war.

I haven’t read this book, although I want to (sort of, KWIM?) but I have seen her interviewed about it.