Even if one has a good background in physics and technology the subject of nuclear weapons awakens a strong sense of foreboding. They have only been used twice in history: in the terrorist attacks perpetrated against Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States. Hopefully they will never be used again in any capacity, but that seems doubtful considering the zeal with which terrorist groups and countries throughout the world attempt to acquire them. Having these weapons seems to instill national pride in the countries that do, or maybe even a strange sense of being invulnerable. It is difficult to assess whether the possession of these weapons by the United States and the Soviet Union averted conflict between these two nations, but there is no disputing that many ideological groups asserted that this was the case.

This assertion was the doctrine of `deterrence', and it and many other interesting topics are discussed in this highly informative book. The author has given the reader a general overview of the physics behind nuclear weapons, how they were invented, the use of them against Japan and the reactions of the world public on this use, and the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union and the aftermath thereof. There is enough material in this book to satisfy the needs of those readers who are pressed for time but need to gain an understanding of the powerful role that nuclear weapons have played on the world state in the last six decades. It would be an excellent book for young readers, particularly those born at the time that the "Cold War" was ending and need insight into the moods and rationalizations of policy makers in the post World War II era.

It is extremely doubtful that nuclear weapons will go away anytime soon, but it is also true that the new technologies of the twenty-first century may make them appear benign by comparison. All technology throughout history has found its way into extremely dangerous weaponry, nuclear weapons being of course the most dangerous to this date. But twenty-first century technology, already dwarfing the imagination and proving to be way beyond the predictions, may result in weaponry that will make warfare unthinkable. But as this book reminds us, this has been said before...

Joseph M. Siracusa's Nuclear Weapons: A Very Short Introduction is an invaluable addition to Oxford's Very Short Introduction series. Whatever one's background, this volume provides a concise and highly readable introduction to nuclear weapons. It examines all aspects of these terrible weapons, from the science behind their construction, to the politics they provoke, to the fears surrounding their proliferation.

In the minds of many climate change has eclipsed nuclear weapons as the paramount threat to the planet. Siracusa convincingly argues, however, that in this age of global terrorism we cannot afford to ignore the threat posed by nuclear weapons, which remain the gravest threat to humanity in the 21st century.

For those of us who have no background in nuclear physics, nor time to master the enormous body of literature on issues such as nuclear deterrence and proliferation, this comprehensive and accessible introduction will prove absolutely invaluable to understanding the nature, history and terrible significance of nuclear weapons.