Up Next
Back to Show
History with David Rubenstein
Kai Bird
Season 6
Episode 9
J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist behind the atomic bomb, is a divisive figure in American history. Kai Bird provides a compelling account of Oppenheimer’s life, from his New York childhood to his Cold War career, and the moral dilemmas he faced in creating the most destructive weapon in history.
Support Provided By
Season
26:40
Alex Prud'homme on the political power wielded by the White House kitchen.
26:40
Professor Danielle Allen makes the case for civic engagement as the path to justice.
26:40
Author Jeffrey Rosen on what "the pursuit of happiness" meant to our nation's Founders.
26:39
Robert A. Caro on political power and the legacy of 36th President Lyndon Johnson.
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:40
Award-winning author Stacy Schiff explores the often-overlooked revolutionary Samuel Adams.
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:40
Steve Inskeep of NPR's Morning Edition on Lincoln's skill at crossing political lines.
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:40
Selwyn M. Vickers on the lasting legacy of slavery and Reconstruction.
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:40
Presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky presents the unique challenges faced by John Adams.
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:40
Author and professor Ned Blackhawk on the essential history of America’s Indigenous peoples.
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:40
Jeffrey Frank is a former senior editor at The New Yorker.
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:40
Fredrik Logevall is the author of JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917–1956.
Unlock with PBS Passport
26:40
Candice Millard offers an extraordinary account of President Garfield’s career.