[devonharvey]

For anyone interested in the history of nuclear physics and the atomic bomb, there is an excellent book by Richard Rhodes called The Making of the Atomic Bomb. He follows the scientists who made the discoveries leading up to nuclear fission and development of the bomb. His research is thorough and his storytelling engaging. The author does a great job of developing the characters and getting the reader excited about what could otherwise be dry descriptions of physics experiments.

[lobster_johnson]

Seconding the recommendation. One of the finest non-fiction books ever written.

[manachar]

Great book, and his followup book Dark Sun: The Making of the Hydrogen Bomb is equally good.