With a wealth of anecdotes, Mahaffey, a senior research scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, offers hope leavened with pragmatism that, while nuclear technology may "be experimental forever," it can still be useful and safe.

The paradox inside a puzzle inside a fantasy -- 1: The fantasy -- Invisible demons -- A couple of remaining questions -- Einstein drops a bomb -- The other end of the universe -- Breaking open the atom -- 2: The puzzle -- A fortuitous condensation of genius -- An implied threat from the Fatherland -- A jolt in the dark -- A light at the mouth of the tunnel -- Post-war planning -- 3: The paradox -- A quest for power -- Digging canals, curing cancer, and flying to Jupiter -- The graphite's on fire! -- Nuclear rockets and nuclear airplanes -- The building boom, the bust, and a resurgence -- The radioactive park.