Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Book Preview: #1 The first thermonuclear bomb was tested on May 8, 1951. It was a small prototype device, known as George, that was exploded three months later. Then, on November 1, 1952, the first true thermonuclear test weapon, known as Mike, was detonated. #2 The islands that would be used for the test were first spotted by an English seafarer named John Marshall in the eighteenth...

One of Library Journal's 10 Best Books of 2015Following his acclaimed Atlantic and The Men Who United the States, New York Times bestselling author Simon Winchester offers an enthralling biography of the Pacific Ocean and its role in the modern world, exploring our relationship with this imposing force of nature. As the Mediterranean shaped the classical world, and the Atlantic connected Europe to the New World, the Pacific Ocean defines our tomorrow....