"Meticulously details the process that keeps the nuclear balance in place and has prevented world annihilation. An impressive survey that takes stock of unimaginable peril."-- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Holloway builds on his pioneering study of the Soviet nuclear program to present an international history of nuclear weapons during the Cold War. This book contributes not only to our understanding of history but also to how we think about the present. It is as timely as it is substantive and insightful."--Serhii Plokhy, the author of The Nuclear Age "A superbly comprehensive and accessible account of humanity's perilous dance with death through the atomic age."--Mark Lynas, author of Six Minutes to Winter "Holloway has written an astonishing, meticulously researched book, and one worthy of his reputation as a preeminent historian of nuclear weapons. It is a breathtaking panorama of the nuclear age, with all of its horrible technologies and murderous theories.

An indispensable and deeply disturbing read."--Sergey Radchenko, author of To Run the World "Deeply knowledgeable and breathtaking in scope. In showing how international the development of nuclear weapons was from the very beginning, this brilliant book recasts our understanding of Cold War nuclear history. It is a major scholarly achievement."--Nina Tannenwald, author of The Nuclear Taboo "Magisterial in scope, rich in source material, and authoritative in its analysis, this is an international history of nuclear weapons for our time."--Målfrid Braut-Hegghammer, author of Unclear Physics.