Why read Nuclear Folly?

Book cover of Nuclear Folly: A New History of the Cuban Missile Crisis

Book description

*Shortlisted for the Duke of Wellington Medal for Military History*

'An enthralling account of a pivotal moment in modern history. . . replete with startling revelations about the deception and mutual suspicion that brought the US and Soviet Union to the brink of Armageddon in October 1962' Martin Chilton, Independent

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Why read it?

1 author picked Nuclear Folly as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Mike Hulme

Author

We all know the story of the Cuban missile crisis, right? Wrong!

You have to read Plokhy’s powerful narrative of the events in October 1962 before you can understand how and why the drama unfolded.

Plokhy tells it from the Soviets’ perspective, accessing rarely-seen KGB documents and participant interviews. This story is at once political drama, military strategy, Cold War espionage, and a lesson in contrasting leadership styles – Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro – and Plokhy brilliantly captures the tension and high-stakes decision-making.

I was two years old when these events shook the world, but having finished the book, I…

From Mike's 3 favorite reads in 2023.