OPPENHEIMER The Story of a Friendship

New York: George Braziller, 1965. First edition, first printing. 8vo, publisher's original light gray cloth, the spine lettered and decorated in black, in the original dustjacket. xvi, 219pp. A fine copy but for the lightest touch of age or fading at the binding extremities, the text fresh and clean, small neat owner's address plate on front pastedown, the jacket still attractive but with some wear at the extremities. FIRST EDITION OF THE AUTHOR'S ACCOUNT OF HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH J. ROBERT OPPENHEIMER, "The Father of the Atomic Bomb". Haakon Chevalier's relationship with Oppenheimer was forefront in the investigations by both the FBI and the Manhattan Project's internal security arm for Oppenheimer's past left-wing associations. His association with Chevalier, who was compromised, along with his opposition to the development of the Hydrogen Bomb, resulted in the revocation of his security clearance. When Oppenheimer was stripped of his position and his political influence in 1954, he symbolized for many the folly committed by scientists presuming they could control how others might use their research. For Haakon Chevalier, the 'Incident' meant the end of his career at Berkeley or at any other institution in the United States. He would live out the remainder of his life in France.