The Bastard Brigade

“Bastard Brigadeis as entertaining as it is fascinating. Kean’s colloquial expressions and metaphors provide levity to the gritty history of a world at war, with the survival of freedom, and possibly humanity, hanging in the balance. He never lets the reader forget what was at stake…Kean’s page-turner about a still too-little-understood chapter in history deserves a prominent place in WWII collections.”–Booklist, starred review
“A science journalist with a flair for words…[Kean’s] language is fluid and accessible, even for the science-challenged.”–Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal
“A thrilling tale of wartime derring-do meets a richly researched story of postwar intellectual exploitation … . Perfect as a first foray into this period, and I defy any reader not to be drawn into the world of unlikely spies and Nazi Nobel Prize winners that Kean paints so vividly and infuses with such energy.”–Science
“An exciting history of the battle for atomic supremacy during World War II… Throughout, Kean eschews erudite fastidiousness for consistent action and brio. Beginning with the title, the narrative is an engrossing cinematic drama… Vivid derring-do moves swiftly through a carefully constructed espionage thriller.”– Kirkus
“An exciting read for fans of World War II history, espionage tales, and the development of nuclear weapons.”–Library Journal, starred review
“Compelling stuff, written with verve and in a style that veers between simple lightheartedness and open jocularity…. Eminently accessible and enjoyable.”–Robin McKie, The Guardian
“Entertaining… with sly wit and boyish wonder”–Discover Magazine
“Kean is one of America’s smartest and most charming science writers, and his new book could be perfect for summer readers who prefer some substance with their fun.”–Michael Schaub, National Public Radio
“Kean’s real knack is for digging up strange details most textbooks leave out….More than an assortment of trivia, the book is an engaging history.”–Allison Bohac, Science News
“Richly informative…. Once again, Kean proves his mettle as one of science literature’s most gifted practitioners.”–Booklist
“Riveting…. Kean has a knack for distilling chemistry to its essential elements, using stories and humor…. this is a dose of fresh air.–Library Journal
“Science is made fun whenever best-selling author Kean…is narrating.”–Susannah Cahalan, New York Post
“Thrilleresque science history.”–Nature
A “lively tome”–New York Post
NPR Science Friday’s Best Science Book of 2019
Praise for Sam Kean:

Sam Kean is the New York Times bestselling author of Caesar’s Last Breath, The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons, The Disappearing Spoon, and The Violinist’s Thumb, all of which were also named Amazon top science books of the year. The Disappearing Spoon was a runner-up for the Royal Society of London’s book of the year for 2010, and The Violinist’s Thumb and The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons were nominated for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award in 2013 and 2015, as well as the AAAS/Subaru SB&F prize.

His work has appeared in The Best American Nature and Science Writing, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, the New York Times Magazine, Psychology Today, Slate, Mental Floss, and other publications, and he has been featured on NPR’s Radiolab, All Things Considered, and Fresh Air.

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