{"product_id":"9781443457378","title":"Universe of Two : A Novel","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eUniverse of Two\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Stephen P. Kiernan\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the critically acclaimed author of \u003cem\u003eThe Baker’s Secret\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Curiosity\u003c\/em\u003e comes a novel of conscience, love and redemption\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eGraduating from Harvard at the height of World War II, brilliant mathematician Charlie Fish is assigned to the Manhattan Project. Working with some of the age’s greatest scientific minds, including J. Robert Oppenheimer, Enrico Fermi and Leo Szilard, Charlie is assigned the task of designing and building the detonator of the atomic bomb.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eAs he performs the work Charlie suffers a crisis of conscience, which his wife, Brenda—unaware of the true nature of Charlie’s top-secret task—mistakes for self-doubt. She urges him to set aside his qualms and continue. But once the bombs strike Hiroshima and Nagasaki and Brenda realizes the truth, the feelings of culpability devastate them both. \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eAt the war’s end, Charlie receives a scholarship to pursue a Ph.D. in physics at Stanford—an opportunity he and Brenda hope will allow them a fresh start. But the past proves inescapable. Haunted by guilt, Charlie and Brenda know that they must do something to make amends for the evil they helped to bring into the world.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eBased on the real life of Charles B. Fisk, \u003cem\u003eUniverse of Two \u003c\/em\u003ecombines riveting historical drama with a poignant love story. Stephen Kiernan has conjured a remarkable account of two people struggling to heal their consciences and find peace in a world forever changed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e“Transcends even a critical moment in history to suggest the inescapable human condition of ignorance of the future, and the absolute necessity of hope, courage, and unselfish sacrifice.”\u003cbr\u003e“A tale beautifully, wisely, and masterfully told.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This many-faceted, thought-provoking story prompts soul-searching about life, war, and death.”\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eRemarkably touching, insightful and timely… bridges several powerful stories of life and death that explore the cost of courage and the true meaning of heroism… Illuminating, uplifting and ultimately redemptive.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“In this moving saga, Stephen P. Kiernan tells the story of soldiers and survivors, heroes and healing. . . . I’m not sure I’ve ever read a novel that so poignantly depicts the brevity of life, the significance of each moment, the impact we have on one another.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This thought-provoking novel is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. . . . Kiernan has created characters who are well-developed, beautifully flawed, and unforgettable. Yes, it’s a story of tragedy, but it’s also one of love, endurance, and, ultimately, redemption.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“[A] smart, heady, and irresistible science thriller...Kiernan gets every element right in this breakneck, entertaining, and thought-provoking tale about time, mortality, the ethics of science, and the meaning of life.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781443457378\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"HarperAvenue","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":41120731103438,"sku":"9781443457378","price":19.24,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/9781443457378.jpg?v=1649996464","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781443457378","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}