Try free for 30 days

Preview

1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Nuclear War

By: Annie Jacobsen
Narrated by: Annie Jacobsen
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.99

Buy Now for $26.99

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

There is only one scenario other than an asteroid strike that could end the world as we know it in a matter of hours: nuclear war. And it could start in as little as 26 minutes and 40 seconds from now…

A pulse-pounding non-fiction thriller for listeners of American Prometheus by Kai Bird or Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham.

The first rule of nuclear war is that there are no rules.

Up to now, no one outside of official circles has known exactly what would happen if a rogue state launched a nuclear missile at the Pentagon. Second by second and minute by minute, these are the real-life protocols that choreograph the end of civilisation as we know it.

If a single nuclear missile is launched, it provokes two dozen in return. Frantic calls over secure lines work to confirm the worst as armoured helicopters are scrambled outside. Decisions over hundreds of millions of lives need to be made within six minutes, based on partial information, knowing that once launched, nothing is capable of halting the destruction.

Because the plans for General Nuclear War are among the most classified secrets held by the United States government, this book takes the listener up to the razor’s edge of what can legally be known. Based on dozens of new interviews with military and civilian experts who have built the weapons, been privy to the response plans, and been responsible for the decisions that will be made, this is the only account of what a nuclear exchange would look like.

Nuclear War is at once a compulsive non-fiction thriller and a powerful argument that we must rid ourselves of these world-ending weapons for ever.

©2024 Annie Jacobsen (P)2024 Penguin Audio
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about Nuclear War

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    148
  • 4 Stars
    33
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    125
  • 4 Stars
    34
  • 3 Stars
    15
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    7
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    133
  • 4 Stars
    33
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Truly terrifying

Well written portrayal of where out world is so close to ending up. Highly recommended

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wow

Wow wow wow what an absolutely amazing/horrifying book. Let’s hope we never ever see this in real life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One of the most important books you'll ever read.

Disturbing, alarming and downright scary the author takes you on a journey of nuclear war like no other. This is not a Hollywood movie it's a real life scenario that may happen this afternoon. This is mandatory reading for our uncertain times.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

I felt like I was there!

What an amazing listen. Aside from the amazing content, the idea for the books story format was incredible. As the seconds and minutes ticked away I felt I was living in the storey. It’s frightening to think that “such power exists”. I hope nobody ever has to live through a nuclear war.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Horrific scenario

Great novel and absolutely frightening if this were to happen. Well read and level of detail was facinating

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

just Wow...

gave it the highest rating,despite it made me very sad.the truth hit hard.well done annie,thank you!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

not bad. hopefully not a prediction

got annoying with every fact being referenced along the way. slowed it down somewhat

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

The sheer madness of nuclear weapons

While there are still nuclear weapons mankind should live in extreme fear. The only hope is to disarm.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A warning too all.

A fantastic and very accurate story of what we can do to one another, if we don't back off the nuclear trigger. Very well researched.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Big bang

A fascinating and interesting listen, albeit very disturbing and worrying. That any sane and reasonable people could actually set up all this civilisation destroying infrastructure, and weapons, and be fully prepared to use them, is very concerning and worrying. Looking around the globe, at some of the despotic and lunatic regimes, and ‘leaders’, who possess these weapons (some who regularly threaten to use them), all the rest of us should be worried, and hope those crazy people are removed, and replaced by saner, and more reasonable and sensible folk. It passes the test, I shall definitely listen to this again ;-D

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.