Life Under a Cloud: American Cultural and Political Responses to the Atomic Age

Silvan S Schweber authored a historical and cultural analysis of the atomic bomb's impact on American life. The work traces debates over atomic power and popular protest, exploring cultural manifestations through songs, films, novels, and art. It details the mix of humor and dread in public responses to nuclear weapons and the threat of annihilation.

Use Cases

• Analyzing cultural representations of nuclear anxiety based on references to popular songs, movies, and novels.
• Studying historical debates over military and civilian atomic power as described in the text.
• Examining the evolution of public protest and official policy regarding nuclear weapons.
• Researching the interplay of irony, humor, and dread in media about atomic annihilation.

Strengths

• Analysis draws from a diverse range of cultural sources including films, songs, and literature.
• The work provides a historical account tracing debates and public sentiment over time.

Limitations

• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Silvan S Schweber

Collection Method

Historical and cultural analysis of published works and media.

Time Range

Atomic age (post-1945)

Geography

United States