BEST -TERRIFYING AUTHOR- BEST : ANNIE JACOBSEN

THE investigative journalist Anne Jacobsen has specialised in military affairs and the shadowy corners of government, with books on espionage and assassination and Area 51.

Her latest book, '' Biological War : A scenario, '' might be called speculative nonfiction : As she did it the similarly chilling '' Nuclear War : A Scenario '' [2024], Jacobsen dives deep into existing military technologies and asks what it would look like if they were fully unleashed on the world.

Jacobson appeared on the '' Book Review '' podcast last year to discuss ''Nuclear War.'' This excerpt has been condensed and edited.

.-  How many people, roughly, have told you that this is one of the more terrifying books that they've ever read?

I think almost everyone. I wanted to write a book that showed in absolutely appalling detail how horrific nuclear war would be.

And so when people say to me, '' I was terrified, I was horrified,'' I believe I did my job.

.-  You structure the book in an ingenious way, with three parts of  24 minutes each. 

And in each of those parts you have little pieces that are short or long, labeled '' 14 minutes '' or '' 27 minutes '' or '' 40 minutes and 30 seconds '' - meaning it's been, say, 14 minutes since the first nuclear missile was launched, and this is what's happening.

.- When did you realize that was the way this book had to be written? 

It was in an interview with Bob Kehler, the former commander of Stratcom - that stands for U.S. Strategic Command, the steward of all nuclear weapons and all nuclear weapon systems.

During this interview with General Kehler, I cut right to the point in one of our discussions and said, '' What would happen in a full-scale nuclear exchange with Russia?

And without hesitation, he said to me. Annie, Annie the world could end in the next couple of hours.

I knew right there that was the way to tell the story. 

You realize, my God, nuclear war, if it happens, will unfold in seconds and minutes, not in days and weeks.

This terrifying publishing continues to Part [2].

!WOW! thanks The New York Times.