One Minute to Midnight

Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War

By: Michael Dobbs

Narrated by: Bob Walter

In October 1962, at the height of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union appeared to be sliding inexorably toward a nuclear conflict over the placement of missiles in Cuba. Veteran Washington Post reporter Michael Dobbs has pored over previously untapped American, Soviet, and Cuban sources to produce the most authoritative book yet on the Cuban missile crisis. In his hour-by-hour chronicle of those near-fatal days, Dobbs reveals some startling new incidents that illustrate how close we came to Armageddon.

Here, for the first time, are gripping accounts of Khrushchev’s plan to destroy the U.S. naval base at Guantánamo; the accidental overflight of the Soviet Union by an American spy plane; the movement of Soviet nuclear warheads around Cuba during the tensest days of the crisis; the activities of CIA agents inside Cuba; and the crash landing of an American F-106 jet with a live nuclear weapon on board.

Dobbs takes us inside the White House and the Kremlin as Kennedy and Khrushchev agonize over the possibility of war. He shows how these two leaders recognized the terrifying realities of the nuclear age while Castro–never swayed by conventional political considerations–demonstrated the messianic ambition of a man selected by history for a unique mission. Dobbs brings us onto the decks of American ships patrolling Cuba; inside sweltering Soviet submarines and missile units as they ready their warheads; and onto the streets of Miami, where anti-Castro exiles plot the dictator’s overthrow.©2008 Michael Dobbs; (P)2008 Books on Tape

Excellent

one of my favorites, a must reader, back to back. intense, riveting and thrilling.

Solid Account

Great retelling of the Cuban Missile Crisis during the 13 days of October 1962. Great uncovered facts, too. Well performed!

Excellently Researched Account

Excellently researched account of one of the most interesting and frightening two-week periods in history. There's some new information here and dispelling of some mythology that has grown surrounding the crisis.

The only negative thing I will say about the book is regarding the afterword. The afterword makes clear that the author is quite enamored with JFK and seems to hold some animosity toward GW Bush and Donald Rumsfeld. I find the comparison unfair and distasteful, given the fact that we have the benefit of more than 50 years hindsight and many unclassified documents and records in the case of JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis and much, much less I. The case of GWB and the Iraq/Afghanistan wars. To the author's credit, the afterword is definitely the place for opinions and personal thoughts, so at least this occurs in the correct place and form. I just don't care for unbalanced, unfair conclusions or political opinions.

Excellent

Engrossing, excellent written and narrated. Full perspective on elements of Cuban Missile Crisis. I'm glad to have read it.

A little scattered

A good book, but the details get a little jumbled. I didn't rate any lower because I'm sure the book format would suit better than an audiobook. Still an interesting listening, I just had a hard time connecting all the dots of the story.