the manhattan project book review

10 Best Books about the Manhattan Project | TheReviewGeek Recommends

The Manhattan Project, the race to build the most devastating weapon the world has ever seen, is one of the most well-known and most complicated scientific undertakings in history. The release of Oppenheimer last year got us thinking about the history of the Manhattan Project.  

Netflix is releasing Turning Point: The Bomb and The Cold War , a docuseries that covers the use of Atomic weapons, a history that began with the Manhattan Project. So, if you want to learn more about this fascinating part of history, here are ten fiction and non-fiction books about the Manhattan Project that illuminate the stories behind the key players, the moral dilemmas and the scientific breakthroughs of the project.  

The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes  

The Making of the Atomic Bomb is a detailed account of the development of the atomic bomb. Starting from the early 20th-century discovery of atomic energy, the book traces the rapid progression of scientific and political efforts leading to the creation of the bomb and its use in Japan.   

Rhodes highlights the key figures involved in this journey, from renowned scientists to government officials. With meticulous research and comprehensive storytelling, Rhodes presents a definitive narrative of the momentous and often misunderstood discovery that forever changed the course of history.  

Little Boy by John Smith  

Little Boy is a novel set in 1935, following the discovery of a young boy in the Belgian Congo who discovered a new mineral with great potential in a mine. With nefarious forces at play, scientists, politicians, and army men from around the world become interested in his story.  

 The race to bring the boy into safe custody leads to a tortuous journey by train through Africa and a ship voyage to New York under the care of the United States Army. With themes that explore science, politics, compassion and war,  this audacious and poignant novel offers a thought-provoking perspective on humanity’s darkest moments in history.  

Shockwave: Countdown to Hiroshima by Stephen Walker  

Shockwave: Countdown to Hiroshima is a captivating account of the bombing of Hiroshima, presented in a unique and engaging manner. Stephen Walker, a filmmaker-turned-author, brings the event to life through minute-by-minute storytelling from multiple perspectives. Drawing from interviews with American soldiers, scientists, and Japanese survivors, Walker creates vivid characters who convey the urgency and danger of the mission.   

The book delves into the why and how of this significant event, providing a thought-provoking narrative that neither trivialises the tragedy nor diminishes its historical importance.   

The Atomic City Girls by Janet Beard  

The Atomic City Girls is a historical novel set during World War II, focusing on the everyday women who worked on the Manhattan Project. The story follows eighteen-year-old June Walker as she joins hundreds of other young girls in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a secret city dedicated to the development of the atomic bomb.   

June and her friends navigate their mysterious roles, socialising with soldiers and scientists but always bound by strict confidentiality. As the truth about their work and the devastating impact of their efforts emerge, June must grapple with her beliefs about loyalty, patriotism, and the nature of war.  

The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages  

The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages is a historical fiction novel set during World War II. The story follows eleven-year-old Dewey Kerrigan as she travels to Los Alamos, New Mexico to live with her scientist father who is working on a top-secret government program.   

Dewey befriends another misfit girl and starts tinkering with mechanical projects. Unaware of the profound impact of the Manhattan Project, the girls navigate their peculiar lives and the imminent world-changing events.  

Day of Trinity by Lansing Lamont  

Former political correspondent Lansing Lamont had covered some of America’s most pivotal moments, including the reveal of the Los Alamos project called the Manhattan Project. He was present during the Trinity Test in 1945, the first detonation of a nuclear device, and reported on its immense destructive capabilities less than a month before Trinity’s sibling Fat Man was detonated over Japan. This book is his recount of this historical event.  

Command the Morning by Pearl S. Buck  

Command the Morning is a novel by Pearl S. Buck, a bestselling and Nobel Prize-winning author. Set during the World War II era, the book follows the lives of men and women involved in the pursuit of harnessing atomic power. The story explores the tensions between scientists pursuing a revolutionary idea and generals focused on winning the war.  

It also delves into the personal struggles of wives left alone during such a tumultuous time. Pearl S. Buck creates an engaging human story that captures the excitement of man’s dream of harnessing the power of the sun and the implications of ushering in a new era.  

Day One, Before Hiroshima and After by Peter Wyden  

Day One, Before Hiroshima and After by Peter H. Wyden is a historical account that delves into the events leading up to and following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. The book focuses on the lives of physicists involved in the development of the atomic bomb, including Leo Szilard and J. Robert Oppenheimer.   

It explores the personal motivations, conflicts, and debates surrounding the use of atomic weapons. Wyden’s narrative also sheds light on the establishment of the Los Alamos laboratory, the secrecy surrounding the project, and the lack of attention given to the long-term effects of radiation.  

No High Ground by Fletcher Knebel  

No High Ground is a historical nonfiction book by Fletcher Knebel that examines the events surrounding the dropping of the first atomic bomb. It delves into the lives of the scientists who built the bomb, the spies who sought to steal its secrets, and the government leaders and generals who ultimately made the decision to use it.   

With a focus on the historical context and the people involved, the book provides an in-depth exploration of this significant moment in history.  

What Little I Remember by Otto Robert Frish  

What Little I Remember is a book of reminiscences by physicist Otto Frisch. The book offers a personal perspective on the people and events behind significant scientific discoveries of the 20th century, particularly in the field of nuclear physics. Frisch’s contributions to the discovery of nuclear fission and his work on the atom bomb put him in contact with notable figures such as Robert Oppenheimer, Niels Bohr, and Einstein.  

 The book also explores Frisch’s collaborations with Rudolf Peierls in designing the theoretical mechanism for the detonation of an atomic bomb. Through engaging anecdotes and photographs, Frisch provides insights into his experiences and the historical context of these scientific breakthroughs.  

There we have it! These are our top pics for books about the infamous Manhattan Project. Did we miss your favourite? Do you have something to add? Let us know in the comments! 

If you like these books and are looking for a TV show to watch, Turning Point: The Bomb and The Cold War is coming to Netflix on March 12 th .

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A Forgotten Town at the Center of the Manhattan Project

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By Denise Kiernan

• July 28, 2020

THE APOCALYPSE FACTORY Plutonium and the Making of the Atomic Age By Steve Olson

From nuclear medicine to “nuke-ing” your leftovers in the microwave, aspects of the atomic age still radiate out from every corner of our culture. Over the years, the phrase “Manhattan Project” itself has become synonymous with an all-out, failure-is-not-an-option approach to what appears to be an insurmountable problem that needs to be solved immediately. We need a Manhattan Project for renewable energy. Breast cancer. Childhood obesity. And, most recently, a Covid-19 vaccine.

Yet despite the ubiquity of this language, and the still-present possibility of nuclear warfare, the story of the Manhattan Project is one that is rarely, if ever, widely shared. How to tell that story — an unwieldy tale that continues to unfold to this very day — is a question of perspective and vision. In “The Apocalypse Factory,” Steve Olson offers readers another angle on this evolving global saga.

In south-central Washington State, outside a small rural town called Hanford, a top-secret outpost was created that reshaped not only that sparsely populated region, but ultimately the world. Olson writes that it was growing up in nearby Othello, Wash., in the 1950s and ’60s, that led him to contend with Hanford’s history and write this book. It’s a lucky bit of happenstance, since he doubts he would have otherwise turned his attention to this little-known chapter of the Manhattan Project.

While the majority of words dedicated to the nation’s nuclear ambitions have thus far focused on the two other principal Manhattan Project sites — Los Alamos, N.M., and Oak Ridge, Tenn. — the Hanford nuclear reservation is, Olson argues, “the single most important site of the nuclear age.” The first full-scale nuclear reactor was at Hanford. The first ever nuclear test, detonated near Alamogordo, N.M. (the 75th anniversary of which was this past July 16), used plutonium fuel from Hanford, as did the last atomic bomb used in warfare, which devastated Nagasaki. In 1966, when Hanford’s nuclear plant produced electricity, it was the largest power reactor in the world. Olson buttresses his argument for Hanford’s significance with historic facts such as these, but also with personal anecdotes and present-day insights.

Those familiar with the history of the United States’ nuclear program will recognize many names, locations and story twists: J. Robert Oppenheimer, Gen. Leslie Groves, Enrico Fermi, Leona Woods, Niels Bohr, Ernest Lawrence and others. Glenn Seaborg, the oft-credited “discoverer” of plutonium (though Olson rightly points out that there are almost always several cooks in any scientist’s kitchen lab), is given a fair amount of well-deserved ink here. Of his actual discovery, Seaborg later told an Associated Press reporter, “I didn’t think, ‘My God, we’ve changed the history of the world.’”

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10 Best Books About the Manhattan Project (2024)

Hearing Everyone’s Story

There were many people involved in this project. The books that we’re about to review include many names, events, secrets, and much more that may surprise you. The story is a broad one with many versions told by different people. However, this project wasn’t a secret for long and there is so much to discover about it after the time that has passed.

Why Was the Manhattan Project Called That?

For such a dangerous and secret project you would think that the name meant more. In fact, the simplest of reasons why the Manhattan Project was named like that is simply because of the location where it mostly took place.

At first, it was called the Manhattan Engineer District, but it was layered shortened to the name we all know now. We will leave the rest up to the 10 books about the Manhattan Projects that will teach you all you need to know.

Best Books About the Manhattan Project

The making of the atomic bomb by richard rhodes, from start to finish.

The first book we have to show you focuses on explaining the entire journey of this event and all of the crucial steps that resulted in everything that took place back then. Richard Rhodes has written one of the best books about the atomic bomb and has researched enough to show this process step by step to his readers.

It’s one of the most comprehensive books on the topic you can ever hope to read. You’ll have plenty of hours to enjoy everything this book has to offer, as the contents inside are neatly organized and written within almost 900 pages.

An Award-Winning Story

Thanks to the story inside this book, its author, Richard Rhodes, received several amazing awards that are well-deserved. This list of prestigious awards includes the National Book Award, a Pulitzer Prize, Jason’s 5 Star, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. All of that praise is well-deserved as well.

So, what can you expect from The Making of the Atomic Bomb? This book tells you about the Manhattan Project, it’s all backed by facts and a lot of research. The story alone was exciting enough to learn about, however, Richard’s expertise makes it a lot more worthwhile to read. If you’re searching for the best-rated Manhattan Project books, then look no further.

109 East Palace by Jennet Conant

Through the eyes of dorothy mckibben.

The best thing about each of these books is that all of them offer a different perspective of this entire historical event. 109 East Palace is the perfect example of this as it describes the same event as all of these other books but yet it tells an entirely different story in terms of characters and perspective.

One of the most significant characters in this nonfiction book is Dorothy, the person who will be showing us around Los Alamos and introducing us to many of the scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project. Dorothy is the one who ran this project’s office in Santa Fe and is a person who can give us a lot of valuable insights.

The People of Santa Fe

One of the best parts about this book is that it also focuses a lot on the people involved with the original scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project. This book by Jennet Conant also talks about many of the families who lived in Santa Fe during the war. Most of these characters are friends and family to the scientists working on the project.

We also get to meet J. Robert Oppenheimer, also known as Oppie. He was the person in charge of the Manhattan Project and the initiator of the entire thing. This is one among many characters who make this one of the best Manhattan Project books out there.

Now It Can Be Told by Leslie R. Groves

The story told first hand.

Now It Can Be Told is probably the most thrilling Manhattan Project history book mainly because it was written by a person deep inside the entire operation. This person is known as Leslie R. Groves, the person in charge of the Manhattan Project alongside Robert Oppenheimer. Leslie R. Groves was a General and an engineer, working hard to finish this operation.

Each of these best-selling Manhattan Project books is worthwhile reading and can tell you a lot about this historical event. However, this is a book that may give you the most insights, as General Leslie R. Groves tells us much more of what he witnessed while the project was progressing. Leslie shares and talks about the involvement of foreign governments, the construction of huge plants, crucial press complications, and the stress of racing to build an atomic bomb before the Nazis.

The Truth Finally Revealed

The Manhattan Project initially started in 1939 and lasted throughout the Second World War. This book, written by General Leslie, was published in 1983. It took the General a while but he was finally ready to sit down and tell the story. This is part of the reason why Now It Can Be Told may very well be the best book on the Manhattan Project out there. In any case, that is up to you to decide.

Manhattan Project by Cynthia C. Kelly

Transcribing old documents.

While some of the top Manhattan Projects books tell stories of certain events involving the project, this book by Cynthia C. Kelly focuses on spreading more facts, such as the number of people that came to work on this, the time it took to progress, the amount of money spent, and much more.

The information in this book contains a collection of writings, documents, statistics, and more that were written down during the Manhattan Project. Like most of the other books on this topic, the author starts at the beginning, in 1939. This is the year of the birth of the Manhattan Project. Cynthia tells the story chronologically and explains how the project eventually reached to employ around 130.000 people.

Information That Was Once Secret

The information discussed in this book was once worth killing for, back in the days during this entire operation. Now, with a little hard work and research, the author has managed to uncover some amazing insights into this historical event. A little taste of what’s inside includes that the Manhattan Project cost the country nearly $2 billion.

She shares how the people in charge struggled to keep this operation top secret. Cynthia also mentions a few crucial events that may or may haven’t been turning points for the Manhattan Project. You have around 400 pages of information to explore and maybe even get astonished by. It’s up to you to uncover this historical enigma.

The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan

The secret town of oak ridge.

This is another one of the top Manhattan Project books in which you read about a certain character and see the entire story from their perspective. Even though it’s fun learning about the facts and details about this atomic bomb operation, hearing stories of people who lived during that time and witnessed so much is worthwhile as well.

This is the story of the women of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. You’re going to read about how they were a very important part of the operation and what it all means as you discover more about their lives. But first, Oak Ridge was a town that didn’t appear on any map until 1949. Its creation was a result of the Manhattan Project. Oak Ridge was created in 1942 as a secret city that would serve valuable to the operation involving the creation of an atomic bomb.

The Secrets of Oak Ridge

This town quickly became populated and was mostly made up of young women who were brought there from the South. Their jobs and purpose in Oak Ridge were secret, and even whispering about the details resulted in eviction from the town. After a while, the secret started leaking and more and more residents caught on to what their true purpose in Oak Ridge has been all along.

We won’t spoil any of these crucial secrets, as that may be one of the most exciting moments of this book. The bottom line is if you’re looking for one of the most popular Manhattan Project books out there, then you’ve found the perfect choice. This is the true story of the women of Oak Ridge, and the roles they played in building the atomic bomb.

American Prometheus by Kai Bird

Into the life of oppenheimer.

The next book from our list of the best books on the Manhattan Project takes a different approach to explain how things went down back then. This is a biography of the man who contributed so much to this project, the one, and only J. Robert Oppenheimer.

The book isn’t small, as it spans just a bit over 700 pages. Despite that, the author doesn’t talk much about Robert’s early life and childhood and focuses more on his achievements, his years during University, and everything building up towards his life’s biggest project.

The Journey to Becoming Head of the Manhattan Project

The content in this book is not merely well researched. The author writes one of the most compelling stories about this man’s life based on countless hours of research. To give you an idea of what he went through, it took Kai 25 years to finally have enough to write it.

It took him long interviews with 112 people who had any type of relationship with the Manhattan Project, it took him 256 books to read gathering intel, 83 full pages of all kinds of notes, reading through manuscript collections, articles, dissertations, and basically anything he could get his hands on.

Brighter than a Thousand Suns by Robert Jungk

Studying different scientific minds.

This may be the oldest book we have to offer from our list of a few of the best atomic bomb books out there. Brighter than a Thousand Suns was written during the 1950s and was published in 1970 by Robert Jungk. The author tells us an exciting story about the views and perspectives of different scientists and physicists who had some sort of part to play in and around the Manhattan Project.

On the surface, this is another book about the Manhattan Project, about the process it took to create the atomic bomb, and about the consequences. However, when you dive deeper you will learn that there is much more to it. You get to meet some of the key players in this entire operation like Oppie but there are also a few intriguing appearances as well. This includes Albert Einstein, Werner Heisenberg, and a few more.

Deep Behind the Scenes

The book quickly introduces you to the key characters inside this story. First, you learn the way they think about this entire process, about the knowledge and work it would take to create such a catastrophic weapon, the science behind it all, and much more. Then, as the story progresses, you read about how the same scientists struggle to prevent this weapon from ever being used, as the results would be disastrous, obviously. Overall, a deeply insightful book worth reading for anyone interested in learning more about the Manhattan Project and the names behind it.

Trinity by Jonathan Fetter-Vorm

Visualizing the manhattan project.

Let’s make learning about the Manhattan Project and about the atomic bomb even more exciting by featuring a book that’s filled with countless illustrations. This book is by the amazing illustrator Jonathan Fetter-Vorm, featuring 150 pages of pure fun and fact. The book may not be as detailed or well-researched as many others on our list, but the content inside is far from being incorrect.

Jonathan’s book on the Manhattan Project is a unique one, sharing the original story of how things went down and featuring some exciting graphic illustrations to make sure readers imagine this historical event much better.

The Ultimate Graphic History Novel

For many readers, this way of learning about the atomic bomb is much more exciting than many others. The book is filled with many short boxes of texts next to thrilling and simple illustrations, making sure you never get bored and learn at the same time. Jonathan is a real storyteller, and his book is a true graphic novel masterpiece.

The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages

The manhattan project – a children’s book.

Finally, we have our first fiction book that takes the reality of the Manhattan Project to a whole other level. Some of the characters may be fictional, the story may be made up and customized to some extent, but the basis of the entire tale is very true and real. Everything you’re about to discover, everyone you’re about to meet, are all related to the very real historical event known as the Manhattan Project.

Searching for the Truth

The main character in this thrilling book is an 11-year-old girl named Dewey Kerrigan. She decides to go searching for her father, a brilliant scientist who is working on a top-secret and extremely dangerous project. Dewey gets on a train and heads for Los Alamos, New Mexico. The hunt for her father will not be an easy one, and it will take some time for her to find him and discover the truth.

No one is kind enough to point her in the right direction. A few years pass and you get to watch Dewey discover more and more, meet several scientists, tinker with her own mechanical projects, and finally uncover the truth of the atomic bomb. This is truly one of the top atomic bomb books for children and even adults.

The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit

Carving a life during chaos.

We have a book of similar topics somewhere within our Manhattan Project book review that talks about the women of Los Alamos. Even though the topics may be similar, this is still a different and very unique book. This one is a bit more in-depth and has much more to tell you regarding the women who were forced to live a life of difficulties and war hardship.

This is another fiction book that is based on a very real story. The only thing that is made up may be the names of the characters and small details to make things a bit more interesting. At the end of the day, the story inside is far from being false and focuses on how the women in Los Alamos experienced their daily lives during the construction of the atomic bomb. Learn how these women made a living for themselves during one of the most notable historical events.

Michael Englert

Michael is a graduate of cultural studies and history. He enjoys a good bottle of wine and (surprise, surprise) reading. As a small-town librarian, he is currently relishing the silence and peaceful atmosphere that is prevailing.

12 Best Books to Read After Watching Oppenheimer

If you want to learn more about the Manhattan Project, the atomic bomb, the Trinity Site, and J. Robert Oppenheimer himself, here's where to start.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

"My goal when making the film—I don’t make films to send a message, I made it because it’s a fascinating story. But part of that storytelling is getting back to basics about the bomb, stripping away policy statements, philosophy, the geopolitical situation and just looking at raw power that’s about to be unleashed and what that means for the people involved and means for all of us," Nolan told Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists .

Here, 12 books to watch if Oppenheimer peaked your interest in the atomic bomb—including the 700-page biography that Nolan based his film on.

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer

Start with the book that Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer is based on: Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin's American Prometheus , which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2006. There was one scene that hooked Nolan, the director told the Los Angeles Times : "Los Alamos, this place that will always live in history or infamy, was first a place where Oppenheimer and his brother loved to go camping. Suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, I’m looking at the most personal possible connection between a character and a massive change to the world that couldn’t be undone." This is the definitive Oppenheimer biography.

The Making of the Atomic Bomb

Richard Rhodes's The Making of the Atomic Bomb , which also won the Pulitzer Prize, sets out to tell the definitive history of nuclear weapons. As the publisher describes, "From nuclear power’s earliest foreshadowing in the work of H.G. Wells to the bright glare of Trinity at Alamogordo and the arms race of the Cold War, this dread invention forever changed the course of human history, and The Making of The Atomic Bom b provides a panoramic backdrop for that story."

109 East Palace: Robert Oppenheimer and the Secret City of Los Alamos

If you're curious about who lived in the secret city of Los Alamos during the Manhattan Project, 109 East Palace is for you. Author Jennet Conant's grandfather James B. Conant, a chemist, was involved in the project, giving her unique insight into the lives of those in Los Alamos. She does not focus on what she calls the "saga of scientific discovery," instead choosing to turn her attention to the personal lives of the key personnel of the Manhattan Project.

A book list about Oppenheimer, the Manhattan Project, and the atomic bomb would be incomplete without John Hersey's Hiroshima , which tells the story of the day the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945, through the lens of six survivors.

The Ruin of J. Robert Oppenheimer: And the Birth of the Modern Arms Race

What happened to Oppenheimer after World War II? Priscilla J. McMillan's book focuses on 1949 to 1955, and the trial of Oppenheimer when he was charged with violating national security. As McMillan writes in the introduction, "Oppenheimer's foes used deceit and treachery to humiliate and banish him from public service...His legacy as a public servant willing to raise his voice in dissent is even more significant and inspiring now than it was then."

The First Atomic Bomb: The Trinity Site in New Mexico (America’s Public Lands)

The test of the atomic bomb in the New Mexico desert, three weeks before the bombing of Hiroshima, took place on what is now called the "Trinity Site." One day a year, it is open to the public. Author Janet Farrell Brodie focuses on the place and environment that "carries special historical weight in American memory."

Now It Can Be Told: The Story Of The Manhattan Project

General Leslie Groves was the man who hired Oppenheimer, planned the Los Alamos facilities, and in essence, made the Manhattan Project possible. (Matt Damon plays Groves in Oppenheimer ). In this book, Groves tells his story. "I have recorded here only that which I am qualified to write about," he says in the foreword. "My own experiences during the development of atomic energy between September 17, 1942, and December 31, 1946, the period during which I was in charge of the Manhattan Project."

The General and the Genius: Groves and Oppenheimer - The Unlikely Partnership that Built the Atom Bomb

In this dual biography of Graves and Oppenheimer, James Kunetka looks at their unlikely partnership and how they pulled off the creation of the atomic bomb. He focuses in on their three-year collaboration.

Hiroshima Nagasaki: The Real Story of the Atomic Bombings and Their Aftermath

In Hiroshima Nagasaki , journalist Paul Ham examines the atomic bombings of the two Japanese cities, dismantling the idea that the attacks were justified because they ended the war. Rather, he argues, Japan was already defeated. Publisher's Weekly calls his book "a must-read for those interested in the moral aspects of total war and military strategy in general."

The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II

Denise Kiernan's The Girls of Atomic City is the tale of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a secret city founded during World War II for uranium enrichment. Billboards reminded those who lived and worked in Oak Ridge, mainly young women: "What you see here, What you do here, What you hear here, When you leave here, Let it stay here." This book offers the compelling story of little-known part of the Manhattan Project's history.

University of New Mexico Press The Day the Sun Rose Twice: The Story of the Trinity Site Nuclear Explosion, July 16, 1945

The Day the Sun Rose Twice by Ferenc Morton Szasz is the story of the detonation of the first nuclear bomb in New Mexico. "What happened at Trinity that Monday morning must go down as one of the most significant events in the last thousand years," he writes in the introduction, and sets out to explain why.

The Manhattan Project: The Birth of the Atomic Bomb in the Words of Its Creators, Eyewitnesses, and Historians

This first-person account of the Manhattan Project, aptly titled The Manhattan Project , is a collection of primary source material on what happened in Los Alamos. It includes contributions from Edward Teller, Enrico Fermi, Richard Feynman, Richard Rhodes, Neils Bohr, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, among others, and the newest edition also features writings and reflections from atomic bomb survivors.

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

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