Fail-Safe — Eugene Burdick; Harvey Wheeler

From the New York Times�"bestselling authors, this “chilling and engrossing” nuclear-showdown thriller packs “a multi-megaton wallop” (Chicago Tribune).
 
Originally published during the Cuban Missile Crisis, this suspenseful novel takes off as a group of American bombers -- armed with a deadly payload of nuclear weapons -- heads towards Moscow, their motives unknown. Suddenly, a nuclear apocalypse looms closer than it ever has, and the lives of millions depend on the high-stakes diplomacy of leaders on both sides of the divide.
 
The basis for the classic 1964 movie starring Henry Fonda, this two-million-copy bestseller is not only a terrifying thriller, but a fascinating social commentary on Cold War politics and a look at how, in a world poised on the brink, accidents and mistakes can have catastrophic consequences. Exploring the thin line between peace and global destruction that characterized this turbulent era, it is as timely as ever -- “gripping, exciting and almost unbearably fascinating” (Los Angeles Times).
 
“Excruciatingly tense.” -- The Wall Street Journal