After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Americans entered into a love affair with the atom. Magazines such as Science Illustrated and Popular Mechanics predicted that atomic power would be the energy source of the future. They speculated that "Nuclear-8 sedans" would replace gasoline-powered cars and nuclear aircraft would make fuel-powered airplanes obsolete. Nuclear excavation would revolutionize mining, they said, and atomic farming would eliminate poverty. Some prognosticators looked forward to the day when artificial nuclear-powered suns mounted on towers would control the weather. The term atomic was used in equally fanciful ways. Within hours of the Hiroshima blast the bartender at the Washington Press Club had invented the "Atomic Cocktail" (Pernod and gin), and within days stores were advertising "Atomic Sales." Before long, shoppers could buy "Atomic jewelry." (One piece was a pearl "bomb" exploding with various mock gemstones.) In 1946 kids could...