Former director of Los Alamos nuclear facilities, Dr. Siegfried Hecker, offers an insider’s perspective on North Korea’s nuclear program. Through seven visits between 2004 and 2010, Hecker sheds light on the sequence and logic behind key events often shrouded in North Korea’s institutional opacity. Hecker’s firsthand account clarifies previously obscured details, providing valuable insights into North Korea’s trajectory, as the country first hinted at the possibilities of having nuclear materials and ended up declaring itself a de facto nuclear state in recent years. The book doesn’t shy away from the challenges Hecker faced: limited access, information constraints, and navigating interactions with North Korean scientists. Coauthored by Elliot Serbin, Hinge Points clarifies the behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts and effectively translates the technical complexities of nuclear engineering for a broader audience, ensuring the book is both detailed and informative. However, despite its technical strengths, certain shortcomings limit the work’s overall impact.

The title of the book evokes a sense of contingency and missed opportunities regarding North Korea’s nuclear program. Hecker reviews what he considers to be—from the North Korean side—open doors to dialogue that were repe