The authors William C. Potter, Sarah Bidgood, Samuel Meyer, and Hanna Notte take on an ambitious task in Death Dust: The Rise, Decline, and Future of Radiological Weapons Programs: they meticulously capture the histories of not just one, but five radiological weapons (RW) programs of the United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, Egypt, and Iraq. With their in-depth archival research and conceptual framework, the authors succeed in providing a structured comparison of all cases and offer valuable insights into the drivers and inhibitors of RW program decision-making. The book is a highly valuable resource for scholars and policymakers interested in understanding the complexities of RW proliferation and identifying, evaluating, and restricting any new interest in these unconventional weapons.

The book effectively applies Matthew Evangelista's theoretical framework on weapons innovation to RW programs. His five stages of military innovation (security imperatives, bureaucratic politics, scientific catalysts, prestige, and economic resources) add explanatory power to the five cases and provide the authors a systematic approach to their inquiry. Across the case studies, Evangelista's framework helps readers understand the roots of the shortcomings of these RW programs, especially in comparison to chemical and nuclear weapons programs and their wea