Seconded. I tell people it's several books in one, all of which are brilliantly executed:

- Biographies of the preeminent scientists of the 20th century

- A history of late 19th and early 20th century physics and chemistry. Much more technical than many history books, which is a drawback for some audiences, but probably an attraction for a lot of people here.

- A history of World War I and World War II

- A history of the engineering and operation of the Manhattan Project

Highly, highly recommended for this audience.

One caveat: I tried the audiobook and couldn't stand the narrator. Your mileage may vary, but I recommend reading it.

Don’t forget the very last chapter: a gruesome moment by moment portrayal of the effects of the atomic bomb on the people of Hiroshima.

> Biographies of the preeminent scientists of the 20th century

This was the only parts of the book I skimmed over / skipped. While interesting, many of them go back to their parents and childhood upbringing which, again are interesting, but being more interested in the science/engineering I would skip ahead until their story was more relevant.