El clan de los Bombarderos

During the years leading up to World War II, at an Alabama air base, a group of renegade pilots forged a radical idea. What if bombing was so precise that wars could be fought only from the air? Could brutal clashes between ground armies become a thing of the past? This book tells the story of what happened when that dream tried to be realized.

Malcolm Gladwell follows in the footsteps of a Dutch genius and his homemade analog computer, the group of Harvard pyromaniac scientists who invented napalm, a brilliant pilot who sang tunes to his crew, and Major LeMay, who would order one of the bloodiest attacks of World War II. In his purest style, Gladwell juices all these fascinating characters and nimbly takes us through a series of dilemmas that changed the course of history to ask what can often become the price of progress.

Critics have said:

"Exceptional, a masterpiece. One finishes this book shaking one's head at the folly and the human cost of what it tells.

The Wall Street Journal

"Captivating. In Gladwell's deft hands, WWII Air Force generals are brought back to life. I would have loved for it to be twice as long."

New York Times Book Review

"A brilliantly told fable and ideal for the age of technological change."

The Sunday Times

"Another Gladwell book that confirms that everything I thought I knew was false."

Kirkus

"Gladwell is possibly the most solvent storyteller in nonfiction. He always knows where he's going and takes you with him on a journey that is always pleasurable and comfortable."

The New Statesman

"Fascinating. One of the greatest moral challenges of World War II."

Michael Lewis

"The energetic storytelling and the real, incredibly charismatic characters are proper cinematic."

Radio Times

"An accessible and stimulating account. Gladwell's breezy, entertaining style is effective, and his portraits of individuals are captivating."

The Washington Post

"Surprisingly empathetic and fabulously energetic."

Esquire

"Vivid and captivating. A riveting story."

The Times

"An anecdote-packed account of what led up to the deadliest air raid of World War II. Gladwell offers colorful detail and raises interesting questions about the morality of war."

Publishers Weekly

"Gripping. Engrossing writing."

The Telegraph