The Pentagon's Brain
An Uncensored History of DARPA
Published on 15. January 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
560 pages
978-1-80499-883-0 (ISBN)
Description
From the bestselling author of Nuclear War: A Scenario.
Discover the untold story of America's most powerful military science agency.
In this first-ever history of the Defense Department's most secret, most powerful and most controversial military science R&D agency, Sunday Times bestselling author Annie Jacobsen draws on inside sources, exclusive interviews, private documents, and declassified memos to demystify DARPA, 'the Pentagon's brain'.
Since its Cold War inception in 1958, DARPA's innovations have shaped the modern world - from its role in the development of the Internet and GPS to stealth technology. Yet, the agency's cutting-edge projects remain cloaked in secrecy, often outpacing public domain advancements by decades. In this groundbreaking account, Jacobsen uncovers DARPA's hidden history, triumphs and controversies, exploring its role in pioneering technologies that redefine warfare and society while questioning the wisdom of allowing DARPA to determine what lies ahead.
Discover the untold story of America's most powerful military science agency.
In this first-ever history of the Defense Department's most secret, most powerful and most controversial military science R&D agency, Sunday Times bestselling author Annie Jacobsen draws on inside sources, exclusive interviews, private documents, and declassified memos to demystify DARPA, 'the Pentagon's brain'.
Since its Cold War inception in 1958, DARPA's innovations have shaped the modern world - from its role in the development of the Internet and GPS to stealth technology. Yet, the agency's cutting-edge projects remain cloaked in secrecy, often outpacing public domain advancements by decades. In this groundbreaking account, Jacobsen uncovers DARPA's hidden history, triumphs and controversies, exploring its role in pioneering technologies that redefine warfare and society while questioning the wisdom of allowing DARPA to determine what lies ahead.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Transworld Publishers Ltd
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 197 mm
Width: 130 mm
Thickness: 38 mm
Weight
410 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-80499-883-0 (9781804998830)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
09/2025
Transworld Digital
€10.99
Available for download
Person
Annie Jacobsen is the Sunday Times bestselling author of Nuclear War: A Scenario, which was shortlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize. A 2016 Pulitzer Prize finalist, her other books include Operation Paperclip, Phenomena and The Pentagon's Brain, and have been translated into 26 languages. She also writes and produces TV, including Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan. A graduate of Princeton University, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their two sons.