Nina Burley

The most important moment in these lives of people born in 1920 was the dropping of the atom bomb on Hiroshima, followed by the dropping of the second atom bomb on Nagasaki. Needlessly.

The most important moment in these lives of people born in 1920 was the dropping of the atom bomb on Hiroshima, followed by the dropping of the second atom bomb on Nagasaki. Needlessly.

For people who didn't grow up with nuclear weapons, for humans that didn't grow up with the knowledge like we did, that humans can now incinerate the planet. this was a traumatic experience because they remembered what it was like before. And they were grappling with this existential new situation. Cord wrote a letter to the New York Times.

For people who didn't grow up with nuclear weapons, for humans that didn't grow up with the knowledge like we did, that humans can now incinerate the planet. this was a traumatic experience because they remembered what it was like before. And they were grappling with this existential new situation. Cord wrote a letter to the New York Times.

And so the CIA, the excuse that they would make for what they were doing was that they had to prevent this from happening. They had to keep control over everything.

And so the CIA, the excuse that they would make for what they were doing was that they had to prevent this from happening. They had to keep control over everything.

But for years, tension had been brewing in her marriage. And so they no longer had this kind of intellectual relationship that had inspired her in the first place. So that was a problem.

But for years, tension had been brewing in her marriage. And so they no longer had this kind of intellectual relationship that had inspired her in the first place. So that was a problem.

He was depressive and he sort of went into kind of a more withholding position vis-a-vis her.

He was depressive and he sort of went into kind of a more withholding position vis-a-vis her.

Cord was keeping a journal, and apparently Mary had access to it at some points.

Cord was keeping a journal, and apparently Mary had access to it at some points.

Otherwise, he was very repressed and he was drinking a lot and he kept a journal because one of his issues was that he felt that he was a writer and he was not able to write. He was not also getting public acclaim the way Kennedy was, because if you work in the CIA, you can't get public acclaim.

Otherwise, he was very repressed and he was drinking a lot and he kept a journal because one of his issues was that he felt that he was a writer and he was not able to write. He was not also getting public acclaim the way Kennedy was, because if you work in the CIA, you can't get public acclaim.

And so you can see in the journal his writing and then her notes on the side, like something straight out of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

And so you can see in the journal his writing and then her notes on the side, like something straight out of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

At one point, Cord wrote of the growing Korean conflict, quote, I am without hope, and yet I live from day to day as before. And in the margins, Mary wrote in her large loopy script, quote, when you say you are without hope, you imply that you thought humans were not what they are, humans. unquote. There were more personal jabs, too.

At one point, Cord wrote of the growing Korean conflict, quote, I am without hope, and yet I live from day to day as before. And in the margins, Mary wrote in her large loopy script, quote, when you say you are without hope, you imply that you thought humans were not what they are, humans. unquote. There were more personal jabs, too.

Another example, he wrote a poem about a beautiful woman who, quote, who wears her beauty carelessly like a bright dress lent for a night by some indulgent guest. And in the margins, Mary drew an arrow to the last lines and observed, she bites her fingernails, fails to shave under her arms, has no sense of humor, and is a totally mundane soul.

Another example, he wrote a poem about a beautiful woman who, quote, who wears her beauty carelessly like a bright dress lent for a night by some indulgent guest. And in the margins, Mary drew an arrow to the last lines and observed, she bites her fingernails, fails to shave under her arms, has no sense of humor, and is a totally mundane soul.