"Adm. Hyman G. Rickover and his work on nuclear propulsion had a profound effect on the post-World War II world, and his demand for excellence and accountability was felt far beyond the naval community, yet few other flag officers in the U.S. Navy have been so controversial. This biography draws on the admiral's private papers and the personal insights of friends and family members to examine not only Rickover's extraordinary naval career but also his private life, including his poverty-stricken childhood in Russian Poland."--BOOK JACKET.