Terrorism A Documentary and Reference Guide

Subjects:

• Military Studies » Military & Politics
• Political Science » International Relations
• Political Science » American Politics/Government

Reviews:

• [A] well thought out and considered overview of the background to and repercussions of the terrorist attacks of September 11... [T]he guide is easy to use and well indexed and signposted... Recommended for undergraduate and general readers.
  —Reference Reviews .
• This history and analysis of modern terrorism provides an overview of modern terror itself, as well as the views and tactics of its perpetrators and those trying to thwart them. While many books on the subject are laden with implicit or explicit judgments that tend to oversimplify the complex nature of terrorism, Burns and Dempsey include a wide variety of perspectives. The book tackles subjects such as the definition of terrorism, radical Islam, and the war on terror by presenting an assortment of primary documents from all sides of the issue, then putting those documents in context, and finally suggesting further reading.
  —Middle East Journal July 2007
• This concise single volume provides a wealth of information about the events leading up to and including the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001. Beginning with a clearly written examination of the roots of global terrorism, it features seventy documents (speeches, policy statements, briefings, Web postings, etc.), many of which are published here for the first time....The strengths of the book lie in the detailed analyses of each document, the extensive use of sidebars, ample illustrations and photographs, and the exhaustive resource list that incoporates electronic, print, and video materials. The reader's guide to related documents and sidebars is especially helpful in navigating the text. Both teachers and students will find it an exceptionally valuable resource as it brings together materials that, heretofore, have been difficult if not impossible to find.
  —VOYA February 2006
• Each document in this collection is accompanied by a short analysis and suggestions for further reading. Did You Know? sidebars on related subjects such as suicide missions and events leading to the Iranian hostage crisis are included....The book includes translations from Al Qaeda training manuals and of the 9/11 hijackers notes, the CIAs 1996 report on Osama bin Laden, excerpts from writings by Egyptian Islamist thinker Sayyid Qutb, Richard Clarke's testimony before the 9/11 Commission, and ALA's resolution denouncing the USA Patriot Act. There is an impressive list of relevant Web sites and a list of related films and videos....The information is detailed and accurate.... This resource would be most useful where primary sources and analyses are needed.
  —School Library Journal December 2005
• [W]ill find a place on not only college-level library shelves, but many a public library reference section....[p]resents both a history of modern terrorism and a survey of its roots, using speeches, policy statements, letters, and even terrorists' Web postings to consider the social, legal and historical aspects of terrorist activity around the world. Emphasis is on events leading up to 9/11 and its aftermath, with source material documents emerging from formerly classified archives or those rarely seen in English.
  —MBR Bookwatch October 2005
• Recommended Book. In our summer Letters we usually review books for relaxed seasonal reading. This book is not one of them. Vincent Burns and Kate Dempsey Peterson, freelance writers, have compiled from public sources and interesting collection of documents on terrorism. Insight into the minds of Islamists is provided. But in one domestic case Timothy McVeigh explains why he blew up the Murrah federal bldg, in Oklahoma City. (It was his anger toward the FBI and other fed. agencies for their operations in Waco.)...The compilers include sobering examples of the nation's un-readiness. These include Richard A. Clarke's statement before the 9/11 Commission, Your government failed you, and a list of ten missed opportunities to thwart 9/11. The collection or readings is sobering, and valuable.
  —Security Letter August 1, 2005
• This easy-to-use reference guide by freelance editor Dempsey Peterson and former journalist Burns, who also coedited Encyclopedia of World Terrorism, includes a fine selection of essays, commentary, and more than 70 documents related to terrorism, most with an emphasis on the Middle East and al Qaeda. These documents span the 1950s to 2004 and are drawn from such varied sources as recently declassified CIA reports and suicide bombers' final letters. Following each document are detailed analyses and an extensive list of bibliographic references (the book's greatest strength) that help make the proliferation of material that has become available since 9/11 less bewildering. Every document is also prefaced by annotations indicating its source, date and place of issue, and importance....[t]his book excels in offering a highly organized presentation, and its Readers Guide to Related Documents and Sidebars will be especially appreciated by undergraduates. Recommended for academic and larger public libraries.
  —Library Journal 9/15/2005
• Burns and Peterson have created a unique volume of 70 documents, some never before in print, pertaining to terrorism and the US. Readings include speeches, policy statements, letters, reports, and laws. Documents were chosen to best illuminate the terrorism threat to the United States and the American response. Although many of the documents are reproduced only in sections (sources are provided to locate the entire article), the gist of the information is present. Nine thematic chapters (e.g., Definitions of Terrorism: Past and Present, American versus American, and Radical Islam) assist in placing the documents in context. Cross-references, document analysis that often includes historical background on the topic, sidebars, and a further readings section increase comprehension. Chapter introductions provide background information (e.g., title, date, significance) about the documents. An extensive resources section, including national and international sources (electronic, print, and video), also contributes to making this an excellent choice for the academic or armchair student of terrorism. An easy-to-use resource that is full of pertinent information, this volume should be read all the way from the introduction (an excellent piece by former FBI agent James Kallstrom) to the resources section. Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers.
  —Choice 12/1/2005

Table of Contents:

• Foreword by James K. Kallstrom
  Preface
  Introduction
  Definitions of Terrorism: Past and Present
  American versus American
  Middle Eastern Terrorism and the United States, 1970s-1980s
  Radical Islam
  Al Qaeda: The Gathering Storm
  September 11: The Plot Unfolds
  September 11 Post Mortem I: The Government Admits Its Intelligence Failures
  September 11 Post Mortem II: A Changed Society
  Conclusion: The War on Terrorism Goes On (and On)
  Resources: Web Sites, Bibliography, and Films/Videos
  Index
  About the Authors

PDF Catalogs:

Sale Catalog 2008.pdf