I shut this book and I quietly wept for a few. The deeds that mankind is capable of in the name of fanatical convictions and out of blinding ignorance or political agenda are staggering. Frankly, it just made me so angry.

Lawrence Wright creates a fascinating narrative of the last 50 years before the 9/11 attacks, as he begins with Sayyid Qutb's lean towards fundamentalism. Right after that, however, he is forced to come back again and again to the same fanaticism and the same excuses Taliban fighters use to twist their faith towards mass murder. Reading about 300 pages of this misguided philosophy is exhausting. But just as I was about to write The Looming Tower off as meandering, Wright switched to the stranger-than-fiction life and pursuits of FBI agent John O'Neal, who was involved in the investigation of al-Qaeda and who perished on the day of the attacks. One of a kind book that is definitely not going to leave you indifferent or detached.

I am late to the party on this one, but it remains a pertinent and relevant work for today's geopolitical climate. Wright's research is impressive, and he does a great job personalizing the narrative with characters such as John O'neil. If you think you've waited too long and 'The Looming Tower' might have grown stale, fear not. It's just as important as ever.

This review is for the audio version.

Ugh. This was an incredibly difficult book to listen to.

When the reader got to September 11th, I had to pause several times to get my emotions under control. I remember that day. I remember being at school and watching the news and being excited. Man. Highschoolers. We were so dumb. We didn't know anything. Then my parents came to get us and we saw the actual images of people throwing themselves from the buildings and people running through the streets covered in white ash. It was awful.

I don't remember when, but I read another book about a forensic anthropologist who volunteered at the site and she talked about trying to identify the people from the leftover pieces. It was awful.

So, yeah. Reading this book was not fun at those parts.

But, actually the worst part about this book was the sheer incompetence of the American intelligence services. Seriously! They need to talk to each other! The US government had enough information to piece together that there were terrorists inside the country taking flight lessons, but the information was spread out among the FBI, CIA and NSA and they were all too busy fighting turf wars to actually talk to each other. I hope that the policies mentioned in the book are gone now, because they were seriously idiotic.

I also didn't know that the FBI agent who had been predicting Al Qaeda was going to attack retired and worked in the World Trade Center and lost his life there. That was...coincidental, to say the least.

I am glad that I read this book though. I learned a lot from it. I learned about a lot of important political figures and was able to connect the information to other things that I had read like Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and American Sniper, and even some novels like Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. I randomly clicked on an article called 'What happened to us?' about the changes in the Muslim world since 1979 and I understood exactly what it was talking about because I had enough background information to finally connect all the dots.

That's why I can't stop reading. I feel like I understand the world a little bit better with each book that I read. Even the parts that I wish I didn't know, they help me to grasp the world that I live in.

This is my second or third Wright book and I’m convinced he might be one of our best historians currently working. Another phenomenal read. Truly sad stuff. Not just the topic. But to get a glimpse of how it all came about. From the horror and absurdity of religion and the extremists it breeds to the failure of bureaucracy to communicate and share data which ultimately led to the deaths of thousands of people. If you’ve ever wondered how something so twisted was allowed to happen or how someone’s mind becomes so warped they would carry out such a murder; it’s all laid out here. Recommended!

Bardzo dobra książka, rzetelnie opisująca wszystkie zbiegi okoliczności i niedorzeczności amerykańskiego systemu bezpieczeństwa, które doprowadziły do tego, że banda nie najlepiej ogarniętych dżihadystów przeprowadziła jeden z najkrwawszych zamachów terrorystycznych w historii.

My favorite part of this book was its opening pages about Sayyid Qutb's growing disillusionment with the West, even as he benefited from its educational system. Qutb is considered to have laid the foundations for the swing towards fundamentalism in Egypt, from which came bin Laden's cohort Ayman al-Zawahiri.

I think I am more interested in the philosophies that drive terrorism/recruitment for terror, than the politicking and strategy. So, despite the wealth of information in this book and the massive scope of the research Lawrence Wright had to compile to put it together, I wanted this book to be something different than the historical play by play that it was. I also was very interested in bin Laden's origins - mostly because of what they indicate about his motives - but once he fully committed to waging jihad on the West at his turning point in Sudan post Afghanistan battle glory, my interest dropped off a bit.

If you are interested in the history of the formation of Al Qaeda and all of Al Qaeda's actions as a growing terror cell leading up to 9/11, you would probably enjoy this book thoroughly. It is very painful to read from hindsight, knowing that if bin Laden would have died as he nearly did in Afghanistan, or if the CIA would have shared information with the FBI, 9/11 probably would never have happened at all.

n  

Al-Qaeda had aimed its attacks at America, but it struck at all humanity

n
Originally published in 2007 with a 2011 afterword in this edition, it’s clear to see why Wright won a Pulitzer: not just is this a huge undertaking but it manages to build in nuance and complexity rather than over-simplifying. The road to 9/11 is a very long one in this book, starting just after WW2 and inflected by world events including the foundation of the State of Israel, the Civil Rights movement in the US, the Soviet failed war in Afghanistan, and the oil boom and bust which transformed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Despite the vast swathe of names, of ideologies and theological positions, of feuding and allying radical Islamist groups, Wright manages to tell his story with clarity and flair. He draws out, without overplaying, the strange parallels at times between the US and Islamic fundamentalism, and refuses to write out the way America has allied itself, at times, with the forces which later coalesced into the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. He is fairly attentive, too, to the stated unease and dissension even within and between radical groups, especially with regard to acts of violence and terrorism.

The current TV series based on this book is far lighter, turning much of the research into a fairly conventional spy story, and especially skims over the various Arab groups with different ideologies, religious interpretations and visions, and national vs. pan-national political agendas which are detailed here. If you’ve ever wondered about the relationships between Hamas, Hezbollah, the Taliban and others, then this is certainly worth picking up.

The style is journalistic rather than academic so while there are extensive references in an appendix they’re difficult to match up with the text – not a problem for a general reader but worth being aware of.

The world has certainly moved on since this was written and even since the 2011 afterword which is cautiously optimistic but which was written before the conflagration of Syria. All the same, for anyone struggling to make sense of world politics today this is accessible and knowledgeable, while also being a gripping read.

Thanks to Penguin for an ARC via NetGalley

Potężny reportaż, świetna robota, ale jak zapytacie to nic wam nie wytłumaczę. I’m just a girl

Polecam ogromnie

Ciężko było przebrnąć. Momentami aż za bardzo szczegółowa.

Fantastic! The author laid the groundwork for the "how" and "why" some Muslims grew to become terrorists. He unraveled the past by starting with Sayyid Qutb who fled Alexandria, Egypt and came to New York City in 1948. Qutb's writings, speeches and martyrdom are mentioned throughout the rest of the book.

The author goes into the lives of several other people that will all come together, showing how they came to be what they became. (whew!) The fighting in Egypt and why is explained and who links up with bin Laden (Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri) from al-Jihad in Egypt, all the name changes, etc.

There were a couple of life crossroads that could have stopped the terrorist activities from becoming organized and better funded, but for dumb luck, things kept growing and the feeding of the wounds festered.

The main point that I got was bin Laden did not like the United States in Saudi Arabia. Hated it. The King of Saudi Arabia kicked him out of the country because he was very vocal on this subject. He settled in Sudan (the poorest country) that thought bin Laden's money could help their economy, but he was told to shut up and stop speaking out against America. A promise he continually broke. The faxes that he, Prince Turki, and the King sent back and forth were almost comical. Who knew?

Osama settled in Sudan, went into farming and other ventures. It was a peaceful time for him and if some really bad people didn't continually vie for his "support" ($), things may have turned out so much differently. He was used by others that wanted to be extremists, killing other Muslims and whoever else got in their way. They created fatwa's (exceptions to the Quran) to justify killing, suicides, and anything else they needed to do that was strictly forbidden inside the veil of their religion.

The author spent the first half of the book setting the stage for what would become al-Queda. There are several pages of photos in the middle, followed by more current events. The second half of the book went into more detail of the United States and the lack of organization, bitter rivalry and fierce protectiveness of information. While the arguing and secrets ensued amongst the CIA and FBI, al-Qaeda grew. The wake-up call was the bombing of the USS Cole on October 12, 2000 while docked for refueling in Aden, Yemen, but it was not answered.

There were gruesome recounts of horrific slaughters that showed how crazy SOME Muslims interpreted or altered the Quran to their benefit. Definitely had some sociopaths in their group! Some members left, some fathers from Saudi Arabi came to collect their sons who were bored, rich, and wanted some adventure. Others were bitter with their own problems and horror stories of imprisonment and couldn't read or think for themselves. Some of their first attempts at learning to fight (against the Soviets in Afghanistan) showed how inept they were. The Afghan's didn't want them around! The Muslims set up white tents to be targets because they were told (and they believed!) if they were martyrs their souls would be forever saved. This sparked ideas in the minds of radical leaders.

What riled me the most was what took place INSIDE the United States amongst our own agencies: CIA, FBI, NSA, and Presidencies (Clinton and Bush, particularly Condoleeza Rice). I hope to God that some heads rolled after the barrage of information became available that the CIA refused to share their intel with other agencies! Most made the fatal mistake of "underestimating the enemy." Fools! There were a few that were aware of bin Laden, his training camps, his open threats against all non-Muslims, especially the United States.

Bin Laden used the fall of the Soviet Union to recruit others against "the superpower" (U.S.) telling them that after Afghanistan the Soviet Union fell and they were responsible. Now it was time to bring down the United States.

The CIA was aware that the future hijackers were INSIDE the United States, but told no one. The author speculated that they may have intended to capture them for spies.... In any event, they told no one. The FBI, who was investigating the USS Cole bombing, shared some valuable information with the CIA and then the CIA implied they had more info, but wouldn't divulge. They quoted a Clinton law that forbade interagency sharing. How stupid was that? They took it beyond the scope that it was designed because the two directors of the smaller (CIA and FBI) offices HATED each other.

I don't know what to say about John O'Neill. He seemed to be the man to get things done, but leaving his briefcase full of secret documents and a few other blunders had me teetering on/off his side. Then to divulge his personal life! I just threw up my hands. He was married with children and dating three other women (who--some--didn't know about his wife or each other). He promised to marry each of them and even on the day he died (inside the World Trade Center) he called two and told them he loved them.

Now, I ask you, how can a man possibly have his head on his job when he's shuffling multiple identities in his personal life? I thought the analogy the author used comparing O'Neill's personal life to bin Laden's (three-sometimes-four wives) was right on. The author indicated with each woman he had different religious, political and musical preferences. How can a man that was labeled "the prince of darkness" because he was ALWAYs at the office juggle three women and a wife? His debts were horrendous. It was hard for me to stay on his side, but all the evidence of his job showed him to be excellent at sniffing out, obtaining and staying on something like a tick on a dog. What a shame.

The book stopped at page 421 and the remaining pages consisted of:
* character listings
* notes
* bibliography
* index

As I read, I heard the song, "One Tin Soldier" (1971) by Coven and thought how appropriate. Here's a verse:

"Go ahead and hate your neighbors. Go ahead and cheat a friend. Do it in the name of Heaven. You can justify it the end. There won’t be any trumpet’s blowing, come the judgment day. But on the bloody morning afterwards, one tin soldier rides away."

The Pulitzer Prize winning effort from acclaimed historian Lawrence Wright, this book does not disappoint. We learn of the frustrating wall that existed that prevented cooperation between American intelligence organizations and the road that led to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. We learn more of Arab culture, both religious and secular, than in any book I've read previously. Overall, this book belongs on the shelf along such works as Steve Coll's Ghost Wars and Directorate s, both fine studies on current world events. If you are looking for a book to snuggle up with this pandemic winter, make it this one.

Un volume massiccio che scorre come l’acqua. Le altissime torri racconta come è nata Al-Qaeda e come si è arrivati all’11 settembre. Un racconto giornalistico accurato che è valso il Pulitzer all’autore, Lawrence Wright, e che ha ispirato la -bellissima- serie tv The Looming Tower (disponibile in streaming su Amazon Prime Video).

Ho sempre avuto un forte legame con quel tragico giorno, non so esattamente perché. O forse sì. Sarà che ho una memoria di merda ma ricordo con precisione dov’ero e cosa ho fatto in quel martedì nero, o sarà che quelle immagini viste in diretta hanno tracciato un solco indelebile nel mio cervello e nel mio cuore. Sia come sia, ogni anno, durante la commemorazione, mi ritrovo a piangere un mondo che è cambiato drasticamente, quel mondo che non è più, e che mai tornerà.

Una lettura intelligente, documentata, che racconta le gesta di chi ha provato a evitare ciò che inesorabilmente accadde e di chi ha fatto bruciare la fiamma dell’odio in nome di una religione che è stata distorta a uso e consumo di pochi folli uomini.