4 comments about Quiller Solitaire (Quiller series).

1. There is a lot more info on the Quiller series at www.quiller.net, a fan site.



2. Elleston Trevor honored me with a rare author's proof and I have a particularly soft spot for this Q caper, not least because it demonstrates his nom-de-plume Adam Hall's absolute determination to give readers full value, starting with each story sending Q down an even more suicidal hole than the one before.
   
   Of all the adventures, 'Solitaire' is the one that most resoundingly drives home a lesson taught by 9/11, namely that you can wire and bureaucratise your spook setup all you like, but it counts for naught unless you have the requisite 'ferrets' working the dark side and able to deliver the right intelligence for the automatons to crunch.
   
   This is an assignment Q wants - badly. He owes a man a death and he'll get it. Mission: thwart a terrorist group, for which (as so often) Q needs to be drawn into the opposition's den.
   
   The 9/11 connection takes the form of Quiller aboard a jetliner with only seconds to defuse a bomb.
   
   My opinion is neither here nor there: everything this spymaster poet delivered was exquisite and brutal and this is one of his best. With book trade heros like Otto Penzler doing their thing, we'll perhaps see Hall recognized for the master he is, and a new generation of readers flock to the Quilliad.
   
   Full marks to Amazon's editors of these reviews to permit the link to the fine homage page to Trevor's work.
   
   Anyone who enjoys top-rate thrillers and hasn't yet discovered Quiller is in for a major treat.



3. ...this author did to the spy thriller--don't be put off by the number of pages, each is fast-paced and the writing style is both accessible as well as being completely original--with all the hoopla over Brosnan quitting the Bond series, Broccoli and co. could do no wrong using this character and series as a template--HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!



4. This was the first "Quiller" novel I have read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a "thinking persons" book. It read a chapter at a time only to be put down to absorb the logic and planning of Quiller. I won't give anything away, but reading Robert Littel's endorsement was chilling...if the CIA didn't read this book, perhaps some others did. This is a good read and I hope you enjoy it as I did.

2 comments about 11 Septembre 2001: L'Effroyable Imposture.

1. I dont know if the information this book contains is true or not. However this book makes some sense. As a French, i think the author could be able to be very objective on 9.11, and i believe that what he said is not lie. Maybe what we believe to be true is a big fat lie



2. mes commentaires ne sont pas en rapport au livre mais bien à votre site, j'aimerais recevoir le volume l'Effroyable imposture, mais il n'y a rien qui donne suite à ma demande.....rien qui me dit que je vais le recevoir etc....
   merci

No comments about The Roots of Terrorism (Democracy and Terrorism).

5 comments about In the Wake of 9/11: The Psychology of Terror.

1. Written with a rare combination of wise hesitation and committed passion, this book has so much to commend it is difficult to know where to start. In short summary, this book presents a well-argued 'take' on current political terrorism, as well as public reaction to that terrorism, from the perspective of Terror Management Theory (TMT). TMT is an increasingly important area of social psychology that was originated explicitly as an attempt to subject Ernest Becker's main ideas to empirical testing. The robustness of the theory is now causing many heads to turn that 20 years ago quickly passed over Becker's ideas as 'speculative philosophizing,' unworthy of serious attention from social scientists. One of the great values of this book is that they have taken all of this two decades' worth of research and boiled it down to two concise chapters, in which they both lay out the research results itself in coherent format and discuss its significance in the context of Becker's wider theories and relating it to other current material in the social sciences. In subsequent chapters, as they lay out the psychology of terror, focusing both on the terrorist mentality itself, but even more so on the public reaction to the events of 9/11, the theory genuinely springs to life with cogent illustrations of each point from the very newspaper headlines we have all been recently reading ourselves. The feeling is that of reading 'lived history' in which the reader is also an intimate actor as well as an interpretive observer. This is easily the most riveting interpretive account of these events I have seen in the growing mass of 9/11 literature.



2. This book explores our recent experience of terrorism through the lens of psychological research into the impact of "death anxiety" on human attitudes and behaviors. By the end, we readers have been carried far beyond The Obvious - that death anxiety is aroused by threats to our lives --- and smack into Surprise and Dismay: Surprise, to realize that "death anxiety" is a constant in human nature that is also aroused by perceived threats to anything with which we identify or through which we give meaning to our lives. And Dismay, to realize that death anxiety itself, is a root-cause of human violence. No, that doesn't mean that all of us are physically violent, nor does it mean that psychology alone explains human violence or terrorism. (The authors, true to their multidisciplinary commitments, push the analysis well beyond psychology.) It does mean, however, that we cannot understand or hope to diminish violence without insight into the human factors that contribute to it. The authors paint an accessible but realistically complex picture of the causes and the impact of the events of 9/11, and although they offer no easy answers... their research and analysis give rise to new insights into our human and historical predicament. This is powerful, provocative reading, and while it is often disturbing, it is also peculiarly satisfying because it has the ring of truth. Whether or not you agree with everything the authors say, you will finish this book with new and revealing ways to think about human nature, individual and collective violence, the struggle for meaning, and the demands of and obstacles to freedom and tolerance.

   Here's some more detail on how the book unfolds:
   The "psychological lens" here is Terror Management Theory (TMT), developed by these authors in the effort to test Ernest Becker's claim that the human fear of death is a source of "human evil." (See especially his Pulitzer Prize winning Denial of Death.) Pyszczynski, Solomon and Greenberg explain how that research was conducted (over about a 15 year period) and present the findings. These chapters can be challenging for those unfamiliar with psychological research methods, but their frequent summaries and conclusions keep the reader on track as the evidence accumulates in support of Becker's claims and TMT. Next, the authors use TMT to analyze the American confrontation with terrorism on September 11, and our responses to it, both individually and collectively. Then they explore the causes of terrorism, adding to their psychological analysis, historical, religious, political and economic factors that must be considered. Here too, the application of TMT leads to some unexpected insights. In the end, their concluding suggestions point towards comfortably familiar "American values" but with uncomfortably honest reminders of the challenge they present us.




3. In the Wake of 9/11: The Psychology of Terror (Washington: American Psychological Association, 2002), Tom Pyszcynski, Sheldon Solomon and Jeff Greenberg.

   Many have observed that America will never be the same in the wake of the terrorist attacks on US soil on the morning of September 11, 2001. The sudden impact of the explosions, captured in vivid detail and replayed over and over again on television, fundamentally altered the illusion of invulnerability that Americans had enjoyed since World War II. Beginning almost immediately a host of Middle Eastern analysts and academics of all stripes supplied an endless stream of hypotheses concerning "why they hate us" and the general nature of terrorism, all in a well-meaning effort to come to terms with a national tragedy.

   But to plumb the depths of terrorism one must look beyond the sound bites, beyond the narrow focus on Middle Eastern politics, beyond popular opinion concerning the supposed differences between Islamic and Judaeo-Christian cultures. This is one of the chief accomplishments of In the Wake of 9/11: The Psychology of Terror. Its authors have succeeded in recasting the psychology of terror against a general theory of human nature. Working in the tradition of cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker, they trace the roots of terrorism to the troubling yet inescapable reality of human mortality. Becker long ago proposed that there exists at all times a latent fear of death that threatens to upend societal equilibrium. To shield ourselves from the ever-present threat of death anxiety, we seek to bolster our self-esteem through group loyalty. Hence competing worldviews threaten us at a very deep level.

   Becker's prolific publications were hailed by many as brilliant and garnered him a Pulitzer Prize (for his 1973 classic, The Denial of Death). But he was unable to gain widespread acceptance within the academy. His interdisciplinary methodology ran contrary to the emerging trend toward specialization. And there was the recurring criticism that his bold and far-reaching ideas, while intriguing, were ultimately untestable. Like many pioneering visionaries, Becker's death was followed by a period of neglect and dormancy.

   That changed with the appearance of three social psychologists (Pyszczynski, Solomon and Greenberg) who possessed the ingenuity to do what others said could not be done: put Becker's ideas to the test. Their results demonstrate conclusively that Becker's ideas are not only theoretically compelling, they are empirically verifiable. Years prior to the devastating events of 9/11, they were testing and developing what came to be called "terror management theory." Fine tuning Becker's ideas, they discovered, among other things, a clear and testable relationship between the awareness of mortality and hostility toward those who appear to subscribe to a different worldview. More specifically, they found people who were asked to consider their mortality would be more favorably predisposed to people who shared their basic world view, and conversely, more negatively predisposed toward outsiders of one kind or another. These findings fit both the surge in patriotic hoopla and the hostility toward foreigners in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

   While acknowledging that "terrorism results from the interaction of a wide range of social, political, ideological, and psychological forces," the authors set out to "illuminate the psychological aspects of the problem" (p. 187). The result is a veritable calculus of depth psychology that identifies the factors inclining groups toward violence. Drawing from their cumulative research efforts (spanning over 150 empirical studies) the authors provide a concise overview of their research (Chapters 1-3), then proceed to apply their findings to the social and cultural milieu of post 9/11 America (Chapter 5). Chapter 6 is devoted to the application of terror management theory to Islamic extremists, while Chapters 8 & 9 point to the way out of the cycle of violence. Acknowledging the enormity of the issues and the gravity of the current socio-political state of affairs, the authors suggest that hope resides in new, more inclusive worldviews that are neither too rigid nor too diffuse.

   Much has been written concerning Becker's allegedly bleak view of human nature and his seemingly macabre fascinations with humanity's destructiveness. But those familiar with his writings can attest to his great compassion for the human condition and the reverence for the "life force" that sustained his long descent into the night. "In ways that are yet unknown to us, this spirit will continue giving birth to its own possibilities" (Becker, Angel in Armor, p. 118). In the Wake of 9/11 adds another important chapter to the story Becker so urgently wanted to tell.




4. Pyszczynski et al have done a fine job of presenting a theory of the human emotion of terror. However, most people browsing in Amazon.com would be more interested in books explaining terrorism. Terrorism is an extreme form of violent, political activity; terror is a profoundly distressing human emotion. The two concepts are distinctly different, and readers interested in the former will be disappointed to purchase a book on the latter.
   Having said that, Pyszczynski et al have done a good job explicating what they deem their -- existential-evolutionary theory -- of how humans manage the fundamental, existential terror inherently associated with the contemplation of one's own mortality, and by extension, the meaninglessness and finitude of existence. Basically, unable to tolerate the thought that we are all transient, meaningless specks of dust in a vast, indifferent universe, we busy ourselves investing in goal-directed activities to win cultural approval, gain self-esteem, and derive existential solace in the thought that we are important parts of a larger, meaningful, enduring cultural enterprise that, collectively, achieves a kind of super-organismic immortality.
   After explaining the theory itself in an interesting manner in the first three chapters, the authors present two long, research-based chapters, in which they review dozens of controlled studies done, predictably, on undergraduate college students, in a reasonable attempt to demonstrate empirical support for aspects of their theory. Good enough for a solid, thoughtful, interesting psychology textbook. What follows, however, is somewhat of a change of topic, and, perhaps, an unreasonable attempt to capitalize on the sensationalism of the 9/11 attacks (the book was published only shortly following the terrorist attacks of 9/11/01).
   The authors shift from their very attractive theory of terror, and specifically -- terror management -- how humans handle our moments of existential terror - to a theory of terrorism - and that portends a rapid deterioration in quality and insight. The chapters that follow find the authors presenting an embarrassingly shallow theory of terrorist motivations and behavior, and a sophomoric, platitudinous, solution to the problem of world terrorism: yes, indeed, it is so bad that they actually have a chapter on how to solve the problem of world terrorism called, quote -- Give Peace a Chance -- unquote. Ouch! The second half of the book is actually a good example of how quickly good scholars can plummet into an abyss of ill-informed gibberish once they stray outside of their area of considerable expertise.
   The first part of the book is good enough to merit a stand-alone text, but the second half of the book, in which the authors behave as if nothing of significance has ever been written about the psychology of terrorism, is so fatuous that it is embarrassing and painful to read. Many people, I fear, will buy the book due to the current intense interest in understanding terrorism, when in fact, the better reason to buy the book is to better understand the complex set of human emotions related to how we struggle to deal with the fact of our inevitable mortality.
   Larry H. Pastor, M.D., Oakton, Virginia



5. As a "self-styled" student of Ernest Becker myself, I take a special interest in this brave book. I am writing a book myself on racism in America, and Becker's paradigm on the Science of Man and the social and existential psychology that it rests on (mostly death denial, mortality salience and death defiance), as well as the "American worldview," also will serve as the basis of my own theoretical platform. So, one cannot imagine how excited I was to see these brave men launch a first foray into the use of Becker's paradigm as part of a set of testable hypotheses.
   
   As a trained scientist (Mathematician and Operations Research Analyst) and quantitative behavioral scientist (advance degrees in International Relations Theory and Political Science), I read this book with great enthusiasm. In many ways, it looks very much like my own Phd thesis: It develops (or appropriates) a suitable theoretical framework (TMT), forms various hypotheses (about death defiance, mortality salience, the American worldview and how 911 disturbed the American reality and conscience), collects appropriate data (reactions of victims to the 911 experience), and then proceeds to try to test those hypotheses using the most suitable tools available (subjects of psychometric and social psychological experimental test designs, etc.). This is all to the good.
   
   If the reader allows the authors to get away with this smoothly developed tableau, there is very little to complain about here. However, since I too am going through the same exercise, I have a few questions to raise: of the same sort that have plagued my own research.
   
   For instance, how can the authors so causally speak of the "American worldview," (which, in the background, does most of the heavy lifting), and is the most pivotal of all concepts in their research design), as if it is a "given" without first properly delineating its content and tracing out its outlines? It certainly is not enough to assert that: "national identity is a large component of most people's worldview." This is the beginning, not the end of an analysis of worldview.
   
   In these authors design, the "American worldview," remains essentially a black box, indeed an unopened (possibly cocked and loaded) black (pandora's) box! I believe that if they unlock this box, rather than presume to know and thus able to intuit its contents, they will discover the all kinds of things will come tumbling out:
   
   The "American Worldview" as a psychological construct is a house of horrors that cannot be intuited or taken casually for granted. Once opened, they will discover, as I did, that it is a fantastically complex, not just multidimensional, but more importantly, a multilayered psychological construct, that never quite stops unraveling. At the very bottom (not at the top) of this multilayer psychological chain is of course death denial. And as one ascends the chain of sublimated complexity, one discovers, not just death defiance and mortality salience, but also many other things that are equally as "weighty" as death defiance and mortality salience: things such as an almost existential dependence on and a preference for a "barely transparent racist ideology," a very localized and parochial set of contradictory moral rules, a specter of sex and violence at every turn; dependence on strange and contradictory religious concepts and beliefs, and on an avowedly white male "hero system" all couched in a social hierarchy that often contradicts the much revered notions of freedom, independence, and democracy, just to name a few. These go well beyond just national identity.
   
   And while it is true that these all inevitably do connect in one way or another back to death defiance, mortality salience, and thus ultimately back to death denial, the connections are never straightforward or linear ones. They are invariably very circuitous and tenuous connections, and there exists, equally plausible alternative explanations for each of them. And most of all, there is very little that can be assumed about the construct of "an American worldview" itself, or about the connections to it as the variables upon which it depends, proceed up the psychological chain. Nor indeed is there very much that can be assumed about the way these disparate elements and their respective connections are to be properly "weighted" in the larger overarching concept called "the American worldview."
   
   Because so much of the authors design depends on how the "American Worldview" is conceptualized, this is not a casual matter at all. It is not a matter that can be easily ignored or simply glossed over as simply, a matter of "national identity." If the assumption is that it does not matter how the "American Worldview" is conceptualized, since all roads inevitably lead directly back to a deeply sublimated death denial anyway. Then that is no longer just an assumption, but amounts to a grand global meta-hypothesis that is larger than, and indeed engulfs the whole research design itself. Such a large meta-hypothesis cannot be allowed to enter the research through the backdoor, but must be wrestled with, up front. And at the very least somehow be acknowledged and defended, if not proven out right.
   
   I of course have not finished the book, but hope that this is the only major concern. For bravery alone the book merits five stars.

5 comments about It's a Free Country: Personal Freedom in America After September 11 (Nation Books).

1. ...... is what this country is supposed to stand for. This book clearly shows how these ideals as well as the democracy which made this country great have all been swept under the carpet in the name of 'safety". This book contains numerous articles written by liberals AND conservatives alike, many which review what terrors have resulted in the name of 'tyranny over democracy' throughout history, in this country and in other countries. Terror is a fitting word because there we can see a more subtle yet ultimately just as dangerous form of 'terrorism'. Not only does it effect the thousands of people who have their lives destroyed by injustice, it also jeopardizes all our lives, since we have relinquished our power as Americans to one individual. America IS Americans (remember "by the people, for the people"?), and this book beautifully encompasses this theme. It isn't a question of left-wing or right-wing. Over three thousand people of all political persuasions, all religions, and all ethnic backgrounds died together in the terrible incident on 9/11. Most but not all were Americans. This book enables us to see the myriad ways in which the terror of 9/11 is still continuing. If the America of 'liberty freedom and justice for all' is destroyed, then Bin Laden and his followers have won. What we stand for means nothing if we sweep it under the carpet when it is most needed.



2. A wide variety of contributors make this book a useful counter to the rush towards war abroad and away from civil liberties in this country. Some are funny, some tragic, but all the pieces are thoughtful and thought-provoking.



3. Three more copies en route because we vote with our money.
   Applauding those who dare to speak when Newspeak
   (and goldbergism via scarboroughbot) prevails and reagan
   movies are censored by rove-rush-religious-reich-robots
   is the least we can do in these times before the pendulum
   swings back toward equilibrium of some sort..;>

   May the public's awakening, evidenced by book sales
   and righteous reactions to lying war-makers, occur in
   our lifetimes. May more notice who is on first, who

   benefits and where the money comes from and goes to
   make media fear its own shadow. These contributors are
   a brave lot. Castigated and cartooned by minions of
   the rush-on-drugs-daily, they act and speak as if our
   beloved country is not already lost. They restore hope.




4. Every dictator recognises the power of fear. It's the chief rationale for controlling dissent. Justice for minorities can be shelved. The most blatant acts of government can be excused in the name of "security". This collection of essays by a wide spectrum of lawyers, writers, observers demonstrates how the Bush regime is using fear to consolidate power and undermine the democratic traditions of the United States. It has happened in the past, several of the writers note - the Alien and Sedition Acts of John Adams' administration, the Palmer Raids of World War I and the Japanese herded into concentration camps under the Roosevelt administration. While these events set a precedent, none reached the intensity nor had the far-reaching social impact the current regime has instituted since 2001-09-11.

   The various authors examine the historical roots of stifling dissent in the USA. They explain what prompted governmental repressive acts and how these were implemented. Public reaction was usually swift and expressive, if not originally successful. Ultimately, protest and legal action led to disavowal or rejection of the acts or policies. With the Bush regime having declared the "war on terror" to be long-term, if not indefinite, note several authors, the new repression will endure and likely intensify. This presents the public with a new challenge. Even the normal, traditional mechanisms of countering repression have been curtailed, almost without the public noticing. This book, incorporating a variety of political orientations, points up the fact that democracy is more fundamental than party. Rights, the authors stress, are an issue of law, not campaigns. In particular, these essayists note, restricting freedoms to improve security is a false idea.

   It is clear from this book that the barrage of unconstitutional declarations by the regime are not instrumental in defeating or preventing "terrorist" activities in North America. These directives and policy statements are designed to impose a reactionary, even dictatorial, social and political structure in the United States. The collection is a warning signal both to residents and citizens of that nation and elsewhere to scrunitise carefully any pronouncements deemed to "increase security". Reference to the "porous Northern border" of the United States in the Introduction is a clarion call to Canadians to read this book and follow events here and in the US closely. With the Bush regime applying pressure on various countries to conform to its methods and accept his dictums, we must maintain a wary eye on our neighbour's intrusions.

   While the attempt to gain the widest political and social spectrum of writers and commentators to expose the legal terrorism by Bush and Rumsfeld is laudable, the message here is blurred by repetition. We all agree the WTC attacks were "horrific" but the editors might have applied a thesaurus to reduce the number of times the word is used. The incarcerated men and children at Camp X in Guantanamo have no civil rights, and their legal rights have been curtailed by illegal declarations by the Bush regime. One solidly researched and well-written essay on that topic would have sufficed, even if multiple-authored. The same standard might have been applied to some of the other topics. While it's essential to the survival of democracy to be aware of how Bush, Rumsfeld and the rest are shredding the American Constitution, this collection stumbles slightly in the effort. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]




5. This is quite a good book filled with a large number of articles about the political freedoms in the USA a year after 9/11.
   
   As would be expected with the contributors, there is not a great deal of love to the Bush Administration or its handling of the nation in this time period.
   
   The articles (as the editors state) tend to get repetitious after a while, so the second half of the book is more of a speed read in certain sections.
   
   I found this book to be thought-provoking.

5 comments about The Monks of Tibhirine: Faith, Love, and Terror in Algeria.

1. This book recounts the heroic faith and works of "ordinary" monks living in dangerous times!



2. This is an enjoyable, but slightly dry book. It is definately hard to actually sit down and read without ones mind trailing off! But as I labored through it I came to enjoy the writers style, and actually feel the importance of the information about the trappist monks of Algeria!



3. From a tragic and almost incomprehensible act of barbarity, the author has fashioned a beautifully nuanced work of art that succeeds in bridging a good portion of the chasm now separating the Judeo-Christian and Muslim worlds. With great sensitivity and understanding of these seemingly antagonistic cultures, Kiser has succeeded in constructing an uplifting and heart-felt story that not only instructs the reader, but successfully addresses and perhaps heals some of intercultural bitterness rampant today.



4. Algeria is one of those places that you know of, but you dont know much about. There are Muslims there, the French USED to be there, and it's in Africa.
   
   But this story really brings Algeria to fruition. You see what a diverse nation it is; Arabs and Berbers; Francophones and Arabaphones; Conservatives and Liberals; Radical Muslims and 21st Century ones. It's with this diversity in mind that one can deal with the tragedy of this story at all. This is really a great book if one is interested in the story of Islam in Africa, the French in Africa or Algeria in general.
   
   I really connected with the monks and the difficulty the Church faces in Algeria. It also made me realise the love required to even stay sane in such hostility. Love was their oxygen.



5. Interesting book filled with facts and interesting opinions about an important event, an important country, and an important effort to live together made by Christians and Muslims. Kiser includes a valuable bibliography and time line at the end.

1 comments about The United States Department of Homeland Security: An Overview.

1. Fantastic book...no one seems to know what the Department of Homeland Security does or how it was form, this book accomplishes that.

5 comments about My House in Umbria.

1. I have to admit flat out that I have not read this particular William Trevor book, but to call any book by him "boring" surely only reflects the reader's inability to look beyond her desire for a nice travel book and appreciate the book for itself. Trevor is perhaps the most under-appreciated great writer of our time. He works in a style that is at first dated to the reader of modern literature-it feels almost like reading Dickens--but let yourself keep going, allow his books to work on you, and you will soon appreciate his utterly breathtaking ease and control of the language and your emotions.



2. A fascinating tale from one of my favorite authors; Mr Trevor has an incredible gift for transporting the reader into the worlds he creates on paper!
   I have nothing to add to the good initial Amazon description, (certainly would not want to give away to much)only can say this is a well written story with a fascinating cast of characters,in a wonderful setting.
   A first class read, certainly not boring as the idiot looking for a travel/ tour guide book would have one believe!
   A pretty good film with Maggie Smith (whose face appears on this editions cover) as well!



3. This is a giant of an achievement, dont be fooled by the harmless sweet appearance and tone of this book. Its full of deceit and lies. And most of all misdirection. I am not one to tell about plot, who cares to reveal the story. But in this book, one can feel the touch of genius...not at first, but later in the book, when you begin to realise what is being done to your mind. In this brillant twist on the conventions of the modern novel, there is a deceit made all the more brilliant and delightful because of its subtlety. I wont ruin it for you. In the end, the author reveals to you who really tells the story of a life, including your own, and that is the genius of this deceptive book---- it gives you the reader this extraordinary insight. But you could miss it and say, what is going on? To speak is to not know it. It is there for you, waiting quietly, with no pointing, no shouting, no direction at all, otherwise, you would not ever feel the boundaries of your own story. There is a reason this author is so acclaimed.



4. I have to say that although a previous reviewer has been blasted, I have to agree at least in part with their sentiment. This book really isn't very exciting. I can appreciate the writing and style presented, but all-in-all, upon finishing a book, appreciation never wins out over enjoyment for me, and this story seems as if it could have been presented in 25-35 pages, as opposed to its 150, and had the same characterization and probably more impact.



5. but we love to read her novels for her understanding of social psychology, and the graceful penetrating voice in which she tells her stories. William Trevor's focus is on modern English and Irish folk, typically working or middle class, but his understanding of their psychology is as masterful as Austen (or Henry James, for that matter); and his style is perfectly shaded to reveal their lives. I've read most of his novels and stories and always valued his prodigious talent. This book, in my opinion, rises to genius. The characterization of Emily Delahunty is superb. The understanding, and rendering, of how we live our lives by telling our stories is brilliant.

5 comments about Onward Muslim Soldiers: How Jihad Still Threatens America and the West.

1. The book starts by explaining how the Quran is translated and how some parts supersede others. This alludes to a dynamic document. This author highlights that the term "jihad" does not refer to a war, but a struggle, and that this definition doesn't appear to change. Jihad is a struggle that will no end until Islam is the supreme religion.
   
   By explaining this, the author quotes many, but without a firm background in this field, we would have no idea who these people are. Is the reader to assume that the people quoted are credible? Although he quotes Edward Said and Noam Chomsky, I wasn't really familiar with most of the people, so I really can't say. The author did have a habit of saying that whenever someone speaking for Islam was quoted saying anything violent or anti-American, then he was "quoted out of context." The author leads to believe that they aren't credible and are changing their story. Towards the end of the book, the proverbial shoe is on the other foot, but he feels we have to accept that his side really was quoted out of context. This turned me off a bit.
   
   The author does bring up a point that I found intriguing, and this was the idea of dhimmitude. Evidently, the Quran says that conversion to Islam must be voluntary. However, Jews and Christians would be required to pay a tax and accept being treated as second-class citizens. Whether this is true or not is merely a good reason to explore the Quran.
   
   The tone of the book seems to be a bit too right-leaning and borderlines baiting. Nonetheless, this book does spark study and discussion.



2. As an activist who is concerned about the slow death of one of the greatest democracies in the world, this book says why. Unless people understand that we are fighting an enemy, who uses the very freedoms of democracy to destroy it, we are doomed. Everytime I hear about another effigy burning, cars being torched, Churches and Synagogues painted with Swastikas, and the constant "anger" of the Muslim world, I am baffled as to how most of the world either just does not understand, or we live in a world filled with stupid people. We are facing the greatest threat to our life as we know it. Our freedom to travel without fear, to go to work in a tall office building, to congregate in a tourist spot outside of the USA, and freedom to speak without worrying about "anger". As Salman Rushdie said ot our dinner honoring five Muslims who decry the Jihadist radicals and the silent majority, Muslims today need "anger management" and western democracies need to read Robert Spencers books. If we live under the laws of Sharia, typing reviews online like this, and buying books, uncensored, will only be a part of past history. I would like the ability to read, write, speak, and live free, and enjoy others to do the same. Thank you Robert.



3. Robert Spencer assembles in lawyer-like fashion evidence (there is so much of it that in places it seems like repetition) from the Koran (and other Muslim publications) and from Islamic history -- to make the case that there is, even today, real power (the Bible does not have the same kind of power today) in these ancient writings -- and these Holy Words are a source violence. The actions of the West are not the main cause of the problem.
   Without pressure from the outside the essence of the Koran (found at the end part of the Koran, according to the author) would still call on Muslims to strive for Islamic expansion. And force is justified in the many different kinds of situations.



4. A POORLY WRITTEN BOOK,WITH MULTIPLE DISTORTIONS AND QUOTATIONS INTERPRETED TO CONFORM TO A POLITICAL AGENDA.MUSLIM TERRORISM IS A SERIOUS THREAT WE ALL MUST BE CONCERNED ABOUT,HOWEVER THE HISTORY OF VIOLENCE AND ASSAULTS ON OTHER COUNTRIES IS NOT PARTICULAR TO ISLAM. ISLAM IS NOT JUST A RELIGION,IT IS A POLITICAL RELIGIOUS AND ECONOMIC IDEA.THE AUTHOR'S ""research"WAS SELECTIVE AND IT IS EVIDENT FROM THE FIRST FEW PAGES HIS ONE SIDED PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS ABOUT ISLAMIC AND WORLD HISTORY IN GENERAL.



5. I have read all of Robert Spencer's books and they are all right on as to documented facts. He is on the hit list of most major Islamic organizations because they know he speaks the truth and his facts and sources are on record. I didn't have a clue as to the dangers to the civilizied world of Islam until 9/11. After 9/11 I did extensive research on all aspects of Islam and what I found greatly concerned and scared me. Just recently in Rome, Ga., a small town north of Atlanta, the authorities uncovered a Islamic terrorist cell in a mosque in Rome. A friend and I tried to get permission to attend a mosque in North Atlanta to find out what is being preached by the Imams, but were told we could go on a sanctioned tour but not attend a service. I fear that most of the USA mosques are condoning terrorism against the infidels. Otherwise why won't they let us attend their services? And why don't you hear from "moderate Muslims" about the evils of terrorism? You can attend any other religious service in the US without any restrictions?

5 comments about Painful Questions: An Analysis of the September 11th Attack.

1. OK, wake up America! How did the towers free fall to the ground? What mass of energy was so strong as to pulverize the reinforced concrete to dust? Why very quickly destroy evidence by immediately shipping off all steel to China for re-cycling? Building 7 looked exactly like an everyday controlled demolition. You have to be a blind man not to see that. Why was it so, so very hot at the base of the collapsed towers for so long after? Have you never seen a magic trick before?



2. I am not a conspiracy theory person, in fact I've always laughed at them.
   
   But reading this book certainly has made me question a lot of things!!!
   
   Read it with an open mind. And then decide if the arguments hold water or not.



3. This is one of the best 9-11 books (with its own video) and I am persuaded by this author and others that 9-11 has not been properly investigated, and that there has been a major cover-up. The video is very powerful, very detailed, very thoughtfully narrated, and carries this book and this author to the very top of the list of reasoned and thus authoritative contributions.
   
   Unlike the other 9/11 books I have reviewed, this book, which is letterhead size, is a brilliantly compelling collection of color photographs, color diagrams, thoughtful calculations, and plain text in two columns. The book and the DVD represent, in my opinion, the single best personal effort, and the single most credible case, to the effect that 9-11 was a huge scam on the American public.
   
   The book, and the DVD, are *exhaustive*. There is no better word.
   
   I especially like the author's discussion of the Oklahoma City bombing as a preview of a diversion (the truck bomb versus two airplanes) combined with controlled demolitions. Unexploded bombs are reported to have been found at the Federal Building, with news clippings. The author also covers the destruction of a wedding hall in Israel, and the downing of an Egyptian airplane, as rehearsals for 9-11.
   
   I personally believe that the WTC were brought down by controlled demolitions planted by order of Larry Silverstein, but I am not certain if his action was done in partnership with Rudy Guliani and Dick Cheney, or on his own. The author does not mention the aspestos problem facing Larry Silverstein, for that I recommend viewing the DVD "Loose Change" as well as "9/11 The Press for Truth."
   
   I also believe that the evidence strongly suggests that the Pentagon was hit by a missile fired by the US, and that there has been a massive cover-up.
   
   I am relatively certain that 9-11 was allowed to happen, and that the majority of those who died--over 80%--died by order of Larry Silverstein, with or without the explicit protective consent of Dick Cheney.
   
   I am quite certain that the 9-11 Commission was a deliberate cover-up, and that Controlled Demolition, all of the WTC security people, the insurance executives, and key Pentagon officials have not been properly investigated.
   
   One day these monsters will be held to account. I have to say, on the basis of all that I have read, viewed, and thought, that it is not Bin Laden that has brought down the Republic, but rather Dick Cheney. Our most fearsome enemies are domestic, not foreign.
   
   Bottom line: the political leadership of America can not be trusted and are almost certainly guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors (see my lists on holding Cheney accountable, and on impeachment guides for citizens).
   
   For those skeptics that continue to believe their government, see the points made in my reivew of the below superb revisionist history:
   Someone Would Have Talked: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the Conspiracy to Mislead History



4. If you believe the line about how the towers fell due to heat, fire, impact...you need to read this book. Warning: When you present people you know with the hardcore evidence that this book presents, you will know first hand what "willfully ignorant" means. People don't want to know the truth! As the title of the book says, it's "painfull" to accept the truth sometimes.



5. This is more of a review of some of the less articulate reviews about this book.
   You may notice that detractors of this book who give it a poor review do so by using a lot of ridicule and insulting comments, apparently these reviewers were not on the debate team in school.
   Terms such as "you are just stupid" don't win debates. You need to explain why they are stupid with facts.
   
   One reviewer who claims to be an engineer says the buildings were designed to withstand impacts by airliners, but not a plane load of fuel.
   Think about that for a second...
   Were the designers of the building under the impression that most planes are powered by a wound rubber band?
   I don't think so, most people will agree to get a large passenger plane in the air and keep it there you'll need a lot of fuel, maybe even a full tank of it.
   
   When fuel explodes what causes the explosion? the ignited fuel. So why would most of the fuel escape through an elevator shaft? Answer... it would not, an explosion would cause the fuel to fly outward in all directions. The elevators shaft was not a straight shot all the way to the ground floor either it had numerous chambers to prevent the spread of fire.
   
   Another reviewer thinks that only a competent government could pull off the attacks, incompetent or not it doesn't matter when you hire out professionals to do the majority of the work.
   I mean when you can't fix your car you hire a pro, just because you can't fix your car doesn't mean you're too stupid to hire someone qualified to do it.
   
   What it boils down to is this... the 70-80 floors beneath the affected areas were not in any way affected by the fires, yet all those floors and hundreds of vertical beams that get thicker and stronger as they go down blew up at free-fall speeds and the top portion was also obliterated.
   
   The book is well researched, i've sourced all the quotes and others have as well, the questions in the book are fairly simple and if peoples emotions were not clouding their minds they would be able to think logically on this subject.
   
   And no, the idea of explosive demolition is not absurd, rather it is the only explanation.
   
   Here's my brief comparison of the two theories, the governments (which came out on 9-12-01) and the alternative theory which has been developed over time.
   
   Official theory
   regarding the collapse of the WTC 1,2, 7
   
   Fires caused the collapse of the WTC buildings 1,2, the few weakened floors gave way falling onto the floor below it causing it to collapse and so on.... This is called the pancake collapse theory.
   
   No official theory on building seven's collapse has been offered by the government.
   
   This theory has no precedent, and has not been duplicated before or after 9/11.
   Empirical evidence
   No fire has ever been proven to cause any multi story steel frame building to collapse before or after.
   
   Given the fact that their theory has not been tested it cannot be considered viable.
   
   Considering the long odds of this occuring, odds that get longer every day a steel framed building doesn't collapse due to fire, its a good bet that fire didn't cause this collapse.
   
   
   Counter theory
   Regarding the collapse of the WTC 1,2,7
   
   Explosives placed prior to 9/11 caused the collapse of WTC buildings 1,2,7
   
   #1 Video evidence shows explosions, as well as molten metal emanating from the building as it collapsed.
   
   #2 Audio evidence shows the sound of explosions, as well as police warning people about more bombs.
   
   #3 The floors didn't end up stacked like pancakes, rather they were turned to dust.
   
   #4 Its been scientifically proven (with computer simulations) that the floors would not fail at even higher temps than on 9/11.
   
   #5 In the 70's a fire raged thru the entire sixth floor and burned all night, yet caused no damage to the structure. Afterwards the floor was simply refurbished.
   
   #6 The Windsor building in Spain burned day and night at higher temps, yet it didn't collapse. The Windsor didn't have the huge steel core columns, rather it had a concrete core.
   
   #6 Using explosives buildings can and will fall at freefall speeds like the trade centers, explosives will also cause a building to fall straight down 99.9% of the time.
   
   #7 Fire has never been proven to cause the collapse of a steel frame building, during recorded history.