1 comments about Reporting the War: Freedom of the Press from the American Revolution to the War on Terrorism.

1. Reporting the War is a must read for anyone who wants a better understanding of the natural tension that exists betwee the press and the government. Coork focuses primarily on wartime and elequently contrasts the difference between "live coverage" and journalism. I finished the book with a renewed sense of gratitude to those journalists who report the truth in the face of significant governmental interference and great personal risk. Cooke refreshed my awareness that freedom of the press may indeed by the most important safequard of the First Amendment and our American way of life!
   Kathie Ross

5 comments about The American Spirit: Meeting the Challenge of September 11.

1. Through photographs, book tells the story of the country's struggle since 9/11 to recover from its saddest day. Each photo stands on its own and delivers a message without words. Rather than focusing on sensational photos of the towers burning and falling, book chooses to document how the world has changed. Just as LIFE magazine had always done, book uses photography not only to illustrate but to inform and inspire.



2. While this book was not intended to document the events of Sept. 11th, a reader would expect the book to show the impact the date had on the American People. There are a few things wrong with this book. For one, it makes an honest attempt to show how Americans were changed by these events yet, at times, it deviates by documenting events post-9/11 that had nothing to do with the terrorist attacks. There is too much focus on NYC and little on Washington DC or Pennsylvania. Emergency workers in NY share their stories yet nothing is written about the passengers aboard the planes. Recognition is given to one pilot but none is given to any of the flight attendants. It is nice to see that in this day and age, we Americans are proud of our country and are willing to defend it but what Life had failed to show was the true reason for such patriotism--we are angry over ALL events of that day Not just over the attacks in NY.



3. Review of The American Spirit
   
   The American spirit goes into detail about the disaster on September 11th . It goes through the normal day, and then it goes to the towers being destroyed by the planes. After that it goes to the search and rescue and on to the clean up. Throughout the book there is many quotes from different people who share there opinions on sept 11th . then the book goes into detail about the recovery of the sphere which is the only still standing structure from the towers. after that it talks about the pentagon briefly but it lets you understand what happened. Near the end it talks about how the military started to invade Afghanistan. It talks about how we are trying to stop terrorism and other countries are trying to help us with that. If you want to learn more about what happened that day when the sky was clear and there was no sound of planes flying by than you must read this book.



4. Life magazine always produces great pictures and this is no exception in this book. The book is a compilation of the life of America following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The personal stories are always the best to read about. There is a personal background of five people who survived the attacks and this is very poignant. One detailed a young widow of a NYFD person killed in the attack. She described the payout which she recieved as a victim as our "sad money". These people will never be the same as a result of the attack.
   I find fault with this book because there is so little focus. It descibes personal stories, then goes off to talk about the ex mayor, then looks at Afghanistan. There is a series of writings in here about the American spirit, but there is no focus in even this. This is a hard book to follow, so I rated it low. The editor should have focused on one trend.



5. George Washington's friend, Betsy Ross of Philadelphia, sewed the first flag for N. America on June 4, 1777, which was made out of bulldog cotton. The colors: white for purity, red for hardiness and valor, and blue for vigilance, perserverance, and justice. The stars represent the states and it varied as the nation was developed.
   
   "Just as Thanksgiving is for families, Presidents' Day and the day after Christmas are for shoppers, Valentine's Day for sweethearts, the Fourth of July is for crowds." It is for picnics with family and friends, or a concert of patriotic music, and, of course, fireworks. For some, it is a time to travel far to see a family ignored the rest of the year.
   
   In a "patriot conspiracy" during the summer of '42, Old Glory (with its 48 stars) was on the cover of many magazines to rally support for World War II. In 2002, flags (now with 50 stars) serve the same purpose they did sixty years ago.
   
   This photo book is mostly concerning the events of 9-11-2001 and how it affected our country. Many of the pictures are sad as that was a traumatic day for the whole United States of America. Four years later, we are still fearful it will happen again, only on a larger scale. I really think it is time to move on. The healing process should have taken place by now. There is nothing we can do to make things different. It happened -- we need to get over it. Dwelling on something that horrendous only makes life less than good. Let us remember the founding fathers and the wonderful flag which represents this country of ours on this Independence Day, 2005.

5 comments about When the Walls Came Down.

1. Ken Greene knows firsthand about 9/11, the day the walls came down. He was there! He also knows something about the walls that separate us. While tragedy has a way of helping people forget about their differences in a time of great need, walls still remain. ...When The Walls Came Down is also snapshot of our goodness and the barriers that prevent us from sustaining it. Listen to his voice and try honestly to see with new eyes. You will emerge a slightly different person."
   --Nigel D. Alston
   Talk Show Host, Columnist & Motivational Speaker



2. The author's first-hand account of surviving and helping others survive the attack on the North Tower on 9/11 offer insights I have not read elsewhere. This in-and-of itself makes the book a fascinating read, but the author goes further.
   
   He brings to focus the fact that there was a brief moment in this country when the tragedy of 9/11 brought all of America together. Our race, religion, politics, or other elements that tend to divide us simply did not matter. Unfortunately, that unity was short lived. In fact, our nation is even more divided, and our civil liberties are more at risk than ever before.
   
   The author details his personal views of life in America and its history from the perspective of a black, Native American. Being white and from European descent, I was at first challenged by them, then intrigued, and in some cases disturbed. Case in point: I did not know that in the same battle Jessica Lynch fought, Lori Ann Piestewa, a single Mom and Native American died. Also taken captive and brutally beaten was Shoshawna Johnson, a black single Mom. These women are just as much heroes as Ms. Lynch, yet neither was given the same credit that was due to them. Ms. Lynch tried in vain to set the record straight. She openly shared on national TV her concern for the inaccuracies and omissions of her ordeal. I share these concerns as well. In fact, I was outraged.
   
   Needless to say, the book is filled with other insights: some amusing, some very sad. One might think the author would be bitter, but that is not at all the case. He simply wants to point out that there are different views of life in America, and after reading the book, I gained a better appreciation of them.
   
   An excellent read! Highly recommended!



3. The casual book-buyer might pick up Ken Greene's When The Walls Came Down and see "another 9/11 book," emblazoned with an image of the World Trade Center buildings billowing smoke after being slammed by jetliners. While the surreal horror of that day can't be avoided whenever an author chooses to tackle this generation's Pearl Harbor, the title belies a sharp critical analysis of what that day really meant to the past, present, and future of America's readiness, or rather, willingness, to truly live up to its ideals of equality, freedom and democracy.
   Today, these words are taken for granted, like they need not prove their actuality in Americans' daily lives. However, as Greene begins the first part of the book recalling what started out as a typical day, he explains that he was often reminded of how equality still proved to be an elusive concept when it comes to the perceptions of African-Americans, poignantly explained in what he calls "the seat of last resort," a daily reminder of how, on a crowded suburban commuter train where he was sometimes the only black passenger, the seat next to him was often the last to be occupied, if at all, despite his professional aura.
   But it was that professionalism that compelled him to stay behind and help others out of the North Tower of the WTC, amidst a backdrop of horror and mayhem that Greene paints in the mind's eye with a graphic clarity that television images could never penetrate. At that moment, when the walls were literally about to come down, so too did the constructs that separate Americans into categories. It's impossible to imagine anyone in that horrific situation caring whether or not the hand stretched out to help them was conservative, gay, or foreign, and Greene illustrates this as he takes the reader through his fortuitous escape from hell and through the rest of his day.
   The million-dollar question left hanging over his audience: Does it take shared tragedy to get Americans to truly come together as one, in the way that's always idealized yet neglected?
   The unfortunate answer, as Greene takes his work beyond 9/11, looks like yes, as he convincingly explores America's "business as usual" attitude through a diorama of topics in part two, Politics, which includes the build-up towards war with Iraq, and part three, Race and Hypocrisy.
   Even those who don't like looking into that mirror would be hard pressed to trap Greene's work in the category of disgruntled ranting as he has done his homework, providing timelines and context behind so-called controversial issues to bring his point home.
   Greene challenges readers to acknowledge inherent hypocrisy simmering under the surface of unflinching patriotism, and he isn't afraid to upset anyone's incredulous sense of "civilized" American superiority. Greene's book is a warning: if Americans lose the true meaning of professed ideals, while also acquiescing the need for governmental accountability in actions that effect the world, history will repeat itself until we get it right...if at all.



4. The phrase "September 11" makes most of us pause and reflect upon the haunting images surrounding that day's terrible events hauntingly embedded in our minds. Sometimes we force ourselves not to mentally go back there, but when we allow the memories, we are prone to shudder recalling the attack on The World Trade Center. Survivor and debut author Ken Greene was courageous enough to pen WHEN THE WALLS CAME DOWN. I thank him for sharing the horrific details he experienced.
   
   Greene's book shares personal accounts such as: whenever he hears any one of seven songs he listened to during his commute to work that fateful morning, the music "puts me right back on the 6:08 a.m. train headed to Grand Central Terminal". The book is full of these honest, insightful truths which puts the reader in his body and mind. Reading vivid scenes of being trapped in the stairwell of the tower in which he worked, thinking of his wife, and being covered in soot brought tears to my eyes because his descriptions took me there.
   
   If you enjoy reading about history, current events, political views, and analytical brainstorming, you will become engrossed as Greene depicts the correlation between obvious routine displays of racism he encounters during his daily commutes, to the 2001 Presidential voting controversy, to Bush's explanation of going to war, and much more. He has included plenty of research to back up his views. His writing is easy to follow, emotional, very witty, and at times humorous despite the intense subject matter.
   
   The fact that the book is more than a memoir of September 11 is what pushes it into the extraordinary class of literature. Greene was employed by the Port Authority of New York as an Assistant Director of Aviation when he found himself thrust into the infamous deadly situation which demanded him to step up and save his life and help rescue others. I recommend this book is placed on your list of must-reads. You are sure to learn while becoming emotionally caught up, as you find yourself not being able to put this book down.
   
   Reviewed by Janet "Jaize" Brown
   The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers



5. If you are ready to know some hard truths and to stop being amongst the herd of "group thought," then this is the book for you. But if you'd rather go on blindly and remain in denial, I strongly caution you not to read this book. Ken Greene gives an honest, brutal account of not only what happened during those horrifying moments when the walls came down, but he goes further to discuss "politically incorrect" topics such as racism in America, election fraud, and the ills within our society that have created walls (globally) that should never have existed. Poignant, compelling, disturbing--and oh so enlightening!

No comments about Israel, Palestine and Terror.

No comments about America's Quest for A Safer World: Unilateral Preemption & Multilateral Restraint of Terrorism.

No comments about Migration, Culture, Conflict, Crime And Terrorism (Advances in Criminology) (Advances in Criminology) (Advances in Criminology).

5 comments about Amerithrax.

1. I was attracted to this book because I enjoyed the movie "Zodiac", (which was written by screenwriter James Vanderbilt) and I thought the Robert Graysmith criminal element may prove interesting.
   
   Sadly Graysmith had few cohesive thoughts in the book. It bounces around far too much from the death of Bob Stevens, to Mohammed Atta, NBC, Homeland Security, the CDC and back to AMI among others. The aforementioned are all critical to the story. When there is a gap in time and with such a detailed story it would have been better had it been tighter.
   
   Graysmith has not turned out to be my favorite author. But, when it comes to movies based on his original writing, such as "Zodiac" or commentary he provides on the Autofocus DVD discussing the investigation into the murder of Bob Crane, I have become a fan.



2. I work in biological counter-terrorism and I found this book to be extremely helpful to better my understanding of the mail based attacks that took place in September and October of 2001.
   Interestingly , I discovered that my company's product the Mail Defender was mentioned on page 411 of the hard copy.
   One point the book makes is that is extremely difficult if not impossible to unmask the predator, while the United States mail system still remains the most open and largest distribution system in the world.
   Please feel free to contact me anytime by email to discuss.



3. (This is a review of the Kindle edition.)
   
   The author has unquestionably done a lot of work on researching the history and personalities involved in the anthrax killings. The problem I had with this book was how unevenly it plays out. It jumps from a fairly good narrative true crime story to a poorly written overly detailed look at topics that are barely relevant to the story. Most irritating were the numerous repetitions of facts and quotes, as if the author were being paid by the word or presumed that the reader could not retain simple facts from one chapter to the next. The narrative is choppy and jumps back and forth across time more than is really necessary.
   
   I bought it as a reader with an interest in human response in disasters, not as a professional researcher. It may be useful to keep as a reference to refresh my memory on facts, but it is not what I would consider an enjoyable and informative narrative in the genre of true crime.



4. this was a fairly quick read. as we all know the plot, the writer offers many details unknown and some interesting analyses. i felt carried along for hundreds of pages, only to be dropped in the end without resolution - of course, our finest investigative services have publicly never reached a conclusion either. reading this book is a lot like listening to someone describe a web. there's no simple way to describe one with its concentric lines of slightly different thicknesses and angles. same with this book, the facts from different sites and the progress (or lack thereof) at each site make for a quite difficult story to tell. this was far from one of the best books that i've read in the past 12 months, but it is a topic in which i am puzzled. it is a worthwhile read, if you can tolerate the above limitations, new or used.



5. Not living in America, I knew relatively little about the Anthrax killer, so the story was new to me.
   
   Its strengths are the detailed review of the facts of the case, and the telling of the general history of biological warfare since WW2. It also tells us about the unfortunate victims and their terrible suffering.
   
   The trouble is, it tries to weave too many different things into a single narrative, which gets confusing. There is a lot of back tracking, and the story is interrupted constantly by anecdotes about Soviet, American, and Iraqi anthrax factories, previous anthrax leaks, the Una bomber, and various other mail-crimes, some of which are repetitive and not terribly relevant.
   
   I did like the book tho, it sent a chill up my spine more than once. Consider the fact that several countries now stock enough anthrax bombs to kill every person on earth! Terrifying when you think about it.

1 comments about The Battle for Hearts and Minds: Using Soft Power to Undermine Terrorist Networks (Washington Quarterly Readers).

1. 
   This is a pretty good volume from 2003, with a good mix of academics, journalists, and practitioners. The most useful pieces for me personally were on the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which manages the Voice of America.
   
   On balance this is a solid reference on all but two of the aspects of soft power: it completely neglects the importance of getting a grip on historical and cultural reality through open source intelligence (OSINT) and also neglects the strategic bottom line that demands an educated American public that is fully informed about the real world and demanding of intelligent policy choices.
   
   The book certainly does well with the limitations of military power, the importance of nation building, the urgency of having a massive capability to do stabilization and reconstruction operations as needed, and the critical roles that public diplomacy and foreign assistance could, but do not, play in winning hearts and minds.
   
   Of special interest to me was the failing report card on the broadcasting board of governors, whose equipment is 30 years old in many cases. I applauded the informed judgement of the author who made the case, based on experience, for keeping the short wave and middle band capabilities that too few understand is essential for Africa and other locations.
   
   Across the book it becomes clear that the US needs to upgrade the Combatant Commanders or mirror them with a civilian coordinator for non-military strategy, power, and resources. As someone who grew up overseas with the U.S. Information Agency (USIA), and served in three Embassies overseas, it is crystal clear to me that we need to double the Department of State, in part by reconstituting USIA as a separate organization, and by placing USIA, the BBG, and a new Open Source Agency (for collecting and making sense of all public information in all languages all the time) in a tight partnership. We need to double and triple aid, develop a peacekeeping from the sea program, as well as the ability to do multiple Berlin Airlifts.
   
   This is a good basic book for anyone thinking seriously about "soft power," a term popularized by Joe Nye, whose varied books I have reviewed and recommend very highly.

No comments about Deviance, Terrorism and War: The Process of Solving Unsolved Social and Political Problems.

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