Kakaku：
Vintage
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (The Ultimate Insider's Account) 『Giving a fascinating history of the Islamist movement and an insider's account of the CIA and FBI agents who investigated al-Qaeda, this is a very well-researched book. The assertions and information are based on a wide variety of credible and knowledgeable sources. It is interesting and relevant, well-written and smartly organized, and perhaps most importantly, offers a well-constructed narrative.
While this book doesn't present any new groundbreaking theories or explanations of 9/11, of Islamist terrorist groups, or of the performance of the two agencies charged with defending us from such groups, it does however provide vivid details and weave a captivating narrative of the individuals that make up the story. Based on numerous interviews with the key actors, it is a riveting inside the locker room look at the groups that provide the greatest threat to our national security and those who are its sworn protectors.
Wright strikes a balance between maintaining journalistic integrity and neutrality while working in astute observations and analysis, and leaves the reader pondering many relevant issues, considering what might have been and what could be.』
(Excellent!) 『 This is a highly readable account of the events leading up to the 9/11 tragedy. It details the activities of it's masterminds and the status of the determined men and women in the US who were putting the pieces together. There is an impressive number of interviews with key players and informed bystanders. While this has been a well covered event, still, without Wright's diligence much of what he presents could have been lost to history.
I've recently read Steve Coll's The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century which covers the Bin Laden family with a focus on its leaders and Osama, its black sheep. From that work I realized how on the run Bin Laden was and how the Saudi Royal family's power depends on the radical religious leaders. This book fleshes out Osama's life and his increasing radicalization and extent of Saudi money in support of the ideology that results in violence.
Wright humanizes the principle players and this draws you in. He describes Bin Laden and Al Zawahiri as friends and rivals, the basis for their differences and how they came to unite. Wright shows the waning fortunes of Bin Laden in his Sudan years as he loses his money and his access to the family. Bin Laden is shown to be an eclectic and lackluster businessman he had been leading a jihad that has trouble getting traction. Wright gives you insight on Hassen al Turabi and Mullah Omar and how troublesome their "guest" made their lives. Interestingly, we learn of the jihadi who changes his mind about suicide just before entering the Nairobi embassy.
Stateside, you learn about the personalities and rivalries of investigators, how they doggedly pursue clues despite little cooperation or support from above. The Cole investigation and John O'Neill's (an almost made for TV character) treatment in both Yemen and in the US. The end, when key photographs are faxed to our ONE Arabic translator in Yemen, your heart almost breaks.
It's hard to put down this book. I highly recommend it. 』
(Captivating!) 『Well-researched and based on a carefully constructed timeline, The Looming Tower reveals facts about the rise of al-Qaeda and the 9/11 attacks that most readers will find surprising. For instance, a common misconception is that Osama Bin Laden was wealthy and therefore able to self-fund the training and equipping of al-Qaeda fighters. In Lawrence Wright's account, we learn instead that while certainly wealthy, Bin Laden's strength is as a prolific fundraiser. He is able to tap both wealthy Arab governments and private donors, particularly as he demonstrates al-Qaeda's increasing lethality. Much more significant perhaps, Wright portrays Bin Laden as a master of public relations. Indeed, he demonstrates early on that his charisma and soft-spoken charm could both inspire followers and unleash horrific violence.
In the lead up to 9/11 Bin Laden captures the imagination of disaffected but well-educated young Muslim males searching for validation and a deeper meaning in their lives. Already steeped in traditional Muslim thought (many studied in madrasses in Western Pakistan), these individuals merely need a catalyst and some direction for their aims and readily find it in Bin Laden's radical proselytizing. Proving Josef Goebbels' famous quote, "make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it", Bin Laden convinces his followers that America (and its staunch ally, Israel) is the source of all persecution in the Islamic world. He eventually gains a critical mass of converts and hence a blunt instrument to wage global jihad.
The scheme to strike at the soft underbelly of American 'infidel' society and the means to do it are born.
Wright also exposes the many seams in the U.S. national security infrastructure and schisms within the law enforcement and intelligence organizations that existed prior to 9/11. Ironically, those same intelligence organizations were created with the single purpose of detecting and preventing terrorist attacks. Simply tragic...
The mosaics the author pieces together in developing his characters (based on scores of interviews) bring to life such leading U.S. counterterrorism officials as Richard A. Clarke and John P. O'Neill. These individuals' relentless efforts to protect America's domestic and international interests undoubtedly prevent countless attacks. Yet, as Wright alludes, their persistent demands to go on the offense against an emergent al-Qaeda are stymied by poor communication and internecine rivalries between government agencies combined with bureaucratic inertia and simple inaction on the part of our country's political leaders.
The Looming Tower traces the roots of al-Qaeda to radical Islamic organizations such as Egyptian Islamic Jihad and the Muslim Brotherhood and fiery Islamic scholars like Sayyid Qutb and Dr. Abdullah Yusuf Azzam. We learn that while their extreme views prove a source of discomfort for mainstream Islamic governments - they espouse violent uprising to achieve their ends - their aggressive activism is largely contained. Interestingly, despite Azzam's pleas for moderation, Bin Laden exhorts his charges to commit suicide bombings as a means of achieving al-Qaeda's aims (and those of greater Islam) while punishing America for 'occupying' the Arabian Peninsula.
Additionally, we discover that Ayman al-Zawahiri and Bin Laden find refuge and a sympathetic ear in failed states such as Somalia, Sudan, and Afghanistan and co-opt their governments to help nurture and train radicals for jihad. Their demands ever more insistent and their attacks growing in ferocity, Islamic extremists in the Bin Laden era gain a new sense of urgency. Yet, incredibly, despite many alarm bells Western intelligence agencies remain unable to convince their governments of the seriousness of the threat posed by al-Qaeda.
Wright pieces together through hundreds of interviews each militant Islamist plot from the 1993 World Trade Center bombing through the 2000 USS Cole suicide attack. He painstakingly traces the steps of the jihadists as they gradually ratchet up the stakes while leaving unmistakable clues as to their grand design. Only a handful of astute, hyper-vigilant FBI and CIA agents grasp the significance of those clues, but their voices are seemingly drowned out by the bureaucracy with, of course, calamitous results.
The Looming Tower ranks with Rohan Gunaratna's Inside Al Qaeda and Steve Coll's Ghost Wars in its narrative sweep. Not nearly as dense as the Pulitzer Prize-Winning Ghost Wars, The Looming Tower combines the right amount of detail with the author's lighter prose style. Wright manages to entertain as much as he informs. Perhaps most enjoyable about Wright's book, it details unusual aspects of his characters' personalities that make them seem more human. Bin Laden, the devoted family man; John O'Neill, the sentimental romantic; and, Richard Clarke, the ambitious product of blue collar roots... These are the figures who grace Wright's pages. And a truly fascinating cast of characters it is!
Lawrence Wright's book, though a work of investigative journalism, reads like a Greek tragedy.
A sobering insider's look at the first (and arguably most) serious threat facing the West in the 21st Century and an immensely satisfying read...
Captivating! 』
(Excellent Read) 『This is an excellent read if you want to understand the history and thinking of the radical Muslim. I also recommend the book "Milestones" as a supplement to this.』
(Must Read) 『 Compelling account of the road to 9/11; a must read for anyone who wants to understand the events leading up to that awful day, the mindset of the perpertrators and the lapses in our security that allowed it. If we don't learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.』 『National Book Award Finalist
ATime,Newsweek,Washington Post,Chicago Tribune,andNew York Times Book ReviewBest Book of the Year
A gripping narrative that spans five decades,The Looming Towerexplains in unprecedented detail the growth of Islamic fundamentalism, the rise of al-Qaeda, and the intelligence failures that culminated in the attacks on the World Trade Center. Lawrence Wright re-creates firsthand the transformation of Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri from incompetent and idealistic soldiers in Afghanistan to leaders of the most successful terrorist group in history. He follows FBI counterterrorism chief John O’Neill as he uncovers the emerging danger from al-Qaeda in the 1990s and struggles to track this new threat. Packed with new information and a deep historical perspective,The Looming Toweris the definitive history of the long road to September 11.』
Kakaku：
Co.
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Another Warren Commission-style Piece of Fiction) 『Not since the Warren Commission has an official investigatory body so thoroughly ignored its professed mission to expose the truth and packaged so little critical thinking with so much extraneata. As I read the Commission Report, the refrain that kept recurring was, "They're missing the point!" The entire story supports a lame conspiracy theory that 19 crazed Muslims tricked American defenses and carried out one of the most flawless operation's in history; it's beyond belief. The Commission completely ignores the abundant evidence that calls their claims into question--the same technique the Warren Commission used decades ago.
A professional whitewash!
』
(Complete B/S. Kean admitted it was set to fail!) 『This book would not be if it were not for the countless patriots and family members of the victims who begged and begged for an investigation, instead of straw-man claims and repetitive allegations by the Bush Administration and the cabinet of puppets. When Bush and Cheney met with the commission, they were not under oath, NO press or transcript was allowed, NO family members, and no one in the commission was allowed to modify or question any conclusions made. This is a slap in the face and wake up call to America that your government does not give a damn about you, and 9/11 was an inside job. What does the commission say happened with WTC7? Nothing. Not a word. Not even in a bibliography. They don't even question whether Al-Qaeda was responsible or not. They don't tell you that the CIA funded the terrorist organization in 89. They don't tell you Osama Bin Laden went under the CIA name Tim Osmand. Kean and others on-record admitted "The commission was set to fail". And that they accomplished. It's sick. THIS is THE conspiracy theory for 9/11. Osama Bin Laden, on the FBI's most wanted list, under his crimes he is wanted for, 9/11 is NOT one of them, because "There is no hard evidence linking Bin Laden to the September 11th Attacks". Pure bull**** and psychological warfare on the American people. And they still love the government. wow.』
(Kindle Edition - TERRIBLE) 『I have no comment about the content. But the production of this Kindle book is downright terrible.
I know you can't expect much for a buck. On the other hand, the guys who made the 35 cents or whatever Amazon pays off this didn't earn it. The text was not cleaned up at all, leaving misplaced punctuation, poor line spacing on practically every sentence, mangling the text so badly it is almost unreadable.
If there is another Kindle version of this book around, I'd choose it even if it cost a tad more.』
(I'm Gonna Have These Guys Write My Biography) 『Hi. You don't know me. I'm a famous person. You just don't know that yet because I haven't had the correct people write my biography yet. Well, I finally found those people. They are the authors of the official "9/11 Commission Report", first published in 2004 as THE official story of what happened that day in 2001. They are perfect for the job. Their ability to highlight information favorable to an official story, while keeping out or suppressing any details or evidence that might contradict said story, is surpassed by none. I plan on having my agent (once I find one) call them up first thing tomorrow morning.
I actually read this book a few years ago, when I was reading EVERYTHING about 9/11 that I could get my hands on. I had no intention of writing a review of it on Amazon until today, when I noticed David Ray Griffin himself wrote a review of it. (For those who don't know Mr. Griffin, he has written something like six separate books on the events that day that highlight the massive inconsistencies with the official story.) Call me a groupie if you must (which would be slightly less "fishy" than calling me a grouper) . . . but having read most of his works and then now reading his review here, I became inspired to write my own review of it.
This book is truly an exhausting read. Over 600 pages of text and notes. The most striking thing about that fact is how much ISN'T in here. For something that was supposed to be a "comprehensive" report that answered "all" questions, there sure are a lot of things missing. For instance, the authors treated the nasty little issue of WTC Building 7 collapsing at free fall speed (with little damage to it) by . . . um . . . not even mentioning it. I mean, they don't even give it a passing "howdya do?". Completely missing.
Not to be outdone by themselves, though, they leave out a whole bunch of other necessary evidence, such as firefighter and eyewitness testimony about explosions heard within the Twin Towers, the insider trading on the stock market that indicated prior knowledge (except for mentioning it in a small endnote), the close ties of the Bush family and the bin Laden family, the ties of Marvin Bush with the security companies for the WTC and Dulles International Airport, Dick Cheney's role in possible stand-down orders, and various important pieces of structural evidence related to the Twin Towers. The list goes on. There is an actual legal term that describes this: it's called "Suppression Of Evidence". Furthermore, the authors seriously contradict themselves and earlier official stories on more than one occasion, the most notable being the timeline of events and the role of NORAD. How can anyone think this book constitutes a comprehensive report of all the evidence for the largest attack on US soil?
Most people complain about not being able to give some product on Amazon a review with no stars whatsoever, relegated to settling for at least one star. Not me. I think this book DESERVES at least one star. I give the authors praise for concocting this transparent piece of whitewash. I mean, can you imagine what it must have been like in the room when they put this nonsense together? Ah, to be the proverbial fly on the wall. Endless entertainment, I'm sure. But despite my negative review, I WANT you to read this book. PLEASE read it. Then read anything about 9/11 written by David Ray Griffin, especially his first three books, where he expertly dissects the official story and raises much-needed questions about who might really be responsible. (I wrote a review of his very first book on the subject, "The New Pearl Harbor", back in 2005.) Watch the documentaries called "Loose Change" and "Zeitgeist". Educate yourselves. And remember . . . hundreds of thousands of civilians have died in Iraq and Afghanistan BECAUSE you have believed the official story.
So you see . . . you don't know me. But you will. I'm gonna have these guys write my biography. You will soon know me as the man who ended poverty, found the cures for cancer and AIDS, won the Heisman Trophy, discovered the Fountain of Youth, scaled Mt. Everest in the winter, became lifelong drinking buddies with a great white shark, pitched the first ever no-hitter SEASON, wrote the most beautiful piece of music since Beethoven's 9th Symphony, and single-handedly brought lasting peace to the Middle East.
Anyone want the movie rights?』
(We aren't brainwashed. CNN tells the truth! Unfiltered!) 『It was terrorererrists! They did it! We will find them in their caves!.
George Bush is the best president ever in the Umited Sates!』 『The authorized hardcover, indexed edition of the national bestseller.
Nearly three thousand people died in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In Lower Manhattan, on a field in Pennsylvania, and along the banks of the Potomoc, the United States suffered the single largest loss of life from an enemy attack on its soil.
In November 2002 the United States Congress and President George W. Bush established by law the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission. This independent, bipartisan panel was directed to examine the facts and circumstances surrounding the September 11 attacks, identify lessons learned, and provide recommendations to safeguard against future acts of terrorism.
This hardcover volume is the authorized edition of the Commission's final report, and includes a full index.』 『The result of months of intensive investigations and inquiries by a specially appointed bipartisan panel,The 9/11 Commission Reportis one of the most important historical documents of the modern era. And while that fact alone makes it worth owning, it is also a chilling and valuable piece of nonfiction: a comprehensive and alarming look at one of the biggest intelligence failures in history and the events that led up to it. The commission traces the roots of al-Qaeda's strategies along with the emergence of the 19 hijackers and how they entered the United States and boarded airplanes. It details the missed opportunities of law enforcement officials to avert disaster. Using transcripts of cockpit voice recordings, the report describes events on board the planes along with the chaotic reaction on the ground from nearly every level of government. Going forward, the commission calls for a comprehensive overhaul of what it sees as a deeply flawed and disjointed intelligence-gathering operation. The creation of a post for a single National Security Director is recommended, along with the creation of a National Counterterrorism Center. The report finds fault with the approaches of both the Clinton and Bush administrations but, because they were a bipartisan panel and the problems described are so systemic and far-reaching, they stop short of assigning blame to any particular person or group. Credit must be given to how readable the report is. At more than 500 pages, the writing is clear and forceful and the information is made more accessible since it is fre from election politics and rancor. While the commission notes that future attacks are probably inevitable, a coordinated preventive effort along with a clear plan to respond with efficiency can offer Americans some hope in a post-9/11 world.--John Moe』
Kakaku：
Hill and Wang
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (9/11 Commission Report:571 Page Lie) 『 This 9/11 Comic book is as big a lie as the official 9/11 Commission Report.
Dr.David Ray Griffin Lays it out.....
1. The omission of evidence that at least six of the alleged hijackers -- including Waleed al-Shehri, said by the Commission probably to have stabbed a flight attendant on Flight 11 before it crashed into the North Tower of the WTC -- are still alive (19-20).
2. The omission of evidence about Mohamed Atta -- such as his reported fondness for alcohol, pork, and lap dances -- that is in tension with the Commission's claim that he had become fanatically religious (20-21).
3. The obfuscation of the evidence that Hani Hanjour was too poor a pilot to have flown an airliner into the Pentagon (21-22).
4. The omission of the fact that the publicly released flight manifests contain no Arab names (23).
5. The omission of the fact that fire has never, before or after 9/11, caused steel-frame buildings to collapse (25).
6. The omission of the fact that the fires in the Twin Towers were not very big, very hot, or very long-lasting compared with fires in several steel-frame buildings that did not collapse (25-26).
7. The omission of the fact that, given the hypothesis that the collapses were caused by fire, the South Tower, which was struck later than the North Tower and also had smaller fires, should not have collapsed first (26).
8. The omission of the fact that WTC 7 (which was not hit by an airplane and which had only small, localized fires) also collapsed -- an occurrence that FEMA admitted it could not explain (26).
9. The omission of the fact that the collapse of the Twin Towers (like that of Building 7) exemplified at least 10 features suggestive of controlled demolition (26-27).
10. The claim that the core of each of the Twin Towers was "a hollow steel shaft" -- a claim that denied the existence of the 47 massive steel columns that in reality constituted the core of each tower and that, given the "pancake theory" of the collapses, should have still been sticking up many hundreds of feet in the air (27-28).
11. The omission of Larry Silverstein's statement that he and the fire department commander decided to "pull" Building 7 (28).
12. The omission of the fact that the steel from the WTC buildings was quickly removed from the crime scene and shipped overseas before it could be analyzed for evidence of explosives (30).
13. The omission of the fact that because Building 7 had been evacuated before it collapsed, the official reason for the rapid removal of the steel -- that some people might still be alive in the rubble under the steel -- made no sense in this case (30).
14. The omission of Mayor Giuliani's statement that he had received word that the World Trade Center was going to collapse (30-31).
15. The omission of the fact that President Bush's brother Marvin and his cousin Wirt Walker III were both principals in the company in charge of security for the WTC (31-32).
16. The omission of the fact that the west wing of the Pentagon would have been the least likely spot to be targeted by al-Qaeda terrorists, for several reasons (33-34).
17. The omission of any discussion of whether the damage done to the Pentagon was consistent with the impact of a Boeing 757 going several hundred miles per hour (34).
18. The omission of the fact that there are photos showing that the west wing's façade did not collapse until 30 minutes after the strike and also that the entrance hole appears too small for a Boeing 757 to have entered (34).
19. The omission of all testimony that has been used to cast doubt on whether remains of a Boeing 757 were visible either inside or outside the Pentagon (34-36).
20. The omission of any discussion of whether the Pentagon has a anti-missile defense system that would have brought down a commercial airliner -- even though the Commission suggested that the al-Qaeda terrorists did not attack a nuclear power plant because they assumed that it would be thus defended (36).
21. The omission of the fact that pictures from various security cameras -- including the camera at the gas station across from the Pentagon, the film from which was reportedly confiscated by the FBI immediately after the strike -- could presumably answer the question of what really hit the Pentagon (37-38).
22. The omission of Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld's reference to "the missile [used] to damage [the Pentagon]" (39).
23. The apparent endorsement of a wholly unsatisfactory answer to the question of why the Secret Service agents allowed President Bush to remain at the Sarasota school at a time when, given the official story, they should have assumed that a hijacked airliner might be about to crash into the school (41-44).
24. The failure to explore why the Secret Service did not summon fighter jets to provide air cover for Air Force One (43-46).
25. The claims that when the presidential party arrived at the school, no one in the party knew that several planes had been hijacked (47-48).
26. The omission of the report that Attorney General Ashcroft was warned to stop using commercial airlines prior to 9/11 (50).
27. The omission of David Schippers' claim that he had, on the basis of information provided by FBI agents about upcoming attacks in lower Manhattan, tried unsuccessfully to convey this information to Attorney General Ashcroft during the six weeks prior to 9/11 (51).
28. The omission of any mention of the FBI agents who reportedly claimed to have known the targets and dates of the attacks well in advance (51-52).
29. The claim, by means of a circular, question-begging rebuttal, that the unusual purchases of put options prior to 9/11 did not imply advance knowledge of the attacks on the part of the buyers (52-57).
30. The omission of reports that both Mayor Willie Brown and some Pentagon officials received warnings about flying on 9/11 (57).
31. The omission of the report that Osama bin Laden, who already was America's "most wanted" criminal, was treated in July 2001 by an American doctor in the American Hospital in Dubai and visited by the local CIA agent (59).
32. The omission of news stories suggesting that after 9/11 the U.S. military in Afghanistan deliberately allowed Osama bin Laden to escape (60).
33. The omission of reports, including the report of a visit to Osama bin Laden at the hospital in Dubai by the head of Saudi intelligence, that were in tension with the official portrayal of Osama as disowned by his family and his country (60-61).
34. The omission of Gerald Posner's account of Abu Zubaydah's testimony, according to which three members of the Saudi royal family -- all of whom later died mysteriously within an eight-day period -- were funding al-Qaeda and had advance knowledge of the 9/11 attacks (61-65).
35. The Commission's denial that it found any evidence of Saudi funding of al-Qaeda (65-68).
36. The Commission's denial in particular that it found any evidence that money from Prince Bandar's wife, Princess Haifa, went to al-Qaeda operatives (69-70).
37. The denial, by means of simply ignoring the distinction between private and commercial flights, that the private flight carrying Saudis from Tampa to Lexington on September 13 violated the rules for U.S. airspace in effect at the time (71-76).
38. The denial that any Saudis were allowed to leave the United States shortly after 9/11 without being adequately investigated (76-82).
39. The omission of evidence that Prince Bandar obtained special permission from the White House for the Saudi flights (82-86).
40. The omission of Coleen Rowley's claim that some officials at FBI headquarters did see the memo from Phoenix agent Kenneth Williams (89-90).
41. The omission of Chicago FBI agent Robert Wright's charge that FBI headquarters closed his case on a terrorist cell, then used intimidation to prevent him from publishing a book reporting his experiences (91).
42. The omission of evidence that FBI headquarters sabotaged the attempt by Coleen Rowley and other Minneapolis agents to obtain a warrant to search Zacarias Moussaoui's computer (91-94).
43. The omission of the 3.5 hours of testimony to the Commission by former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds -- testimony that, according to her later public letter to Chairman Kean, revealed serious 9/11-related cover-ups by officials at FBI headquarters (94-101).
44. The omission of the fact that General Mahmoud Ahmad, the head of Pakistan's intelligence agency (the ISI), was in Washington the week prior to 9/11, meeting with CIA chief George Tenet and other U.S. officials (103-04).
45. The omission of evidence that ISI chief Ahmad had ordered $100,000 to be sent to Mohamed Atta prior to 9/11 (104-07).
46. The Commission's claim that it found no evidence that any foreign government, including Pakistan, had provided funding for the al-Qaeda operatives (106).
47. The omission of the report that the Bush administration pressured Pakistan to dismiss Ahmad as ISI chief after the appearance of the story that he had ordered ISI money sent to Atta (107-09).
48. The omission of evidence that the ISI (and not merely al-Qaeda) was behind the assassination of Ahmad Shah Masood (the leader of Afghanistan's Northern Alliance), which occurred just after the week-long meeting between the heads of the CIA and the ISI (110-112).
49. The omission of evidence of ISI involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Wall Street Reporter Daniel Pearl (113).
50. The omission of Gerald Posner's report that Abu Zubaydah claimed that a Pakistani military officer, Mushaf Ali Mir, was closely connected to both the ISI and al-Qaeda and had advance knowledge of the 9/11 attacks (114).
51. The omission of the 1999 prediction by ISI agent Rajaa Gulum Abbas that the Twin Towers would be "coming down" (114).
52. The omission of the fact that President Bush and other members of his administration repeatedly spoke of the 9/11 attacks as "opportunities" (116-17).
53. The omission of the fact that The Project for the New American Century, many members of which became key figures in the Bush administration, published a document in 2000 saying that "a new Pearl Harbor" would aid its goal of obtaining funding for a rapid technological transformation of the U.S. military (117-18).
54. The omission of the fact that Donald Rumsfeld, who as head of the commission on the U.S. Space Command had recommended increased funding for it, used the attacks of 9/11 on that very evening to secure such funding (119-22).
55. The failure to mention the fact that three of the men who presided over the failure to prevent the 9/11 attacks -- Secretary Rumsfeld, General Richard Myers, and General Ralph Eberhart -- were also three of the strongest advocates for the U.S. Space Command (122).
56. The omission of the fact that Unocal had declared that the Taliban could not provide adequate security for it to go ahead with its oil-and-gas pipeline from the Caspian region through Afghanistan and Pakistan (122-25).
57. The omission of the report that at a meeting in July 2001, U.S. representatives said that because the Taliban refused to agree to a U.S. proposal that would allow the pipeline project to go forward, a war against them would begin by October (125-26).
58. The omission of the fact that Zbigniew Brzezinski in his 1997 book had said that for the United States to maintain global primacy, it needed to gain control of Central Asia, with its vast petroleum reserves, and that a new Pearl Harbor would be helpful in getting the U.S. public to support this imperial effort (127-28).
59. The omission of evidence that some key members of the Bush administration, including Donald Rumsfeld and his deputy Paul Wolfowitz, had been agitating for a war with Iraq for many years (129-33).
60. The omission of notes of Rumsfeld's conversations on 9/11 showing that he was determined to use the attacks as a pretext for a war with Iraq (131-32).
61. The omission of the statement by the Project for the New American Century that "the need for a substantial American force presence in the Gulf transcends the issue of the regime of Saddam Hussein" (133-34).
62. The claim that FAA protocol on 9/11 required the time-consuming process of going through several steps in the chain of command -- even though the Report cites evidence to the contrary (158).
63. The claim that in those days there were only two air force bases in NORAD's Northeast sector that kept fighters on alert and that, in particular, there were no fighters on alert at either McGuire or Andrews (159-162).
64. The omission of evidence that Andrews Air Force Base did keep several fighters on alert at all times (162-64).
65. The acceptance of the twofold claim that Colonel Marr of NEADS had to telephone a superior to get permission to have fighters scrambled from Otis and that this call required eight minutes (165-66).
66. The endorsement of the claim that the loss of an airplane's transponder signal makes it virtually impossible for the U.S. military's radar to track that plane (166-67).
67. The claim that the Payne Stewart interception did not show NORAD's response time to Flight 11 to be extraordinarily slow (167-69).
68. The claim that the Otis fighters were not airborne until seven minutes after they received the scramble order because they did not know where to go (174-75).
69. The claim that the U.S. military did not know about the hijacking of Flight 175 until 9:03, when it was crashing into the South Tower (181-82).
70. The omission of any explanation of (a) why NORAD's earlier report, according to which the FAA had notified the military about the hijacking of Flight 175 at 8:43, was now to be considered false and (b) how this report, if it was false, could have been published and then left uncorrected for almost three years (182).
71. The claim that the FAA did not set up a teleconference until 9:20 that morning (183).
72. The omission of the fact that a memo by Laura Brown of the FAA says that its teleconference was established at about 8:50 and that it included discussion of Flight 175's hijacking (183-84, 186).
73. The claim that the NMCC teleconference did not begin until 9:29 (186-88).
74. The omission, in the Commission's claim that Flight 77 did not deviate from its course until 8:54, of the fact that earlier reports had said 8:46 (189-90).
75. The failure to mention that the report that a large jet had crashed in Kentucky, at about the time Flight 77 disappeared from FAA radar, was taken seriously enough by the heads of the FAA and the FBI's counterterrorism unit to be relayed to the White House (190).
76. The claim that Flight 77 flew almost 40 minutes through American airspace towards Washington without being detected by the military's radar (191-92).
77. The failure to explain, if NORAD's earlier report that it was notified about Flight 77 at 9:24 was "incorrect," how this erroneous report could have arisen, i.e., whether NORAD officials had been lying or simply confused for almost three (3) years (192-93).
78. The claim that the Langley fighter jets, which NORAD had previously said were scrambled to intercept Flight 77, were actually scrambled in response to an erroneous report from an (unidentified) FAA controller at 9:21 that Flight 11 was still up and was headed towards Washington (193-99).
79. The claim that the military did not hear from the FAA about the probable hijacking of Flight 77 before the Pentagon was struck (204-12).
80. The claim that Jane Garvey did not join Richard Clarke's videoconference until 9:40, after the Pentagon was struck (210).
81. The claim that none of the teleconferences succeeded in coordinating the FAA and military responses to the hijackings because "none of [them] included the right officials from both the FAA and the Defense Department" -- although Richard Clarke says that his videoconference included FAA head Jane Garvey as well as Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and General Richard Myers, the acting chair of the joint chiefs of staff (211).
82. The Commission's claim that it did not know who from the Defense Department participated in Clarke's videoconference -- although Clarke's book said that it was Donald Rumsfeld and General Myers (211-212).
83. The endorsement of General Myers' claim that he was on Capitol Hill during the attacks, without mentioning Richard Clarke's contradictory account, according to which Myers was in the Pentagon participating in Clarke's videoconference (213-17).
84. The failure to mention the contradiction between Clarke's account of Rumsfeld's whereabouts that morning and Rumsfeld's own accounts (217-19).
85. The omission of Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta's testimony, given to the Commission itself, that Vice-President Cheney and others in the underground shelter were aware by 9:26 that an aircraft was approaching the Pentagon (220).
86. The claim that Pentagon officials did not know about an aircraft approaching Pentagon until 9:32, 9:34, or 9:36 -- in any case, only a few minutes before the building was hit (223).
87. The endorsement of two contradictory stories about the aircraft that hit the Pentagon -- one in which it executed a 330-degree downward spiral (a "high-speed dive") and another in which there is no mention of this maneuver (222-23).
88. The claim that the fighter jets from Langley, which were allegedly scrambled to protect Washington from "Phantom Flight 11," were nowhere near Washington because they were mistakenly sent out to sea (223-24).
89. The omission of all the evidence suggesting that the aircraft that hit the Pentagon was not Flight 77 (224-25).
90. The claim that the military was not notified by the FAA about Flight 93's hijacking until after it crashed (227-29, 232, 253).
91. The twofold claim that the NMCC did not monitor the FAA-initiated conference and then was unable to get the FAA connected to the NMCC-initiated teleconference (230-31).
92. The omission of the fact that the Secret Service is able to know everything that the FAA knows (233).
93. The omission of any inquiry into why the NMCC initiated its own teleconference if, as Laura Brown of the FAA has said, this is not standard protocol (234).
94. The omission of any exploration of why General Montague Winfield not only had a rookie (Captain Leidig) take over his role as the NMCC's Director of Operations but also left him in charge after it was clear that the Pentagon was facing an unprecedented crisis (235-36).
95. The claim that the FAA (falsely) notified the Secret Service between 10:10 and 10:15 that Flight 93 was still up and headed towards Washington (237).
96. The claim that Vice President Cheney did not give the shoot-down authorization until after 10:10 (several minutes after Flight 93 had crashed) and that this authorization was not transmitted to the U.S. military until 10:31 (237-41).
97. The omission of all the evidence indicating that Flight 93 was shot down by a military plane (238-39, 252-53).
98. The claim that Richard Clarke did not receive the requested shoot-down authorization until 10:25 (240).
99. The omission of Clarke's own testimony, which suggests that he received the shoot-down authorization by 9:50 (240).
100. The claim that Cheney did not reach the underground shelter (the PEOC [Presidential Emergency Operations Center]) until 9:58 (241-44).
101. The omission of multiple testimony, including that of Norman Mineta to the Commission itself, that Cheney was in the PEOC before 9:20 (241-44).
102. The claim that shoot-down authorization must be given by the president (245).
103. The omission of reports that Colonel Marr ordered a shoot-down of Flight 93 and that General Winfield indicated that he and others at the NMCC had expected a fighter jet to reach Flight 93 (252).
104. The omission of reports that there were two fighter jets in the air a few miles from NYC and three of them only 200 miles from Washington (251).
105. The omission of evidence that there were at least six bases with fighters on alert in the northeastern part of the United States (257-58).
106. The endorsement of General Myers' claim that NORAD had defined its mission in terms of defending only against threats from abroad (258-62).
107. The endorsement of General Myers' claim that NORAD had not recognized the possibility that terrorists might use hijacked airliners as missiles (262-63).
108. The failure to highlight the significance of evidence presented in the Report itself, and to mention other evidence, showing that NORAD had indeed recognized the threat that hijacked airliners might be used as missiles (264-67).
109. The failure to probe the issue of how the "war games" scheduled for that day were related to the military's failure to intercept the hijacked airliners (268-69).
110. The failure to discuss the possible relevance of Operation Northwoods to the attacks of 9/11 (269-71).
111. The claim -- made in explaining why the military did not get information about the hijackings in time to intercept them -- that FAA personnel inexplicably failed to follow standard procedures some 16 times (155-56, 157, 179, 180, 181, 190, 191, 193, 194, 200, 202-03, 227, 237, 272-75).
112. The failure to point out that the Commission's claimed "independence" was fatally compromised by the fact that its executive director, Philip Zelikow, was virtually a member of the Bush administration (7-9, 11-12, 282-84).
113. The failure to point out that the White House first sought to prevent the creation of a 9/11 Commission, then placed many obstacles in its path, including giving it extremely meager funding (283-85).
114. The failure to point out that the Commission's chairman, most of the other commissioners, and at least half of the staff had serious conflicts of interest (285-90, 292-95).
115. The failure of the Commission, while bragging that it presented its final report "without dissent," to point out that this was probably possible only because Max Cleland, the commissioner who was most critical of the White House and swore that he would not be part of "looking at information only partially," had to resign in order to accept a position with the Export-Import Bank, and that the White House forwarded his nomination for this position only after he was becoming quite outspoken in his criticisms (290-291).
I will close by pointing out that I concluded my study of what I came to call "the Kean-Zelikow Report" by writing that it, "far from lessening my suspicions about official complicity, has served to confirm them. WHY would the minds in charge of this final report engage in such deception IF they were NOT trying to cover up very high crimes?" (291)
』
(As an educational tool or as its own version of the events that unfolded that horrible day in 2001, tough to put down) 『The 9/11 Commission Report was a surprise hit when it was released in 2004. Clocking in at over 600 pages, the book was still readable, packed with unexpected twists, and far more compelling than most expected. Still, many readers were probably put off by the volume's size. Enter The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation, from two legends in the comics business, Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colón. Their take on the epic tome remains remarkably faithful to the original yet also gives it an impact and effect through astounding illustrations. The errors that allowed this terrorist act to occur on U.S. soil are documented, as are the various studies into why it happened at all. As an educational tool or as its own version of the events that unfolded that horrible day in 2001, The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation is tough to put down. -- John Hogan』
(Detailed, Informative Overview of 9/11) 『Even if you've already read the 9/11 report, you'll learn things from this graphic novel account that you likely missed from the textual account. The illustrations are really well done and provide an excellent overview, opening new avenues for understanding the roots of 9/11 and how the attacks were carried out. Also lays out the lack of information sharing/cooperation between USG entities in the years leading up to the disaster. When I first saw this book on display I felt almost angry--how could someone make a "comic book" about 9/11? But that feeling gave way to respect as I checked out the book's contents. I hope this helps all of us understand 9/11 better and how to prevent another attack.』
(Telling History through graphic art, truly innovative!) 『At gunpoint you couldn't force me to read the 9/11 Report. What Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon have graphically done is truly innovative. Not only does this graphic depiction tell the story, it is historically factual. It sets out all the findings, history, conjectures, failures and recommendations of the Commission. We find out in exact detail the timing, training and execution of the terrorists in accomplishing their terrorist acts. We look inside the four flights and simultaneously see what each one was doing all at the same time. Using the magic of graphics we follow all these flights at once. Jacobson and Colon tell of the attacks in graphic clarity. They also show the history as outlined in the 9/11 Report leading to the United States not organizing properly to avoid the greatest attack of the United States on 9/11/2001. This report goes into great detail of what mistakes our Security Agencies made. The lack of cooperation between Agencies led to petty complaints and jealousies. A lack of a unified Security Command led to this atrocity. In this report, we see the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission and also a report card given on 12/5/2005 in which the Commission was still giving low grades. Read it and be scared. We still have to get our act together. Great insight. I highly recommend this graphic report. 』
(A straightforward, full-color graphic novel adaptation) 『The 9/11 Report is a straightforward, full-color graphic novel adaptation of the final report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States. Featuring a foreword Thomas H. Kean and Lee H. Hamilton, the Chair and Vice Chair of the 9/11 Commission, The 9/11 Report distills the report's findings concerning how the attacks happened, America's subsequent response, and the glaring weaknesses in America's security. Perhaps the most troubling part of The 9/11 is its postscript, which lists letter grades of America's actions to make itself more secure up through 2006 - most of the grades are C's, D's, and F's. "Progress in many important areas has been slow or nonexistent. While the terrorists have been learning and adapting, we have been moving at a bureaucratic crawl." A plain-terms, respectful presentation accessible to readers of all backgrounds, the 9/11 Report is recommended reading for all American citizens - and therefore a "must-have" for public library collections everywhere.』 『
The 9/11 Report for Every American
On December 5, 2005, the 9/11 Commission issued its final report card on the government’s fulfillment of the recommendations issued in July 2004: one A, twelve Bs, nine Cs, twelve Ds, three Fs, and four incompletes. Here is stunning evidence that Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colón, with more than sixty years of experience in the comic-book industry between them, were right: far, far toofew Americans have read, grasped, and demanded action on the Commission’s investigation into the events of that tragic day and the lessons America must learn.
Using every skill and storytelling method Jacobson and Colón have learned over the decades, they have produced the most accessible version of the 9/11 Report. Jacobson’s text frequently follows word for word the original report, faithfully captures its investigative thoroughness, and covers its entire scope, even including the Commission’s final report card. Colón’s stunning artwork powerfully conveys the facts, insights, and urgency of the original. Published on the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States, an event that has left no aspect of American foreign or domestic policy untouched,The 9/11 Reportputs at every American’s fingertips the most defining event of the century.
』 『Book Description The 9/11 Report for Every American
On December 5, 2005, the 9/11 Commission issued its final report card on the government’s fulfillment of the recommendations issued in July 2004: one A, twelve Bs, nine Cs, twelve Ds, three Fs, and four incompletes. Here is stunning evidence that Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colón, with more than sixty years of experience in the comic-book industry between them, were right: far, far toofew Americans have read, grasped, and demanded action on the Commission's investigation into the events of that tragic day and the lessons America must learn.
Using every skill and storytelling method Jacobson and Colón have learned over the decades, they have produced the most accessible version of the 9/11 Report. Jacobson’s text frequently follows word for word the original report, faithfully captures its investigative thoroughness, and covers its entire scope, even including the Commission's final reportcard. Colón's stunning artwork powerfully conveys the facts, insights, and urgency of the original. Published on the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States, an event that has left no aspect of American foreign or domestic policy untouched,The 9/11 Reportputs at every American's fingertips the most defining event of the century.
Kakaku：
Olive Branch Press
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (About as Useful as Seeking the "Truth" from a Box of Hair) 『David Ray Griffin (the only man this side of serial killers who chooses to include his middle name so frequently) takes ample time attacking the Popular Mechanics book and, yeah, that's about it. I'll admit, I have not read the whole book, I read bits here and there. I do feel confident that from the multiple excerpts I have read that I get the gist. He attacks the editors of Popular Mechanics (PM), he attacks the people who contributed to the PM book and spends precious little time doing anything else. Allow me to give the the short hand of this book: Pick any quote from the PM book to which David Ray essentially responds, "uh uh, those guys are stupid heads." He then regurgitates the same old conspiracy theories we've all heard before and does nothing new to contradict the PM boys as he is sorely lacking in hard evidence (but luckily he is brimming with hyperbole, venom and an uncanny ability create improbable and often impossible scenarios). He attacks, attacks and attacks. The PM book called him out quite handily, so I don't blame him for acting defensive but this book feels rushed, lacking in any credibility and just more of the same hateful tone we're used to from Mr. Griffin. At the end of the PM book, the editor wrote an article outlining the vitriolic method taken by conspiracy theorists to spread their cancer-like message. Mr. Griffin seems to have taken that more as a "How To" than a criticism.
Obviously, I think that the official story is the true story and have seen mountains of evidence to support it and not nearly enough to discredit it. Are there a few questions left unanswered? Sure, but aren't there always? Until every last minute question is answered conspiracy theorists will not rest even though they know that is completely unrealistic. I am all for being skeptical of your government, but people like David Ray take it too far and go out of their way to discredit others rather than promote their own beliefs. That is all this book is. Mr. Griffin seems to be the best the conspiracy theorist community has to offer which is one of many reasons I believe, with zero doubt, that the government had nothing to do with 9/11.』
(Time to Knock'em out the Box...) 『What else can be said about Professor Griffin? This is the knock-out blow to the slanderers and skeptics. How can anyone, with common sense, believe that the 9/11 terror attacks happened exactly as the media and government has reported? This book exposes Popular Mechanics and several others who defend the governments claim that Arabs hiding out in a cave by-passed the most sophisticated intelligence agencies and committed such terror.
This book should be a reference for all 9/11 truthers. If you ever debate the 9/11 attacks, with what the author/researcher Jose M. Paulino refers to as "9/11 Kool-aid drinkers, you should master this book. I also recommend that you read their papers and books. Become well versed on what they believe and what they are teaching to try and debunk 9/11 facts. If you need further documented evidence of what Professor Griffin writes in his book, refer to the following books:
-Alice in Wonderland and the World Trade Center Disaster by David Icke (Paperback - Sep 30, 2002).
- The War on Terror Fraud: Scene Two: The Fraud of The Fraud by Jose Paulino (Paperback - Dec 25, 2008).
- 9-11 Descent into Tyranny: The New World Order's Dark Plans to Turn Earth into a Prison Planet by Alex Jones (Paperback - Jul 2002)
- The New Pearl Harbor: Disturbing Questions About the Bush Administration and 9/11 by David Ray Griffin and Richard Falk (Paperback - Mar 2004).
- 9/11 - the big lie by Thierry Meyssan (Paperback - Oct 2002) 』
(Right Knowledge at it's finest!) 『The War on Terror Fraud: Scene Two: The Fraud of The Fraud
In my opinion, this is Prof. Griffin's best work so far. All 9/11 truthers should have this book in their possession. The powers that be are busy day and night trying to pump out straw man theories and other misconceptions about the 9/11 truth movement. This book has dealt them a deadly blow. Use this book as a weapon to wake up the defenders of the official conspiracy theory (given to us by the government and media).
I have read reviews which criticize this book; claiming the Prof. doesn't prove that it was an inside job. Well, even if that is your stance on this subject, keep in mind that what this book does prove (beyond a shadow of a doubt) is that they have lied about what really happened. This makes them the prime suspects. As I wrote in my book, "The War on Terror Fraud"; it is the equivalent of the woman who kills her husband for the money. If the police find out that she lied about her official statement, as the benefactor of his death, she becomes the number one suspect. As the benefactors of 9/11, the U.S. Gov., the Israeli, Gov., the British gov. and a plethora of private banks and corporations should have been investigated. Even if you believe they are all innocent, why would anyone be against a real investigation of 9/11? And, as also stated in my book "The War on Terror Fraud", why would anyone give up their civil liberties to be protected from terrorist? There is a greater risk of being struck by lightning than there is of being killed in a terror attack! So, even if you believe the Prof. and I are insane, don't scrap the bill of rights in favor of being protected from terrorist.
Jose M. Paulino Author of "The War on Terror Fraud" and "The Conspiracy Fraud" 』
(paranoia pimps) 『The author clearly failed to find professional demolitions experts to support his wild assertions about 9/11 being an "inside job".
Don't waster your life on these paranoia pimps, selling fear to folks that ingest and buzz on it all too easily.
9/11 "truthers" are not displaying a healthy curiosity, but rather, are scratching an itch to see change in the white house. When 2 elections failed to garner the change they wanted, they figured that irrational and wild allegations might help.
Pretty desperate and grim, cynical, beyond reason.』
(For the serious) 『This book is for those who are serious about saving our country, and humankind.
We can tell who the serious are by what they have sacrificed to get the truth out. A good number of Americans have lost their jobs, and sacrificed friendships and public standing, to help their fellow citizens understand the urgent need for 9/11 truth. Dr. Griffin is one of those people. If you want to stop terrorism, the 9/11 Wars, torture, and the destruction of the US constitution among other tragedies, read this book and pass it on.
But if you are among the few who are serious about perpetuating the fraud of 9/11, then continue to ignore or condemn this book. It's all on the record, and we're all in it together.』 『By virtue of his previous four books on the subject, David Ray Griffin is widely recognized as one of the leading spokespersons of the 9/11 truth movement, which rejects the official conspiracy theory about 9/11. Although this movement was long ignored by the US government and the mainstream media, recent polls have shown that (as Time magazine has acknowledged) the rejection of the official theory has become "a mainstream political phenomenon." It is not surprising, therefore, that the government and the corporately controlled media have shifted tactics. No longer ignoring the 9/11 truth movement, they have released a flurry of stories and reports aimed at debunking it.
In the present book, David Ray Griffin shows that these attempts can themselves be easily debunked. Besides demonstrating the pitiful failure ofDebunking 9/11 Myths(published byPopular Mechanicsand endorsed by Senator John McCain), Griffin riddles recent reports and stories put out by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, theNew York Times,Vanity Fair, andTimemagazine as well as a new book by the chairmen of the 9/11 Commission. He also responds to criticisms of the 9/11 truth movement by left-leaning and Christian publications--which one might have expected to be supportive.
Throughout these critiques, Griffin shows that the charge that is regularly leveled against critics of the official theory-that they employ irrational and unscientific methods to defend conclusions based on faith-actually applies more fully to those who defend the official theory.
This book, by debunking the most prevalent attempts to refute the evidence cited by the 9/11 truth movement, shows that this movement's central claim-that 9/11 was an inside job-remains the only explanation that fits the facts.』
Kakaku：
Picador
Usually ships in 1 to 3 weeks IPhone 3G used's review (new perspective) 『Some very interesting photos which I have not seen previously. Powerful and commanding. Much of what is available is very watered down and does not truly capture the horror of the events as do the images in this book. I would have liked more photos of this nature and a little better editing. I liked the perspective.』
(More Critical Judgement Needed) 『David Friend has collected some outstanding pictures and informative interviews in Watching the World Change. And he is certainly right in his argument that the 9/11 terrorism made every citizen a potential photojournalist and went a long way to cementing digital photography's triumph over film. He is also exactly right in capturing both the global nature of the event and how quickly people became witnesses to it. In other words, his book validates the reality of nearly instantaneous global information. The book is annoying, however, because while Friend tiptoes up to, he does not really address the issue of how much of that instantaneously available information, especially graphic photographs, the public really needs to know, how such photos should be handled by both photographer and the media. He dodges any judgement and consistently refuses to criticize any photographer's behavior, no matter how boorish or sensational it might be. In short, Friend provides little help in the question of "where are the boundaries?". If this question matters, and I think it does, Friend's book -- while an excellent chronicle of who shot what with what kind of camera when -- is less than it could have been.』
(Watching the World Change: The Stories Behind the Images of 9/11) 『A very well written book in an "intimate" style, it shares many heretofore unavailable "takes" of that day. While I was surprised at the small number of photographs the book actually contained when I received it, the true value of the book is in "filling in the blanks" about the images it does discuss. This becomes apparent as the book is read. It also becomes obvious that only a limited number of images could be "explained" as thoroughly as Mr. Friend does without the book becoming exceedingly bulky.
Some of the images in "Watching..." border on the farcical - such as a pregnant German woman. Hands on her stomach in an apparent takeoff of the modeling magazines, she languidly poses for the camera as the Twin Towers smoulder in the background. Must be a German thing, this ennui regarding mass murder.
Others, such as an image of one of the "jumpers," is accutely haunting, searing itself into one's consciousness like a branding iron. Reading Mr. Friend's explanation of the image, in which the probable identity and work location of that poor soul become apparent, the horror becomes even more immediate, as we feel we "kind of know him."
For those of us who love New York but (thank God!) weren't there to witness the perdition in the flesh, Mr. Friend's book probably gives the reader the closest possible approximation of what it feels like to have lost a loved one that day. He manages to "put a face" on many of the victims. They come to seem like friends.
I love and hate this book. It's a "magic telescope" which "brings it all back" so effectively that it almost seems to stretch time backwards to that horrid day. It is masterfully done. Americans must never forget what was done to Americans that day. Mr. Friend's book should make the "Day of Infamy" comprehensible, almost immediate, to future Americans. Well Done!』
(Watching the World Change) 『This book had incredible stories, I have read this book several times and continue to pick it up and read it again. The only thing that bothered me was the lack of photographs. Not enough photographs, especially ones more closely related to the stories. I have many books on this subject and felt there easliy could have been more photographs. It just frustrated me to find so few. Barring that, the stories were solidly told and that day will never be forgotten.』
(Public libraries and college collections strong in the social sciences will find this a hard-hitting survey.) 『Watching the World Change: The Stories Behind the Images of 9/11 tells stories behind the now-familiar shots taken by bystanders and professionals of 9/11 events, taking the reader back through the years to dialy events experienced by families and the nation. From how some of the most harrowing photos were taken of events to their lasting effects on photographer and viewers alike, WATCHING THE WORLD CHANGE questions how modern history comes to life with images, reveals the lasting traumas of events of 9/11, and draws important connections between observer, reporter, and daily life. Public libraries and college collections strong in the social sciences will find this a hard-hitting survey.
Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch』 『
AChicago TribuneBest Book of theYear
The attack on the World Trade Center was the most watched event in human history. And the footage seen of that day came not only from TV cameras, but also from workers, tourists, and passersby, each of whose lives would change dramatically when confronted with the sight of the attacks.
David Friend has uncovered the stories behind those images--from the street-level shots of the north tower crumbling to firefighters raising the American flag over the rubble. InWatching the World Change,he traces the images back to their sources and charts their impact over the next seven days. That week was the beginning of a digital age, a moment when all the advances in television, photography, and the Web converged on a single event. A brilliant chronicle of how we process disaster.
Kakaku：
AMACOM
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Great Gift) 『Fast delivery and good packaging. I bought this book as a present for my father and he was very pleased with it.』
(A passionate, involving set of experiences of ordinary individuals placed in unusual situations calling for action.) 『These personal stories of aviation employees whose lives changed after September 11th, 2001 makes for an outstanding collection of memories of those who acted courageously and behind the scenes. RECLAIMING THE SKY: 9/11 AND THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE MEN ND WOMEN WHO KEPT AMERICA FLYING offers stories of professionals who were on duty on that day: it makes for a passionate, involving set of experiences of ordinary individuals placed in unusual situations calling for action.
Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch』
(9/11 - an honest perspective) 『What strikes me most about this book is the honesty, time and care taken by the author in ensuring that the story told is true to the maturing experiences of those involved. I am sure that it would have been relatively easy for Mr. Murphy to rush a book out, given his proximity to the people and events of that terrible day. But he didn't do that. This approach must have required great patience and absolute dedication, but these traits have in the end been richly rewarded in what is a unique account and a developed perspective.
I think this is key. I myself was caught up in the '93 bombing. My experience was relatively mild of course - a bad scare and a long walk down from the 99th floor. But even in my case I've learned that it takes time and reflection to judge the true impact of these seemingly unreal events.
I loved those towers very much. As a Brit in New York I was in "adult Disneyland" - perhaps the best 3 years of my life. Whenever I could, wherever I was in New York, I'd look for the towers, as if addicted to their beauty and iconic majesty. I didn't realise that '93 was just the start of a greater tragedy. My firm relocated and our space was taken by another firm. They were a client of mine and I loved working for them - such great people, with real character. When I left New York to return to London I was given a football by my boss, with signatures of those I'd been closest to in New York. Tragically, 4 of those signatures are from people that were lost on 9/11.
Having left New York I was confined to experiencing 9/11 through a TV, remote and detached. For so long my '93 experience and also 9/11 have seemed and felt to me to be a work of fiction, something from the movies. The relevance of this to the book is that time and reflection have taught me not to gloss over or bury past events but to recognise that they were real, they did happen, it really was intended to topple the towers as I sat in them, that evil had its moment but that the memories of the spirit of the good and the great has in the end prevailed. Thank you Tom for allowing me to find my own maturity and honest perspective.』
(Enduring and Prevailing: the definitive roadmap) 『This book is structured around the stories of about two dozen aviation industry personnel at three airports (Logan, Newark, Dulles) and two airlines (American, United) who although not at ground zero on September, 11, 2001, were on the front line in every significant sense. Although many people rose heroically that day, these stories make a strong case that the performance of those in the aviation industry was second to none, not only on 9/11 but in the days, weeks, and months following. The author has long experience in the aviation industry, largely developing and running customer service training programs. Due to a cancelled meeting that morning in the North Tower he was heading home to the west coast earlier than planned and was among the last to see from the air the twin towers standing. But professional associations and personal friendships within the aviation industry gave him many other perspectives on 9/11 and its aftermath - perspectives that in variety and scope may well be unmatched.
The stories are well told and woven together to show connections, both personal and professional, between people. In addition to their responses to the events of that day, we learn in some cases why they chose aviation as a career, their pride in the industry and part in it, and other aspects of what makes them "tick." The individuals range widely: a security agent, several flight attendants, a pilot, customer service reps, airline operation officers, to name a few. One of the more striking stories focuses on the general manager of the Newark Airport. Her sharp instincts, clear thinking, and ability to act decisively under considerable pressure illustrate leadership of the highest order. Not all these people survived that September morning but this book leaves no doubt that the memory and spirit of those who didn't are alive and well and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future. These stories also give an inside look at the aviation industry beyond the gate agents and flight attendants that most of us are familiar with.
But the personal tragedies of that day were just the beginning. The economic and emotional aftermath of 9/11 hit the aviation industry especially hard. Over 100,000 jobs were lost in the first post 9/11 year alone as funding priorities shifted dramatically, and those remaining in aviation took on additional burdens. How these people not only adapted and endured but prevailed - in essence reclaimed their lives - is the central question the author explores. The later part of the book sheds considerable light on this question and distills much of value from these people. Although individual paths to personal recovery varied common themes were unmistakable. Indeed this book is an excellent guide for anyone recovering from a loss of almost any kind or severity.
At a time when the national discourse seems to dwell so much on the fearful, the negative, and the cynical it is refreshing to be reminded - as this book does - that this need not be so. Here are stories of a few, from among undoubtedly many and unsung others, who under crisis conditions were not paralyzed by fear, were able to act decisively, and were willing to reach out to others. And equally impressive they refused to become victims of that experience in the tough months and years that followed. This book provides an occasionally needed reminder of what seemingly ordinary people can do.』
(enlightening perspective) 『This book brings such a unique perspective to what happened on 9/11. There's this whole "world" of people who had to continue, not just for their own livelihood, but to help maintain one the freedoms that makes us who we are. I really enjoyed the down-to-earth way the author writes, and his honesty with how this has affected him and those around him. This is a great book that helps to explore some of the unspoken sorrows, while not replaying events we've seen so many times. Well worth it. Bravo to the author, and to all those people who kept us flying.』 『On the morning of September 11, 2001, thousands of airline and airport professionals headed off for what they assumed would be just another day on the job. Of course it was anything but. Now, as the nation approaches the fifth anniversary of that tragic day, the stories of the heroes and casualties among our dedicated air travel workers remain largely untold.
Until now. Reclaiming the Sky honors not only those workers who died doing their jobs, but also the ones that soldiered through on that day and in the aftermath, tirelessly piecing back together the fragments of a shattered industry -- and indeed a critical social and economic force -- while putting aside their own fears and grief.
In conjunction with a website, reclaimingthesky.com -- where readers can share their stories and thoughts -- the book not only honors the heroes and casualties of 9/11, it also offers common ground to those seeking meaning, purpose, and the strength to move forward.』
Kakaku：
Trine Day
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (By the author of "Gnostic Secrets of the Naassenes!" I wish I owned stock in these publications!) 『What a great niche market. Last 9-11 book I read (and sorry , I don't have the title, but I've got a review of it in here somewhere) was by some British academic and associate of Noam Chomsky's. He writes that during the Clinton (!) administration plans were made with Russia (!), India (!), Saudi Arabia (!) and Iran (!!!) to topple the Taliban government. The plans were inherited by Bush and the invasion was set to go in late 2001 (!). In the same book the author states that the US invaded Afghanistan to gain pipeline routes that would avoid Iran (?). So the Iranians were going to help us screw themselves is the only conclusion I can reach. A conscientious reading of books like that one, and this one above, reveals scores of equally weird contradictions that most readers seem to prefer to ignore.
Books like this really make me wonder who, in fact, is being misled, or who dearly wants to be misled. Every "Truther" I've ever met was fully convinced the government was some vast evil conspiracy well before they cracked open their first 9-11 conspiracy book. It seems like these people are not looking for any particular truth, they're looking for confirmation of something they already believed in. There are plenty of legitimate questions to ask about 9-11, but going in with one's mind already made up is hardly the way to get answers. In fact that's a guaranteed way to miss important details.
My guess is that since Washington was under attack this big plane was circling the White House to maybe (just one speculation) line-of-sight upload everything imaginable from the White House computers, just in case the White House (or D.C.) got trashed and Presidential operations needed to be relocated. If people really want to believe that during a "conspiracy" like this the conspirators would be flying their gigantic, frightfully obvious, command and control center at low level over the White House, in plain view of everyone, well... even Evil Conspirators aren't that stupid (although it sure makes a lot of people feel good to think they're smarter than the Evil Conspirators--which might be the deep dark "truth" behind all this).
The whole Truther movement, with its complete ignorance of real world procedures, its comic book logic, and its jaw-dropping refusal to master basics like the critical differences between steel-frame and steel-core constructed buildings (or grasp the idiocy of notions like "faster than free-fall"), makes me wonder if Michael Moore wasn't actually dead-on when he claimed that Americans were the stupidest people in the world.
Five Stars for this book because, hey, maybe it's better that fans of stuff like this be kept out from underfoot, chasing will-o-the-wisps, witches, and hobgoblins. Again, there are plenty of problems with 9-11, plenty of mysteries, plenty of unanswered questions, but nobody's ever going to get to any truth reading books like this. Honestly, I really don't think too many people are very concerned about the truth here anyway.
I can't wait to read the comments on this, but my general response would be "physicians heal thyselves." Truthers have a lot of questions they need to direct at themselves. Why, for example, would a professor of engineering at Brigham Young go far out of his way to confuse steel frame and steel core contruction? To this day, no steel frame structure has ever collapsed due to fire, because the towers (and building 7) WEREN'T steel frame buildings. Why send Bush to Florida when, if the attacks were completely under the control of the conspirators, there would have been no risk to the President (and no risk of suspicion, and possibly even greater sympathy) if he'd been kept in DC? People, really try thinking outside the box here, I mean if you can, or want to.
』
(Another conspiracy theorist) 『Hard to believe that despite so much excellent data and indisputable information out there, there are still people who choose to bury their heads in the sand, ignore the truth, and make such outlandish claims as fill this book. There is no "mystery" about this plane . . . there are just some government plans (like the Continuity of Government Plan)that are not made public (for obvious reasons). If this author had bothered to do scientific, corroborated research, and talk to people who were involved that day, he would have been able to get some answers. But then he would have had nothing to write about.』
(Paranoid and annoying) 『Another crackpot conspiracy, and a particularly annoying one to boot. Maybe Macgyver brought the plane down with a shoelace, a penny and a paperclip.』
(An Essential Piece of the Puzzle) 『In his book Mr. Gaffney clearly defines and documents one crucial area of specific activity on 9/11. He then dovetails it with an overview of what was transpiring and how the proven (albeit denied) existence of one or more "doomsday planes" places a potential command link of the highest order at the site of the events of 9/11.
As was pointed out in the book, this is a developing story of great complexity and much official obfuscation. The final chapter is far from written on this issue and I have been following all of the updates and latest information on Mr. Gaffney's blog. Since this is an ongoing and developing story, the book sets up any information one could glean from a site like the911mysteryplanedotcom.
If you are looking for the broadest possible collection of data to help you understand what transpired on 9/11, this book is an essential addition to your reading list.』
(Not an intelligence related book...) 『If you are expecting an 'intelligence' related book. Search elsewhere. The first 25 or so pages in the forward are an anti-Bush rant, such as the statement concerning WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction), as if chemicals and biological weapons do not apply. Another example, on the un-numbered page between the forward and numbered pages is a picture of the 9/11 panel. Democrats are described with multiple descriptors, such as "Democrat-attorney, former chief of Watergate Task Force of Watergate Special Prosecutor's Office" or "Democrat-President of the New School University and former U.S. Senator from Nebraska" while Republicans are describes as "Republican-former Secretary of the Navy" or "Former Governor of New Jersey". The idea of the book is a good one that should be told by an intelligence professional, not with a political spin. After more than 32 years working the intelligence field (US Military, Department of Justice and civilian contractor), there are things the average citizen does not need to know, and these two journalists have proven that. Look elsewhere for a good intelligence related tome, this is a liberal journalist rant against the government. 』 『
Unlike other accounts of the historic attacks on 9/11, this discussion surveys the role of the world’s most advanced military command and control plane, the E-4B, in the day’s events and proposes that the horrific incidents were the work of a covert operation staged within elements of the U.S. military and the intelligence community. Presenting hard evidence in the form of proprietary photostaken from raw footage filmed by CNN, the account places the world’s most advanced electronics platform circling over the White House at approximately the time of the Pentagon attack. The argument offers an analysis of the new evidence within the context of the events and shows that it is irreconcilable with the official 9/11 narrative.
Kakaku：
Grau
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (An Estimable Book about an Inestimable City) 『Cats are said to have nine lives because they're popularly purported to be more tenacious of life than most animals. Dan Baum titled his excellent book "Nine Lives" both because it details the pre- and post-Katrina true stories of nine very disparate New Orleanians, and as a tribute to a city that clings to life with feline tenacity despite powerful forces continually arrayed against its survival. In the face of impending if not inevitable disasters repeatedly flung at the city by nature or man, the people of New Orleans refuse to let their city die. This is a very good thing, as New Orleans is the only major American city where the philosophy of "laissez faire" refers not merely to economic liberalism, but to a way of life riveted to joys other than those that can be measured most readily in minutes and money.
Baum writes well and clearly, in a succinct and fairly journalistic style. The nine people he chooses to follow before and after Katrina are interesting, and in recounting their stories they reveal as much about the kaleidoscopic city they love as they do their tragedies and triumphs in it. Baum's storytelling technique can get a bit choppy as he intersperses the nine stories together over 40 years, switching from one to another. After the first few chapters I chose to read the book by character, rather than in order of pagination.
Baum's book Nine Lives is enlightening, entertaining, and moving. It's a stirring epistle to and from a great American city and its people. I recommend it.』
(Fabulous read) 『This is a wonderful read. Although there are so many major characters, each one shines through as fully articulated. Having visited NOLA many times and having close friends who live there, it explains so much about both the experience of visiting as well as my friends' attitudes about life. This is a must read about a great city and wonderful people. Baum is a wonderful storyteller and his characters are wonderful human beings.』
(Interesting book with a few major factual errors) 『Having lived in New Orleans for 14 years I really enjoyed this book. However, there were times when I wanted to scream. It appears as if the author didn't have ONE person who had actually lived in New Orleans proofread or edit the book. There are fairly major errors which made me start to question the authenticity of other portions. I had to put the book down for awhile after the repeated use of "French QuarterS." The French Quarter is NEVER refered to as plural. I think most people have even just visited for a weekend know that. I just can't believe that wasn't caught. In addition there are mentions of things like "Nordstrom, Target, to Kmart..." in 2002. There has never been a Nordstrom in New Orleans, much less LA, or I think the south at all. A Target finally opened in Metairie in mid 2002... and so on... I thought the book was an overall good read but some of the factual errors made me feel like this book was put out as quickly as possible without regard to accuracy.』
(Sorry to see the book end!) 『I have only been to NOLA a few times in my life but my family has a history there and I was drawn because of that to this book. My parents lived in Jefferson Parrish in the late forties and into the early fifties and from them (though they are both now gone) and my three oldest siblings, I have heard New Orleans stories. Dad was a resident at Charity and the only thing good about Katrina in my opinion was it happened after his death; he would have been so disheartened to see a city and it's people that he had lived in and among so devestated, marginalized, and ignored by the federal government.
I really enjoyed reading Dan Baum's book, just as I have enjoyed the work he did for "The New Yorker" and I highly recommend this book. I find myself since I finished reading it wondering how all of the people he portrayed are doing. Yes, many people left the Crescent City because of Katrina and some have not been able to return but it is a testament to the spirit of the nine people in this book and the city they call home to have their stories recorded here. I could barely put this book down and imagined that some of the older folk here could have been people who my family had encountered in their lives in New Orleans. I would LOVE to read a follow up to this book if Baum writes it.』
(very disappointed ...) 『I've read just about every Katrina book there is out there and this one falls short. I realize the author wanted to go back to these peoples' lives from the time of Betsy, but a lot of the stories were redundant. The chapters beginning 2005 were the most interesting, because every story was a first-hand account of someone who stayed or was affected by someone they know who stayed. (Sandy - Katrina survivor, St. Bernard Parish)』 『The hidden history of a haunted and beloved city told through the intersecting lives of nine remarkable characters
After Hurricane Katrina, Dan Baum moved to New Orleans to write about the city’s response to the disaster forTheNew Yorker. He quickly realized that Katrina was not the most interesting thing about New Orleans, not by a long shot. The most interesting question, which struck him as he watched residents struggling to return, was this: Why are New Orleanians—along with people from all over the world who continue to flock there—so devoted to a place that was, even before the storm, the most corrupt, impoverished, and violent corner of America? Here’s the answer.Nine Livesis a multivoiced biography of this dazzling, surreal, and imperiled city through the lives of nine characters over forty years and bracketed by two epic storms: Hurricane Betsy, which transformed the city in the 1960’s, and Katrina, which nearly destroyed it. These nine lives are windows into every strata of one of the most complex and fascinating cities in the world. From outsider artists and Mardi Gras Kings to jazz-playing coroners and transsexual barkeeps, these lives are possible only in New Orleans, butthe city that nurtures them is also, from the beginning, a city haunted by the possibility of disaster. All their stories converge in the storm, where some characters rise to acts of heroism and others sink to the bottom. But it is New Orleans herself—perpetually whistling past the grave yard—that is the story’s real heroine. Nine Livesis narrated from the points of view of some of New Orleans’s most charismatic characters, but underpinning the voices of the city is an extraordinary feat of reporting that allows Baum to bring this kaleidoscopic portrait to life with brilliant color and crystalline detail. Readers will find themselves wrapped up in each of these individual dramas and delightfully immersed in the life of one of this country’s last unique places, even as its ultimate devastation looms ever closer. Byresurrecting this beautiful and tragic place and portraying the extraordinary lives that could have taken root only there,Nine Livesshows us what was lost in the storm and what remains to be saved.
DAN BAUMis a former staff writer forThe New Yorker, and has written for numerous other magazines and newspapers. He lives in Boulder, Colorado.』 『Book Description The hidden history of a haunted and beloved city told through the intersecting lives of nine remarkable characters.
After Hurricane Katrina, Dan Baum moved to New Orleans to write about the city’s response to the disaster forThe New Yorker. He quickly realized that Katrina was not the most interesting thing about New Orleans, not by a long shot. The most interesting question, which struck him as he watched residents struggling to return, was this: Why are New Orleanians—along with people from all over the world who continue to flock there—so devoted to a place that was, even before the storm, the most corrupt, impoverished, and violent corner of America?
Here’s the answer.Nine Livesis a multivoiced biography of this dazzling, surreal, and imperiled city through the lives of nine characters over forty years and bracketed by two epic storms: Hurricane Betsy, which transformed the city in the 1960’s, and Katrina, which nearly destroyed it. These nine lives are windows into every strata of one of the most complex and fascinating cities in the world. From outsider artists and Mardi Gras Kings to jazz-playing coroners and transsexual barkeeps, these lives are possible only in New Orleans, butthe city that nurtures them is also, from the beginning, a city haunted by the possibility of disaster. All their stories converge in the storm, where some characters rise to acts of heroism and others sink to the bottom. But it is New Orleans herself—perpetually whistling past the grave yard—that is the story’s real heroine.
Nine Livesis narrated from the points of view of some of New Orleans’s most charismatic characters, but underpinning the voices of the city is an extraordinary feat of reporting that allows Baum to bring this kaleidoscopic portrait to life with brilliant color and crystalline detail. Readers will find themselves wrapped up in each of these individual dramas and delightfully immersed in the life of one of this country’s last unique places, even as its ultimate devastation looms ever closer. By resurrecting this beautiful and tragic place and portraying the extraordinary lives that could have taken root only there,Nine Livesshows us what was lost in the storm and what remains to be saved.
Amazon Exclusive: Dan Baum onNine Lives
Hurricane Katrina was the kind of event a reporter waits his entire life to cover. It was especially satisfying doing so forThe New Yorker. While newspaper and television reporters chased about feverishly in their attempt to feed the insatiable daily news monster, I enjoyed the time to go deep and peel back the tragedy in all its complexity. I wrote half a dozen short“Talk of the Town” pieces and two long articles over the following year.
Even working forThe New Yorker, though, covering Katrina and its aftermath became frustrating. The longer I stayed in New Orleans, the more I understood that huge as Katrina was, it is hardly the most interesting thing about New Orleans. New Orleans is the most unusual place I’ve ever been—complicated, sensual, self-contradictory, hilarious, infuriating—and it was the place itself, not the tragedy that befell it, that I wanted to write about.
So when my wife and I thought about writing a book, it wasn’t a “Katrina book” we had in mind. We finally settled on interweaving the life stories of nine New Orleanians—rich and poor and in between, black and white and in between, male and female and in between.Nine Livesbegins in 1965, right after the last time a big part of the city flooded during a hurricane. By this we want to say: New Orleans was there a long time before Hurricane Katrina and it will be there a long time after. Katrina doesn’t show up inNine Livesuntil past page 200.
We had two guiding principles: No bad guys, and all happy endings. All nine of these people are, in their own way, heroes. And while we could have ended any of their stories on a down note, we instead end all at a moment of ascendance. There are many ways of looking at New Orleans, but this is how we chose to do so inNine Lives.
We were careful not to makeNine Livesthe kind of "issue" book one must read to understand current events. We want people to read it for the same reason they readThe Kite RunnerorThe Bridges of Madison County—out of love of the characters and a warm, delicious eagerness to see their lives unfold. New Orleans is above all, a fun place, and we tried to makeNine Livesas much fun to read.—Dan Baum
Kakaku：
PublicAffairs
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Compelling Thesis) 『In "America Between the Wars," Derek Chollet and James Goldgeier suggest that 11/9--the day when the Berlin wall fell--was the more defining moment than 9/11--the day the twin towers fell.
On the surface, the two events seem unconnected. Indeed, the argument runs counter to widely held notion that 9/11 was the day "everything" changed. However, the authors submit that, in depriving the United States of its chief adversary, the collapse of the Soviet Union left the U.S. without a clear vision about how to proceed in international affairs. This confusion defined the interwar years.
This incoherence is reflected in the difficulty that ensuing U.S. presidents and intellectuals had in articulating a "bumper sticker" foreign policy agenda on par with the previous "containment" maxim that held sway for over 40 years. From H.W. Bush's "new world order" to Clinton's "democratic enlargement" to the "contract" Republicans who seemed to quietly support "isolationism," to Francis Fukuyama's "the end of history" to Samuel Huntington's "clash of civilizations," everyone seemed to have a theory as to what the demise of the Soviet Union meant and how U.S. foreign policy should proceed.
Should the U.S. interpret unipolarity as a validation of liberal capitalism and spread democracy around the world, even if it meant eschwing multi-lateralism (neo-con perspective)? Should the U.S. harness its position as the world's superpower to establish a consensus to address the world's manifold problems (H.W.'s realist perspective)? Should the U.S. focus more on domestic policies? What about our role in preventing genocide and using our military for humanitarian purposes (Somalia, Rwanda, Balkans)?
The absence of a defining strategy frustrated attempts to properly deal with terrorism. Clinton, who seemed to understand the challenges posed by terrorism and appreciated the Bin Laden threat, also had to contend with a domestic constituency that had grown weary of the U.S. being too "interventionist," and battle criticisms arising from his prurient transgressions with Monica Lewinsky. Furthermore, Clinton had to resolve the crisis in Kosovo--while losing as few American soldiers as possible--and rely on a grossly underfunded CIA to bring down bin Laden.
Clinton also had to manage Saddam's mounting defiance of international laws which culminated in "Operation Desert Fox" and inspired rhetoric from the President that, in retrospect, could have been used as talking points for W. Bush on the eve of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
The Bush administration, on the other hand, entered office with little apparent appreciation for the threat posed by non-state actors. Despite being briefed by Clinton's outgoing administration about the al-queda threat, the Bush administration appeared more commited to mitigating percieved threats from nation states like China and Russia. Additionally, the administration appeared more focused on missile defense, which had become a platform for Republicans during the 90's.
In the end, the authors are not especially critical of any one president or administration. Instead, the tragedy of 9/11 can be evaluated in the context of a world that had been dramatically changed 12 years before.』
(Inappropriate title) 『The caption does little justice to the main tenet of the book since no war worth the name occurred either on 11/9 or on 9/11. Readers might be confused although the book is studded with solid facts. The period under consideration, i.e., the decade of the 1990s was one of uncertainties and nations of the world were searching for a stable international order that has not yet emerged thanks to US follies.
Gautam Maitra Author of 'Tracing the Eagle's Orbit: Illuminating Insights into Major US Foreign Policies Since Independence.'』
(A Most Pleasant Surprise) 『Having never read anything like this before, I was prepared for a brain-deadener. In very short order, however, things turned into a brain-enlivener. Simply and evenly written this book turned a potentially boring or polemical study of what seemed to have been a lost decade into a fascinating look backwards at a not-at-all distant past. I thought I understood the decade but it is clear I did not. At least now I have a chance at understanding it better. These guys (incredibly well-informed and widely-researched) have done us a great service. Reading this book does leave me with a nagging dread. The Campaign of 2008 did an excellent job of disregarding the great foreign policy dilemmas of the moment and of the 90s. But, as Between the Wars so amply illustrates, foreign policy is driven by domestic politics, and in that arena it appears we are doomed to repeat, and repeat, the errors of our ways.』
(The first book that treats the 1990s as foreign policy history) 『This book is the first account of US foreign policy in the 1990s that treats the decade as genuine history. I mean that it does not simply offer a chronicle of the period, or a set of newspaper clippings and individual events - it offers a guiding historical interpretation that sets those years in relation to the Cold War before and 9/11 and beyond. It is very convincing that there is far more continuity today with the foreign policies of those years than many people, left or right, give credit for. It is a highly persuasive interpretation of the period and I believe will remain the standard account of its foreign policy for a long time to come.』
(Extremely Informative&Highly Readable) 『I was in Jr. High and High School during the 90s and so wasn't very familiar with this period before reading this, and while interested and somewhat familiar with policy, am certainly no expert. After years of thinking I knew who neoconservatives were and what both parties "stood for", this book really put things into perspective and contextualized things for me. And though it's a "history", it draws extensively on interviews with leading policymakers&insiders during the period, so the text ends up reading more like a narrative (great for a novel-reader like myself).
In sum, this was really informative, interesting, and a quick read - perfect for anyone looking for a genuinely nonpartisan, nuanced look at how we got to where we are - both domestically and abroad. Definitely a must for your summer reading list.』 『
When the Berlin Wall collapsed on November 9, 1989— signaling the end of the Cold War—America and the West declared victory: Democracy and free markets had prevailed and the United States emerged as the world's triumphant superpower. The finger-on-the-button tension that had defined a generation was over, and it seemed that peace was at hand.
The next twelve years rolled by in a haze of self-congratulation— what some now call a "holiday from history. "When that complacency shattered on September 11, 2001, setting the U.S. on a new and contentious path, confused Americans asked themselves: How did we get here?
InAmerica Between The Wars, Derek Chollet and James Goldgeier examine how the decisions and debates of the years between the fall of the Wall on 11/9 and the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11 shaped the events, arguments, and politics of the world we live in today. Reflecting the authors' deep expertise and broad access to key players across the political spectrum, this book tells the story of a generation of leaders grappling with a moment of dramatic transformation—changing how we should think about the recent past, and uncovering important lessons for the future.
Kakaku：
Free Press
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Greatbook for pilots) 『Hard to put down after starting.Well written .The true story of what went wrong and right on 9-11 with the air traffic control system,military and airline pilots.Not just dry information but true personal stories.』
(Touching History) 『This book was expertly written. The personal accounts of pilots, air traffic controllers and the military are, at times, almost too incredible to believe. The timeline the author uses engrosses the reader and at times it feels like "all this" is happening over the course of a day or two, not a matter of just a few hours. If you are really interested in how the skies of America were shut down that day, then this is the book for you. Even if you don't have any sort of airline, air traffic or military background, the accounts are easily understood. Highly recommend!!』
(Never Have So Many Owed So Much to So Few...) 『Ms. Spencer's book is evocative of Sebastian Junger's "Perfect Storm" in its ability to relate a story where the reader already knows the ending but cannot help but be drawn deeply into the superbly rendered minute-by-minute account of that terrible day. The author does an excellent job of explaining complex military and aviation procedures in an interesting, completely understandable way. We are introduced to many people who most of us probably never heard of before but whose response to 9/11 should place them on the honor roll of heros of that day. Ms. Spencer's writing lets us feel their shock, frustrations, victories, doubts and triumphs. It is obvious, from page one, that Ms. Spencer's research was painstaking and meticulous. There are no short-cuts. The title is absolutely correct; this was an "untold story" and one that needed to be told. It is fortunate that a writer as skilled as Ms. Spencer decided to tell it. The book reads like a finely crafted novel yet throughout it hits you; this really happened and these were the people who were there. The Marine Corps has a saying: "Improvise, adapt and overcome." Ms. Spencer shows us how the airlines, FAA and military did just that.』
(A great book about the events of 9/11) 『In "Touching History", Lynn Spencer retells the story of September 11th 2001 in the perspective of the air traffic controllers on ground. As an ATC, your responsibility is to watch the planes that are monitored on the screen and direct the pilots to their destination. But, on that tragic morning, the control towers were not able to locate the whereabouts of the hijacked planes which made it impossible to know where they were going. Spencer greatly describes the confusion and stress that went on that day by giving basic background information on the jobs of the air traffic controllers and showing how unprepared they were for the events that rapidly unfolded that morning. Given that most of the novel took place with the military and at the air traffic control center, some terms that were used made it was difficult at times to comprehend exactly what was going on, but it never interfered with understanding the rest of the book. Also, throughout the novel, there were consistently scenes that were slower in pace and less enjoyable, but, there were also parts that were very exciting and addicting to read. All in all, I was satisfied with this book and I enjoyed getting another perspective on the events of September 11th. I learned a lot from Spencer and I admire all the hard work that went in to writing this novel. When most people remember that day, they think of the planes and all the people that were killed, but there is more to the story, and "Touching History" gives readers a unique look at what happened. People who are interested in more of a behind the scenes view on the events of 9/11 would probably enjoy this book. 』
(Days with No Contrails) 『My daily 45 minute drive to work on the prairies of Colorado always gave me time to look at the jetliner contrails in the blue skies. Through my grief-stricken eyes following the days of 9/11, the sky seemed bereft and naked as there were no contrail for several days. In her excellently written book, Lynn Spencer answered many of my questions about the unprecedented and brave decision to close the US airspace. Although Spencer covered only one documented incident of a hijacking that the closure thwarted, one has to wonder how many other would-be hijackers were prevented from carrying out additional missions. The book kept both my son (an F-16 crew chief and prospective airline pilot) and me on the edges of our seats. I read the entire book in a marathon reading session that ended in the wee hours of the morning the day after I received the book! It is a must read for those who want to know more about the events of 9/11 and for any aviation/military enthusiast.』 『On the azure blue morning of 9/11 the skies were pronounced "severe clear," in the parlance of airline pilots; a gorgeous day for flying. Nearly 5,000 flights were cruising the skies over America when FAA Operations Manager Ben Sliney arrived at the Command Center for his first day on that job. He could never have anticipated the historic drama that was about to unfold as Americans who found themselves on the front lines of a totally unprecedented attack on our homeland sprang into action to defend our country and save lives.
In this gripping moment-to-moment narrative, based on groundbreaking reporting, Lynn Spencer brings the inspiring true drama of their unflinching and heroic response vividly to life for the first time, taking us right inside the airliner cockpits and control towers, the fighter jets and the military battle cabs. She makes vital corrections to the findings of the9/11 Commission Report, and reveals many startling, utterly unknown elements of the story.
As a commercial pilot herself, for whom the attacks hit terribly close to home, she knew that the true scope and nature of the response so brilliantly improvised that morning by those in the thick of the action -- with so little guidance from those at the highest levels -- had not at all been captured by the news coverage or the 9/11 Commission. To get to the truth, she went on a three-year quest, interviewing hundreds of key players, listening to untold hours of tapes and pouring through voluminous transcripts to re-create each heart-stopping moment as it happened through their eyes and in their words as the drama unfolded.
From the shocking moment at 7:59 a.m. that American 11 fails to respond to a controller's call, until the last commercial flight has safely landed and military jets rule the skies, all Americans will find themselves deeply moved and amazed by the grace and fierce determination of these steely men and women as they draw on all of their exquisite training to grasp, through the fog of war, what is happening, put their lives on the line, and mount an astonishing response.
This beautifully crafted and deeply affecting account of the full story of their courageous actions is a vital addition to the country's understanding of a day that has forever changed our nation.』
The cave paintings in Altamira, Spain, tell stories. Mostly they tell tales of the hunt. Drawn during the Paleolithic Stone Age, they still amaze us with their lucidity and directness. As an artist, and as an editor and writer in the graphic medium, we each pay homage to those delineators and interpreters of experience. They offered accounts of what happened and provided a way of remembering, honoring, and learning. When retold by the fire's flickering light, these stories must have lent the drawings a compelling, virtual movement. There is something eerie, but deeply gratifying, in knowing that a direct line runs from our contemporary comic art to these earliest efforts to record and convey what happened. Storyteller, audience, drawings depicting continuity of event: it all sounds familiar. In a culture that has become the most visually oriented in the history of humankind, comics retain the original concept of storytelling and remain a potent force of information.Read more
Hurricane Katrina was the kind of event a reporter waits his entire life to cover. It was especially satisfying doing so forThe New Yorker. While newspaper and television reporters chased about feverishly in their attempt to feed the insatiable daily news monster, I enjoyed the time to go deep and peel back the tragedy in all its complexity. I wrote half a dozen short“Talk of the Town” pieces and two long articles over the following year.
