The Looming Tower
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (May 2023) |
 Cover of the first US edition | |
| Author | Lawrence Wright |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Chip Kidd (designer) |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Nonfiction |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf (US) |
Publication date | 2006 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 480 |
| ISBN | 978-0-375-41486-2 |
| OCLC | 64592193 |
| 973.931 22 | |
| LC Class | HV6432.7 .W75 2006 |
The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 is a 2006 nonfiction book by Lawrence Wright. Wright examines the origins of the militant organization Al-Qaeda, the background for various terrorist attacks and how they were investigated, and the events that led to the September 11 attacks.[1][2]
The book was a New York Times best-seller and won a number of awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. A ten-episode television miniseries adaptation aired in 2018 on Hulu.
Overview
The Looming Tower is largely focused on the people who conspired to commit the September 11 attacks, their motives and personalities, and how they interacted. The book starts with Sayyid Qutb, an Egyptian religious scholar who visited the United States in the late 1940s and returned to his home to become an anti-West Islamist and eventually a martyr for his beliefs. There is also a portrait of Ayman al-Zawahiri—from his childhood in Egypt, to his participation in and later leadership of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, to his merging of his organization with Al Qaeda.
Osama bin Laden is the person described the most, from his childhood in Saudi Arabia in a rich family to his participation in the jihad against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, his role as a financier of terrorist groups, his stay in Sudan, his return to Afghanistan, and his interactions with the Taliban. The 1998 United States embassy bombings in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya are described, as is the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000.
Lawrence Wright also describes in detail some of the Americans involved in counter-terrorism, in particular Richard A. Clarke, chief counter-terrorism adviser on the U.S. National Security Council; Michael Scheuer, head of the CIA's counterterrorist Alec Station; and John P. O'Neill, an assistant deputy director of investigation for the FBI, who served as America's top bin Laden hunter until his retirement from the FBI in August 2001, after which he worked as head of security at the World Trade Center, where he died in the 9/11 attacks.
The book also describes some of the problems associated with the lack of cooperation between the FBI, the CIA, and other U.S. government organizations that prevented them from uncovering the 9/11 plot in time.
Because The Looming Tower is to a large extent focused on telling the story of the people involved, it does not describe the 9/11 plot and its execution in much detail. It focuses more on the background and the conditions that produced the people who planned and staged the attack and on information about those who were combating terror against the United States.
Awards and honors
- 2006 Los Angeles Times Book Prize[3]
- 2006 New York Times Best Seller[4]
- 2006 New York Times Notable Book of the Year[5]
- 2006 New York Times Best Books of the Year[6]
- 2006 IRE Award[7]
- 2006 National Book Award finalist[8]
- 2006 Time magazine's Best Books of the Year
- 2007 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction[9]
- 2007 Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism[10]
- 2007 J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize[11]
- 2007 Lionel Gelber Prize[12]
- 2007 Arthur Ross Book Award shortlist[13]
- 2007 PEN Center USA Literary Award (Research Nonfiction)[14]
- 2009 Newsweek 50 Books for Our Times[15]
- 2024 #55, New York Times 100 Best Books of the 21st Century[16]
Television adaptation
A ten-episode television miniseries based on the book began airing on Hulu February 28, 2018. The cast includes Alec Baldwin as CIA director George Tenet, Jeff Daniels as John O’Neill, Tahar Rahim as Ali Soufan, and Peter Sarsgaard as the fictional CIA analyst Martin Schmidt, based on Michael Scheuer.[17][18]
References
- "The 30 best nonfiction books of the last 30 years". Los Angeles Times. 2025-04-14. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- Frederick, Jim (2011-08-16). "Is The Looming Tower one of the All-TIME 100 Best Nonfiction Books? TIME thinks so. Check it out". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- "Los Angeles Times Names Book Prize Winners For 2006". Los Angeles Times. 2007-04-27. Archived from the original on 2022-10-06. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- "The 10 Best Books of 2006 - New York Times". archive.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- "100 Notable Books of the Year (Published 2006)". 2006-12-03. Archived from the original on 2017-12-30. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- "Paperback Row (Published 2007)". 2007-09-09. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- "National Book Award "Longlist" for Going Clear". www.lawrencewright.com. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- "The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11". National Book Foundation. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- F; r; e; s; h; A; i; r (2007-04-17). "Pulitzer Winner Lawrence Wright on 'The Looming Tower'". NPR. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- "Past Winners of The New York Public Library Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism". The New York Public Library. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- "The J. Anthony Lukas Prize Project Awards | Columbia Journalism School". journalism.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- "Wright wins $15,000 Gelber Prize for book on the roots of 9/11". The Globe and Mail. 2007-03-07. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- "Council Announces Arthur Ross Award Short List | Council on Foreign Relations". www.cfr.org. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- "Brockmeier wins a PEN award". Los Angeles Times. 2007-10-20. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- "Fifty Books for Our Times | Newsweek Books | Newsweek.com". www.newsweek.com. Archived from the original on 2009-07-01. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
- "The 100 Best Books of the 21st Century". The New York Times. 2024-07-08. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2024-07-08. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
- Pedersen, Erik (2017-11-14). "Hulu Sets Premiere Dates For 'Handmaid's Tale', 'The Path' & Two New Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2017-11-14.
- "Peter Sarsgaard couldn't turn his back on 'The Looming Tower' and the issues behind 9/11". Los Angeles Times. 2018-05-17. Retrieved 2025-08-12.
External links
- The Looming Tower at Open Library
- The Looming Tower Reviews at Metacritic (Retrieved April 8, 2009)
- AuthorViews video interview about The Looming Tower
- Lawrence Wright Interview: Conversations with History; Institute of International Studies, UC Berkeley
- Lawrence Wright speaking at Princeton University on "Al Qaeda: Past, Present and Future". April 25, 2007 Archived November 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- After Words interview with Wright on The Looming Tower, September 9, 2006
2006 non-fiction books
Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction–winning works
Alfred A. Knopf books
Books with cover art by Chip Kidd
Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism
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Audible sampleThe Looming Tower: Al Qaeda's Road to 9/11 Paperback – 4 February 2008
by Lawrence Wright (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (4,116)
Now a major Amazon Prime Video series starring Alec Baldwin and Jeff Daniels
Brilliantly written, compelling and highly original, The Looming Tower is the first book to tell the full story of Al Qaeda from its roots up to 9/11. Drawing on astonishing interviews and first-hand sources, it investigates the extraordinary group of idealogues behind this organization - and those who tried to stop them. There is the tormented, resentful Egyptian Sayyid Qutb, who was horrified by the godlessness and decadence he perceived in America in 1948, and whose subsequent writings turned him into a martyr for Islamic extremists. There is Ayman al-Zawahiri- a devout student who, by the age of fifteen, had already helped to form an underground jihadist cell. There is the deeply contradictory Osama bin Laden- Saudi multimillionaire turned muhajideen commander, whose interests merged with al-Zawahiri's to form a global terror coalition. And there is the FBI's counterterrorism chief, the flamboyant, cigar-smoking John O'Neill, who found his warnings that 'something big' was coming continually ignored, and would finally meet his fate in the shadow of the Twin Towers.
Interweaving this extraordinary story with events including the Israeli-Palestine conflict, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the first attack on the World Trade Center, Lawrence Wright takes us into training camps, mountain hideouts and top secret meetings to explore how it all fed into the planning and execution of 9/11 - and reveals the real, complex origins of Al Qaeda's hatred of the West.
Wright's brilliantly acclaimed book now includes a new Afterword which covers events that have unfolded since publication, including the death of Osama Bin Laden
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From Australia
Anne Stuckey, Australia.
5.0 out of 5 stars The Towers - how and why.
Reviewed in Australia on 20 October 2019
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Watching Tv when the towers fell, will always remain. A lot of questions often discussed with friends were answered. How could this happen? A lesson for organisations and in-fighting. Deeming always said problems like these are systems issues, appearing to be individual. A monumental price paid by 3,000 people.
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Hewy
5.0 out of 5 stars The Looming Tower
Reviewed in Australia on 25 October 2020
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This is the most fascinating, illuminating book of our contemporary history and how we got to be here, now! I was completely transfixed. The detail is amazing. The history rivetting. Wonderful writing.
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The Dachshund
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in Australia on 13 February 2015
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A very engaging and well written book.
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Ron Strong
5.0 out of 5 stars 9/11
Reviewed in Australia on 20 November 2019
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Interesting
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Monica Mac
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible detail.
Reviewed in Australia on 12 June 2021
Format: Paperback
This book took me quite a while to finish as it is not an easy read by any means. The author must have dedicated huge chunks of time to research as it is clearly a meticulously researched novel. And a chilling tale.
It follows the beginning of Al-Qaeda, in all its early manifestations, how Osama bin Laden went from being a rich Saudi being able to live his life in whatever fashion he wanted, to being a mastermind of Al-Qaeda and living a very frugal life indeed. I had to feel sorry for his wives and children who hadn't signed up for any of it.
John O'Neill was clearly an interesting character and I can feel the frustration coming off the pages that information that was available to the CIA or FBI, wasn't shared with the other agency. It almost felt like they were reinventing the wheel, all the time.
The tragedy that was the USS Cole is a good example of evil triumphing over good, even when evil had very few resources at its disposal, other than the willingness of young men to commit suicide for a cause. My heart also hurt for the sailors who lost their lives, and the people who were blinded as a result of an Al-Qaeda bomb in Kenya.
So many paragraphs where I just shook my head.
A difficult book to read but very illuminating, nevertheless.
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James B.
5.0 out of 5 stars George Bush Junior should have had this book read to him.
Reviewed in Australia on 4 August 2015
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If one has any interest in how western democracies have misread the background and reasons to explaining extreme Islam, while at the same time absorbing the timeline this has occurred post WW11, read this book. I'm currently into my 3rd re-read.
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Mr Haaat
5.0 out of 5 stars Really enjoyed it.
Reviewed in Australia on 23 July 2015
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Fascinating and thoughtful. Really enjoyed it.
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J Mascis
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in Australia on 10 February 2015
Format: Kindle
Just as much as Wright's anti-Scientology tract Going Clear, this Pulitzer Prize-winning book makes for exhilarating, if sometimes upsetting, reading. Also recommended is Ali Soufan's The Black Banners.
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From other countries
Mr ANDRE JUNIOT
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent. Unique.
Reviewed in France on 3 April 2020
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Livre en anglais.
On comprend le prix Pulitzer pendant la lecture et aussi en voyant à la fin de l'ouvrage la liste des personnes rencontrées, plus de cinq cent, la bibliographie sur onze pages, les commentaires sur cinquante pages.
Partant des débuts avant le sujet principal, il raconte toute l'histoire des luttes, conflits, mouvements, personnes ayant fini par conduire au 9/11. Tout est détaillé, précis, méticuleusement suivi dans le temps et l'espace. Le lecteur fait plus qu'apprendre, il découvre, il comprend, enfin !
L'auteur fait partager l'évolution des idées, mais aussi les doutes, les hésitations, les craintes de tous les acteurs de cette tragédie. Il les situe constamment dans le contexte de l'histoire du 9/11 que nous avons suivi, ce qui donne de très bons repères chronologiques et permet de situer le récit dans le contexte des informations des média du moment. Et on comprend bien qu'on ne savait pas tout, pas plus la CIA que le reste du monde.
Vraiment excellent.
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Antonio
5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended to anyone looking in gaining a well researched and narrated insight on the topic
Reviewed in Italy on 7 November 2020
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Very interesting and well written book, it gives you an insight into the events that led to 9/11 in a novel-like way, therefore making it an easy read.
Recommended to anyone interested in this very current topic.
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Mark Anderson
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Account Of The Events Leading To 9/11 - And The MP3 Audio Book Version Is Well Done
Reviewed in Canada on 15 February 2014
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This is the best book I've read about the events leading to 9/11. It won a Pulitzer Prize in 2007, and deservedly so.
The author's research is thorough, his writing style is very good and he presents the information in a very interesting way, tracing al-Qaeda's ideological and philosophical roots through Islamic theorists like Sayeed Qutb and Ayman al-Zawahiri up to Osama bin Laden.
He also examines the US positions and actions in exhaustive detail by concentrating on several key FBI and CIA figures. His account of Saudi Arabian political and security arrangements comes primarily from a Saudi Prince who was ousted as the Kingdom's Chief of Intelligence after 9/11.
In short, a fascinating book. If you want to understand 9/11, this book should be at the top of your reading list.
The mp3 audio book is well done. The reader does a good job with the material and the writer's style adapts easily to narration. My only complaint with the audio book is that the individual audio tracks are often divided in the middle of sentences and/or paragraphs, so there are frequent short delays and pauses in the narration in the middle of sentences and paragraphs as the player changes tracks. But that's a technical production issue which does not reflect in any way on the quality of the author's work.
But overall, this is an excellent book and audiobook. If you only have time or money for one book about 9/11, this one would be a good choice.
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Srinath N. Sharma c/o Mr. M.N.Sharma
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping and Riveting!
Reviewed in India on 29 October 2024
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This narrative is sweeping and magisterial in scope. What is intriguing is that even though the various pieces of the jigsaw puzzle was available with different agencies, petty and personal issues came in the way to prevent this tragedy.
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Tom Weikert
5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating!
Reviewed in the United States on 27 May 2009
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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!
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Siriam
5.0 out of 5 stars Vital read to understand the ongoing saga of radical Islamism
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 January 2016
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I first read this book in early 2016 ten years after its publication, having read many books on 9/11 and its aftermath. The passing of time and Islamic extremism's subsequent global growth make its contribution to one's understanding even more impressive and important.
As other reviewers have noted this book is not about 9/11 though that is the culminating event. Instead it is primarily about the growth of radical Islamic thinking from the late 1940s. The Muslim Brotherhood led by Sayyid Qutb until he was executed in 1966, existed mainly in Egypt a country the author knew as an English teacher during the 1960s. Reignited by the war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan and the vacuum created, it's diverse supporters transformed into al-Qaeda under the control of a wayward son of the Saudi based wealthy Yemen family of bin Laden.
The detailed level of research and the concise explanations of what is so often not easily understood by non-Muslims is what initially marks this book out especially in the first two hundred pages up to the first truck bomb attack on the World Towers in 1993. From then on the book runs in parallel the roller coaster history of al-Qaeda under Osama bin-Laden and the story of the US and Saudi government's growing awareness and response (or lack of it).
Lawrence Wright's prodigious research and extensive interviews with representatives from all sides fill out these stories with facets that have largely been lost post 9/11 and the subsequent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. By telling events though a few key driven individuals, who nearly all ultimately were losers or victims in later events, Wright keeps the drama moving to its sad finale.
Bin Laden's activities during his time in Afghanistan and Sudan underline his lack of any coherent strategy and political, financial or global awareness. Al-Qaeda is revealed as an organization unsophisticated in approach and using a questionable religious basis. Yet driven by a small core group dedicated to violent jihad against the US, as it became bolder it attracted more likeminded Muslims seeking martyrdom.
The key elements of the US story are the inter government agency battles, notably the FBI with a global terror mandate and an attitude of bringing people to trial in US Courts and the CIA with a historic desire to eliminate those it saw as enemies of the USA. The precision of the detail is what marks out this re-telling plus Wright is very good at conveying the mindsets different operatives faced.
The end outcome did not achieve bin Laden’s immediate hope of an Islamic global crusade through Muslims flocking to his cause, his subsequent life being one of hiding till his execution in May 2011. Nearly all the US players who had been his adversaries as his organization developed were gone or with no ongoing role to play post 9/11 as the USA embarked on the revenge attacks bin-Laden had dreamt of in uniting Muslims against the infidel.
My edition of the book contains a 2011 Afterword from the author. This was written after the Arab Spring commenced with the hope many of the problems al-Qaeda and other Arab rulers notably the Saudis had ignored would now be addressed and defeat radical Islam. Yet sadly by 2016 with ISIS establishing al-Qaeda’s planned Islamic caliphate and the ineffectual US response with drones and air power shows the original conflict has grown, not diminished.
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ながぴい
5.0 out of 5 stars 倒壊する巨塔の原著
Reviewed in Japan on 1 November 2011
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アルカイーダとビンラディンに関する本。
まるでオウム真理教の生い立ちを見てるみたい。
テロ集団てどれもおんなじなんだね。
世間と隔絶したカルト団体。
今では邦訳版が出てますね。
「倒壊する巨塔―アルカイダと「9・11」への道」
（平賀 秀明：翻訳、白水社、2009/08）
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Aitor
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book to understand why 9/11 happened
Reviewed in Germany on 15 December 2025
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A good book that helps you understand how Arab countries became so radicalised and how we in Europe still have a naive view of the problems these countries face with Islam.
It doesn't get bogged down in too many details, and it's an enjoyable read.
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Berk
5.0 out of 5 stars Mükemmel bir kitap
Reviewed in Turkey on 10 May 2025
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Yakın tarihe ve politikaya ilginiz varsa kesinlikle okumalısınız
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J. D. Botet
5.0 out of 5 stars El ascenso del islamismo moderno
Reviewed in Spain on 17 June 2024
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Un clarificador estudio sobre la aparición y ascenso del islamismo moderno, que desemboca en la radicalidad suicida de Al Quaida, ISIS, etc Se trata de un movimiento reaccionario ante la frustración de una serie de países árabes que empezaron a abrirse a los valores democráticos en los 60, 70 pero terminaron en dictaduras represivas. Un libro imprescindible!
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Arpan Roy
4.0 out of 5 stars Written from a Pro-American narrative!
Reviewed in India on 20 January 2026
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Okay. Let me be honest with you. Although the narration is great and the events are well-researched (engaging, I'd say) and chronological, this seems to be a whitewash of American image.
Instances like the formation of Taliban during the Afghan war credited to Saudi and Pakistan alone, corroborate this fact. While it's true that Taliban had Saudi financial backing and Pakistani backing for manpower and propagation, the American role in it can't be ignored. Author, in these sections didn't even mention the American role.
For half-truths like this, this book will seem like a propaganda. But, the whole book cannot be rendered a propaganda. It will give you events to research further.
I highly recommend you to research an Anti-American narrative, too. This will give you a solid ground to theorize what seems logical to you.
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David Manzano
5.0 out of 5 stars MUY BUENO
Reviewed in Spain on 7 December 2024
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Gran detalle en toda la historia y contada interesante para enganchar al lector. Impresionante cómo pudo pasar por alto semejante plan.
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George C. Collins
5.0 out of 5 stars Know the Enemy
Reviewed in the United States on 3 January 2007
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"So it is said that if you know others and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know others but know yourself, you win one and lose one; if you do not know others and do not know yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle". --- Sun Tzu's The Art of War
Our troops are in Iraq...still. They are there as a consequence of 9/11. Obviously, this is not news. Why did 9/11 happen? Who were those guys who hijacked those jets and committed suicide by flying them into the Twin Towers? We know they were all Muslims and this attack on America had something to do with these guys being Muslims. I ask you all, who of you knows much more than that? Do you know the enemy?
We don't hardly even spend much, if any, time thinking about those Mid-Eastern guys and why they did what they did. We should. We better. Whether we like it or not, this is World War III folks. Many of us think the big issue of the day is what to do about our troops in Iraq. Do we leave things as they are and continue ad infinitum? Do we send more troops? Do we bring the troops home? Saddam Hussein is dead...Mission Accomplished - as our President declared over three years ago. But, as you're all aware, the violence in Iraq is escalating.
The issues are bigger folks. What is the answer? I don't know. I don't think anybody knows.
Do any of you know a Muslim? Have you ever read the Kuran/Koran? Do you know the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite? What do you really know about Osama bin Laden?
It is long past time for all of us to educate ourselves, to find the answers to all these questions. World War III is upon us. We must know the enemy.
There is a book. There are many books we can and should read to begin to find the answers, but I highly and unequivocally recommend that every American begin to find the answers by reading the following book:
THE LOOMING TOWER Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 by Lawrence Wright. Published by Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2006
"A sweeping narrative history of the events leading to 9/11, a groundbreaking look at the people and ideas, the terrorist plans and the Western intelligence failures that culminated in the assault on America. Lawrence Wright's remarkable book is based on five years of research and hundreds of interviews that he conducted in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan, England, France, Germany, Spain, and the United States...Brilliantly conceived and written, The Looming Tower draws all elements of the story into a galvanizing narrative that adds immeasurably to our understanding of how we arrived at September 11, 2001. The richness of its new information, and the depth of its perceptions can help us deal more wisely and effectively with the continuing terrorist threat."------ part of the book's introduction. I bought my copy through [...].
A few days ago I shared with you my thoughts about Al Gore's movie An Inconvenient Truth. Today its World War III. Sounds like its all doom and gloom but it isn't...not if we take our heads out of the sand and face reality. Education is the beginning. There are answers.
Please distribute this email as far and as wide as you are able.
Happy New Year to one and all!
George Collins
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Kindleユーザー
4.0 out of 5 stars The book deserving of Pulitzer Prize
Reviewed in Japan on 19 March 2012
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On page 148, Lawrence Wright wrote Deraz (Essam Deraz, he is an Egyptian filmmaker and met bin Laden at his base named Lion's Den in 1988.) became bin Laden's first biographer. I suppose Lawrence Wright is the last biographer of bin Laden.
This book consists of many interviews and historical materials and the author explains the difficulty of materials' credibility in ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND NOTES ON SOURCES. He also wrote there that "A full story of al-Qaeda cannot be told until they are allowed to talk." They are parties related to 9/11 including al-Qaeda prisoners in USA.
Although Japanese have little knowledge of Muslims we are carelessly tending to judge by news or comments of critics. I recommend you this book to understand history and thinking of Muslims.
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Juergen Mueller
5.0 out of 5 stars well researched, well written
Reviewed in Germany on 25 December 2015
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This is a great book for anyone who is interested in more than just the mere facts. The author goes back to the theoretical, social and political roots of islamic extremism, puts it into a geo-political context and draws the line up the events that did lead up to 9/11. The book goes well beyond the usual stereo-types. On top, the detailed research, some of it flavoured with anecdotes, is presented in a way that makes it a pleasure to read.
Many lesser known facts of Bin Laden's journey from Saudi Arabia to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan and back to Afghanistan as well as his family background, are presented in a way that creates a better understanding of his personality and the things that were driving him. The various competing extremists factions and their rivalries are analyzed, showing how fragmented this landscape really is. A book worthwhile reading.
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Steven
5.0 out of 5 stars An educational read written like a thriller
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 June 2017
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
This book focuses on the individuals that created al-Qaeda, tracing the ideology back from its early progenitors to the better known names like Osama Bin Laden. It is written in a narrative style, and is not a scientific study but rather written like a thriller, making it easy and exciting to read. I found myself at moments having to remind myself this actually all happened.
The detail of particular conversations has to be at least improvised in places, but I am convinced the author was both thorough and sincere, and didn't take much "artistic license". There is a ream of references and indeed many of the individuals are still alive today and he has spoken to as he explains in the afterword.
As others have mentioned it does not talk very much about the particulars of the 9/11 attacks. It's more about the philosophy and personalities that led up to the event. This does not diminish the book; there are plenty of others out there that go into a blow-by-blow analysis of 9/11 itself if that is what you are looking for.
I had scant understanding of the terrorist associations that try to associate themselves with Islam beyond the information we get from news reports; so I found it very instructive. You might find yourself turning to Wikipedia or Google at a few points to refresh your mind as there is a lot of names from the Arab world that I wasn't all that familiar with.
It is also thought provoking: you are given a window into the personal history of these individuals who went from being generally of sound mind to hardened radicals.
I would recommend it to anyone.
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Lorenzo Mengarelli
5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting book
Reviewed in Italy on 3 December 2025
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A must have for anyone who wants to have more information on the matter.
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RBB
5.0 out of 5 stars Super explanation and history
Reviewed in Canada on 1 October 2025
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I wanted to know about how 911 happened, how the US agencies made errors and how the hijackers slipped through- the book covered this in great detail. What I was surprised about was the level of detail the author put to explain how the Islamist ideology began, starting with Sayyid Qutb. Superb.
Added note - Tucker Carlson's recent 5 part series on 911 was super but, Lawrence Wright covered nearly all of it in much more detail. This is an excellent book if you want to know what occurred
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LAFORGE
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in France on 11 July 2023
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Perfect for seeing more clearly over the last 30 years or so
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Akshay
5.0 out of 5 stars Simply magnificent
Reviewed in India on 5 December 2021
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Reading this book almost 15-years after it's first publication doesn't diminish its value one bit. On the contrary its gives an indepth understanding of the horrors Al-Qaeda unleashed in a post September 11, 2001 world. Anybody familiar with the subject and who knows the history of the Middle-east after the American invasion of Iraq will find this book even more interesting, as it speaks of the formation of Al-Qaeda from its roots. I would recommend reading this along with "The Bin Ladens" written by Steve Coll. They form a fascinating interconnection of the events before the world changed in September 2001.
And a special mention to the seller who delivered the book without any blemish. The packing was perfect. Exactly the way books should be delivered,
bubble wrapped .
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PatM
4.0 out of 5 stars Worth a read
Reviewed in Canada on 15 September 2018
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One of the better books i have read to date, its a compelling story about the lead up to 9/11, there is not a lot of info on 9/11 itself but the story about how 9/11 ultimately happened and the different terrorist events that have occurred are throughout this book. It provides incredible detail on the people who caused 9/11
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Isma
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect book for learning about the beginnings of terrorism
Reviewed in Italy on 17 May 2018
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A very interesting book that narrates the events of terrorism starting from the 50-60s to September 11, with particular emphasis on Bin Laden. The first investigations that America carried out on terrorists in the 90s are also recounted. The author does not take clear positions but limits himself to telling the story
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Graham66
4.0 out of 5 stars 👍
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 March 2026
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👍
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Michelle W.
4.0 out of 5 stars “Wherever you are, death will find you, even in the looming tower.” — Quran 4:78
Reviewed in the United States on 21 January 2017
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This is a thoroughly researched book that describes the family background, recent history, and influences on Osama bin Laden, the beginning of al-Qaeda, and the events that led to the attacks of September 11, 2001. This book took me so long to read because it is so chock-full of information and threads of events I either didn’t know about, or didn’t realize were connected, I ended up buying a used copy once I started reading my library check-out, just so I could highlight passages that were critical to understanding (I also needed to buy another highlighter when my first one ran out of ink), so this kind of slowed me down a bit. Since there are so many names of people involved, many with similar names, or people who disappear only to pop up again sometime later, I was very grateful for the detailed playlist of principle characters provided, in addition to a map of the region, an index, and a bibliography.
The author describes bin Laden’s father, Mohammed bin Laden, a wealthy and well-connected man responsible for building a ramp to the Royal palace and a previously unattainable road over the al-Sarawat Range, which united the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, thus garnering favor with the Royal family, who subsequently appointed him honorary minister of public works. His growing reputation and Royal connections allowed for him to expand his businesses throughout the country, and at a time of financial difficulty, he loaned a substantial amount of money to the Royal family when the banks would not, further solidifying his relationship with the Royals.
Growing up in this privileged life, his 17th son, Osama bin Laden, also enjoyed a close relationship with the Royal family. Since he was further down the ladder in the order of sons, there were no positions of power within his father’s companies for him to assume, so he was left to “make his own way”. Of course, he was also provided a monthly stipend, so he never actually had a job, and this would be his primary source of income and how he financed his terrorist organization for much of his life. Surprisingly, he comes across as rather aimless and ineffective, lacking ambition or his father’s keen business sense. Without his father’s money to support him and his endeavors, it seems to me he would have become an unknown farmer, pontificating to his wives, children, and neighbors about the presence of Americans in the Middle East. It is only due to his father’s money and his willingness to spend it on the disillusioned masses that he found an audience for his disgruntled rantings and financially supported their destructive, rage-fueled fantasies of Islamic dominance.
While the book initially includes various events that occurred overseas, the author points out that bin Laden hadn’t really done anything at that point, and the events he publicly took credit for were events he had little to nothing to do with, so for some time, his reputation was being built on exaggerations or flat-out lies. His organization did continue to grow, but ignoring the aid of hindsight, there truly does not appear to the average reader to be a connection to the US that was overlooked by the authorities. There were, however, a handful of fastidious US intelligence agents who monitored bin Laden and those he financed throughout the 1990s, and they did see connections, but when they alerted others to the potential dangers posed by the largesse of this largely unknown man, without a direct or specific threat to the US, they were ignored. This error was further compounded by the folly of American bureaucracy and the unwillingness of the FBI, CIA, and NSA to work together and share information, which resulted in several missed opportunities. This is what I believe to be the crux of the “road to 9/11”: our intelligence agencies provided the unobstructed path with their lack of communication and teamwork. If each agency had not been so busy trying to keep any information they had away from the other agencies, they would have realized that they each possessed pieces of information that, when fit together, would have provided them with a better idea of what was going on, and could have led to the capture of key al-Qaeda members that would have thwarted their plans. Instead, their continued secrecy and stubbornness allowed known al-Qaeda members to enter the US and without hindrance, they were free to develop their plans.
On another disconcerting note, the author also points out that bin Laden knew he could not win a fight with Americans on US soil, and sought to devise a plan that would bring the fight to him, on “a large-scale front which it cannot control”, where American soldiers “cannot stand against warriors of faith who do not fear death”. Since Islamic extremists believe that jihad never ends, they would have generations of radical, resentful, and repressed Muslims, mesmerized by the myth of martyrdom, to fight the “eternal war” to defend Islam. We played right into his hands, waging war on their soil, where we have been for well over a decade now, without an exit strategy or an end in sight.
The author has done a fantastic job of writing a comprehensive history that creates a broader picture for the average reader to get a better understanding of how events that occurred a continent away would have rippling effects here in the US years later. This should be required reading for all.
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Carol
5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting
Reviewed in France on 10 July 2018
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I find this book very interesting on the ground of the terrorist movement. Plus, it confirms something I've always suspected, which is that agencies in the United States don't share information.
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Doris. F.
5.0 out of 5 stars Background research
Reviewed in Germany on 4 October 2010
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An excellent background research on the history of El Quaida. Not only does the concrete development of the group around Bin Laden be traced, but also the ideological roots of this movement, some of which lie in recent Egyptian history, are analyzed. The book opens up the view of many people in the Arab countries as a whole, without arousing sympathy for the terrorist groups. The simultaneous insights into the working methods of American intelligence services are also revealing. In my view, the focus of the perspective in the second part of the book shifts a little too much. Overall, nevertheless, an absolutely recommendable, sometimes even exciting book to read!
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Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
Reviewed in Italy on 11 September 2021
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Super documented but not boring, on the contrary. Also worth seeing is the TV series The Looming Tower.
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-_Tim_-
5.0 out of 5 stars The Looming Tower
Reviewed in the United States on 5 February 2010
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The Looming Tower, by Lawrence Wright, traces the history of Al-Qaeda from its roots in Egypt and Saudi Arabia to Afghanistan and Pakistan and finally to the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
Wright's narrative begins in Egypt, where the humiliation of the Arab states in the 1948 war and popular disgust with King Faisal helped build support for Islamic fundamentalists. There, the Muslim Brotherhood, using a structure of secret cells with no more than five members each, built a powerful political, economic, and social force. However, Egypt's geography did not favor guerilla warfare, and Egypt's secular governments brought force to bear to suppress the Brotherhood and other radical Islamic movements.
In Saudi Arabia, the intolerant Wahhabi sect was "a dam against the overwhelming, raging river of modernity" that accompanied exploitation of the country's oil resources. According to Wright, radical fundamentalism was also a reaction against royal ostentation and displays of wealth. The collapse of oil prices in the 1980s accentuated stresses within Saudi Arabia. According to Wright: "Radicalism usually prospers in the gap between rising expectations and declining opportunities. This is especially true where the population is young, idle, and bored; where the art is impoverished; where entertainment - movies, theater, music - is policed or absent altogether; and where young men are set apart from the consoling and socializing presence of women."
In 1979, a Palestinian cleric named Abdullah Azzam issued a fatwa against the Soviets and helped convince 3,000 Arabs to move to Peshawar, Pakistan where they expected to support the Afghan mujahideen. His emphasis on martyrdom "created the death cult that would one day form the core of al-Qaeda." While this force had no practical impact in the conflict with the Soviets - Wright says most members never left Peshawar - Osama bin Laden was able to exploit a "David and Goliath" myth to enhance his prestige.
Bin Laden split from Azzam in 1990 to form al-Qaeda, and he returned to Saudi Arabia a hero. Expelled for his criticism of Saudi cooperation with the United States after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, he moved to Sudan. There, he enjoyed a bucolic life until 1996, when the United States pressured Sudan's government to expel him. By now, the Saudi government had confiscated bin Laden's share of his family's construction business, and Sudan's government confiscated nearly all of his remaining wealth when he was forced to leave Sudan. Hereafter, bin Laden would be dependent on external financing to keep al-Qaeda in operation.
In Afghanistan again, bin Laden set up camps that, according to Wright, trained 10 to 20 thousand Sunni fighters. These were not the dreamers and posers that came to Peshawar in the 1980s. These were educated men who had lived in Europe or the United States and spoke several languages. Many of them were not very religious before joining al-Qaeda.
The United States focused on bin Laden and al-Qaeda as an unambiguous threat after the embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998. But, according to Wright, U.S. intelligence and military forces were not well prepared to respond to this type of unconventional threat. In retaliation for the bombings, the United States fired $750 million worth of cruise missiles at a pharmaceutical plant in Sudan and at bin Laden's camps in Afghanistan, but only a handful of al-Qaeda members were killed.
At this point, bin Laden and his organization were a liability to the Taliban. It was not in the Taliban's interests to allow bin Laden to turn the United States into an enemy by planning and launching attacks from Afghanistan. In fact, Wright says, Mullah Omar had already reached an agreement in principle to turn bin Laden over to the Saudi government. But these considerations were discarded when bin Laden pledged his "personal fealty" to Mullah Omar and recognized his authority as his "noble emir." From this point onward, a friendship developed between the men and Mullah Omar defended bin Laden against complaints by other members of the Taliban.
Wright's book ends with an account of the 9/11 attacks themselves, focusing on John O'Neill, a former FBI agent who became the World Trade Center's security chief just a few days before the attacks. Wright's account of the attacks is deeply disturbing and includes details that other writers have omitted, possibly from a sense of delicacy. It is best written account I have seen.
Wright is critical of poor communication within the U.S. intelligence and law enforcement communities on al-Qaeda's intentions. He attributes this poor communication not to legal obstacles, but to a fear that arrests and prosecutions would allow al-Qaeda to learn too much about U.S. intelligence gathering activities.
The Looming Tower has three principal strengths that distinguish it from similar histories. First, Wright includes enough information about his principal characters to make them three-dimensional: bin Laden is not just an evil plotter, he is also "the most daring terrorist in history" and his "commitment and relentlessness" are "unequaled." O'Neill is not just an indefatigable FBI agent locked in a contest with bin Laden, he is also a deceitful womanizer who runs up large debts. Second, Wright is careful with his evidence and discloses its limitations. Third and finally, Wright can write. The narrative rushes along, pulling the reader through the book to its final, violent denouement.
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M Woods
5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive book on the fight between the East and West.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 October 2010
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Lawrence Wright is a staff writer for The New York Times and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book "The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda's Road to 9/11". This excellent tome is a historical review of what lead to the awful loss of 3000 lives in the Twin Towers plane attacks in New York in September 2001 and the general view of radical Islamists around the world and their hatred of the West, particularly America. The title comes from a Quranic verse which was quoted in a speech bin Laden made during the attacks to his followers - "Wherever you are, death will find you, even in the looming tower."
Whilst the subject matter is going to be complicated because of the worldwide dispersal of the main players and the overall feel of the story will be sinister, Lawrence Wright does a fantastic job of keeping your interest in a series of events which I feel we should all at least attempt to understand. His research is excellent and he is able to give greatly detailed descriptions of both the Arabic fundamentalists and the American FBI and CIA characters. Very personal details are revealed which shed light on the deeply felt beliefs of both sides of the fight.
I never felt that he was stretching out the story - every detail is informative and relevant. Although essentially a series of increasingly violent events starting in Egypt with the Islamist intellectual Sayyid Qutb's book "Milestones" and leading to the bombing of the World Trade Center several years before the plane attacks, Mr Wright stays with the central characters which aids the understanding of what is going on over the world stage.
I would strongly recommend this book as the first port of call for anyone who is interested in knowing their place in the world currently. I cannot imagine a more authoritative work on the subject.
Sadly, even though we know more through reading books such as this, it seems that we that we know less. Such a shame.
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Ashish Dixit
5.0 out of 5 stars Was it only about 9/11
Reviewed in India on 9 May 2018
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
I remember I was sitting in a cyber cafe and taking a notes for my assignment when suddenly people on yahoo chat started discussing about plane crashing twin towers. In the following months, I'd tried to read as much about the incident. My young mind was fighting hard to figure out the reason of this hatred.
India was never untouched with the terrorism and when I read this book I actually figured it out how propaganda ruin the lives of people and make them a monster.
I first saw the webseries the looming tower and it actually forced me to read this book to know more about the incident.
Lawrence Wright wrote this book in a great way. While reading it, you are too mesmerized with the lucid writing of Lawrence. The way he actually covered up the starting point of Al-Qaida was just brilliant.
A must read book for all.
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Client d'Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars ESSENTIEL
Reviewed in France on 1 February 2019
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Close Historical embbeded Travel...+ A Great Novel
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Aizaz Alam
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible research and insight into the world of terrorism and its counter efforts.
Reviewed in Canada on 12 January 2020
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Amazing in sight into the issues leading to 9/11.
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세진님, 요청하신 로런스 라이트의 <문명전쟁: 알카에다에서 9/11까지> (<The 9/11 Al Looming Qaeda's Road Tower: to>)에 대한 요약과 평론입니다.
본문은 설정해 주신 원칙에 따라 세진님을 향하지 않은 객관적 글이므로 <해라> 체를 사용하였으며, 시각 장애인용 텍스트 리더기의 오작동을 막기 위해 강조 표시의 별표는 모두 < > 기호로 대체하여 작성했습니다.
<문명전쟁: 알카에다에서 9/11까지> 요약과 평론
1. 도서 개요 및 핵심 요약
로런스 라이트의 <문명전쟁: 알카에다에서 9/11까지>는 2001년 9월 11일 발생한 전대미문의 테러가 어떻게 가능했는지를 추적한 저널리즘의 정수다. 저자는 500명이 넘는 관계자 인터뷰와 방대한 자료 조사를 바탕으로, 알카에다의 탄생 배경과 오사마 빈라덴의 성장 과정, 그리고 이를 막지 못한 미국 정보기관의 치명적 실패를 한 편의 거대한 서사시로 재구성한다. 이 책은 단순히 테러 당일의 참상을 기록하는 데 그치지 않고, 수십 년에 걸쳐 축적된 역사적, 종교적, 개인적 역학 관계가 어떻게 9/11이라는 비극으로 수렴되었는지 명쾌하게 규명한다.
급진 이슬람주의의 사상적 뿌리: 사이드 쿠트브
이야기는 1948년 이집트의 지식인 사이드 쿠트브가 미국 유학길에 오르는 것으로 시작한다. 쿠트브는 미국의 물질적 풍요 속에서 영적 공허와 도덕적 타락을 목격하고 깊은 환멸을 느낀다. 이집트로 돌아온 그는 무슬림형제단을 이끌며 현대 서구 문명을 이슬람 이전의 무지몽매한 상태인 <자힐리야>로 규정한다. 그의 사상은 이슬람 사회의 진정한 구원을 위해 서구 세력 및 이와 결탁한 배교자 정권을 타도해야 한다는 급진 지하드(성전) 이론의 모태가 된다. 이집트 정권에 의해 처형당한 쿠트브의 순교는 수많은 젊은이들에게 영감을 주었으며, 그중 대표적인 인물이 훗날 알카에다의 2인자가 되는 아이만 알 자와히리다.
테러 네트워크의 결성: 아프가니스탄 전쟁
1979년 소련의 아프가니스탄 침공은 전 세계 무슬림 청년들이 <지하드>라는 깃발 아래 모이는 결정적 계기가 된다. 사우디아라비아의 부유한 건설 재벌가 출신인 오사마 빈라덴은 이 전쟁에 자금을 지원하고 아랍 자원입대자들을 조직하며 영웅으로 부상한다. 소련군이 물러간 후, 전쟁을 통해 고도로 훈련된 아랍 전사들은 갈 곳을 잃는다. 빈라덴과 자와히리는 이 인적 자원과 네트워크를 유지하기 위해 1988년 <기지>라는 뜻의 테러 조직인 <알카에다>를 창설한다. 이들의 목표는 이슬람 세계에서 미국의 영향력을 완전히 축출하는 것이었다.
미국의 실패와 관료주의적 장벽
책의 다른 한 축은 알카에다를 추적하던 미국 정보기관, 특히 FBI와 CIA의 내부 갈등을 다룬다. FBI의 대테러 책임자였던 존 오닐은 일찍이 빈라덴과 알카에다의 위험성을 간파하고 이들을 추적하는 데 집착했다. 그러나 미국 정보 공동체 내부의 관료주의적 이기주의와 정보 공유의 부재는 치명적인 결과를 초래했다. CIA는 자신들이 확보한 테러 용의자의 미국 입국 정보를 FBI와 공유하지 않았으며, FBI는 사법적 증거 수집에 치중하느라 거시적인 위협을 놓쳤다. 이 장벽 속에서 테러리스트들은 미국의 감시망을 피해 비행기 조종 훈련을 받으며 음모를 완성해 나갔다. 아이러니하게도 FBI에서 쫓겨나 세계무역센터의 보안 책임자로 부임한 존 오닐은 9/11 테러 당일 현장에서 사망한다.
2. 평론: 구조적 맹점과 인간의 서사가 만들어낸 비극
이데올로기와 개인의 역사가 빚어낸 미시사적 접근
로런스 라이트의 분석이 지닌 가장 큰 미덕은 9/11이라는 거대 사건을 추상적인 문명 충돌로 환원하지 않는다는 점이다. 저자는 인물들의 내면과 사소한 우연에 주목한다. 빈라덴의 사우디 왕가에 대한 배신감, 자와히리가 이집트 감옥에서 겪은 고문으로 인한 증오의 심화, 존 오닐의 복잡한 사생활과 관료제에 대한 좌절감 등 인간적인 면모를 세밀하게 묘사한다. 이를 통해 거대한 역사적 비극이 결국은 결함 있는 개인들의 선택과 집착, 그리고 오판이 쌓여 만들어진 결과물임을 설득력 있게 보여준다.
국가 이익과 정보기관의 구조적 모순
이 책은 국가 안보라는 거대 담론 이면에 숨겨진 기관 간의 밥그릇 싸움과 시스템의 오작동을 통렬하게 고발한다. CIA와 FBI의 대립은 단순히 소통의 부재를 넘어, 조직의 존재 이유와 권한을 지키기 위한 고의적인 정보 은폐에 가까웠다. 냉전 종식 이후 새로운 위협에 적응하지 못한 미국의 정보 시스템은, 국경을 초월해 유연하게 움직이는 네트워크형 테러 조직에 무력하게 무너졌다. 저자는 이를 통해 거대한 국가 권력이 어떻게 스스로 만든 관료주의적 덫에 걸려 국민을 보호하는 데 실패하는지 생생하게 입증한다.
특정 국가를 넘어선 보편적 세계인의 시각
라이트의 서사는 미국을 일방적인 피해자나 절대적인 정의로 규정하지 않는다. 미국이 냉전기 소련을 견제하기 위해 아프가니스탄의 이슬람 전사들을 지원했던 과거, 중동 지역에서 독재 정권들을 옹호하며 심어놓은 반미 감정의 씨앗 등 미국의 대외 정책이 지닌 모순을 가감 없이 드러낸다. 동시에 이슬람 극단주의자들이 주장하는 지하드가 종교적 숭고함이 아닌, 권력욕과 뒤틀린 증오에 기반한 테러리즘일 뿐임을 명백히 한다. 어느 한 진영의 애국심이나 이데올로기에 매몰되지 않고 오직 팩트와 인간 행동의 궤적을 쫓는 저자의 시선은 냉철하며 보편적이다.
결론: 오늘날 우리에게 던지는 경고
<문명전쟁>은 9/11의 기원을 밝힌 역사서인 동시에, 현대 사회가 마주한 구조적 취약성을 경고하는 보고서다. 극단적인 이데올로기가 어떻게 소외된 인간을 흡수하는지, 그리고 경직된 관료 시스템이 어떻게 거대한 위협 앞에 눈이 멀게 되는지는 지금 이 순간에도 반복될 수 있는 문제다. 로런스 라이트는 치밀한 취재와 압도적인 필력으로 비극의 전말을 재구성함으로써, 우리가 역사의 경고를 무시할 때 어떤 대가를 치러야 하는지 엄중하게 되묻고 있다. 9/11 이후의 세계를 이해하기 위해 반드시 거쳐야 할 이 시대의 고전이다.
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