The Looming Tower - Lawrence Wright

The Looming Tower

By Lawrence Wright

  • Release Date: 2006-08-08
  • Genre: Political Science
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 280 Ratings

Description

NATIONAL BESTSELLER PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • A “heart-stopping account of the events leading up to 9/11” (The New York Times Book Review), this definitive history explains in gripping 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.

In gripping narrative that spans five decades, 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 Tower is a sweeping, unprecedented history of the long road to September 11.

Reviews

  • Great Read

    4
    By craven more tunes
    If you wonder, read this and you will know.
  • LoomingTower

    5
    By William Fears, MD.
    A masterpiece of research. I feel that I have a better understanding of the dynamics of Islamic extremism. There are even more facets of this tragic story unfolding now in Syria, Africa, Lebanon,and Afghanistan, and Iraq. Let us hope that the moderate clerics will prevail. William Fears, M.D. Dallas,tx
  • Well Written Book on Origins of al Qaida

    5
    By Fpiano
    Very interesting subject that probably is not that well understood by most Americans. Even with all these facts it is mind boggling trying to follow the logic of these people. In fact it is not supposed to follow logic. The author makes it clear that modern jihad has no plan further than bringing down non- pure Islamic societies and that the many factions and followers of different leaders have different interpretations of what pure Islam is. God help us all.
  • al-Qaeda: incite the uninsightful. More proof to the power of proper education

    5
    By musicismuhmojo
    A LOT of research clearly went into this book. Although it's full of mountains of information (at times you question how in the world he even got such privy information), it's (mostly) an incredibly page turning book. It can obviously be upsetting to read, especially when you realize just how baseless al-Qaeda's reasoning is for their anti-western/U.S. beliefs. It's also upsetting, though, to see just how bureaucratic, pompous, and prideful our government agencies (nameley the CIA, according to this book) were leading up to 9/11 and prior attacks. A real eye-opener. For the most part, the author seems to remain unbiased throughout the book, which I can only imagine is a very difficult task. Definitely recommend.
  • Tremendous

    4
    By Colin0606
    Frightening. A very insightful, fact based account that conveys the mindset of terrorist organizations, and more importantly, how their thinking came to be. The reason why the CIA needs to exist.