The September 11 Terrorist Attacks

Gr 8 Up—Hillstrom's well-written, objective examination opens with a lengthy overview that traces the origins and evolution of radical Islam, the birth and growth of Al Qaeda and its early attacks on the West, the events of September 11th, and the lasting social, political, and geopolitical effects of the attack, including the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The next section provides brief biographical sketches of eight terrorists and American political and intelligence officials. The primary-source section includes published manifestos of terrorists, harrowing recollections of first responders and attack survivors, and excerpts from investigations and official reports. Captioned black-and-white photos are dark and add little to the text. Documentation includes chapter notes and an extensive bibliography. Many of today's secondary students have only distant memories of the attacks, and this book, written with the perspective that time allows, does a fine job of placing the attacks into the larger context of Islamic terrorism and world politics and explaining how they forever changed the United States and its relationship with Islam. It is better suited to researchers than Andrew Langley's now-dated September 11: Attack on America (Compass Point, 2006) and will also draw readers who want to understand the continuing struggle between Islam and the West, making it a good choice for most collections.—Mary Mueller, formerly at Rolla Junior High School, MO