Editorial Review

Unabridged CDs • 14 CDs, 16 hours

From the author of the #1 national bestseller Three Cups of Tea, the continuing story of this determined humanitarian and the schools he has established. ... Read more

Reviews

Stones Into Schools: Mortenson Summits Again, December 3, 2009
In his latest book, Greg Mortenson hosts the reader as a valuable and welcomed traveling companion as he retraces his steps through the most remote areas of Pakistan's Northwest Frontier areas and the formidable terrain of Afghanistan holding a mirror to our humanity. Mortenson introduces us to his trusted companions t...urned employees of Central Asia Institute, the so-called "Dirty Dozen", who truly embody the virtues of goodwill and perseverance in the name of literacy and, of course, God.

In short, Greg Mortenson's work makes Anthony Bordain's exotic travel look like a visit to Epcot Center.

Mortenson's committment to cross-cultural understanding beyond the borders of Pakistan and Afghanistan is rivaled only by his determination to educate the under-served girls in the most remote areas of these countries. Stones Into Schools is a suspenseful, heart-breaking as it is heart-warming, true account of a life well lived and a people well-served. Mortenson is an honor to the human race and diplomat for world peace. About now, Greg Mortenson would do well to take his own advice and sit for a month under a walnut tree to recuperate.

Inspirational - Should be a must read for high school graduates, December 4, 2009
I read Three Cups of Tea was was incredibly inspired by Greg Mortenson. His second book is even better in my opinion. Teaching people that they have the power to change themselves is so simple but sometimes takes incredibale amounts of work by other people. Greg and his team have performed incredible acts of bravery, endurance, and dedication to the noble cause of providing education to the girls of Pakistan and Afghanistan. You will not be able to put this book down. You also learn firsthand accounts of the success of many of the first girls to go through Greg's schools.
Read this book for an incredible account of an individual who has changed the world for so many people,

A Knotty Problem, December 3, 2009
I tend to collect mostly management books on my Kindle, so I have been looking forward to Greg Mortensen's latest report on his activities in his remote part of the world (also where my son works every day). I don't think the world has two more opposite places than Burnet County and Kunar Province. Since 2003, we've built a nice high school here in Burnet for our 1000+ kids, and later on a playground (stadium). Greg's outfit has built and staffed 129 schools, and innumerable civic improvements, such as bridges and water systems, to supply educational services to a previously unserved populace, at a cost of $1-3/student. I think their whole budget for the six years is less than the cost of one Tomahawk missile, with guidance and delivery (and spare parts). On the other hand General Motors, working in the most car consuming section of Planet Earth, with significant manufacturing infrastructure worldwide, has a hard time making ends meet. In short, Greg's book is now at the top of my list for 2009 management books.
Mother Teresa, in response to an interview question about the best way to go about changing the world, said 'Reach out to the nearest one.' Greg, in response to the same question, would probably say 'Go to the Last Best Place.' Both of these people have found a way to impact their world, and improve conditions more than a thousand-fold by their efforts.
Three cups of Tea has become required reading for the US Counterintelligence school at West point; I would hope this book gets added to the curriculum quickly.

STONES INTO SCHOOLS: PROMOTING PEACE WITH BOOKS, NOT BOMBS IN AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN, December 7, 2009
Not a sequel to Mortenson's THREE CUPS OF TEA, STONES INTO SCHOOLS is a saga of Mortenson's ten year struggle to keep a promise to Commandhan Abdul Rashid Khan, chief of the Kirghiz, to build a school for his tribe at "the roof of the world" in the village of Bozai Gumbaz, 12,480 feet up in the Pamir Mountains of northern Afghanistan. It was this promise that caused Mortenson and the Central Asia Institute (CAI) to expand its operations beyond its original stomping grounds in the remoter villages of Pakistan.
During their struggle, jihad if you will, Greg Mortenson and his Afghan and Pakistani comrades, AKA "The Dirty Dozen," enjoy as, Safraz Khan, one of the many heroes in this story, describes it, "much success" as the Central Asia Institute build a chain of schools, scholarship programs, and literacy centers in war-torn Afghanistan and quake-stricken Pakistan.
Mortenson describes an Afghan people who are tired of and traumatized by thirty years of war. Still, they have not given up on life or a better future for their children. He details the slow, if enjoyable, process of building relationships with local leadership in countless villages in Afghanistan and Pakistan (AFPAK) during his many journeys. Important to note, Mortenson does not attempt to inflict American missionary culture and values on AFPAK villagers. I gather from reading Mortenson that every one of the 131 schools he and the CAI built in AFPAK was built at the request of local villagers and with the blessing of local leadership. He did not go village to village selling education as a good thing; villagers sought him out as word spread that he helped build schools.
Key to the success of CAI is local ownership of the schools it builds. In each case, CAI requires the local villagers to provide the land and supply unskilled labor to help build the school. CAI provides funds for raw materials and skilled labor to build the school as well as money for school supplies and to pay the teaching staff for up to five years. Mortenson writes of one village where the Taliban nailed a "night letter" to the door of a new CAI school and delivered another one to the home of one of the teachers. In these letters, the Taliban threatened to burn down the school if any girls attended it. They also promised violence to the families of any girls over the age of fourteen who attended school. The villagers responded by naming one of their three mullahs as headmaster for the school. He met with local Taliban and informed them that the actions they proposed in their letters were clearly wrong and against the teachings of the Koran. No more "night letters" were delivered in that village and girls were allowed to attend the school.
Along with "much success" there are setbacks. Mortenson writes of a Pakistani girl who was prevented from accepting a CAI scholarship by a jealous brother-in-law. He tells of an Afghan shepherd boy who is killed by a Soviet land mine while grazing his flocks close to a CAI school that is being built in his village. (The boy's father later trains to become a humanitarian de-miner and returns to his village to remove thirty land mines from the areas surrounding the school.) He describes the anguish (seen through Safraz Khan's eyes) of the hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis made homeless by an earthquake in 2005. He tells of weathering mob violence in Afghanistan after Newsweek printed false claims that American soldiers had attempted to flush a Koran down a toilet at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.
Mortenson speaks at length about his relationship with the military. Like most non-governmental organizations (NGOs), CAI strives to maintain strict neutrality. CAI takes no money from the United States Department of Defense or the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and relies totally on donations and book sales (Buy this book!) to fund its operations. Mortenson notes that his initial support for Operation ENDURING FREEDOM quickly waned when he read of civilian casualties from the American bombing campaign against the Taliban. He recounts a lecture on Afghan tribal culture he gave a group of officers at the Pentagon in 2002. He explained that before one tribe made war on another tribe, "the warring parties hold a jirga before joining in battle to discuss how many losses each side is willing to accept in light of the fact that the victors will be willing to care for the widows and orphans of the rivals they have vanquished." He went on to tell the officers "the worst thing that you can do is what we're doing - ignoring the victims by calling them `collateral damage' and not even trying to count the numbers of the dead. . . For that, we will not be forgiven."
Mortenson began to see the United States military in a far different light later on. In 2003 he published an article about CAI in Parade Magazine. As a result of this article, CAI began to receive a flood of donations. One of his staffers informed him that a disproportionate number of donations came from military communities. Later that same year he received a letter from an officer who had fought in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division. The officer wrote "CAI's projects provide a good alternative to the education offered in many of the radicalized madrassas from where the Taliban sprung forth . . . The Central Asia Institute is now my charity of choice." Mortenson goes on to write of an e-mail he received from then lieutenant colonel Christopher Kolenda in September, 2007. Kolenda wrote:
I am the Commander of Task Force Saber which serves the 190,000 people in northern Kunar and eastern Nuristan Provinces in Afghanistan. Our primary goal in this counterinsurgency is to provide hope for the good people of Afghanistan, particularly the children. Building schools is one of my top development priorities . . . The conflict here will not be won with bombs but with books and ideas. . . We have delivered a wealth of school supplies, but there is never enough. . . Reading Three Cups of Tea has inspired me even further to pursue the development of Afghan schools and education. I am not sure if the CAI can help these schools in any way. . .
Kolenda had delivered an indirect challenge to the CAI to come to his "humanitarian space" and build schools that would help ensure the "next generation grows up to be educated patriots," not "illiterate fighters." Mortenson and "the Dirty Dozen" could not resist the challenge. In the end, CAI's AFPAK staff devises a plan to build a chain of girls' schools through Taliban territory, to include one in Mullah Omar's home town of De Rawod.
Many NGOs may feel at this point that Mortenson and CAI have forsaken neutrality for the sake of convenience, but that is not the case. CAI takes no "blood money" from the United States government and relies on the goodwill of local Afghans and Pakistanis for its security, not armed escorts by United States or coalition military. If CAI has forsaken its neutrality, it has done so not for the sake of convenience, but for the sake of conscience. CAI realizes that it cannot morally remain neutral in a world where "men with Kalashnikovs . . . help to sustain the grotesque lie that flinging battery acid into the face of a girl who longs to study arithmetic is somehow in keeping with the teachings of the Koran."

President Obama, please read this book, December 12, 2009
The last chapter of this book before the Epilogue is called "The Last Best School". Mortenson calls it that because, due to circumstances, he had to step away and leave Afghanistan, compelling the Kirghiz people in the remote Wakhan corridor to build the school themselves, which they did, in record time. There was some assistance of supplies and skilled labor from the Central Asian Institute, and supervision from Safraz Khan (Mortenson's substantial partner and guide), but the Kirghiz, a people who had essentially been abandoned by everyone including the central Afghan government, completed the school themselves. They had asked for assistance using US Military helicopters but due to the distance, altitude, and inability to re-fuel, it was not granted.

This was the most important message that I found in this book. This school was built ten years after a request was made to Mortenson by Kirghiz men who rode on horseback for a week or so to deliver it to him. I read his first book "Three Cups of Tea" last summer, and it seems as if Mortenson's message has changed a little to encorporate the following: 1) listen to the Afghan (Pakistani,Kashmir, fill in the blank) people, 2) let them tell you what they want to accomplish, 3) ask them what they need to accomplish it, 4) then say (in the words of Baba Ram Dass) "How can I Help?".

Another part of the book described how a conflict was solved via communication between a respected mullah who became the headmaster of a girls' school and the local Taliban fighters who were threatening the girls who were attending it. Without committing any violence, he was able to convince them to leave the girls alone. Violence (i.e.,war) should always be a last resort, after all other options have been exhausted. Education is the key to ensuring peace. Let's hope.

The Value of Education, December 9, 2009
In the follow up book to Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson's story comes full circle from his original promise to build a school in Korphe, Pakistan, to the decade-long fulfillment of another promise to build a school for the Kirghiz horsemen of the Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan. The first part of the book fills in some of the details of events from the latter part of Three Cups of Tea.

As the story continues, we meet earthquake survivors in Kashmir like headmistress Saida Shabir who became so frustrated with empty promises from her government, relief agencies, and NGOs that she nearly turned down an offer of help from Mortenson's right hand man, Sarfraz Khan. Khan led Central Asia Institute's effort to raise the bar by building earthquake-resistant schools only after listening to the concerns of the local people and taking their needs into account. Gundi Piran, Shabir's new school, was unique in that it was built around the grave of seven girls killed when their school collapsed during the earthquake. With an open-air classroom around them, the girls were laid to rest with their heads facing the blackboard so that their desire for education was honored.

We are also introduced to Faisal Mohammed and his family in Lalander, Afghanistan. As CAI began building a demonstration school there, Faisal's only living son, 14-year-old Gulmarjan, anxiously awaited the completion of the school so that he could attend. Unfortunately, while walking nearby to observe the progress of the construction, he stepped on a land mine and died in transit to a medical center hours away in Kabul. Although Gulmarjan never got to study in the school he was so excited to attend, his sister, Saida, is a top student with the dream of someday becoming the first woman doctor in Lalander, and his father also went to school to study demining.

Finally, the third part of the book details the challenges of building "the school on the roof of the world" that ultimately fulfilled Greg's promise to the Kirghiz horsemen. As the winter snows approached and delays mounted, the school was completed only when the Kirghiz banded together and literally took matters into their own hands.

As an American public school teacher, Mortenson's story inspires and humbles me. I am inspired to share with my own students how fortunate we are in America to have free, public education and how we must seize the opportunities we have been given. When I read of the sacrifices and even deaths of some who never fulfilled their dreams of being literate, I am grateful for my own education. I am also humbled by Greg Mortenson and CAI's relentless work and astounding progress at making a difference in an area of the world torn apart by wars, earthquakes, and poverty.

Rather than focusing on the news of fighting and terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan, read Mortenson's book to learn how education is changing the lives of the young generation and empowering them to choose peace.

Much praise and some criticism on Mortenson's new book, December 26, 2009
PRAISE:

I read this whole book in one sitting. A bit slow in some portions, but overall I couldn't put it down.

Having lived a portion of my childhood in Kashmir and then having spent time with other rural cultures and regions in the world, I can say with confidence that what these guys are doing out there is incredibly courageous and amazing. What really stands out about Greg's work is that he basically "taught them how to fish" rather than just "present them with fish". I like how the book captures the viral trend Greg has imparted in Afghanistan when it comes to schools for girls and especially, the woman's vocational centers. He even inspired a local women's NGO in Kabul. From reading this story one also gets a sense of the creative (quirky) and passionate ways of Greg and his team that get the job done in a manner that is not quite matched by others. Given the current chaotic state of affairs in that region, this Indiana Jones style is possibly the best approach since they need to change and flow as needed to meet the demands of their environment. I will look forward to Greg and the Dirty Dozen getting the Nobel peace prize sometime soon. I'll also look forward to part three as the story unfolds.

MINOR CRITICISMS:

1) This first edition is laden with numerous spelling errors, typos and is in need of some word-smithing. However, the story is so wonderful that it is not worth getting hung up on these points. I imagine they were in a hurry to get this out before Christmas.

2) There are errors on the maps in the front. For instance, just across the border from Lahore, in India, you don't have the "Rajasthan Desert" but rather Punjab. Another thing that might be helpful to an organization that promotes secularism and open-mindedess is to not present a politically biased map of Pakistan and India. For instance the disputed region of Kashmir is not labeled but is rather shown as a part of Pakistan. Any reader familiar with the complexities of the region cannot help by wonder if this has something to do with the politics of Greg Mortenson trying to stay on tab with the Pakistani government, which recently recognized Mr. Mortenson with their highest civilian honor. This may or maynot be the case of course. I think Greg's work and book would gain a wider audience and bridge more gaps if he presented this particular issue with a bit more sensitivity (as in Three Cups of Tea) and more matter-of-factly.

3) Pako-centricism: This is sort of a continuation of the previous point. Firstly, the book sort of makes it seem like Afghanistan and Pakistan are cultural islands. However the cultural "dial" turns very smoothly across Asia and the boundaries and national borders are only recent creations. For instance, although Delhi and Islamabad may have beef, the people of the Punjab and the Kashmir regions are quite sympathetic and welcoming of each other across the border. There in north-western India, just as in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and also in the other central Asian countries, the "three cups of tea" ritual has equal significance. Secondly, there are numerous people in the high Himalayas who are not Islamic (some of whom they do mention, such as the Kafirs of Nuristan... who by the way were there way before Alexander the Great, but MAY HAVE intermarried with his soldiers; these latest anthropological findings are incorrect in the book. Also some thousands still remain pagan). I kind of felt that though they were promoting a secular education, they were quite biased in wanting to focus only on the muslim communities, which are certainly the majority. Of course, this may simply be due to the fact that their relationship chain just worked out that way. However, there was a huge emphasis in the book on Islam... perhaps this is meant for the American audience, the majority of whom have some pretty negative preconceived notions about Islam.

I do feel that if some of these seeming biases are corrected in a third book, or other presentations by Greg Mortentson and the other writers, his cause would gain a wider audience and more sympathetic response globally. It could also be a financial gain and advocate peace if for instance they also gained the South Asian market with this book (i.e. India and so on). It may be a turn off for those markets in it's current form which will certainly be perceived as careless and thus loose some credibility. Perhaps the next edition of this book will take this into account.

All this said, I am still in admiration of their work, and fully support it by giving Mr. Mortenson's books as gifts and I am a financial supporter of CAI. You are doing an amazing job Dr. Greg and Khan Sahib and the rest of the Dozen!

Buy this Book!!!, December 24, 2009
I saw that Greg Mortensen had written Stone Into Schools when I traveled through the Salt Lake City airport. I could not wait to get home and order it through Amazon. After reading Three Cups of Tea, I wanted to know what happened afterwards. I wasn't disappointed.

Please Buy this book, and if you haven't read Three Cups of Tea, buy it and read it first Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time. Stones Into Schools begins where Three Cups of Tea leaves off. Mortensen has helped numerous villages in Himalayan Pakistan build schools.(See my review Three Cups of Tea). He is approached by tribesmen from a literal ends-of-the-earth place in Afghanistan to build them a school so their children can have hope for the future. As what Greg has done filters through the rural areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan, more and more tribal elders approach him and his colleagues to build secular schools throughout the tribal areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan where the central governments have all but forgotten the population. (The only education is through Taliban Madrassas.) The elders want their daughters as well as their sons to go to school and don't like the Taliban message. It is clear these people don't want a hand out; they want a hand up. ("Give me a fish, and I eat for a day; teach me to fish, and I eat for a lifetime.")

This exceptionally well written page turner follows Mortensen's adventures as he and his Afghani colleagues build schools in Pakistan, Afghanistan and in Pakistani Kashmir after the devastating earthquake; places in the world that are hot beds of fundamentalism, war and hatred. The work expands to forming women's centers where women learn skills. His approach points out a new, but very old way of making peace in the world. Listen to others, help them build what they think they need, not what we think they need to have. Live with them, honor them relate to them one person at a time on day at a time. Sit down and have tea. We too have much to learn from them.

Mortensen's work comes to the attention of the American military. They finally get the message and under Petraeus command long needed changes start to happen.

The lessons of these books are profound and simple. The book touches one's heart and soul. They are lessons we all need to learn. One man can make a difference one moment at a time, one person at a time; failure can bring success of immense proportions. And more.This book is also about Greg's imperfections and about being human.

We are living in difficult times where fear and anger and ignorance are causing us and our children to become depressed and disenfranchised. Gandhi said," My life is my message." Mortensen's life is his message. It is a message we sorely need to hear and our children need to learn.

Buy this book and after you buy this book buy Three Cups of Tea and the young adult's edition of Three Cups of Tea Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Journey to Change the World... One Child at a Time ( The Young Reader's Edition)8 and Listen to the Wind Listen to the Windfor your children. Talk to your children about their observations and understanding of these books. Help them find ways that they can help not only Greg and the peoples of Pakistan and Afghanistan, but in their own neighborhoods and cities. Then maybe, just maybe we can become better human beings and change then world.

Talk with your friends get them to buy the books and have a book club discussion. Better still go to the Three Cups of Tea website ([...]) and click the link that take you to Amazon.com so more contributions can be made and schools can be built. Then get your mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers and their friends to buy this book. Just by buying this book each of us can make a difference and have a great reading experience.

As a postscript a year and 1/2 ago I was traveling alone in rural Kashmir on the highway that skirts the Pakistani Indian border . There were Indian troops stationed 50 yards apart on the hilltop that skirted the highway. As a photographer I frequently got out and walked and took photos. One that was particularly compelling was of 2 Kashmiri women walking. One had a bag on her head, and she showed me her book that she was reading with great happiness. It was the Koran which had previously been only the province of men to read. I learned first hand the thirst for learning of these women.

One person can make a difference, December 6, 2009
Greg Mortenson is one of the select very few who poses a combination of being human with capital H, finds right focus in helping people in great need and writes inspirational books from this. His mission began after failed K2 attempt in 1993 where his life was saved by villagers of Korphe and where he promised them something they missed the most: school. This was very well told in his Three Cups of Tea and this book starts where the first ends. If Korphe, in Baltistan region in northern Pakistan was remote, now schools are being built on even more unthinkable places: in war torn Afghanistan and in post-earthquake Azad Kashmir, that was off-limits for foreigners before earthquake in October 2005. Most surprising were his (and his Central Asia Institute organization) successes in two parts of Afghanistan: one is, where Taliban insurgency is quite high and the other is godforsaken Wakhan corridor. Key ingredients are listening to wishes of local population, ensuring their buy-in, later their participation in building (at least donation of land) and focus on girls' education.
If US and allies would implement something like this following military successes in 2001, plus curb corruption and stop opium trade, today Afghanistan would be much happier place (and for much less money).
What's interesting is that he and his NGO Central Asia Institute are so successful despite great odds: working in islam countries, in years after 9/11 and in time of great financial crisis. This shows that ordinary people are willing to donate money for just and passionately argued cause.
Title comes from the words of local security commander and former mujahadeen: " ... each rock and every boulder you see represents a mujahadeen who died fighting either the Russians or the Taliban. .. it's time .. to take up the stones and start turning them into schools."
Book is really pleasure to read because is so well written, in structure and style. Credit goes to two anonymous writers who spent many houres with Greg.

Splendid and Desperately Important, December 14, 2009
Anyone who looks carefully at a map of Afghanistan must wonder about that long narrow sliver of land that sticks out like a pointing finger from the country's eastern edge. What purpose can such a strange, seemingly absurd boundary serve? This is the Wakhan Corridor, home to a varied assortment of wandering nomadic peoples, farmers and villagers who are hemmed in on all sides by some of the world's most forbidding mountain ranges: the Pamir, the Hindu Kush and the Karakoram. There is no industry there or any roads in its eastern third.

The corridor was originally created as a geopolitical artifice so that Russia and China would not have a common border in that part of the world. Yet this primitive wilderness is a main theater of operations for Greg Mortenson and his brainchild, the Central Asia Institute, whose mission is to bring education to this area by building schoolhouses. All residents are welcome, but the main thrust is the education of women, which Mortenson sees as the best means of rescuing the area from destitution and eventually defeating the Taliban, to whom the idea of educating women is, of course, anathema.

The Wakhan is central to Mortenson's story because it took him a full decade to fulfill a promise he made to a delegation from a small village at the extreme end of the corridor. They sought him out in Pakistan and asked him to build them a school. He agreed, knowing full well that nothing in war-torn, politically unstable and largely primitive Afghanistan is simple. The book ends with the construction of that school in the village of Bozai Gumbaz, and you can almost hear the cheers and trumpet fanfares sounding from inside the book's final pages.

Mortenson's story, however, ranges well beyond the Wakhan, embracing many other towns and provinces in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. He outmaneuvers insensitive government bureaucrats in Kabul, uncooperative family members who actually do not want their daughters educated, murderous Taliban goon squads, a horrendous earthquake, snows that render whole regions isolated for months, shipping delays, financial constraints, his own bouts of exhaustion, and all sorts of other impediments. But the schools get built --- 131 of them --- and all without a dime of U.S. government funding.

This region where Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, China and Tajikistan collide in a sort of geographical, ethnic and religious stew will be as unfamiliar to most American readers as the landscape of Uranus. Fortunately, the book includes excellent maps and a kind of cast listing up front, plus a useful glossary at the back to help one keep nations, languages, religions and peoples sorted out. Mortenson gives due credit to his on-scene staffers and brings them engagingly to life --- notably his chief lieutenant, Sarfraz Khan, a Pakistani who seems to be everywhere at once, performing miracles of organization and logistics. Mortenson admits that he himself had to spend long periods back in the U.S. making book-tour appearances, raising money and shuffling papers. You get the impression that those grueling lecture tours were more of a trial for him than anything he did in the Asian mountains.

In THREE CUPS OF TEA, Mortenson had dismissed the U.S. military as unsympathetic and obstructive, but in this book he completely reverses himself, lavishing praise on uniformed officers, many of whom had made his earlier title required reading for their troops. He taught them his main lesson: listen to the local people, get to know them, find out what they want, and build up trust with them; do not simply march in and start issuing orders that do not take their lives into account. It is a lesson that military minds very often ignore, but to their credit they seem to have listened to this quiet and unassuming fellow from Montana.

STONES INTO SCHOOLS is an unashamed promotional tract for the Central Asia Institute. It comes fully equipped with talking points, suggestions for promoting the book, website listings, e-mail addresses, and even telephone numbers and postal mail addresses. Ordinarily, this kind of baggage might seem tacky, but Mortenson's cause is so obviously right and his pursuit of it so well organized that those objections seen churlish. This man has accomplished something splendid and desperately important.

--- Reviewed by Robert Finn ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

I had to frequently remind myself that this is not fiction or fantasy, but real stories about real people., November 13, 2010
I chose this book to read because of the author, Oliver North. I was very curious to read what he had written. It is actually a part of a series that he has produced. Had I fully known the subject matter of the book, prior to my selection, I wouldn't have chosen it. (I shy away from war stories, due to the violence.) That would have been tragic for me. My timing (Veteran's Day) was a coincidence, but made it all the more relevant.

"American Heroes in Special Operations" is a compilation of short stories , reporting true Special Operations Force's events that have taken place since the launch of the War on Terror. The stories are reported with as much fact and detail as is allowed by law. The book includes: amazing photos, to help support the stories written about events in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq; detailed definitions for novices (like me); and most importantly, recounts the honors awarded to the participants in these events.

Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down. It is written in such a manner so as not to titillate the reader by the horrorifics of battle, but to recount the stories in as much detail as possible, so the reader gets a very good sense of what the participants endured. The words flow smoothly so it is easy to become engaged in the stories and with the participants. I was cheering for the good guys, boo/hissing the bad guys, and weeping for those who were lost. The stories seem so fantastic that I had to frequently remind myself that this is not fiction or fantasy, but real stories about real people.

I've found this book of true stories to be important to me, because it has helped me become more of a participant in the War on Terror, if only through new knowledge. I feel very strongly that this book belongs in every home in America. If there were ever a reason to get everyone moving in one direction at one time, it should be to collectively read this book so as to more fully appreciate what it actually means to go to war. This series should be mandatory reading for every government official.

Excellent Eye-opener, November 3, 2010
American Heroes: Special Operations gives an in-depth look into the hearts, minds, and operations of our elite heroes. It's easy as a observer to idolize these heroes who sacrifice everything, but this book gave me a deeper perspective and appreciation of those sacrifices. With North and Holton embedded with these elite warriors, readers are able to see the intricacies and frustrations these men face on a daily basis. What we see on the news is often slanted and a mere sliver of the truth, and that's why I love this American Heroes series because, in essence, it humanizes these warriors--it peels away the armor, the weapons, the deadly missions--and allows me to "see" a man behind all that gear and action. A man with a family, a dream. It's an absolutely fascinating, informative, realistic, and engaging read!

A Must Read for every american, November 4, 2010
This book is one of the most eye opening and realistic accounts of the bravery of our men fighting the war on terrorism. These are the guys you will never hear about or read about in the newspapers or see on TV, but may have the greatest influence on the war itself. If you are an American regardless if you support the war or not; you need to read this so that you will gain a better understanding of whats REALLY going on and the sacrifices the men and women in uniform are making so that we can have our everyday freedoms. A big thank you to both Chuck Holton and Oliver North for exposing the truth about what our "Men in Black" are doing and the impact they are having on the war.

Grateful and Proud, November 10, 2010
On the eve of Veteran's Day, I just finished American Heroes in Special Operations....it took me a day and a half to read it. I could not put it down. This book takes you on a journey inside the life and struggles of America's best and brightest. I was humbled by the courage and sacrifice of these brave young warriors. Regardless of your politics, if you read this brief summary of American Military history and don't come away with an awe and sense of gratitude and pride, you don't have a heart. Thank you Oliver North and Chuck Holton for shining a light on America's best. Thanks to all veterans past and present for your service. This is a must read.

Real stories about real heroes, December 14, 2010
The overwhelming thought lingering in my mind after reading this book was, "Am I worthy of this kind of sacrifice?" I can't help but take what these guys do personally. I live in a free society because of what our military does for us everyday, almost everywhere.

This second book in Oliver North's American Heroes series is a collection of stories and pictures about special operators in the fight against Islamic extremists. It once again proves: fact trumps fiction. The extremes of bravery and human endurance portrayed here challenges the imagination.

Reading this book will cause your sense of gratitude to swell and your perspective on life to take on new clarity. Buy it, read it, and have all you know do the same!

AMERICAN HEROES IN SPECIAL FORCES, November 15, 2010
VERY GOOD BOOK. ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE GUYS FEATURED IN THE BOOK PASSED ITS NICE TO HEAR ABOUT THE THINGS THEY DID TO SAVE EACH OTHER. THE WORLD WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER PLACE WITH PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

American Heroes in Special Operations, December 16, 2010
I maybe a bit prejudice as my heart donor, U.S. Army Ranger Ben Kopp, is featured in the 2009 chapter, but this is a great book about the men & women fighting for our freedom. I read the entire book and learned so much about our nation's bravest fighting personnel. This should be on your gift list this year as anyone who gets this book can not be helped but be blown away by such a thoughtful gift. Each chapter tells a complete story and when grouped together you can not help but be impressed by these heroes, one and all. No matter how you feel about war, everyone should support our brave heroes and Special Operations certainly has more than their fair share.
THANK YOU Oliver and Chuck Holton for writing this book to honor our heroes!

Special information, December 13, 2010
This is not my usual read, but I saw Oliver North on a television program and decided that I should read it since I know nothing about the special ops forces. I found much information that I wouldn't have gained anywhere else, I suppose, and I am glad that I read it. It's a book that one could read a page or two at a time. It's good to know that there are still "stout-hearted men".

American Heros in Special Operations, December 9, 2010
Once again Oliver North proves that not only is he an American hero but he has the uncanny ability to search out, describe and immortalize other like heros in such a way as to leave a lump in your throat... A thoroughly page-turningly important read. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Based on Department of Defense security concerns, sections of Operation Dark Heart have been redacted in the published edition. The newly revised book keeps our national interests secure, but this highly qualified warrior's story is still intact. Shaffer's assessment of successes and failures in Afghanistan remains dramatic, shocking, and crucial reading for anyone concerned about the outcome of the war.

"While I do not agree with the edits in many ways, the DoD redactions enhance the reader's understanding by drawing attention to the flawed results created by a disorganized and heavy handed military intelligence bureaucracy." --Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer

Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Shaffer had run intelligence operations for years before he arrived in Afghanistan. He was part of the “dark side of the force”---the shadowy elements of the U.S. government that function outside the bounds of the normal system. His group called themselves the Jedi Knights and pledged to use the dark arts of espionage to protect the country from its enemies.

Reviews

I LOST MY SPINE IN AMERICA . . .
I'm not angry at Amazon, nor am I angry with the author or his book, and that's why I gave this item a perfect, five-star rating; they don't provide a rating scale that can accurately manifest my disappointment in the situation that has been forced upon us--each and every one of us who ordered this book with the belief that we were going to receive it, only to have the rug torn out from under us. A cover-up set in motion by a nation who denounces censorship, praises freedom of speech, and who won't hesitate to annihilate any person or entity daring enough to threaten our "god given" rights; daring enough to go toe-to-toe with the most powerful, morally bankrupt nation on this planet (but hey, at least we're not Communists!).

Our country, the land of the "free," home of the brave, where democracy is more of a buzzword than a legitimate political system--unless you're voting for America's newest idol, model, or celebrity dance duo.

But, I digress... I searched high and low for this book. Every possible website you could think of; some saying that the item wasn't in stock, some that it was available for pre-order and would be delivered 23 December, 2010, still others not even mentioning that it's not available until after you purchased it. The latter is what I dealt with.

I found the book on a site that shall remain nameless, and it was the 1st edition, uncensored print. It was in stock for $17.98, so I promptly placed my order. The following day I checked my order status, ecstatic that I was lucky enough to snag a copy of this now infamous book, only to find that my order was still being "processed." After checking the status of the item itself, I was deflated when I saw that it was no longer available, with an availability date of 24 September, 2010. I promptly canceled my order as I knew that I would not be getting the 1st edition print, but rather the redacted, government approved edition when the supply was replenished on 24 September, 2010.

The fact that the we all have been denied access to this literature is a violation of our rights, and I don't think that I should have to shell out $1,000+ in a 10 day bidding war on a well known auction site just to read this book in its original form. How long before our leaders deny us access to websites critical of this country and its foreign policy?

Mass surveillance, control over the economy, propaganda disseminated through government controlled mass media--this is not where America is headed, this is where America is NOW. Totalitarianism at its finest. You may think you're free, but the only thing you're free to do is work, consume, and die.

Government "Corrected" Version
Please DO NOT send this item unless it is the OriginalOperation Dark Heart: Spycraft and Special Ops on the Frontlines of Afghanistan -- and The Path to Victoryl -as written version. I am not interested in obtaining a "corrected" version

US wants to buy 1st printing of reservist's memoir
U.S. wants to buy 1st printing of reservist's memoir

By Peter Finn and Greg Miller
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, September 9, 2010; 11:28 PM

The Defense Department is attempting to buy the entire first printing - 10,000 copies - of a memoir by a controversial former Defense Intelligence Agency officer so that the book can be destroyed, according to military and other sources.

"Operation Dark Heart," which was scheduled to be published this month by St. Martin's Press, recounts the adventures and frustrations of an Army reservist, Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer, who served in Afghanistan in 2003, a moment when the attention of Washington and the military had shifted to Iraq.

Only want the non-redacted version
I, too, will only purchase the non-redacted version of this book. This is the only version that Amazon, or any other bookstore should sell.

Don't cave to the pressure to destroy it
Obviously if the powers that be want this destroyed so badly, it has some important info. I hope that the original will make it unscathed in some form for posterity.

Good luck getting a copy
Good luck getting a copy of this book. According to the NY Times all 10,000 copies of the first printing are being purchased by the US government and will be destroyed for fear that it contains intelligence secrets. Read more about it here: [...]

US Govt Censorship!!!! What is going on?????
I want the original version - not some white washed, censored version!!

I never imagined I would live to see the day that the US Government would censor what we can read!!!

... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

A staggering achievement, September 17, 2009
I have embedded as a freelance photojournalist with US soldiers in Iraq three times, including a small part of the time that Finkel describes here, in 2007. At that time, and as excellently described here, the country was basically a hellstorm.

There are z-e-r-o images or anecdotes in this book that come across as anything less than powerfully true, and many of his observations mirror in some ways things I saw on a much smaller scale. So for me, the credibility was rock solid. I kept thinking to myself, "oh yeah, I remember when something like X happened."

But, the most factually accurate book won't work if it's not written well. That is NOT a problem here. He tells it straight and without a lot of florid adjectives and overwriting. It's a strong enough story to succeed on its own merits, without the author trying to make us notice him as well. I really respect how he keeps himself totally out of it. There's nothing wrong with an "I" biographical style, but it's good to see the soldier's stories told here with a minimum of editorializing. It just tells us what happened; a lot of it's pretty horrible, some of it is very funny, with plenty in between.

Dexter Filkins' "The Forever War," had been my most respected book about Iraq, but this surpasses it only because it focuses so closely on an individual unit and the men doing the job. Filkins does a lot more in his book, but I think the tight focus of "Good Soldiers" helps it stand even more apart.

I'm not even sure it could be summed up as what it's "about." It doesn't have a happy ending, there's no big defining battle, just a lot of fights that don't seem to add up to much. It's not pointless, because we know that the 'surge' the men suffered through actually did work to some extent (though no one knows the future), so we can look at the sacrifice of the men who died a lot differently.

It's not easy to read. It's not fun. It always seems like the audience wants these types of books to be either blatantly anti-any-war polemics, or rah-rah, wave-the-flag screeds. Iraq was neither of those places. It wasn't anything other than the worst place on earth, with a lot of bad things happening, and everybody telling a lot of funny stories while they were hoping to get home okay. Nobody really remembers or considers the soldiers who had to go out there, into that fight. They think they do, but they don't. This book will help you understand; oh, will it ever.

"It's all good", September 20, 2009
My son was in this battalion and is an admirer of the battalion commander, "Col K" as everyone calls him. I had heard many of the stories in this book but not in their totality. David Finkel has written an intense, compelling, and emotional account that succeeds in covering the war on so many facets simultaneously: strategic, operational, tactical, homefront, and the Iraqi perspective as well. A map would have been nice but this was not an account written to stop and reference maps, but to be read and felt. Every chapter has a chronologically correct statement from President Bush about the war. We read what is happening at home with the wives and in the hospitals where the severely wounded are recovering. We also learn about the Iraqis who work as translators for the battalion. We follow the soldiers home on leave from the war zone. It's the story of this battalion, its commander, some officers, and those wounded and killed during an extended deployment who just kept on giving and doing their duty. This book to quote Col K's motto, "it's all good."

Personal, emotional, and powerful, September 15, 2009
In "A Note on Sources and Methods" at the end of this book, the author writes, "From the beginning, I explained to [the soldiers of the 2-16] that my intent was to document their corner of the war, without agenda." The result is the most intimate and touching story about the lives and deaths of American servicemen not just in Iraq, but in any other war for that matter, that I have ever come across. Other excellent books about the war in Iraq have achieved greatness in other ways, but this account is unique by virtue of the author's ability to open windows into the souls of the men who experienced the war - their hopes, dreams, nightmares, and fears - and to give readers unprecedented insight into the way the war has touched those men and the families they left behind when they deployed.

This book is neither pro-war nor anti-war. It does not represent an effort to glorify or demonize any person or policy. It is, quite simply, an honest account of the realities on the ground for one battalion of soldiers based in a hostile environment during one of the most crucial periods of the war. In meticulous and thoughtful detail, Finkel recounts the experiences of the individuals who served in the 2-16, from the early days of anticipation, to the final days of dealing with the realities of a complex and often frustrating conflict with no easy answers and no clean conclusion. Much of the book focuses on the confident and optimistic commander of the 2-16, Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Kauzlarich, but readers will also come to know dozens of other personalities from the battalion, running from the top to the bottom of the chain of command. In that sense the book achieves its goal of documenting the war on multiple scales, from the private thoughts of individual soldiers to the overall experience of the battalion.

Anyone with an interest in the war in Iraq or military affairs in general will benefit tremendously from reading The Good Soldiers. I felt at various times while reading it excited, impressed, or deeply sad, but always enlightened by the intimate details of the story. It is a powerful book that sets aside politics and ideology to reveal war for what it really is and how it affects those who are closest to it.

From someone who's been there, October 12, 2009
I wasn't with the 2-16, but after reading this book, I agree with another reviewer in that I felt like it was almost written about me and my unit. Loops around the FOB; an Ambien to sleep, and then another, and then another and then another; rearranging furniture, positioning yourself a certain way in the turret for when an EFP might hit so you'd still have one good leg. It's all real. This book was hard to read. I read it as I flew back from Iraq and in public, there were times I needed to put the book down, breathe deep, and thank God I have a Xanax prescription to go with the Ambien. Well told story, excellently written, and I recommend it to anyone with family or a loved one over there. This book writes about what a lot of us did over there, and how we dealt with it. It might help you understand them and why they act and do the things they do. As a soldier who's been there, I ask you to read it. Try and understand us better.

a soldier's perspective, October 30, 2009
I was very impressed at how well David Finkel captured the emotion of this deployment that I was a part of. The frustration, contradiction, and common humanity he describes brought back quite a few memories and put them into words with freshness and bluntness.

And while I appreciate his powerful listening skills, representing the viewpoints of the soldiers, perhaps the author overplays his cards. The angle he seems to be coming at it with is that these fourteen months in Iraq were so intense that nobody else could understand it other than those who were there. To a degree, that may be true, but if there was not enough common emotion between soldiers and civilians, then the book itself would be pointless.

Those who have never been to war may not understand the soul-shattering depths of combat, but the assumption that soldiers cannot relate to civilians, in my estimation, leads to many of the tragedies that occur after soldiers return from war. We as soldiers are told that noone can understand us, so many turn to new cars, video games, and alcohol to drown away our memories... and that does not work.

Soldiers may not be able to explain everything they feel to those who haven't been there, but if people take the time to listen to what we choose to share instead of instantly saying "thank you for your service" before driving away in a car with a "support the troops" sticker, then a bridge begins to form. These surface-level signs of support build more barriers (again, in my estimation) than tear down.

And despite seeming to realize all this, Finkel overplays the isolation. He illustrates the absurdity of the pain and death in this war and then scoffs off peacemakers trying to make these connections to the population back in America that is usually only connected to the war by "updates" on the bottom of their cable tv screens. There are some activists that create even more divisiveness, but since being back, I have found that the overwhelming number that I have met are seeking to serve the troops and reconcile the pain that this country--at home and abroad--has experienced. As I type this, I am working with a community peace group who is working to learn as much as they can about the needs of returning veterans because a national guard unit in their town is coming home in a few months. I have found that most of the time those who are quickest to say "support the troops" are also the quickest to create an atmosphere where soldiers feel they cannot share how they really feel.

As a listener, Finkel is superb. And while capturing the emotion, he leaves out many of the things that created such intense emotion. Perhaps unaware, perhaps trying to be non-controversial, the book doesn't describe events like when Bravo Co. moved into the factory in Kamaliyah, how the local community came out to nonviolently protest our prescence in their neighborhood. He doesn't mention any of the reasons why 2-16 was regularly under investigation. There is nothing about the list of informants that we lost out on patrol, many of whom wound up dead or that many times, when Iraqis did risk their lives to help us and wound up dead in the back of an Iraqi Police truck, American soldiers would poke at the bodies and take pictures. There was so much confusion and contradiction there, but many of the reasons behind it were left out.

He also leaves out many less than "humanitarian" descriptions about Kauzlarich... probably because he wasn't there for most this, but a more complete picture of the man would include things like calling my one African-American friend "my little tar-baby", or telling another friend that he was on his list of "bad soldiers" and "20% of the names on that list are no longer living". While the book mentions the compassion he shows to Sgt. Emory when visiting him in the hospital, it doesn't tell about what he said behind his back; we had a picture on our wall of Sgt. Emory in the hospital, wearing a helmet to hold his head together... "oh! there's Sgt. Emory and his duh-duh-duh helmet" Kauzlarich said as the soldiers in the room had to restrain themselves from unleashing their anger on him. And the most important thing Kauzlarich said that was left out was his policy (not an uncommon one) that whenever an IED went off, we were authorized to shoot anyone in the area. This policy was one of the hugest contributors to the emotion that Finkel captured so well in his book.

Overall it is a very powerful read. I realized he had limited space and knowledge about some of the things that went on, but on an emotional, gut level, if you really read between the lines, this book will help you understand a little bit of the isolation and absurdity that so many soldiers experience.

Heroism and heartbreak, September 22, 2009
Disclaimer: I know both the author and principle character, Lt. Col. Kauzlarich, but I learned a great deal about the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment in this tremendously well-written and moving book which provides an accurate snapshot of the grim reality of war and one unit's experiences in Baghdad during the surge in 2007-08.

Finkel set out to write a newspaper story on one unit participating in President Bush's "surge" strategy in Iraq and ended up crafting a book because the Rangers had such a compelling odyssey to relate. Few reporters have the kind of extended access and time on the ground with the troops that Finkel did, and I feel he does a terrific job of capturing the challenges and frustrations that we face in Iraq, dealing with the vast gulf between the cultures, the sheer complexity of kinetic and non-kinetic operations there, and the fascinating interaction of personalities that you see, especially with "Muqqadam K" and his Soldiers as well as his Iraqi counterparts in the military, government and tribal circles.

I'm grateful for the service, sacrifice and contributions of the Rangers and their families. Finkel, a Pulitzer Prize winner for his groundbreaking series on Yemeni tribalism, approaches the project as a true professional, leaving out his own politics or views on the war, and instead focusing on the Soldiers in the fight and at home, as many are left to pick up the pieces and sort through the agony of physical and emotional wounds, most of which will never fully heal. I knew two of the Soldiers from the battalion who did not return, and so the book hit home to me on a much deeper personal level, and I think Finkel did a good job of helping the reader to know them a little bit. These men who made the ultimate sacrifice will always be remembered.

What should also not be forgotten is that these men and women took on some of the most vicious fighters in the JAM and made 9 Nissan a better place than when they arrived. Whether or not the Iraqis can maintain that momentum and progress is up to them, but the cost of the progress and improved security is laid bare by Finkel and heartbreaking.

Was it worth it? That is for the reader to decide. But, if you're looking for the best possible depiction of the Iraq War from a battalion/company perspective, then this book has no peer. It makes and excellent companion to David Bellavia's "House To House" memoir of the Iraq War from 2004-05. This book gets a full five stars from me not only because it tells an important story, but because the men and families of the 2-16 IN Rangers deserve no less.

Seeing you're own story from another viewpoint., September 25, 2009
What I think is the most odd about this book, for me anyway is that I was in it. I recieved a call from one of the guys I was in 2nd Platoon B co with and sure enough there I was, even quoted. the long loops around the FOB certainly happened.

Although the chapter in question deals mostly with March until I read it I had no idea he'd done what he'd done. Unfortunatly he took two VERY dramatic events and condensed them. The death of Andre Craig was a sad affair but there was a lot more to it, as well as the Death of James Harrelson.

To be honest I'm not sure the photo used was approriate, people do not want to see a burning Humvee and a soldier dragged away from it. I was there and I don't even want to see it. It crosses into the relm of "does the public have a 'right' to know?"

I will say that his depiction of "lost Kauz" was excellent. "killer K" as we called him was very good at demotivating the troops even as he struck an upbeat speech. One incident that always stuck out in my mind was the ham sandwich being ordered by the BC (Battalion COmmander) on battalion Net not an hour after Craig was declaired KIA.

I'll be honest it was very difficult to read this book. It forced me to relive the events, but I would recomend that if you really want to know "what it's like" over there, this is a good place to start.

The Good Soldiers, November 22, 2009
The Good Soldiers by David Finkel

Scribe Publications Pty Ltd ISBN: 9781921640063 [...]

David Finkel is an editor, journalist with The Washington Post and the author of The Good Soldiers. He is a Pulitzer Prize winner for his explanatory reporting in 2006 for a series of stories about U.S. funded democracy efforts in Yemen.

Finkel was embedded with the 2-16th Infantry Battalion based in Baghdad. They were to be part of President George W. Bush's "surge" in 2007. Finkel's account of the new strategy of the war in Iraq is told through his eight month involvement with the 2-16 Battalion soldiers, in the U.S. and the highly volatile and unpredictable roadside bombs of Baghdad.

He captures the feelings of the pre deployed soldiers with their ideals of hope, honor, love of their country and winning the war. Finkel grabs the reader by the scruff of the neck with his no holds barred description of events that change these soldier's lives forever. Actions that occur in Baghdad which the newspapers report as horrific, is the normal day to day routine for these soldiers. This is due to their crazy environment they now live in. Finkel describes how these young men are robbed of their youth as they learn very early on in Baghdad about death, fear and destruction.

Finkel was able to capture the heartache and difficulties that the families and soldiers faced when they returned home. As one soldier wrote in his last journal entry, `I've lost all hope. I feel the end is near for me, very, very near. Day by day my misery grows like a storm, ready to swallow me whole and take me to the unknown. Yet all I can fear is the unknown'. His wife mentioned `that he was turning into a zombie and their marriage was dying'.

The Good Soldiers is beautifully written and is difficult to put down. This book is not just for soldiers. Families that have had family members deployed to Iraq would find Finkel's book to be an inroad to the minds of their loved ones. Like this comment on how his soldiers felt, "They're angry. Very angry," he said of the platoon, which of course included himself. "How can anybody kill and function normally afterward? It's not the humane response."

The Good Soldiers is the best book I have read on the Iraq War.

Reviewed by Gordon Traill
Australian Iraq Veteran
Editor: www.peacekeepers.asn.au

Will Recommend to Everyone! Both Engrossing and Disturbing., December 2, 2009
I would not normally be interested in a military type book, but I read this because it was a gift and it had gotten numerous excellent reviews. I believe this is the best book I have read all year! I learned so much I didn't know about the war in Iraq and especially from the perspective of the soldiers right there in the middle of it. This book had a profound effect on me and I developed new-found respect for our soldiers in Iraq. I had no idea how difficult every single day is over there. The best thing about this book is it is extremely readable and is hard to put down once you start it! It will give you so much to think about and be grateful for!

Are we there yet?, October 21, 2009
I rarely write reviews but I felt it was important that I voice my thoughts.

What a powerful and emotionally draining book. It was difficult to read. I remember the 1st time I saw the Vietnam Wall memorial. I cried over the loss of life for nought. So much sacrifice, so much pain. I spent six years active duty USAF. I'm always struck by the fact that the biggest war mongers are those who have never served. There's a line about . . . Patriotism being the last refuge of scoundrels . . . Our sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents killed for nothing. We have fought a war that we did not need to fight. The repercussions will be felt most by those who served and their families while the perpetrators of this war will mouth worthless platitudes about the necessity of being in Iraq. ... Read more

Editorial Review

START-UP NATION addresses the trillion dollar question: How is it that Israel-- a country of 7.1 million, only 60 years old, surrounded by enemies, in a constant state of war since its founding, with no natural resources-- produces more start-up companies than large, peaceful, and stable nations like Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada and the UK?

With the savvy of foreign policy insiders, Senor and Singer examine the lessons of the country's adversity-driven culture, which flattens hierarchy and elevates informality-- all backed up by government policies focused on innovation.In a world where economies as diverse as Ireland, Singapore and Dubai have tried to re-create the "Israel effect", there are entrepreneurial lessons well worth noting. As America reboots its own economy and can-do spirit, there's never been a better time to look at this remarkable and resilient nation for some impressive, surprising clues. ... Read more

Reviews

Israeli exceptionality in contributing to global technological progress
There is a growing literature which speaks of the distinctiveness of Israel and its unique contribution to global culture. I think most recently of George Gilder's outstanding 'The Israel Test'. No doubt one impulse for the creation of such books has been the worldwide campaign to delegitimize Israel, as prelude to physically destroying it. Thus the very pro- Israel books come in a way as contributions to the justification of the Jewish state, and as defense of it. What is of course distressing about this, and the need for paeans to Israeli exceptionality is the fact that Israel is the only country in the world which is required to 'justify' its existence in this way.
In any case this present book focuses on Israel's scientific and even more technological achievements. It speaks about the Israeli reaction to the Arab boycott, and the special situation of 'confinement' Israelis feel at not having normal access to neighboring countries. Israel is a very small country physically and thus many have a certain claustrophobic sense , especially those youngsters who have served in the Army. After the Army many young people adventurously use their new - found freedom.
Two forms of this are the trekking Israelis do throughout distant regions of the world, with special emphasis on South America, and the India- Nepal region, and the 'tech-ing' Israelis do in creating start-ups at a rate all out of proportion to their numbers in the world. Israelis have hooked into high- tech communications and rode on the wave of a world economy which is increasingly electronic.
The start- ups too come in part because of an encouraging government policy, which devotes a high proportion of funds to research. But they also come because Israelis are a people continually forced to find non- conventional answers to very difficult and unusual problems.
For any supporter of Israel, and I assume that this is the real audience of this book, this book will be a real pleasure. It will provide yet more evidence of how one small state manages to make real contributions to the global economy, and the scientific and technological progress of mankind.

Spectacular insights into building an entrepreneurial society
As a serial entrepreneur, VC and angel investor, and teacher of entrepreneurship for many years, I am enthralled by "Startup Nation". It is a fascinating story of how Israel has succeeded disproportionately to its size and certainly to its geographic situation. It teaches valuable and unique lessons about region building and industry building. The principles of the country that stimulate individual entrepreneurial behavior in the military, in agriculture, and especially in high technology are lessons for all. I have shared the book with several leaders of industry and finance who have seen it as a remarkably interesting read.
Congratulations to the authors.

Edward Roberts
Professor of Management of Technology, MIT Sloan School of Management
Founder and Chair, MIT Entrepreneurship Center

An enjoyable read
This is an enjoyable read that highlights how Israel has come to become such a leader in high tech startups. It is quick, light reading that explores the historical and cultural aspects that lead so many Israelis to pursue entrepreneurship.

In Israel, it seems, there is a culture that embraces the questioning of authority, a flat hierarchical structure across society, and risk seeking behavior. For those who have traveled to Israel, these notions will not be unfamiliar to you. Furthermore, the book explores how the contacts made during mandatory army service serve as valuable social networking tools later on.

The book was exactly was I was hoping for. It is written for the layperson, and did not read like an academic journal. While most books about Israel focus on its conflict with the Palestinians, this book only brought up politics and conflict as it pertained to the subject at hand, and didn't editorialize in the process. Furthermore, the multitude of stories and vignettes made it a engaging read that held my interest for the time I sat reading it.

Where did all of Israel's innovation and entrepreneurship come from?
In 2001, what started as a long discussion between Dan Senor, adjunct senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and Saul Singer, a columnist and former editorial editor at the Jerusalem Post, morphed into an excellent book, Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle.

Senor had led a group of twenty-eight Harvard Business School classmates to Israel to explore Israel's economy, politics, and history. It was a time when there was considerable business opportunity in Israel but also, it was when the peace process collapsed and there was escalating insecurity. At the end of one week, many of the participants were asking, where did all of Israel's innovation and entrepreneurship come from? Senor and Singer didn't have an answer and furthermore when they tried to find some book explaining what made Israel's start-up scene so vibrant and seemingly impervious to the security situation, they came up empty-handed. Thus, they decided to write their own book that would try to answer what makes Israel so innovative and entrepreneurial?

Part of the answer to this amazing phenomenon, and as pointed out and exemplified in the book, is Israel's tight proximity of great institutions of higher learning, large companies, start-ups, and the ecosystem that connects them. The latter includes everything from suppliers, a fantastic pool of well-qualified engineers, and venture capital. In addition, and one very important element, is the important role of the military in molding future business leaders and innovators. It is the IDF that fosters a culture of chutzpah and critical, independent thinking that distinguishes the Israeli entrepreneur from their competitors. It is also the IDF's R&D funds that is pumped into the most sophisticated military hardware and software that eventually finds its way into the civilian economy, both in technologies and human resources.

Other factors include Israel's isolation or as one of its business leaders, Shai Agassi stated, by isolating Israel, its adversaries had actually created the perfect laboratory to test ideas. And when you look at the patents registered by Israel from 1980 to 2000 which numbered 7, 652 as compared to the combined total of 367 from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Syria and Jordan, you can't help being impressed. It is little wonder that technology companies and global investors such as Google, Cisco, Microsoft, Intel, eBay have entered the Israeli market discovering unique combinations of audacity, creativity and drive. As the authors mention, Israel has the highest density of start-ups in the world, "a total of 3,850 start-up, one for every 1,844 Israelis." In addition, more Israeli companies are listed on the NASDAQ exchange than all companies from the entire European continent.

However, as Senor and Singer argue, all of the above does not fully explain Israel's success. What Israel also has is "a cultural core built on a rich stew of aggressiveness and team orientation, on isolation and connectedness, and on being small and aiming big." This is something that is lacking with some of its competitors as Singapore or Korea.
Quite interesting is that the original Israeli settlers were pioneers creating a country from nothing, whose milieu was socialist and profit was a dirty word. Today's Israeli entrepreneur is likewise a pioneer and their new narrative is about creating things for the world in a variety of fields-"You're not just trading in goods, or you're not just a finance person. You are doing something for humanity. You are inventing a new drug or chip."

Apart from Israel's successes, the authors also explore why American innovation industries have not taken full advantage of the entrepreneurial talent of the U.S. military training and experience, why the Arab world is having difficulty in fostering entrepreneurship, and what are the challenges that Israel faces in maintaining its brilliant economic miracle.

Very often books of this nature digress into pages crammed with all kinds of graphs and statistics that, to put it bluntly, are just plain boring. However, Senor and Singer avoid this with an entertaining prose style, bolstered by meticulous research and many first hand interviews with people in the know.

Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor Bookpleasures

A very good book on industrail policy
Even though I am very far from being an Israeli fan, I sincerely enjoyed this book. OK, it is too much Israeli marketing&PR, but what can you say: it is legitimate. Despite the fact that I was intimidated until almost page 100 by authors' delving too much into the "goodness" of Israeli armed forces, and almost glorifying the neighbour-bashing Israeli army and air forces, I still kept reading the book which, in the end, turned out to be a very fruitful endeavour.

This is a good book. It provides a very nice vision for those who are interested in economic development, industrial policy and especially innovation/entrepreneurship policy. There are invaluable hints regarding those topics, however much they are hidden in between the lines. Nevertheless, as I said, the tips are invaluable and very teaching.

The main question I had in mind while reading the book was whether I could take home some of the experiences and lessons described in the book. Some definitely cannot be imported. They are those idiosyncratic things which are very much Israeli and Jewish-specific:

- For example the role of Jewish diaspora and the resultant "connectedness" that came with it,
- the geographical positioning of Israel, the 'culture' of Israeli jews,
- war-related chance-based motivations,
- reverse Jewish brain-drain en masse and
- the never ending US-support of Israel (though, in the book, you hardly trace any mention of this tremendously important fact, which I believe, is a major bias of the book).

There are, however, many other factors that you can take home regarding innovation and industrial policy, like:

- The importance of talent & human resources,
- critical roles of cross-training, of
- venture capital financing,
- multidisciplinary approach to business problems,
- proximity of the elements of an ecosystem,
- of sense of community membership for the success of business clusters, and
- culture of risk-taking, failure-welcoming and 'chutzpah'.
- Also very important is the book's verification of the positive and critical role of government intervention in a country's entrepreneurial push and economic development.

Those are very valuable aspects of the book.

Moreover, the book is also very enlightening for those people like me who have very little knowledge about Israel and never interested in learning about that country's inner workings. Because, while you read with a focus to find clues regarding innovation and entrepreneurial policy, you learn the history, predicaments and some aspects of the inner workings of Israel's economic system. This, I personally found very interesting; kind of buy one, get one free.

In a nutshell, even though this is a deliberate 'marketing' effort for Israel, it is still a very valuable book for those interested in industrial, entrepreneurial and innovation policy. It is, however, not at all a guide for company-specific innovation policies and certainly NOT a business-related book.

Beyond Clusters
Beyond Clusters: Review of Dan Senor & Saul Singer, Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle (Twelve, 2009).
Ari Applbaum
December 2009

I wrote my first business plan in high school. The two-page plan (perhaps an overstatement) was promptly filed and forgotten instead of pitched to investors. The concept of offering free internet access to attract an audience for highly targeted advertising was later "stolen" by California-based NetZero, a company once valued at three billion dollars. This type of Chutzpa, a teenager's audacity to think he could reinvent the way people connect to the Internet, is not uncommon in Israel.

But why? Why does Israel produce "more start-up companies than large, peaceful and stable nations like Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada and the United Kingdom?" Why is it that "after the United States, Israel has more companies listed on the NASDAQ than any other country in the world?" These are the questions Dan Senor and Saul Singer set out to answer in their short and intriguing book.

Senor and Singer begin by asserting that the answer "it's simple - Jews are smart, so it's no surprise that Israel is innovative" will not suffice as it "obscures more than it reveals". Instead they offer a thesis based on the Cluster Theory of Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter. Porter's clusters are "geographic concentrations of interconnected companies, specialized suppliers, service providers, and associated institutions in a particular field,(1)" in Israel's case, high-tech. The closeness and interconnectedness of such institutions help foster innovation and economic growth. The authors demonstrate throughout the book how Israel serves as a cluster, if not The Cluster, of high-tech. The three main players that form this cluster, in addition to the business sector, are the Israeli government, universities, and military.

The government encourages immigration and investment in research and development. The investment is both ample (per capita, Israel spends more than any other country on civilian R&D) and smart. The authors cite for example a 16-year old, government-funding program which incentivized investors and effectively gave birth to the country's startup boom in the 1990s.

Israeli universities are world-class scientific research centers which create scientists who naturally find a home in the business sector. In 1959, with the creation of Yeda - the Weizmann Institute of Science's technology transfer company - Israeli academic institutions pioneered the practice of commercializing academic discoveries. This is a particular strength of Israeli universities today.

The unique element in the cluster might be the military. Senor and Singer explore the IDF's significant role in producing innovation. Elite intelligence and technology units train many of the next generation's entrepreneurs. Combat units empower Israelis to make split-second decisions and both assume awesome responsibilities and challenge -rather than blindly obey - their superiors. Compulsory military service is where future business relationships are made and reserve duty is where they are maintained. CEOs don't turn up their noses but seek out veterans and value their experience. The authors survey the birth of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) as a case study highlighting the security industry's role as a growth engine for other industries, and how security technologies often migrate into the high-tech industry.

This cross-pollination between government, academia, military and the business sector greatly contributes to Israeli innovation. But the heart and soul of the cluster is Israeli society. The interconnectedness between these institutions works primarily because of Israel's small size and close-knit society. Israeli startup veteran Yossi Vardi's statement that "everybody knows everybody" in Israel is a clich� but not without some truth. But there's more to it than size.

"The greatest contribution of the Jewish people in history is dissatisfaction," Shimon Peres tells the authors. "That's poor for politics but good for science." Peres notes that when a new shipment of the latest technologies arrives from the U.S, within five minutes Israelis are taking it apart and trying to improve. This is true throughout Israeli society. Israelis are constantly inventing and reinventing, thinking and rethinking, trying to improve themselves and everything around them. Additionally, Israelis are not afraid to fail, and most possess the right balance of personal ambition and an individualistic drive with a spirit of collaboration and sense of community. These are all critical success factors for a healthy startup culture.

Try as they may to steer clear from the "Jews are smart" theory, Senor and Singer end up recognizing that the unique conditions of Israel as a Jewish State and Israelis' unique sense of purpose that results are the core of Israel's success as a startup nation. The personal and professional journeys of Israelis Shai Agassi and David Frohman are prime examples. Had Shai Agassi stayed in California, he would have likely been appointed the next CEO of SAP, one of the most lucrative and sought-after jobs in Information Technology. But Agassi, whose story is told in great detail in the book's introduction, decided to help free Israel and the world from oil dependency. An ardent Zionist, he launched Project Better Place, the most ambitious electric vehicle project in history, and chose Israel for his pilot site.

David Frohman helped build Intel from the ground up in California. The obvious career choice for him was to stay put and benefit from Intel's growth and success, yet Frohman returned in 1974 to the Jewish State to realize the then improbable vision of turning Israel into a world leader in chip design. During the 1991 Gulf War, with missiles falling on Israeli population centers, Intel instructed Frohman to "do whatever you must do." Why did Frohman keep Intel's plants open? And why would Intel employees choose to continue showing up to work, as the authors note, "the more brazen the attacks, the larger the turnout?" Senor and Singer answer in a single word - davka, a unique Hebrew word loosely translated as to spite'. Israelis possess a sense of purpose that drives them to thrive davka in the face of security threats and adversity.

After 242 pages of an easy and enjoyable read, one realizes that the answer to the authors' question was hiding in the book's title all along. Israel does not just produce startups, it is a startup. Israel is a young, entrepreneurially spirited, small yet fast-growing, fast-paced, nimble, impatient, risk-taking, anti-hierarchical, creative and - perhaps most importantly - successful startup. If Zionism was a daring two-page business plan (with Herzl as a starry-eyed entrepreneur knocking relentlessly on doors of European venture capitalists), then Israel is its equally unimaginable successful outcome. Today, "The new pioneering Zionist narrative is about creating things," entrepreneur Erel Margalit tells the authors. Startups are not grown in a vacuum; they need the right breeding grounds, an incubator, if you will. And what better country to serve as a startup incubator than a country that is a startup? Therein lies the author's main revelation.

Senor, a former Deputy White House Press Secretary, and Singer, a Jerusalem Post writer, and are first and foremost excellent storytellers. What makes the book a must-read are the dozens of anecdotes and case studies. The authors' two comprehensive rolodexes translate into more than 100 top-quality interviews. They spoke with senior Israeli officials such as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres, met with chief executives at Google, Cisco and Intel, and interviewed military experts, Jewish historians, and some of the key figures in Israel's venture capital and high-tech scene, including Erel Margalit, Chemi Peres, Yossi Vardi, Jon Medved and many others. The outcome is fascinating. The authors' access to industry experts also brings to light lesser known tales, such as the account of a power struggle between Intel Haifa and Intel Santa Clara, which may be the highlight of the book. Senor and Singer unveil a 2003 drama, little known outside the semiconductor industry, in which Intel Haifa managed to save the company and perhaps the entire industry from an almost certain downfall by thinking out of the box and using Israeli chutzpa to relentlessly force senior executives into a paradigm shift.

It is not clear who the target audience is for this book. First and foremost, the authors hope it will become the ultimate playbook for CEOs, a compilation of lessons American executives can learn from Israelis about innovation. Senor and Singer quote HBS Professor Jon Kao, who says that the United States is "rapidly becoming the fat, complacent, Detroit of nations." The authors repeatedly state that America has much to learn from Israeli innovation but struggle to find exportable lessons and end up focusing mostly on what is unique to Israel. Consequently, their recommendations seem forced and not completely hashed out. They derive from the Israeli experience, for example, that mandatory service - either in the military or in some sort of national service - could help foster innovation. But what would this system look like? How would this affect the deeply-rooted capitalist ethos of American society? These questions remain unanswered. Perhaps the book is meant for business students. It is certainly not academic, but Senor's HBS background and investing involvement are apparent through the use of business jargon and academic theories. It is not implausible that a chapter would be used by professors in the field of business innovation, but more than that is unlikely. Most seriously, the authors touch upon but do not offer an adequate explanation of how to take startups to the next level and create larger, viable corporations that thrive over time. Israel may have the same problems.

The book clearly tries to appeal to Zionist audiences. The Jewish authors are unabashedly Zionist and are clearly ideologically motivated. Singer dedicates the book to his brother, an officer in the IDF who was killed in Lebanon. Senor dedicates the book to his father who helped start the Weizmann Institute's pioneering solar energy research program. While the authors need not completely distance themselves from the subject matter in such a book, at times it reads like a Ministry of Foreign Affairs or an "Invest in Israel Hasbarah" (Israel advocacy) book. Their juxtaposition of Israel with Gulf States is helpful in highlighting why growth without civil liberties, creativity, and an engaged population cannot build a cluster of high-tech innovation. But the authors seemed to have too much fun with the analogy, as if to say "look what Israel can do and its Arab neighbors cannot." As a Hasbarah piece, it is indeed the long-lost, mature, sophisticated and beefy cousin of the Israel21Cs and "Israel invented the Cell Phone" burgeoning positive messaging resources, but that's the problem: by definition it isn't a Hasbarah project.

The average business student might enjoy the book as light reading, but it is not likely to be assigned as an academic textbook. CEOs might read it to learn lessons from the stories told, but it falls short of becoming "a playbook for every CEO." There is too much technological jargon for non-techies and at the same time it is probably too journalistic for industry insiders. And for those interested in innovation outside the Jewish/pro-Israel community, the book's Zionist focus might be too hard hitting.

It is impossible to understand Israel as a startup nation without examining the many components that make it so. While there is something for everyone in the book - academic, businessperson, Zionist, technologist and story lover, it is the possibly rare reader who combines all of the above who would take greatest pleasure in the book. That may imply a narrow readership - although I can think of at least one now-post high school business plan writing Israel advocate who thinks it's a must read. There may also be seven million other potential readers, Israeli entrepreneurs who fuse many interests to form an entrepreneurial spirit. But if the authors are right in asserting that all those interested in innovation could stand to benefit from following Israel's entrepreneurial model, this book may be a good place to start.

i Harvard Business School - Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness Web Site - [...].

Exciting, untold story
This book showed me another side to the whole middle east story. It's not just wars and terrorism. There are vibrant, creative, and entrepreneurial activities going on that more people should be aware of.
Also, a great read for anyone thinking about creating a new business. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Using "disaster captialism" to change society and its negative impact, December 11, 2007
**FYI** Please note to the best of my knowledge I am NOT related to Naomi Klein.**

If you wonder what happened to the middle class, why poverty is on the rise and what the economies in a democracracy, dictatorship and "communism" have in common, you'll find lots of food for thought in Naomi Klein's THE SHOCK DOCTRINE. Tracing the rise of the "Chicago Boys" laissez-faire economic beliefs, their impact on South America, China, Russia, Poland and South Africa and how it impacted their form of government, Klein makes a compelling argument for the flaws in Milton Friedman's economic "science".

Naomi Klein's book looks at the conflict between Milton Friedman's "laissez-faire" approach to business and government where business is largely unregulated running itself and government is little more than a bare bones system. Friedman believed that the economic theories he espoused would be perfect and that any problems with it would be due to outside forces interferring with his free market world. His approach was in complete contrast to Keynes who believed that the prime mission of politicians and economists was to prevent unemployment and avoid a depression or recession by regulating the market place. People like John Kenneth Galbraith heir to Keynes mantle believe that government was to keep our captalist system fair and prevent business from recreating disasters like the Great Depression and 1929 stock market crash. It is the conflict between these two economic philosphies that our world lives and flourishes.

Klein suggests that "disaster capitalism", i.e., introducing radical changes in terms of economic and government policy when a country is in shock (taking advantage of the fact that massed resistence is unlikely to that change), is allowing the rise of unchecked multi-national corporations that take advantage of and damage our society in the process. She suggests that Friedman's beliefs that the market will manage itself and that free market capitalism undermined the Soviet Union is a idealized and naive belief. The impact for good and bad is that business functions like a plant with too much sunlight and water overgrowing and strangling out everything else in the economic ecosystem and, as a result, causing the system to become unbalanced with human suffering and economic disaster as the result if it is unchecked. She traces a parallel path between the rise of Friedman's economic philosphy and the rise of human rights violations, rise and fall of various governments throughout the world and the opportunism of the business world to exploit it.


She ties all of this together looking at the economic policies and beliefs that are reshaping American society--for good and bad--into a different society where the gap between the wealthy and the poor continues to expand and one where the free market society is being radically retooled. The result is a society where the rich grow richer and the poor grow poorer with the pressured middle class continuing to see their position continually eroding. This book will probably divide those along the more extreme political lines but has the ring of truth nevertheless.

Klein crafts a fascinating book. Although some of her observations might be a bit of a stretch and her arguments occasionally flawed, she provides compelling evidence to support her thesis and connects the dots of events that might otherwise appear to be unrelated. Whether or not you agree with Klein or are outraged by her evidence, you'll find plenty of food for thought in her book.

An important read with some shortcomings, October 27, 2007
Naomi Klein has written this book about the rise of what she calls "disaster capitalism": the global imposition/adoption of Chicago School (neoliberal) economics since the early 1970s. This is a particularly important book because, while many have written about the same topic, I have never seen it treated in a form that is both holistic (ie. a global history) and accessible (ie. largely free from the academic jargon of economics and social theory). The book does suffer from some problems however.

Klein's main thesis is problematic. She writes that the idea of economic shock therapy arose out of the same logic as Electric Convulsive Therapy (ECT). This idea is to create or exploit a destructive event in order to create regression, passivity, and a 'blank slate' on which to build a new order. In supporting this thesis, Klein uses all of Part I of her book to write about psychological torture and the CIA's mind control experiments. She attempts to develop a 'poetics of torture' that links the individual violence of ECT to the structural violence that occurs when neoliberalism is imposed as a governing strategy. Klein is no poet however, and the metaphor seems to die pretty early on in the book. She does thankfully offer a more implicit thesis that she invokes more regularly and supports more thoroughly: free markets did not develop through freedom, but through authoritarian or technocratic interventions.

Secondly, Klein treats capitalism as if it were only 35 years old. Her book however is thematically similar to the work of another woman who wrote on the same issues a century before: Rosa Luxemburg. By only going as far back as the rise of Keynsianism and developmentalism, Klein makes it seem as though neoliberalism is a radical historical exception. Yet it seems that, since the industrial revolution, it is Keynsianism that itself was the historical exception.

This book is mostly comprised of what are essentially case studies. Each case study could certainly be expanded into its own 600-page book, so simplification was necessary. I think that it is also necessary for the author to explicitly admit the complexity of any situation beyond just the power of market forces, which act strongly and ubiquitously but never alone. I think she does admit the shortcomings of her case studies for Israel/Palestine, South Africa, and Iraq (her best and most personally-involved ones), but not for the rest.

All in all, this book is worth a read and is a good introduction to one of the most powerful forces of our times. I just hope that it inspires people to read some other books that illuminate more of the complexities in regards to the theory and practice of neoliberalism in our communities, countries, and worlds. I particularly recommend David Harvey's A Brief History of Neoliberalism.

Shockingly Powerful, July 14, 2008
The late Milton Friedman, the renowned economist, believed that democracy and a free-market economy went hand-in-hand, that the greatest threat to both was nationalization, government regulation, and social spending. He preached this philosophy to his disciples at the University of Chicago School of Economics, and they would go forth spreading the Gospel according to the Book of Milton.

There is also the International Monetary Fund, an agency founded after World War II to help struggling countries and their economies get back on their feet. Many of its managers and policy makers will be graduates of the Chicago School of Economics, and they will begin to impose the Friedman creed wherever possible.

There is only one thing wrong. No population seems to vote in the people who support their brand of economics. Its first success is when a socialist, democratically elected President of Chile, Salvador Allende, is overthrown and killed when the presidential palace is stormed by fascists. Augusto Pinochet comes into power and immediately places the "Chicago boys" in charge of the economy. With the death of price controls and lunch programs, Chileans find themselves spending one quarter of their monthly salaries just to buy bread. They will leave hours earlier for work than usual because they can no longer afford public transportation. Even Chile's social security program, once a model of efficiency is privatized, becoming virtually worthless overnight. Chilean children begin fainting in school from lack of food or milk and many stop attending altogether.

The story of Chile will be repeated in Argentina, Bolivia, China, Peru, Poland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Russia where the IMF will demand that borrowers meet Draconian conditions before they lend money. In each case these austerity measures will be made overnight, all at once. A shocked population will come to their senses if such radical changes are made over time. They will be able to organize, mobilize and challenge the implementation of such policies. It has to come all at once, right after elections, a coup, or a hurricane when the population will be too dazed and disorganized to respond. This will be the shock, or as author Naomi Klein calls it, shock doctrine. For those who are still lucid, there is the next step in the shock doctrine, terrorize, torture, or make them disappear.

In each case, in each country, prices on food and other common items will go through the roof, the number of destitute will increase exponentially, and democracy will be squashed. In China, the communist elite will impose these changes on the masses while ensuring that they will profit handsomely from the economic and social upheaval. President Clinton will cheer the economic shock doctrine instituted by Boris Yeltsin as he dissolves the Court and the Parliament, bringing the Russian army out to attack the latter, which killed more than 300 people and several deputies. A new class of super mega apparatchiks will emerge increasing the divide between the "have mores" and the "have nothings," and Russians will put up with a few KGB murders and disappearances for the promise of stability that Vladimir Putin will provide.

The Polish people, fed up with the broken promises of Solidarity who succumbed to IMF demands to relieve them of their crushing debt, will be thrown out of office in 1996 elections. Nelson Mandela will focus so much on achieving political control of South Africa he will neglect the real political power of controlling the economic engines that run the nation. He soon discovers that without economic power, he has no political muscle. He becomes a slave of economic apartheid. Shanty towns will get larger and people will become poorer. The population is disillusioned with their new-found "equality." The tsunami in Sri Lanka will allow the hoteliers to make a deal with the government, and place security guards around the beaches of what once belonged to villagers who fished from there for hundreds of years. After all, what right did they have to be there? Besides, the smell of fish made their guests complain. They will be driven inland where they will be given boats and houses, just no access to water to fish.

But that could never be allowed to happen here, or could it? One of the first things President George W. Bush does after he finally realizes what happened in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina is remove union wage scale that contractors would have to pay to laborers. (After all, it is the corporations that must benefit the most from disaster capitalism, not the people of New Orleans). The shock has begun as developers are already seeing how they can take over the utterly destroyed neighborhoods of the poor and turn them into luxury condos and hotels. Charter schools are replacing the public schools and teachers. Contractors will wake up illegal laborers in the night to tell them that the Immigration officers are coming to arrest them. They will run away without having been paid. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, once a functional, effective, national emergency response unit, has had so much work farmed out to contractors, it cannot mount an effective response to the disaster. They will pay top dollar for roofing that can be done at a fraction of the cost. They will supply trailers for homeless that are made of material unsafe to breathe, and people will die in a stadium because no one can take care of them.

In Iraq, the local population rose up after our invasion and began to elect their own leaders and councils. They announced plans to take over city governments, services and industry. When Iraqis were asked what they wanted more of when surveyed, they clamored for more government jobs. But L. Paul Bremer wasn't about to allow democracy to get in the way of disaster capitalism. He ordered the military to disband all local democratic initiatives, which he replaced with a council not chosen by the Iraqi people, but by him.

George Bush talks democracy (in Iraq), but walks capitalism by performing a Marshal Plan in reverse. The original plan implemented right after World War II called for keeping foreign investors out of Germany. Our government wanted the Germans to be able to build up their own industry and wealth. Not so in Iraq. Unemployed and starving Iraqis watched how American contractors brought in cheap Asian labor to rebuild their country. Iraqi unemployment remains at approximately sixty percent. American oil companies and American banks make long-term contracts with the new Iraqi government, and the IMF wants Iraq to sell off its own oil industry to foreigners. The second largest military commitment in Iraq, after the Americans, will be mercenaries.

Does anyone wonder why there is an insurgency? "No 'capitalization' without representation!"

The author makes it clear. In every country that holds free elections, no one votes for the shock doctrine of disaster capitalism. No one will vote away social programs, controls, or selling off their industries and companies to foreign investors. Klein's conclusion? Capitalism and democracy are not inherently compatible as Friedman always believed. It was just the opposite.

This book is powerful and moving. As I reread my review, I feel I have not done her book justice in relating the power and depth of Naomi Klein's words. Her documentation is exceptional. Her ability to craft together different events and present them in a coherent and believable hypothesis is necromantic.

Once in a while you find a book, a special book, one you keep as a reference, a "go-to" one. This is such a text. It is one of the two most important I have read for 2008. I have enough admiration for this woman's work that I would buy anything she writes, without hesitation. Her writing will hold your attention.

"The Shock Doctrine" is eye-opening and of course, absolutely shocking.






July 14, 2008
Bastille Day--How Appropriate.

The New "New Economy", September 18, 2007
In THE SHOCK DOCTRINE, Naomi Klein brilliantly proposes a compelling counter-story to the prevailing fable of free market infallibility. Buttressed by painstaking and wide-ranging research, and an ability to see connections where others only see coincidence, Ms. Klein amply shows that profit-making is not the essence of democracy as Milton Friedman and his minions would have it. She shows instead that the machinery of the state and the requirements of "disaster capitalism" are now so tightly synchronized in their exploitation of disasters both man-made and natural as to be virtually one in the same.

Citing pertinent examples to prove her thesis that "disaster capitalism" is now rampant around the world - in Russia, in China, in Iraq to name just a few - she describes how in times of crisis, elites everywhere have learned that they can profit by implementing policies, e.g., "shock therapy" or "shock and awe," that would have been vigorously opposed in normal times. When these changes to Friedmanite free-market dicta are opposed, as they were in Chile, a third shock is implemented. This, according to Klein is a shock that is entirely man-made - the torture and murder of those who would stand in the way of the takeover of the public sector, or, as neo-liberal economists would have it, the bringing forth of a new birth of freedom.

During the "Reagan Revolution," Klein argues, the notion of the `Entrepreneur As Hero' was buffed to a high gloss though the influence of right-wing think tanks whose pronouncements were reported by a cowed and obedient media. A decade later in the dot.com era, entrepreneurs were burnished to blinding sheen when the media fed the world images of swashbuckling venture capitalists who were touted as bringing forth a new millennium through the Internet. Klein maintains that George W. Bush's "public offering" -- the War on Terror - covered slavishly and avidly by the media, has been wildly successful, lining the pockets of investors in the new Homeland Security sector as promises of taxpayer money everlastingly flowing into the coffers of the military-industrial-energy complex have been fulfilled. This is the new "new economy:" the looting of the public sector through the now tried-and-true methods of disaster capitalism.

THE SHOCK DOCTRINE reveals the many wounds that disaster capitalism has inflicted upon the body politic both here in the U.S. and throughout the world over the past 25 years. It is a breathtaking achievement. Highly recommended.

Easily one of the top ten on the death of the American dream, September 30, 2007
I read this book while crossing the Atlantic. The author has done something extraordinary, the equivalent of Silent Spring for industrial-era capitalism as an immoral form of human organization. This book is unique but also tightly linked to the books that I list below.

The conclusion of the book focuses on how Wall Street has discovered how to profit from mega-disasters and financial melt-downs, and contrary to popular belief, Wall Street makes money from these economic down-turns. It is the individual, and the indigenous owners who are forced to sell below market, that lose, every time.

The author's opening focus is on privatization, deregulation, and deep cuts in social spending, each as mandated by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, with other nasty triggers demanded by the World Trade Organization, that have been systematically used to loot entire nations and their commonwealths--this is apart from the immoral predatory capitalism that uses bribes to clear areas of indigenous peoples so they can steal all the gold or other natural resources, and their only cost is the bribe, while the host peoples lose billions in natural resources.

The author teaches us that "disaster capitalism" is the next step above immoral predatory capitalism, in which wars and disasters have been privatized and the global military-industrial-prison-hospital complex has moved one step closer to displacing all governments.

She spends time discussion torture by dictators as a silent partner to the free-market crusade, and this is a good time to mention that the book is a standing condemnation of all that Milton Friedman and "the Chicago boys" inserted into the IMF and World Bank via their students.

She provides a helpful discussion of how believers in Armageddon, including the neo-conservatives, are motivated by the belief that there is such a thing as a clean slate, and that Africa without Africans, or Iraq without Iraqis, are both desirable for that reason.

She does a tremendous job of outlining the three shock waves of disaster capitalism:

1. Government Disaster/War out-sourced
2. Corporate looting
3. Police terrorism

A portion of the book focuses on the urgency of restoring unions and the middle class, unions because they protect fair wages that create a middle class. She stresses that the 1970's through the 1990's saw a global (but particularly southern hemisphere) campaign to use the cover of counter-terrorism to murder and terrorize union leaders. As a graduate of the Central American and Andean wars, I can certainly testify to the fact that government death squads were as about looting and killing opposition leaders, and I for one saw no terrorists, only indigenous people's at the end of their rope.

Interestingly the author singles out visionaries as being among the top targets for being hunted down and "disappeared." Visionaries counter the government lies that seek to rule by secrecy, impose scarcity, and concentrate wealth within a small elite.

The author damningly documents how eager corporations have been to work with dictators to create police states that eliminate unions and enslave peoples at wages that cannot support a family, much less create a middle class.

She focuses on national debt and on government corruption as the two pillars of social destruction. As a student of E. O. Wilson and Medard Gabel, and many others, I can testify that there is plenty of money for all of us to be virtual billionaires, but it is corruption and greed at the top, enabled by secrecy, that have allowed a handful to create a global class war and impoverish the 90% that do the hard work (see my list on this one).

I am utterly blown away by the author's overall assessment, in the middle of the book, to wit, that crisis is now used routinely to side-step reasoned democracy and completely halt political and social reform while furthering the ends of those who seek to concentrate wealth and power exclusive of the larger body of We the People.

The author is damning across the board of the failures of neoliberalism, which has been a "second pillage" of the looting of state-owned enterprises, following the first pillage, the looting of the natural resources of the commonwealth being targeted.

As part of this the author explicitly accuses the IMF of deliberately fostering crises in part by fabricating and manipulating statistics, or as the author puts it, "statistical malpractice."

The author suggests that unlike the Mexican bail-out, when Rubin was seeking to protect Wall Street investments, Asia was allowed to collapse financially because the US wanted to put an end to the prospects of their being a "third" way that was more balanced than either capitalism for the few on one side, or socialism for all on the other. This is especially noteworthy because Latin America is today pursuing a similar "third way" and very likely to succeed.

The author declares that Donald Rumsfeld's over-riding objective as Secretary of Defense was the privatization of war. The author tells us that he declared war on the Pentagon bureaucracy on 10 September (this is the same day that Congresswoman McKinney's was grilling him on the missing 2.3 trillion dollars). On 11 September the missile won Rumsfeld his war with the Pentagon bureaucracy *and* it destroyed the computers with all the records on the missing money.

The author goes on to document how the Bush Administration privatized Homeland Security across the board.

As the book draws to a close she reviews the history of corporate-driven foreign policy, summing it up in three steps:

1. Corporation suffers set-back in a foreign country
2. Politicians loyal to the corporation demonize the foreign country
3. Politicians "sell" US public on the need for regime change.

The author scorns political appointees, noting that their "service" these days is little more than a pre-raid reconnaissance.

She concludes by suggesting that disaster apartheid is leaving 25-60% of the populations as an underclass, destroyed middle classes, and creating walled cities for the elite, death and suffering for everyone else. Dubai is one such walled city.

Corporations are red-lining the world, using stocks, currency, and real estate markets to crash economies, buy cheap, and then restore with a sharp re-concentration of wealth.

Ending on a positive note, she suggests that We the People are in the process of reconstructing our own world, and while I did not see mention of the World Index of Social and Environmental Responsibility (WISER) or Interra and the other community-oriented systems, I believe she is correct, and that the Earth Intelligence Network, the Transpartisan Policy Institute, the People's Budget Office, are all part of taking back the power and the commonwealth.

This is a great and necessary book. Others (the first two DVDs) listed below reinforce her findings.

The Corporation
Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price
The Soul of Capitalism: Opening Paths to a Moral Economy
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
The Global Class War: How America's Bipartisan Elite Lost Our Future - and What It Will Take to Win It Back
The Cheating Culture: Why More Americans Are Doing Wrong to Get Ahead
The Working Poor: Invisible in America
Running on Empty: How the Democratic and Republican Parties Are Bankrupting Our Future and What Americans Can Do About It
Breach of Trust: How Washington Turns Outsiders Into Insiders
Vice: Dick Cheney and the Hijacking of the American Presidency

Incredible Insights!, September 22, 2007
Klein's book is a solid and invaluable study of "economic shock therapy" (sudden privatization removal of all trade barriers, accompanied by drastic reductions in taxes and social spending) over the past three decades. She concludes that economic shock therapy (originally formulated by economist Milton Friedman) cannot be implemented without a preceding crisis (eg. hyperinflation (eg. Chile, Bolivia), weather disasters (eg. Katrina or the 2004 tsunami in South Asia), war (eg. 9/11, Iraq War II), or major political upset (eg. the Soviet Union after Gorbachev's resignation), and requires suppression of dissent to succeed. The "really bad news" is that each example cited by Klein quickly led to massive economic worsening for the general populace. Worse yet, is Friedman's statement that "our (true free-market enthusiasts) basic function is to develop alternatives to existing policies, and to keep them alive and available until the politically impossible becomes politically inevitable." Worst of all, is a suspicion that the current administration is committed to bringing about such crises if they don't naturally occur.

Friedman first learned to exploit large-scale crisis in the mid-70s while acting as advisor to Chile's General Pinochet following his violent 1074 coup. Tax cuts, free trade, privatized services, cuts in social spending, deregulation, voucher-funded private schools quickly followed. Torture cells and mass murders stifled dissent. Unemployment went from 3 to 20% (ultimately 30% in 1982), and thousands of business foundered. Eventually Pinochet was forced to rescind much of what had been done, and Chile began recovering - mainly thanks to its government copper mines that had not been privatized. A lasting result, however, that in 2007, Chileans had the 8th most unequal income distribution.

Russia's Yeltsin wasted no time after Gorbachev's 10/91 resignation, and in his first week announced lifting price controls (70% opposed), free trade policies, and the beginning of rapid privatization of the nation's 225,000 state-owned companies. Parliament agreed to give Yeltsin free rein for a year. At the end of that period the economy had fallen 40%, and rising opposition prompted Yeltsin to disband Parliament and back up his decrees with military rule and arrests. A small group of oligarchs managed to use government monies deposited in their just-created banks to buy vast national assets at fire-sale prices - eg. 51% of one oil company went for $130 million, only to be valued two years later at $2.8 billion. (Only Russians were allowed ownership.) These oligarchs then supported Yeltsin with large donations and heavy media coverage - 800X that of his rivals. Despite winning the election, Yeltsin's approval rating fell to 6%, and by '98, over 80% of Russian farms were bankrupt, those living in poverty rose from 2 million to 74 million in 8 years, the population declined 10%, etc.

Undeterred, reformers' next stop was Iraq. This time, U.S. firms would be the first in line for the anticipated easy billions. Bremer spent most of his first four months almost exclusively on economic matters - privatizing everything in sight (except oil - was warned that to do so would create enormous resistance), lowering the corporate tax rate from 45 to 15%, allowing foreign companies to own 100% of Iraqi assets and take out 100% of the profits, and cementing deals with 40-year leases and contracts. Meanwhile, de-Baathification removed skilled people from their posts, weakened the voice of secular Iraqis, and fed the resistance - already red hot from Bremer's having dismissed the entire 400,000 man Iraqi army. Unemployment, already high, rose even more. Then, it was on to rewrite the Iraq constitution to cement these changes - this succeeded at first, but opposition led to a second rewriting where these changes were lost.

Only 15,000 Iraqis were hired for reconstruction projects under Bremer; meanwhile, American companies made billions, aided by 20-50% overheads that incorporated multiple levels of contracting to share the wealth with Kuwaitis and Saudis.

As for U.S. government waste - no problem! Our decaying infrastructure becomes an opportunity to turn additional areas over to private enterprise, companies like Blackwater ($950/day to guard FEMA staff and facilities during Katrina) and Custer Battles provide a solid source of on-going Republican-party donations. Iraq War expenditures and tax cuts provide motivation for standing against children's' health care funding.

Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to "benefit" from expanded free trade just like Chile, Bolivia, Poland, Russia, and Iraq have done - with increased income inequality and lower standards of living.

Joseph Stiglitz, 2001 Nobel Prize-winner in economics, also reviewed this book (New York Times, 9/30/07). While not entirely supportive, he also concluded that "the case against these (Friedman's) policies is even stronger than the one Klein makes. They were never based on solid empirical and theoretical foundations, and even as many of these policies were being pushed, academic economists were explaining the limitations of markets."

A sobering but hopeful look at the modern world, September 20, 2007
Naomi Klein's new book, "The Shock Doctrine", revisits the past thirty years of world history to argue that capital, large and small, has developed a set of techniques for exploiting disasters to pull off power grabs. She identifies Milton Friedman, University of Chicago economist, Nobel award winner, and militant "free market" crusader, as the intellectual mentor of today's neoconservatives and privatizers. Their argument, that free markets and democracy go together, is painstakingly dissected and refuted by Klein's analysis.

Her conclusion is that free markets are fundamentally incompatible with democracy.

"Free markets", as implemented in today's world, mean people are not allowed to use government to take care of one another's needs. Nothing can be done unless a capitalist enterprise is doing it for a profit. All restrictions on capital - minimum wages, safety standards, union contracts and the rest - are done away with. The public sector - schools, utilities, transportation and the rest - is handed off to private ownership, often for free, or at least at fire-sale prices. The social contract - social security, medical systems and the rest - is destroyed. The cost of labor is driven down to bare subsistence, millions of people lose their homes and livelihoods, and they pile up in slums and shantytowns.

Naturally, these wrenching changes are not adopted democratically. It is no accident that this kind of "freedom" so often arrives in a hail of bullets, as in Pinochet's Chile in 1973, or behind battalions of riot police, as in Thatcher's Britain ten years later, or in the wake of economic collapse and foreign invasion, as in Iraq today.

In the ongoing struggle, capital and the governments that support it have learned to take advantage of shocks, like coups, hyperinflation, debt crises, natural disasters like the Asian tsunami of 2004 and Hurricane Katrina, or terrorist attacks like 9/11, to push through this kind of "reform". Hence the term "disaster capitalism"

"Free markets", in Klein's analysis, are a coded way of saying that capital gets to treat the rest of us any way it wants. It means freedom for capital and poverty for society. She quotes Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano: "People were in prison so that prices could be free". Iraq may be a bloody mess, but Halliburton and its ilk are doing very well there.

It is not a coincidence that the governments that practice these policies most enthusiastically are the most likely to arrest and torture masses of their opponents. Nor is it a coincidence that, once these dictatorships are overthrown, the people promptly elect representatives who try to resist and undo these policies, as in Latin America today. The neoliberal agenda offers nothing but suffering to most people, so it is no surprise that its projects tend to break down over time. Its most ill-considered efforts, like Bush's Iraq war, wind up making global capital less secure than it was before.

As Klein points out, shock will eventually wear off.

I recommend this book very highly. It is one of a very few books that illuminate our modern age.

To the negative reviewers, October 19, 2007
To those who rated this as a bad book and then go on to say the book faults capitalism is missing the point. The world is not black or white or pure capitalism versus total dictatorial communism. For capitalism to really work there needs to be regulations so that the playing field is fair. For a free country to really be free the people must have an opportunity to be part of it (i.e. free quality public education, health care, etc.).

If those who find pure capitalism and the shrinking middle class ok, I only point you to the words of John F. Kennedy, "If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich". If you don't like communism or dictatorships, then support social programs that give the poor an opportunity to become middle class. I can point to example after example of countries where the wealthy took more and more and gave no opportunity to the poor that eventually had the poor take over and end up with a dictatoral communist country that was far worse than a democratic republic with good regulations on business and robust social programs.

Reveals the anti-democratic underbelly of neoliberal economics, October 7, 2007
I've been listening to the (abridged) audio version of Ms. Klein's book over the past week. I suspect the parallels she draws between electroshock therapy, torture, and economic "reforms" may alienate those on the ideological right.

That said, this is an important book, in that it documents (for a lay audience) the anti-democratic (and anti-social) nature of so-called "neoliberalism." Hayek and Friedman may well have held human freedom as their highest goal, but their inability, their unwillingness to see past their narrow ideology, their fetishism of capital and the individual, led them to promote some of the most violently anti-democratic and anti-freedom policies the world has seen since feudalism.

As Ms. Klein documents, the so-called "freedom" of Friedman's free-market economics has been - and still is - repeatedly (and quite predictably) abused by the few who have the connections and capital to play in that system.

If absolute power corrupts absolutely, then Friedman and Hayek's absolutist views on the world corrupted them and their followers so absolutely that they refuse to acknowledge the great violence they have done to the goal of human liberation.

Many thanks to Ms. Klein for taking the time and effort to document this travesty for those of us who did not join that cult.

You don't have to agree. Still, you have to know about it..., June 3, 2009
My first reaction after swallowing the volume was: "my life will never be the same after reading this".

"The Shock Doctrine" is a tremendous achievement providing a bird's eye view of the past 40 years of global political economic strife. It may have its omissions, misinterpretations and jumps to conclusions just as any grand narrative account would.

It will be up to the reader to take it at its face value, to critically examine it, or start acting because of or against it. I believe it is a rare opportunity to have such a massive overview from which to start working, whatever your ultimate destination may be. Even if at the end only 10% of the content ends up fitting your personal world view, or surviving further scrutiny, the ride will have been invaluable. This is the true value of any successful attempt at providing a grand narrative.

I will probably feel forever indebted to Klein for providing me a new map and a new lens to work with. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

A Post 9-11 Travelogue Through Afghanistan, June 10, 2006
Mr. Stewart has written an entertaining account of his walk across Afghanistan in 2002. The country was in shambles, the Taliban had just fallen and the Twin Towers had fallen a few months ago. As a nation, Afghanistan doesn't exist -- just a collection of warlords ruling their fiefdoms and encroaching each other's territories. So Mr. Stewart enters the county from Iran without a visa as if he was climbing Mount Everest -- because it was there.

The author is a superb storyteller and once the book has started, the reader will not be able to put it down. His writing style is conversational, as if he just arrived home and is telling you of his recent adventures. Why Harvest Books did not put this book out in hardback is beyond me. The reader should be aware that his next travel book "The Prince of the Marshes," will be out in August, 2006 where Mr. Stewart decided to move on to a less dangerous country than Afghanistan -- he went to Iraq.

Understated Humor with Sadness at the Core, June 25, 2006
Writing with the understated humor in the best of Magnus Mills' novels (Restraint of Beasts, All Quiet on the Orient Express), Stewart accounts his long, arduous trek on foot through the brutal landscape of Afghanistan. Thought to be a spy, he is often accompanied by mysterious "guards" hired by the new government to supervise Stewart's meanderings. The conflict between Stewart and these guards provides much of the book's humor. But then about a third into the book, Stewart is offered a dog, a huge bear-like creature who is described as wise and weary. The dog, whom Stewart names "Babur," has been abused and neglected all his life and Stewart adopts him and determines to take Babur with him back to Scotland. For me, Stewart's tender relationship with the endearing dog Babur is the heart of the book. It will make you weep. This storyline alone makes the book worth reading. Of course, this book is much more than a man meets dog story. It is a firsthand account of the grotequeries that seethe within a country in a state of violent upheaval.

THANKS FOR SHARING YOUR JOURNEY MR STEWART, November 25, 2006
"Someone in Kabul told me a crazy Scotsman walked from Herat to Kabul right after the fall of the Taliban"

Thanks for the book. For it was indeed a journey of great spirit and determination. Mr. Stewart was well prepared for this trip with vitamins and various medications he knew would be necessary to successfully complete this challenge; ibuprofen, antibiotics, just name it and he had it; sharing with the villagers he met on his way when they saw what he had and begged him.

Well written, well told. I was truly impressed with how hospitable the people of Afghanistan were; those whom he encountered and offered him rest and meals and at times water to wash with, at their various humble abodes where he was invited to stay for the night. Even through they understood little English, Mr. Stewart was able to communicate to them by speaking Persian. I love reading about anything in the Eastern and Asian side of the world, so I was with him all the way. I felt like I was alongside him as he climbed those steep slopes and when he walked on the flat valleys. I drank tea with Mr. Stewart from glass cups, ate stale bread with him and soup, and enjoyed the rest at the end of the day, sleeping on a carpet or just on the floor.

The attention given to him was enormous as he persevered onwards. My main concern was just before he got to Kabul when he had to travel through the deep powdery snow which was known to cause frostbite, making it necessary to amputate limbs for some in the past. I held my breath as he and his dog companion Babur made it out of the snow covered mountains, and alas into another bright day. God bless you Rory Stewart. I will soon be starting Prince of the Marshes, which sounds like another winner; but to those of you out there looking for a Christmas gift or other, buy The Places In Between first, for you won't be disappointed. An excellent gift, especially for travellers!!!
Reviewed by Heather Marshall Negahdar (SUGAR-CANE 25/11/06)

Humanistic Profile of Afghanistan with an Adventurer's Spirit and an Anthropologist's Eye, June 17, 2006
Walking across central Asia without ruminating at length about the political and military crossfire would seem like an odd diversionary tactic by a writer any less assured than Rory Stewart. However, the Scottish author manages to evoke a powerful sense of what Afghanistan was like during his arduous, often moving trek through the wartorn country in 2002. Unlike Chris Ayres' humorous adventure of being embedded with the troops in Iraq in his blistering account, "War Reporting for Cowards", the then-29-year old Stewart is more straightforward with a true adventurer's spirit and an anthropologist's eye, as he set out on his own with his wooden staff through the central mountain range to Kabul. His immersion into the country was obviously aided incalculably by his fluency in Dari, which is the Afghan dialect of Persian, and his in-depth knowledge of the cultural custom and history of the country.

There is not a whit of romanticism in the author's vision, as he shares his experiences with people who have been grouped categorically by the news media with the hard-line Taliban. The most impressive aspect of the book is his ability to provide unique, almost idiosyncratic personalities to everyone he meets from the warlord Ismail Khan to his three Afghan traveling partners to a gregarious village headman to a war-beaten dog who becomes Stewart's constant companion. He names him Babur after the 16th-century Muslim emperor who traveled across Afghanistan to found the Mughal dynasty of India. Carrying the emperor's autobiography, the author draws compelling parallels with his own experiences and describes the Afghan people with becalming respect and admiration even if the ongoing threat of violence has hardened some of their sensibilities.

In a somewhat lighter vein, Stewart provides helpful travel tips for anyone who finds themselves in a fear-based Muslim nation, for example, assessing the likelihood of open land being mined if one sees sheep droppings, or the art of slicing a donkey's nostrils to allow easier breathing for the animal. Almost gratefully, he remains relatively agnostic when it comes to the U.S.-led invasion or the ongoing Iraqi conflict, but he cannot help but vent of some of his frustrations at the bureaucracy that has compromised efforts toward redevelopment. This is an insightful and eminently readable profile of a country whose true spirit has been hidden ironically by the excessive media coverage of the military-based carnage.

Mr. Rory's travelogue is a window to Afghan history, and an accurate depiction of its people, January 1, 2007
This book is essentially a travelogue of Rory Stewart's walk across most of Afghanistan, from Herat (near the Iranian border) and Kabul in early 2002, immediately after the fall of the Taliban.

I spent a year deployed in Afghanistan with the US Army, working daily with a battalion of Afghan National Army soldiers. While I didn't visit all same the places Mr. Stewart did, I could see some of his story within my own. We patrolled all over northeastern Afghanistan, meeting many Afghan leaders along the way and visiting sites of cultural signifigance. I found Rory's description of Afghan customs and culture to be spot-on with my own experiences.

However, I was more impressed by the knowledge the author clearly has of Afghanistan and southern Asia. This is by no means a history book. Mr. Stewart does not beat you over the head with his knowledge of history. Rather, it comes out in glimpes and glances in the form of topical references and tangents. As a student of history, I found these to be gems pepppered throughout the text. If only there was a text as readable as this on Afghan history; I'd love to read it.

My only complaint with the book would be that I feel some understanding of Afghanistan is necessary as a prerequisite to get maximum enjoyment from this book. Nonetheles, that would not stop me from recommending this book to anyone with an interest in Afghanistan or in traveling in troubled parts of the world. His style is easy to follow, self-effacing, yet intellectually stimulating.

Audio and book versions, January 9, 2007
The book was first published as a hardcover by Picador in England on 4 June 2004 (ISBN 0330486330). A second revised edition was published as a paperback in England on 1 April 2005 (ISBN 0330486349). On May 8 2006 a further revised American paperback edition was published by Harvest Books (ISBN 0156031566). An audio recording was made in 2006 narrated by Rory Stewart while he was in Kabul and published by Recorded Books (ISBN 1428116702) based on the Harvest Books edition. I believe all three books have seen slight improvements with each new edition.

The audibook version is highly recommend as a supplement to the text. It is narrated by Rory (from a studio in Kabul) and his pronunciations of Afghan names and places are priceless, as well as his overall character and tone.

Comments: Scottish author and historian Stewart walked across some of the most difficult mountain terrain in Afghanistan in the early winter months of 2002 right after 9/11 (and lived to tell about it). He saw a land of contrasts: a culture based on feudal-like systems living in mud huts -- but with modern weapons and vehicles. Villages were people never traveled more than a few miles from home their whole life -- but had seen international forces from the USSR, USA, NATO and elsewhere pass through. People who were one step away from starvation willingly giving food to a passing stranger -- then shooting at him for sport and fun the next.

Afghanistan has always been resistant to understanding, but Rory, by traveling and living with the mountain tribe people who account for most of the countries population, comes as close as any to pulling back the curtain and revealing the character of the country in their own words and actions. A classic of travel literature, anthropology.

Travels with Babur..., January 11, 2007
... in search of Afghanistan. Stewart's odyssey, and description thereof, through the heart of Afghanistan is utterly amazing. What prompts a 30-something-year-old man to undertake such a journey by himself? Unfortunately, the reader never quite figures out why he is doing this. Wanderlust? Insatiable curiosity about a war-torn nation? Hatred of Scottish winters? Who knows. But, fortunately, there is so much else to like about this book that that hole does not diminish the overall effect. Stewart describes a nation, a people, and an existence that is hard for most Western readers to understand. The book has a several emotional peaks, including Stewart's description of the amazing Jam minaret, the sadness over what has been lost with the Taliban's destruction of the Bamiyan buddhas, two or three quite dangerous encounters within small villages, and, finally, a sad and ironic ending. Stewart is a wonderful, descriptive author. This book would have merited a fifth star had Stewart turned some of that observance on himself and described what motivated him to take this astounding trip.

An incredible journey..., July 1, 2007
I wanted to read more about Afghanistan after reading a number of books about this country, so I picked up Rory Stewart's The Places In Between. This is an incredible tale about his journey, walking across Afghanistan from Herat to Kabul in 2002.

Afghanistan was not Stewart's first journey on foot. The amazing part of his trek is not that he traveled between these two cities, but that he did it through the mountains during the winter. In this respect, he was traveling in the footsteps of the Emperor Babur of Mughal India, from whose journals he liberally quotes. Stewart wanted to stay away from "roads. Journalists, aid workers and tourists." The sights that he saw were not much different from what Babur saw in the 1500s. The other reason Stewart chose to walk through Afghanistan is that he considered it the "missing section of my walk, the place in between the deserts and the Himalayas, between Persian, Hellenic, and Hindu culture, between Islam and Buddhism, between mystical and militant Islam. I wanted to see where these cultures merged into one another and touched the global world."

During Stewart's journey, he depended on the generosity of strangers to provide him with food and shelter. Most of them lived a very poor existence with homes made of mud bricks, with dirt floors and no electricity or running water. Many times, food was simply tea and bread. But throughout, Stewart heard their fascinating stories. Many of them fought the Russians, the Taliban, or each other. He was also able to discover how so many civilizations converged in this beautiful but desolate country along what were the Spice Road and the Silk Road.

Stewart took a drawing pad with him, and The Places In Between is filled with interesting drawings of the places he visited, the people he met and some of the objects he saw. It is also filled with photographs of his travels as well as maps of each leg of his journey. Many people thought that Rory Stewart was bold, brave, and/or downright crazy to make this trip. But for whatever reason, his readers are richer for his efforts.

A tale only a well-educated brave idiot could write, March 6, 2007
When I first heard of this book I thought that walking across Afghanistan was one of the most dangerous ways of travel I could think of. After reading the book, I discovered I was entirely correct.

Due to the author's bravery/stupidity an amazing book appears. I found his writing to be rich, descriptive, but balanced. The people of Afghanistan are not irrational Islamic terrorists, but neither are they a helpful, friendly, and trustworthy bunch, who always look out for the needs of a stranger.

While the author meets his share of noble people, he also runs into thieves, liars, and thugs. He includes enough historical context to make the story relevant while still keeping the book a travel work at its core. The author is a talented observer with a gift for clear, but engaging prose. I am glad he wrote this book, since I felt as if I made the journey, without every having to walk an inch into Afghanistan

Further Perspective on Afghanistan, January 22, 2007
I picked up this book after reading "The Kite Runner," which gave an interesting perspective on Taliban-Afghanistan. This is written by a Scot who walked from Herat to Kabul post-9/11. This is a great read, and gives you a perspective on Afghanistan that most articles/books have not given. The geographical center of this nation is very poor and very un-educated, and sadly does not really understand their own history. Afghanistan is a country that is divided by many different factions and histories, and will be a country that will be very difficuly to unite. Within this look at this country is a story of a somewhat-crazy Scot who is essentially doing the unthinkable. Mr. Stewart makes this read enjoyable with his humor and his unbreakable courage that gets him through this trip. I suggest this read 100%. ... Read more

Editorial Review

To what extent did America’s best intelligence analysts grasp the rising threat of Islamist radicalism? Who tried to stop bin Laden and why did they fail? Comprehensively and for the first time, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Steve Coll recounts the history of the covert wars in Afghanistan that fueled Islamic militancy and sowed the seeds of the September 11 attacks. Based on scrupulous research and firsthand accounts by key government, intelligence, and military personnel both foreign and American, Coll details the secret history of the CIA’s role in Afghanistan, the rise of the Taliban, the emergence of bin Laden, and the failed efforts by U.S. forces to find and assassinate bin Laden in Afghanistan. ... Read more

Reviews

An Immensely Detailed and Fascinating Book, April 3, 2004
"Afghanistanism" used to be a derisive term in the newspaper world. It meant playing up news from obscure far-off places while neglecting what was going wrong on your own home turf.

No longer. Very few countries worldwide have been more important to the U.S. over the past quarter century than this remote, primitive, landlocked and little-understood area tucked in between Iran, Pakistan and the former U.S.S.R. In this weighty and immensely detailed book, Steve Coll, who reported from Afghanistan for the Washington Post (where he is now managing editor) between 1989 and 1992, sorts out for the patient reader one of the most complex diplomatic and military involvements the U.S. has experienced in this century.

The cast of characters is immense, rivaling for sheer size (and personal quirkiness) any novel by Dickens or Dostoyevsky. It ranges from four U.S. Presidents through a platoon of bemedaled generals from five or six countries and a regiment of scheming diplomats down to hard-pressed pilots, miserably ill-equipped guerilla fighters, steely-eyed assassins and suicide bombers. There are more political factions here than most readers will be able to keep track of --- not to mention the factions that spring up within factions. It is all quite dizzying, but also fascinating and important.

Coll is a conscientious reporter. He does his best to keep the reader informed and to make his more important players come alive as human beings. His book is not easy reading, but it rewards well anyone who buckles down and stays with it to the end.

A couple of general impressions: First, Coll demonstrates time and again how much of the really important things that government --- any government --- does in foreign relations is done in deep secrecy, far from the eyes and ears of the average consumer of "news." Secondly, he leaves the impression that disdain and hatred of non-Muslims is pretty much pervasive throughout the Muslim world, coloring the actions and judgments even of those Muslims whom westerners might not consider "extremists."

Another leitmotiv in this almost Wagnerian epic drama is a pervasive lack of interest on the part of American policymakers in the developing crisis in Afghanistan, followed by paralyzing intra-agency squabbles and turf battles once the threat of terrorism became unavoidable. One is reminded of Dickens's satirical governmental invention, the "Circumlocution Office" in Little Dorrit with its famous motto: How Not To Do It.

Coll covers in exhaustive detail the defeat and withdrawal of the Soviet Union; the factional warfare that ensued; the rise of the Taliban from a small cadre of student zealots to a force that ruled most of the country; the emergence of Osama bin Laden; the clumsy and ineffective efforts of the U.S. government to get meaningful cooperation from Saudi Arabia and/or Pakistan in stabilizing and democratizing the region; and the ominous events that led up to --- but did not precisely signal -- the attacks of Sept. 11th. He is especially good on the lack of interest and decisive action by the U.S. after the Russian withdrawal and on the paralyzing rivalries between competing governmental spook shops that caused this breakdown. Action plans would be developed, only to be derailed by fruitless internal debates and objections. "How Not To Do It" indeed!

An additional strength of the book is Coll's knack for thumbnail portraits of the participants. Most memorable are his word pictures of two CIA directors: the religiously driven cold warrior William Casey and the consummate organization man George Tenet. Also well done are his portraits of Afghan warriors like the unlucky Ahmed Shah Massoud (whose assassination closes the book) and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. Osama bin Laden himself, though dutifully described, remains necessarily an offstage influence rather than a full-bodied presence. Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia come off in Coll's pages as unreliable allies, to the point of being deceitful in their dealings with the U.S.

GHOST WARS is not beach reading by any means, but those who have the patience to get through it will emerge well informed indeed. Of course, everything changed on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Can a second volume be far behind?

--- Reviewed by Robert Finn

One of the Better Post 9-11 Histories, March 14, 2004
Coll provides a highly detailed, well written account of the history of the CIA and United States in Afghanistan from the Soviet invasion to 9/11. I highly recommend this work for anyone who is interested in how we came to the point we are in Afghanistan post-9/11, and how we inadvertently provided Bin Laden fertile ground for a successful terrorist operation.


Frankly, after reading this account, I became empathetic toward the CIA, Clinton and those in his administration, and the Pakistani and Saudi governments. Clearly their positions and actions lead to the rise of the Taliban. While lots of mistakes and maybe some shortsightedness existed among these players, they were all dealing with intricate and sensitive internal political issues that drove their decisions, or in the case of the United States, lack of action, in post-Soviet Afghanistan.

While Bin Laden would likely have existed without the safe haven he found in Afghanistan, his ability to train and draw followers so freely and with impunity is partially "blowback" from actions taken by the CIA, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia during the Soviet-Afghan war as money and weapons poured into the country.

There is also quite a bit of information about Ahmed Massoud, leader of the Northern Alliance. It's interesting to speculate how more assistance to Massoud might have thwarted or overthrown the Taliban and as a result push Bin Laden into less favorable circumstances. But given Massoud's failure as a political leader in his first opportunity, the brutality of his troops, and being an ethnic minority in his country, again one can empathize with why the United States was reluctant to pin their hopes on him.

If you are trying to decide which of the very large number of books about Afghanistan, the Taliban, and Bin Laden are worth reading, this is one of them.

Hard Copy Easier to Read, but Substance is Same: Superb, April 19, 2005
Edit of 20 Dec 07 to add links including books since published.

On balance this is a well researched book (albeit with a Langley-Saudi partiality that must be noted), and I give it high marks for substance, story, and notes. It should be read in tandem with several other books, including George Crile's Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times and the Milt Bearden/James Risen tome on The Main Enemy: The Inside Story of the CIA's Final Showdown with the KGB.

The most important point in the book is not one the author intended to make. He inadvertently but most helpfully points to the fact that at no time did the U.S. government, in lacking a policy on Afghanistan across several Administrations, think about the strategic implications of "big money movements." I refer to Saudi Oil, Afghan Drugs, and CIA Cash.

Early on the book shows that Afghanistan was not important to the incumbent Administration, and that the Directorate of Operations, which treats third-world countries as hunting grounds for Soviets rather than targets in their own right, had eliminated Afghanistan as a "collection objective" in the late 1980's through the early 1990's. It should be no surprise that the CIA consequently failed to predict the fall of Kabul (or in later years, the rise of the Taliban).

Iran plays heavily in the book, and that is one of the book's strong points. From the 1979 riots against the U.S. Embassies in Iran and in Pakistan, to the end of the book, the hand of Iran is clearly perceived. As we reflect on Iran's enormous success in 2002-2004 in using Chalabi to deceive the Bush Administration into wiping out Saddam Hussein and opening Iraq for Iranian capture, at a cost to the US taxpayer of over $400 billion dollars, we can only compare Iran to the leadership of North Viet-Nam. Iran has a strategic culture, the US does not. The North Vietnamese beat the US for that reason. Absent the development of a strategic culture within the US, one that is not corrupted by ideological fantasy, Iran will ultimately beat the US and Israel in the Middle East.

The greatest failure of the CIA comes across throughout early in the book: the CIA missed the radicalization of Islam and its implications for global destabilization. It did so for three reasons: 1) CIA obsession with hard targets to the detriment of global coverage; 2) CIA obsession with technical secrets rather than human overt and covert information; and 3) CIA laziness and political naivet� in relying on foreign liaison, and especially on Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Both Admiral Stansfield Turner and Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski come in for criticism here. Turner for gutting the CIA, Brzezinski for telling Pakistan it could go nuclear (page 51) in return for help against the Soviets in Afghanistan.

Although the book does not focus on Bin Laden until he becomes a player in Afghanistan, it does provide much better discussion of Bin Laden's very close relations with Saudi intelligence, including the Chief of Staff of Saudi intelligence at the time, Bin Laden's former teacher and mentor. There appears to be no question, from this and other sources, including Yossef Bodansky's book Bin Laden: The Man Who Declared War on America and David Kaplan's US News & World Report on Saudi sponsorship of global terrorism, that Bin Laden has been the primary Saudi intelligence agent of influence for exporting terrorism and Islamic radicalism to South Asia, the Pacific Rim, Africa, Europe, Russia, and the US. CIA and the FBI failed to detect this global threat, and the USG failed to understand that World War III started in 1989. As with other evils, the US obsession about communism led it to sponsor new emerging threats that might not otherwise have become real. However, the book also provides the first documentation I have seen that Bin Laden was "noticed" by the CIA in 1985 (page 146), and that Bin Laden opened his US office in 1986. It was also about this time that the Russian "got it" on the radical Islamic threat, told the US, and got blown off. Bob Gates and George Shultz were wrong to doubt the Soviets when they laid out Soviet plans to leave Afghanistan and Soviet concern about both the future of Afghanistan and the emerging threat from Islamic terrorism.

The middle of the book can be considered a case study in how Pakistani deception combined with American ignorance led us to make many errors of judgment. Some US experts did see the situation clearly--Ed McWilliams from State ("Evil Little Person" per Milt Bearden) comes out of this book looking very very smart.

The final portions of the book are detailed and balanced. What comes across is both a failure of the US to think strategically, and the incredibly intelligent manner in which Bin Laden does think globally, strategically, and unconventionally. Bin Laden understands the new equation: low-cost terrorism equals very high cost economic dislocation.

Side note: CIA provided the Islamic warriors in Afghanistan with enough explosives to blow up half of New York (page 135), and with over 2000 Stinger missiles, 600 of which appear to remain in the hands of anti-US forces today, possibly including a number shipped to Iran for re-purposing (ie London, Dallas, Houston)

One final note: morality matters. I am greatly impressed with the author's judgment in focusing on the importance that Bin Laden places on the corruption of US and Saudi Arabian governments and corporations as the justification for his jihad. Will and Ariel Durant, in "The Lessons of History," make a special point of discussing the long-term strategic value of morality as a "force" that impacts on the destiny of nations and peoples. The US has lost that part of the battle, for now, and before we can beat Bin Laden, we must first clean our own house and demand that the Saudi's clean theirs or be abandoned as a US ally. Morality matters. Strategic culture matters. On these two counts, Bin Laden is winning for now.

Other books that augment this one:
The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 (Vintage)
Web of Deceit: The History of Western Complicity in Iraq, from Churchill to Kennedy to George W. Bush
Jawbreaker: The Attack on Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda: A Personal Account by the CIA's Key Field Commander
First In: An Insider's Account of How the CIA Spearheaded the War on Terror in Afghanistan
See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA's War on Terrorism
Sleeping with the Devil: How Washington Sold Our Soul for Saudi Crude
Crossing the Rubicon: The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil

A good reason to read non fiction, June 19, 2004
Since it appears that the U.S. is inexorably involved in this part of the world - a CNN commentator and former general predicted recently that the current war on terror was unlikely to end in our lifetime - I have departed from my usual reading habit of serious fiction and forced myself into a brave new world of non fiction, consuming Ghost Wars (Coll), Against All Enemies (Clarke) and Plan of Attack (Woodward) over the past few weeks. Of the three, I found Coll's the most interesting, immersing myself in the detailed account of mid level CIA operatives, Washington bureaucrats and policy makers focused on the South Asia region, bracketed in time from the take over of the American embassy in Pakistan and the narrow avoidance of massive American casualties at the hands of Muslim extremists in 1979, up to but short of 9/11.

Having no expertise in the region, it's difficult to evaluate the accuracy of Coll's account. However, his narrative appears remarkably free of partisan finger pointing as Coll faults Robin Raphel, Clinton's assistant secretary of state for South Asia, for her relative inexperience and naivet� as she serves as apologist for the Taliban while working to keep the U.S. neutral in the Afghan civil war, while highlighting Hillary Clinton's important role in defending women's rights and increasing awareness among the American people of the dangers posed by that regime. Bill Clinton, himself, is shown in both positive and negative aspects as he recognizes relatively early on the dangers that Muslim terrorism poses for the homeland, while at other times, notably in an early meeting in 1993 with Saudi ambassador Prince Bandar and Saudi spy chief Prince Turki, he conducts a "typical Clinton session, more seminar than formal meeting," asking his guests' opinions of where US foreign policy should go, leaving the Saudi's confused, "He's asking us?"

Overall, I came away from the book more convinced than ever that America's historic desire to disengage from the world will not be a successful strategy in a post 9/11 world. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, we walked away from Afghanistan, redirecting American aid to Africa, and for long stretches had no CIA personnel located in that country. Our counter terrorism efforts were largely administered through untrustworthy clients like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, who diverted American resources to their own ends. When faced with overwhelming evidence that Osama bin Laden had planned and executed major terrorist attacks against Americans and our embassies late in Clinton's term of office, we had few military options because we had little ability to project American power into this remote area of the globe. In 1999, we had 60,000 American soldiers stationed in Germany facing a non existent Soviet threat,. but lacked the strength to take out a few terrorist training camps in Afghanistan.

Perhaps the most important contribution of this book is remind America citizens that the world is indeed a much smaller place than it once was, and ocean barriers provide significantly less security than they have in the past.

Select CIA-Saudi Sources, Thus Slanted, but Essential, June 10, 2004

On balance this is a well researched book (albeit with a Langley-Saudi partiality that must be noted), and I give it high marks for substance, story, and notes. It should be read in tandem with several other books, including George Crile's "Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of the Largest Covert Operation in History" and the Milt Bearden/James Risen tome on "The Main Enemy: The Inside Story of the CIA's Final Showdown with the KGB."

The most important point in the book is not one the author intended to make. He inadvertently but most helpfully points to the fact that at no time did the U.S. government, in lacking a policy on Afghanistan across several Administrations, think about the strategic implications of "big money movements." I refer to Saudi Oil, Afghan Drugs, and CIA Cash.

Early on the book shows that Afghanistan was not important to the incumbent Administration, and that the Directorate of Operations, which treats third-world countries as hunting grounds for Soviets rather than targets in their own right, had eliminated Afghanistan as a "collection objective" in the late 1980's through the early 1990's. It should be no surprise that the CIA consequently failed to predict the fall of Kabul (or in later years, the rise of the Taliban).

Iran plays heavily in the book, and that is one of the book's strong points. From the 1979 riots against the U.S. Embassies in Iran and in Pakistan, to the end of the book, the hand of Iran is clearly perceived. As we reflect on Iran's enormous success in 2002-2004 in using Chalabi to deceive the Bush Administration into wiping out Saddam Hussein and opening Iraq for Iranian capture, at a cost to the US taxpayer of over $400 billion dollars, we can only compare Iran to the leadership of North Viet-Nam. Iran has a strategic culture, the US does not. The North Vietnamese beat the US for that reason. Absent the development of a strategic culture within the US, one that is not corrupted by ideological fantasy, Iran will ultimately beat the US and Israel in the Middle East.

The greatest failure of the CIA comes across throughout early in the book: the CIA missed the radicalization of Islam and its implications for global destabilization. It did so for three reasons: 1) CIA obsession with hard targets to the detriment of global coverage; 2) CIA obsession with technical secrets rather than human overt and covert information; and 3) CIA laziness and political naivet� in relying on foreign liaison, and especially on Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Both Admiral Stansfield Turner and Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski come in for criticism here. Turner for gutting the CIA, Brzezinski for telling Pakistan it could go nuclear (page 51) in return for help against the Soviets in Afghanistan.

Although the book does not focus on Bin Laden until he becomes a player in Afghanistan, it does provide much better discussion of Bin Laden's very close relations with Saudi intelligence, including the Chief of Staff of Saudi intelligence at the time, Bin Laden's former teacher and mentor. There appears to be no question, from this and other sources, including Yossef Bodansky's book on Bin Laden and David Kaplan's US News & World Report on Saudi sponsorship of global terrorism, that Bin Laden has been the primary Saudi intelligence agent of influence for exporting terrorism and Islamic radicalism to South Asia, the Pacific Rim, Africa, Europe, Russia, and the US. CIA and the FBI failed to detect this global threat, and the USG failed to understand that World War III started in 1989. As with other evils, the US obsession about communism led it to sponsor new emerging threats that might not otherwise have become real. However, the book also provides the first documentation I have seen that Bin Laden was "noticed" by the CIA in 1985 (page 146), and that Bin Laden opened his US office in 1986. It was also about this time that the Russian "got it" on the radical Islamic threat, told the US, and got blown off. Bob Gates and George Shultz were wrong to doubt the Soviets when they laid out Soviet plans to leave Afghanistan and Soviet concern about both the future of Afghanistan and the emerging threat from Islamic terrorism.

The middle of the book can be considered a case study in how Pakistani deception combined with American ignorance led us to make many errors of judgment. Some US experts did see the situation clearly--Ed McWilliams from State ("Evil Little Person" per Milt Bearden) comes out of this book looking very very smart.

The final portions of the book are detailed and balanced. What comes across is both a failure of the US to think strategically, and the incredibly intelligent manner in which Bin Laden does think globally, strategically, and unconventionally. Bin Laden understands the new equation: low-cost terrorism equals very high cost economic dislocation.

Side note: CIA provided the Islamic warriors in Afghanistan with enough explosives to blow up half of New York (page 135), and with over 2000 Stinger missiles, 600 of which appear to remain in the hands of anti-US forces today, possibly including a number shipped to Iran for re-purposing (ie London, Dallas, Houston)

One final note: morality matters. I am greatly impressed with the author's judgment in focusing on the importance that Bin Laden places on the corruption of US and Saudi Arabian governments and corporations as the justification for his jihad. Will and Ariel Durant, in "The Lessons of History," make a special point of discussing the long-term strategic value of morality as a "force" that impacts on the destiny of nations and peoples. The US has lost that part of the battle, for now, and before we can beat Bin Laden, we must first clean our own house and demand that the Saudi's clean theirs or be abandoned as a US ally. Morality matters. Strategic culture matters. On these two counts, Bin Laden is winning for now.

Informative, thorough and needed, March 23, 2005
I have to say that Ghost Wars is probably one of the most ambitious books I've ever read in terms of scope. Coll covers the period from the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to September 10, 2001. International terrorism, the Russo-Afghan war, US-Pakistan relations have had whole books dedicated to these specific topics, so I was a little concerned how that would shake out in a single text. To his credit, Coll pulls it off for the most part. However, there is just such a glut of information that the reader will find himself at times overwhelmed when the book goes into new or unfamiliar topics. It's like reading the encyclopedia at times, which is both compliment and a criticism.

I picked up Ghost Wars for insight on the history that led up to September 11, 2001. I learned much more than I was expecting to, and Coll does a good job of sprinkling historical back-stories when necessary. The founding of Saudi Arabi and the brief biography of CIA's William Casey are two good examples. Bin Laden also becomes more than a terrorist mastermind here, and at times I felt I almost gained a little insight to who this guy is and his life. Some would say that knowing these circumstances partially excuse him, but make no mistake: this book's purpose is not to excuse, but to inform. Amazingly, bin Laden faced an assasination attempt by fellow Muslims because he wasn't 'devout enough'. Incredible.

Ghost Wars is a great pre-9/11 history of a complicated, murky and convoluted topic. One who reads this book will be not be surprised any longer by any stories the media releases as new on this topic. Also valuable are the questions this book puts to rest, or at least tries to put to rest. Did we arm bin Laden? How much did we really help to the formation of al-Quada? The answers will surprise most, and will probably end up disappointing those who believe America can do no wrong and those who believe America can do no right.

Culpability all the way back to President Carter, April 9, 2004
While the 9/11 commission attempts to spread the blame for the US attacks across two administrations, Ghost Wars clearly underlines how the world we live in today was forged by so many ambitious, well-intentioned (but incredibly myopic) cold warriors from the 70's and 80's. To get an even better perspective, readers should tackle Leebaert's "The Fifty Year Wound" (another massive tome unfortunately) in advance. The two volumes certainly compliment each other and bridge some obvious gaps.

I was a little perplexed by some of the previous reviewer's comments regarding the need for additional editing. Unlike Leebaert's volume (which I agree could have been gone over a couple more times), Ghost Wars read like a thriller. I ripped through this book in a couple of days. I can't recall a single chapter that did not hold my attention thoroughly. I actually enjoyed the "inside the Beltway " elements - they helped to humanize what might otherwise make for dry historical reading.

Amazing insight into south asian policies for 20 years, May 8, 2004
Wow, I could not put this book down, It was so interesting and enthraling. If you want to know how our intelligence agencies opererate, from our spies on the ground to the budgetary procudures, this is all you need. Steve Coll is an amazing unbiased reporter that lets the reader draw his own conclusions, in many ways he just provides the facts. It starts with the soviet-afghan war, and our clear agenda to help the afgans bleed the soviets. But with the collapse of the soviet union, they United States simply did not seem to care much about afghanistan, nor did it want to get involved in its politics, much to the behest of many career mid to lower level intelligence and diplomatic professionals. IT simply did not seem as important as defining what the post cold war world would look like, Inter agency rivalries, oil contracts, reluctance to use covert ops, mistrust of the CIA outright by clinton, and legal issues regarding killing OBL all got in the way. To make things worse during the 1990's the corporate "silicon valley" cluture somehow managed to find its way to the CIA, infecting it with a deadly mix of political correctness in everything from its operations to hiring, this in turn drove many of the CIA's longtime operatives to go into early retirement. At one point, the CIA was adding little more than 1 new operative in a span of a few months.
Coll spends the latter half of the book describing how the CIA and the CTSG tried in vain to kill Osama Bin Laden but were shot down by senior politicians and even the pentagon, who simply did not want to get involved. I overwhelmingly enjoyed this book, if you are remotely interested in the nuts and bolts of US foreign policy, this will provide a great look into its innner wheelings and dealings.
There are a few items that Coll does leave out. The biggest issue is pakistans nuclear weapons, he never really discusses them, It would have been great to see what Coll could have dug up if he put his journalistic powers to work on this issue, did pakistani nuclear weapons scientists in conjunction with the Pakistani ISI who were in bed with OBL and the Taliban give nuclear material to them? Second, it is not always clear when CIA agents were directly involved in operations in afghanistan. It always appears murky, and one could go as far to say they were on the ground constantly secretly helping massoud, it would be great for this matter to be cleared up. Go out and buy this book right away...

Tough going, but worth it, July 30, 2004
One of this book's biggest liabilities, oddly enough, is the depth and density of detail it provides. The information is all there, but the names and places and events come so fast it's like trying to drink from a firehose. To make things even more challenging, the relationships between the principal entities keep shifting, with allies in one chapter at each other's throats in the next. Though it's a weighty enough tome already, it would have helped a lot to have one-paragraph descriptions of the principals in an appendix. A timeline or two would have been helpful as well, to illustrate the context in which these events played out.

But then, we should wish that all books have such problems. If you read this book, you will have an understanding of Afghanistan that was previously limited to a handful of specialists before. You will have all the ammunition you need to win just about any informal debate regarding this country so often visited by great misfortune throughout its history, regardless of where you stand politically. One of the book's greatest strength is how it sticks to the facts and lets you make your own decisions about who the heroes (very few) and villains (very many) are. The many mistakes of presidents from Reagan through Bush II are detailed unsparingly, as are the unseemly political maneuvering between governments and government departments while lives hang in the balance.

It can be very depressing at times, reading the book, to see how often principle gave way to expediency, or how the more malevolent players were able to recognize and exploit that pattern time and time again. Our enemies understood us far, far better than we understood them, and used that understanding to outmaneuver us. They're still doing it. Our only hope of reversing that trend is to learn how the game is really being played, and Coll's accounts are invaluable in that regard.

Lessons to be Learned, July 4, 2004
. . . and I thought Bob Woodward had inside sources.

"Ghost Wars" is a fresh, detailed, and fascinating assessment of the United States' experience with Afghanistan from 1979 to the eve of 9/11/2001. The axes upon Coll bases his discussion are all in the sub-title: Afghanistan, the CIA, and Osama Bin Laden. Coll's recounting of this twenty year saga goes far to explain the roots and development of the United States's inability to deter the danger that became so graphically evident the day after this book's narrative ends. Taking the trip with Mr. Coll is well worth the effort.

Yes, the book is detailed, but it would be a disservice to back away from the intricacies of the story -- just as it has proven to be a mistake for the United States to have backed away from the complexities of Afghanistan once the Soviets withdrew.

Coll's discussion illustrates just how difficult a task it is to deal with the tapestry of agendas that both divide and bind the Middle East from Egypt to India. While one might wish to disengage from such interwoven complexities, the risk of ignoring a failing state such as Afghanistan is to allow the creation of a untamed country in which an extreme regime such as the Taliban and a group as dangerous as that sponsored by Osama bin Laden can take root and thrive.

There are a host of issues to be derived from this history. One of the greatest is the question of how the United States can ever deal with its constantly-changing, yet essential agenda. It is always huge. In hindsight, it is easy to condemn successive administrations for failing to pay attention to issues that later develop into crises. At the same time, a president such as Bush 41 may encounter other priorities such as the break-up of the Soviet Union or an invasion of Kuwait. Once a story falls off the front page, attention shifts elsewhere.

As Coll illustrates, great risks can arise from the recurrent attention-deficit disorder of the focus of U.S. foreign policy. That risk is only compounded when the government tacks and gibes in response to political winds. It's devilishly hard to keep one's eye on the ball when the game itself keeps changing.

Unlike a Tom Clancy novel, "Ghost Wars" shows that the good guys don't always win. The unfolding of actual events carries no guarantees. The government may be paralyzed by imperfect information and irreconcilable agendas both within and outside its agencies. If there is one sweeping lesson to be derived from this story, it is that the U.S. needs a far more varied and nuanced approach to the world, one that is not so reliant upon military predominance, but rather one that relies upon the collection of good intelligence, thorough analysis, careful diplomacy, and, yes, when needed, covert action.

I sharply disagree with those who see this work as a political polemic. Coll's recounting of events carries plenty of blame (if that is the right word) for a succession of failures that can be attributed to a succession of agencies, politicians, and presidents alike. A system which embraces an ever-changing focus driven by political imperatives is the risk -- not necessarily the individuals or their politics.

I do wish that Coll had carried through with an epilogue to shed light on the events in Afghanistan of the past two to three years and the relationship of the U.S. to that sad country today. The story ends rather abruptly with the assassination of Massoud on September 9. I know Coll has more to say about how the United States' response to 9/11 in Afghanistan has affected our relations with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. ... Read more

Editorial Review

From the New York Times bestselling author of In Harm’s Way comes a true-life story of American soldiers overcoming great odds to achieve a stunning military victory.

Horse Soldiers is the dramatic account of a small band of Special Forces soldiers who secretly entered Afghanistan following 9/11 and rode to war on horses against the Taliban. Outnumbered forty to one, they pursued the enemy army across the mountainous Afghanistan terrain and, after a series of intense battles, captured the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, which was strategically essential to defeat their opponent throughout the country.

The bone-weary American soldiers were welcomed as liberators as they rode into the city, and the streets thronged with Afghans overjoyed that the Taliban regime had been overthrown.

Then the action took a wholly unexpected turn. During a surrender of six hundred Taliban troops, the Horse Soldiers were ambushed by the would-be POWs. Dangerously overpowered, they fought for their lives in the city’s immense fortress, Qala-i-Janghi, or the House of War. At risk were the military gains of the entire campaign: if the soldiers perished or were captured, the entire effort to outmaneuver the Taliban was likely doomed.

Deeply researched and beautifully written, Stanton’s account of the Americans’ quest to liberate an oppressed people touches the mythic. The soldiers on horses combined ancient strategies of cavalry warfare with twenty-first-century aerial bombardment technology to perform a seemingly impossible feat. Moreover, their careful effort to win the hearts of local townspeople proved a valuable lesson for America’s ongoing efforts in Afghanistan. ... Read more

Reviews

Excitement personified, June 21, 2009
Mr Stanton has created a fascinating narrative of the exploits of the US Special Forces in what was prewar Afghanistan.
The book title refers to the fact that our US SF needed to mount horses in order to stay with the Northern Alliance tribesmen they were helping to drive out the Taliban. Many of them had never before been on a horse. Really tough duty, especially on makeshift wooden saddles. The SF people are introduced by name, and you are given their bios, leading to the reader becoming intimate with all of them. A most interesting approach to telling the story.
I highly recommend this book.

a stunning account - The Charge of the 9/11 Brigade, May 6, 2009
I was given this book by a friend, so I looked at it and immediately - sat down, started reading and finished it almost one sitting. Horse Soldiers is the impressive story of the US Special Forces team sent into Afghanistan after 9/11 to capture Mazar-I-Sharif. So the first action against terrorists of the 21st century winds up conducted on horse back, more accurately a cavalry charge much like Mosby's raiders during the Civil War. There is action, pathos and even a bit of humor as a group of Special Forces men who had only, for the most part ridden horses in summer camp ride into battle. There was so much that was captivating, I found myself stopping to read passages out loud to my husband.
If I was still teaching current history this would be on the reading list, and I know it would be well received. I will be surprised to not see this book become a movie, its tale is gripping and fascinating. The men in this story will make you proud of our service men, their bravery, courage and at the same time you will be intrigued and awed by the skill and methods of our modern military.
As one who grew up in the army and have always been near those whose hearts and souls are given to protect us - this is a stunning account that reaches the best of a story teller's writing, except this is true and will make those who read it, aware of, and thankful for the skill and bravery that is written of in this book .

Poor research, July 1, 2009
The story of 5th Group and the Northern Alliance is outstanding, but being a 20+ year veteran of Special Forces I was greatly disappointed in the research. After reading that Roger's Rangers fought against the British in the Revolutionary War as opposed to fighting with the British against the French in the French and Indian War I was amazed at such a historical error. Claiming Special Forces committed the majority of attrocities in Vietnam is just false. The story is good, the writing mediocre, and the research horrible.

Thoughtful with insight to where we are now in the South Asia theater of conflict., July 12, 2009
I thought "Horse Soldiers" was well done in terms of historical content. The author also was able to use what he learned to give readers a solid place to stand in viewing future events in the South Asian conflict. This guy can write. Reads like an adventure novel. I would recommend without reservation.

Good Book - Great Detail of the Initial U.S. Push Into Afganistan, July 14, 2009
Enjoyed this book - the author gets really detailed on the events and paints a vivid picture of the battle on the ground. Amazing how real he made the Northern Alliance and Taliban soliders, could see both groups as actual human beings fighting for their causes. Worth reading for a good story and to understand the truth behind what went on in that country just a few short years ago.

Horse Soldiers, June 26, 2009
Doug Stanton, Author
Horse Soldiers
Scribner, A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., ISBN 13-978-1-4165-8051-5
Non-Fiction-Real Life Drama/Thriller/Military/War
360 pages
June 2009 Review for Bookpleasures
Reviewer-Michelle Kaye Malsbury, BSBM, MM
Review
Doug Stanton, author of Horse Soldiers, has written one other book In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and penned numerous articles for Esquire, Sports Afield, Outside, and Men's Journal. He has been well received thus far and it is my feeling that this newest work will receive the same, or even better, accolades.

Horse Soldiers is a true story about our Special Forces, Green Beret, embedded CIA operatives, and other special military/paramilitary elite who were the first to descend upon Afghanistan after 9/11 in search of Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban. At this time, our forces were greeted by the local Afghani's as liberators and friends. The inhospitable terrain and unpredictable weather conditions these soldiers endured, the death and destruction they witnessed daily, and the generosity of the local people, was for many of these elite men a first on foreign soil. These impressions and memories form the basis for the investigative profiles depicted in Horse Soldiers.

Doug Stanton conducts personal interviews with some of the survivors, and their families back home, attached to this dubious and dangerous detail. The insight and detailed perspectives these men provided in country were astonishing. The unlikely friendships struck up between Afghani war lords, local peasants, and some of these elite men during their deployment in country are heartwarming. The trust and goodwill they built in the local communities during this assignment will serve as foundation for future diplomacy that will help eventually rebuild this war-torn country, as well as, provide a certain level of confidence for the people of Afghanistan to mount their own stand in fighting the wickedness and destructive nature of the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

I've never visited a war and only watched it from the comfort and safety of America. Therefore, I cannot imagine how difficult it must have been for these brave people to watch their friends and comrades sustain serious injuries or be killed, or to see the daily death toll of innocents and loyal supporters in the towns and villages rise, or to come face to face with thousands of people (jihadists) who only want to "kill the infidel". The fear they must have held inside while executing these incredibly brave and selfless maneuvers while hoping to come out alive, even against horrendous odds, can be like nothing we, here at home, can ever know. Horse Soldiers provides a poignant recount of what these men in service felt at regular intervals during this special and secretive assignment.

For a moving and unforgettable account of these first harrowing months in the war in Afghanistan, after 9/11, Horse Soldiers is a must read. I will forewarn you that these accounts are graphic and tragic. However, each page will reinforce your understanding of the destructive and divisive side of war, as well as, the undying bonds and commitments these men have for their fellow fighters and the people they are challenged to help or salvage from the ravages of Al Qaeda abroad.

Horse Soldiers should be considered a written tribute to the bravery, dedication, and courage of those elite fighting men under fire. Thank you, brave men, for your service and unwavering commitment toward making the world a safer place for ALL people! And thank you Doug Stanton for retelling their stories!

Puts human faces to the few who prepared the way for an unpopular war. Thoughtful and riveting., May 18, 2009
Doug Stanton was born in the Reed City Public Library. In fact I have heard him say this. Of course at the time it was the Reed City Hospital, but it still makes a great opening line for a review of Doug's newest book, HORSE SOLDIERS, recently released by Scribner. Because Stanton writes like he was born to it. Here is history that reads like the best fiction of the action-adventure type.

Now a resident of Traverse City where he grew up, Doug is a product of the Interlochen Arts Academy and the Iowa Writer's Workshop. His first book, IN HARM'S WAY (2001), was an international bestseller. After reading HORSE SOLDIERS, I strongly suspect it will enjoy similar success.

The subtitle of Stanton's new book may be problematic for some. It reads: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of U.S. Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan. And, in a nutshell, it's a good description of the book's content. Because the soldiers described in these pages are indeed extraordinary people who deserve to be recognized. The problem for some more politically oriented readers, however, will be the word "victory." They will argue that the U.S. has not achieved victory in Afghanistan and probably never will.

But this is not a book about politics. This is a book about ordinary people, military men and officers, who have trained hard and dedicated their lives to safeguarding the security of our nation, both here and abroad. They are not political people. They were given a mission, and they carried it out to the best of their abilities, despite extreme hardships and unbelievably primitive conditions. They suffered hunger, thirst, cold, exhaustion, sickness and wounds incurred in battle. Against what appeared to be insurmountable odds, these Special Forces soldiers and Special Ops pilots (and a few CIA paramilitaries) persevered and were indeed successful in carrying out their mission, the taking of the town of Mazar-e-Sharif from the Taliban forces. Working in concert with the combined forces of several Afghan warlords of the Northern Alliance, the SF teams lived in caves or in the open, and ate what their Afghan allies ate - often little or nothing. They traveled on horseback, even though many of them had never been on a horse before. This initially prompted some rather comical scenes reminiscent of episodes from F Troop. But despite the too-small wooden saddles, too-short stirrups, and bleeding sores, they quickly adapted. And once mounted, these few dozen courageous soldiers became the first Americans of the twenty-first century to participate in a cavalry charge, racing up and down ridges against vastly superior Taliban forces as they marched steadily north to their objective of Mazar-e-Sharif. In a strange combination of spaghetti western and Star Wars, the Americans, packing radios, GPS devices and laser sights, called in gunships and pinpointed bomb strikes to put the fear of Allah into their numerically superior black-turbaned enemies.

The story told here covers no more than a couple of months' time shortly after the 9/11 bombings of New York. But, sticking to the style that earned him such success in his first book, Stanton fleshes out the narrative with personal details on all the principals involved, having interviewed the men, their friends, families and superior officers. He was able to do this by gaining unprecedented access to the lives of soldiers who are ordinarily very silent about their activities. Stanton logged literally thousands of miles of travel in the six years he spent researching his story, not just here in the U.S., but also in Afghanistan, where he interviewed some of the warlords involved in the operation, as well as various citizens and shopkeepers of Mazar-e-Sharif, the town liberated from the Taliban in November 2001. You will meet men - and their families - from Alabama, Kentucky, Minnesota, West Virginia, California, Kansas, Texas and Michigan. Any one of them could be your neighbor.

The story reaches a horrific climax in the closing chapters when several hundred Taliban prisoners being held in the ancient mud fortress of Qala-i-Janghi rise up and attack their Northern Alliance jailers, and the SF soldiers are caught in the middle of the ensuing siege and resulting bloodbath.

I am sure HORSE SOLDIERS will have its detractors, people who will argue that invading Afghanistan was not the proper response to the 9/11 attacks. And I would not completely disagree with them. And perhaps neither would Doug Stanton, judging by his epilogue critique of the war as it has been waged since 2001. Stanton's intent, however, was not to justify the war, but to honor the men who followed orders and prepared the way, at great cost to them and to their families. In this he has succeeded admirably.

Here is how Stanton explains his motives, at least in part, for writing this book about a period of just a few weeks which may one day be no more than a blip on history's radar -

"... I wanted to know what it was like to wake in the predawn hours on a tree-lined street in the middle of America and leave for war ... Children's toys fill the cracked driveways of the neighbors' houses up and down the street ... This was the face I wanted to see ... the face of that man, in those private hours."

Stanton found that man - those men - who left for war, and he is Everyman. Yet he is unique, apart. And we owe him.

- Tim Bazzett is the author of the Cold War memoir, Soldier Boy: At Play in the ASA. He lives in Reed City, MI.

A compelling truth, June 26, 2009
A well written story of men who know fear and how to contain it. To enter a combat zone with few people, connect with a group you know very little about, in a land of lost wars takes some very special and different people. Winning the battles by subordinating personal interest, fears and very little logistics support speaks volumes about the character and training of America's finest. I am humbled by the deeds of these men our nation's behalf. A compelling story that should be a required read in every high school in America.

This is an important book about Afghanistan, October 5, 2009
Doug Stanton, New York Times bestselling author of In Harm's Way wrote this spellbinding history of the early American war efforts in Afghanistan. The book reads like a well-written novel.
When the terrorists struck New York and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, the United States was not prepared for a retaliatory war or even adequate preventive measures to protect US citizens. President Bush declared war on Al Qaeda in Afghanistan the next day, on September 12. But the military had no contingency plan for war in Afghanistan, and certainly did not have soldiers who knew how to fight a war riding on horses, the way the Afghans fought, or even men or women that spoke the Afghan language.
One would think that the US could draw a strategy from the Russian experience, but this was not possible because the Russians failed. The Russians had fought in Afghanistan for ten years, from 1979. They introduced a fighting force of a half million men into the country, and lost fifty thousand of them. In fact, historians write that their defeat was one of the causes of the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The US was involved in the Russian war. The Americans backed the anti-Soviet forces called the mujahideen. The US turned a blind eye to their extremist religious views and supplied them with sophisticated weapons.
But then the Taliban rose from the ranks of the mujahideen, well armed and well trained, as an enemy of the US and of civilization.
The Taliban, who followed an extreme version of the Sunni religion, were religious zealots determined to turn back civilization to the fourteenth century, to an ancient generally imagined time that they considered the golden age, when people were ruled by the stringent dictates of Islamic law.
The name Taliban is ironically built on the Arabic talib, meaning "student" or "seeker of knowledge." These seekers of knowledge felt a religious obligation to slit the throats of non-believers, castrate them and leave their bodies to rot in the road.
They insisted that husbands paint their windows black so that no one could see the women within. They forbid women from leaving their homes without a male family escort. These seekers of knowledge forbid over 100,000 girls to attend school and the literacy rate in the country slipped precipitously to only five percent. Women, in short, were to be as pliant as cattle and as silent as stone, a thing, barely human.
The initial US reaction was to bomb the Taliban enclaves, but the bombs generally hit nothing, and the Taliban laughed at America. The US only began to have an effect upon the Taliban when they sent a unit of twelve Special Forces soldiers to fight against them in Afghanistan itself. The Taliban's enemy was a group of Afghans called the Northern Alliance. The mission of the twelve was to join with and fight with the Northern Alliance against the Taliban.
The Special Forces was founded in 1952. Its soldiers were trained in guerrilla warfare. They wore a cap with an insignia of a red arrowhead with an arrow drawn down the middle, the sign of American Apache Indian scouts.
The regular Army generals were opposed to using Special Forces troops aided by some CIA officers as America's lead element in the war. They had never used Special Forces in this way before. However, President Bush approved the plan to use them.
Their mission was to drive the Taliban out of Afghanistan and to find Osama bin Laden and his senior lieutenants and kill them; specifically, to bring back bin Laden's head to Washington, shipped in a box of dry ice.
People who want to read what happened when the US first came to Afghanistan, the many problems they faced and what occurred to the dozen Special Forces soldiers, that is told as well and as interesting as a very good novel, will want to read this book.

An epic tale brilliantly told, May 5, 2009
Horse Soldiers will take readers from the freezing interior of a high tech Chinook helicopter flying higher than it safely can through the mountains of Afghanistan delivering soldiers to desert gun fights fought on horse back harkening America's old west. It's a modern day Odessy written with a journalist's penchant for detail and Homer's gift for telling a warrior's story.

In the end it is also the harrowing tale of how a small group of American Special Forces and the CIA working with Afghan soldiers managed to defeat the Taliban in one of the world's remotest battlefields.

It's not a book about politics. Stanton sets out to tell what happened, how it happened and who it happened to. He does this with startling attention to detail and a an objective overview of U.S. Military actions.

At one point American bombers can't seem to hit a target whether the bombs are guided by Global Positioning System coordinates or LASERs. Near the end of the book they drop a bomb on some of their own men.

But it is Stanton's ability to weave a story that brings the book alive and takes readers to places they would rather not be to hear things they would rather not hear and to see things they would rather not see and to smell things they would rather not smell.

The story is told in a narrative fashion sometimes switching between Afghan battle and a spouse battling her emotions about whether her husband will come back home. And, although this switching back and forth fills in interesting background, it's a technique more akin to screen writing than book writing. It makes it harder for readers to keep track of what's happening to whom.

There are unusual moments as when Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld actually calls and asks why the soldiers aren't making enough progress and one of Special Forces officers writes a reply that Rumsfeld reads from during a press conference describing the miserable conditions and bravery of the Afghan fighters.

Stanton writes about the complexity of flying a helicopter under extreme conditions; cold, wind and extreme altitude like this: "You had essentially flown to the dead end of a physics equation."

Stanton relied on more than 100 books, articles and web sites and an equal number of interviews in writing this well documented book. He also traveled to Afghanistan to flesh out details and to see the fort where one of the major battles took place.

The book appeals to general readers seeking a good story well told as well as to those with an interest in history and the military. It also is a testament to the effectiveness of soldier-philiosphers who can outthink their enemies and think with their allies before they start shooting. ... Read more

Editorial Review

A New York Times Notable Book
A Time Magazine “Best Comix of the Year”
A San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times Best-seller

Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. In powerful black-and-white comic strip images, Satrapi tells the story of her life in Tehran from ages six to fourteen, years that saw the overthrow of the Shah’s regime, the triumph of the Islamic Revolution, and the devastating effects of war with Iraq. The intelligent and outspoken only child of committed Marxists and the great-granddaughter of one of Iran’s last emperors, Marjane bears witness to a childhood uniquely entwined with the history of her country.

Persepolis paints an unforgettable portrait of daily life in Iran and of the bewildering contradictions between home life and public life. Marjane’s child’s-eye view of dethroned emperors, state-sanctioned whippings, and heroes of the revolution allows us to learn as she does the history of this fascinating country and of her own extraordinary family. Intensely personal, profoundly political, and wholly original, Persepolis is at once a story of growing up and a reminder of the human cost of war and political repression. It shows how we carry on, with laughter and tears, in the face of absurdity. And, finally, it introduces us to an irresistible little girl with whom we cannot help but fall in love. ... Read more

Reviews

Heartwarming insight. As rich in art as it is in history., March 8, 2005
I read Persepolis tonight.

I mean the whole thing. I started it after dinner, and just finished it at the 153rd page. For those of you who've read, or should I say "experienced" this work, that won't come as a surprise. For those of you who haven't, consider it a high-endorsement. I had other plans for my night...

..I also had my doubts about this work. Despite the rave reviews, I've never even read a comic book. That, coupled with the fact that at first glance, it seemed very...well, childish?

Oh the shame! Marjane Satrapi has created an apologetic convert out of me.

Persepolis is the story of one girls experience during the fall of the Shah of Iran, the ensuing Islamic Revolution (which included Stalin like "purges"), and war with Iraq. Only it's not told in plain text, but rather is a pictured in a comic book style.

A history buff myself, I have an above-average awareness of the historical goings on of that period. However, told in this unorthodox style, with pictures, through the creative and emotional eyes of a child, the "facts" gained a vibrance and color for me like never before. The human side of history had so much more meaning, and seemed to imprint a deeper and easier understanding in my mind than most accounts.

When I was thinking about what was so compelling about this book, I thought of Edward Tufte. He's a famous professor and scientist in the field of displaying information graphically. I went to a seminar by him once. He passionately explained the concept of neural bandwidth, and how most text and plain graphs don't take advantage of the massive processing power of our minds. The pictures in Persepolis, coupled with Marjane's rich historical account seemed to take advantage of that latent neural ability. For me, they compounded and achieved something of an emotional critical mass of understanding that few books have.

So, like I said, I'm a convert. I just ordered her second work "The Story of a Return". Only this time, I'll have a nice bottle of wine, and no plans for the night.

Enjoy,

Christian Hunter
Santa Barbara, California

The Iranian revolution viewed by a little girl: touching!, July 18, 2003
PERSEPOLIS is a graphical autobiography of the author, who experienced the Iranian revolution and the Iran-Iraq war as a child in the 1970s and 1980s. It is told in the beatiful black and white graphical language of a comic strip where simple pictures communicate strong feelings, much better than words could.

But PERSEPOLIS is also the story or a whole generation of young Iranians, who left their land in the quest of better conditions during the post-revolutionary era. I belong to this generation myself and I totally identified with the experiences Ms SATRAPI went through- her childhood in post revolutionary Iran, her description of Iranian society at the time, her exile in Austria- also in the volumes 2 & 3 (which already appeared in French).

Though conceived as a comic book, the book has messages which are not childish in nature: the child, through the naiveness of her views, points out to many of the contradictions of Iranian society that adults are unwilling to face.

It is also one of the rare unbiased personal accounts of what happened in Iran at the time of ther evolution and as such, is an interesting document on this period of Iranian history.
(It certainly contains more information on Iran and its people than the junk broadcasted on most TV channels).

Some readers (including reviews posted here) criticize this book for not being a realistic description of Iran. Though I totally disagree with this criticism, the main point is that PERSEPOLIS is NOT a history book nor a sociological study. It is a story, the story of a childhood and the author has never claimed it to be otherwise.

I definitely recommend this book, first to all Iranians who live abroad, especially those who did not grow up in Iran and did not
experience the revolution, and then to all readers interested in getting a human, insider view of what Iranian society was like in the early 1980s.

Outstanding memoir, May 9, 2003
At last this gem reaches us in America, after raking in awards all over Europe. Not only is it a very timely and revealing peek inside daily life in Iran, it's also a very personal, sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking slice of one remarkable girl's life. There really is nothing quite like it, it's true. I've given copies of it to all my friends, many of whom never read graphic novels or comic books, but they all agree: this is something special. It's not suitable for kids though, because of its depiction of torture and violence and other mature themes you might expect in a society under the yoke of fundamentalist islamic rule. But for everyone else, I highly recommend PERSEPOLIS.
This is an exceptional childhood memoir, that ranks with Angela's Ashes for its depth and authenticity. This one will be around forever.

An excellent coming-of-age tale in war-torn Iran, September 7, 2004
In "Persepolis," Marjane Satrapi writes a fascinating and moving memoir of her childhood in Iran, a country torn by uprisings, war, and political and cultural upheaval. She has written this graphic autobiography as a testament to her beloved Iran and as a remembrance of those who have suffered, lost their lives, or fled their homeland due to war and oppression. She says that "One can forgive but one should never forget."

The story opens at Satrapi's birth under the Shah's regime, and follows her life through Iran's revolution, conversion to an Islamic regime, and war with Iraq. A precocious single child of progressive activist parents, she is a witness to the complications and contradictions of Iranian daily life, both private and public. She recalls the first day the girls are forced to wear the veil at school. Through a child's innocent eyes, she describes her fears of the imprisonment, torture, and execution of friends, family, and neighbors, as well as of the bombings, oppression, and harassment that have become part of the fabric of her life. In spite of the turmoil, the author is a typical adolescent who takes risks by obtaining forbidden rock star posters, attending parties, wearing jewelry and jeans, and arguing politics with her teachers. Above all else, she is a spunky and lovable child who looks for freedom wherever she can obtain it and manages to triumph over her restrictive surroundings.

The illustrations provide a simple but powerful depiction of the events in the author's life. Many of the drawings have a dream-like quality that accentuates the emotional impact of the joys, sadness, violence, and familial love that Satrapi experiences. This touching story reminds me of Hosseini's "The Kite Runner." I recommend both as excellent coming-of-age stories in tumultuous foreign settings.

Eileen Rieback

Wonderful, alternative memoir, May 30, 2003
Challenged by reading traditional memoirs that only give you a vague sense of what it's like to live in a foreign land? Look no more! Marjane Satrapi's book about growing up during the Iranian revolution is engaging, witty, well drawn and something you'll finish in one sitting. Ms. Satrapi finds the common thread of everyone's childhood (her recollection of wanting to grow up to be a prophet is hilarious) but also expresses her unique voice and identity as the daughter of liberal Iranians whose views ended up being thwarted by the new regime that was ushered in following the 1979 revolution. Even if you don't have an interest in Iranian history/politics, I guarantee you'll love this book!

BRAVO MS. SATRAPI, May 21, 2003
Although my French is not that good, I purchased all three volumes of Persepolis while I was in Paris (I wasn't sure if it had been translated to English) and read them all in one day! This interesting and adorable book pulls you in from the very start and keeps you interested until the end. So much so that you wish that the story of Marji would just keep going. I highly recommend this to all Iranians and non/Iranians alike. Particulary those women who experienced life in Iran and then left for another country at an early age. It's a MUST READ.
Shahrzad Sepanlou

Maus for our generation, May 29, 2003
Being an American woman roughly Marjane's age, I grew up knowing nearly nothing of the conflict in the Middle East, certainly not understanding it. This work fantastically illustrates all that happened in Iran (a lot!) in the late twentieth century, and how a teenage girl came to understand it and form her own opinions. It is extremely well-told and illustrated. I read the book in one setting and anxiously await the next two volumes to be translated into English. For any fan of graphic novels, I highly recommend this one.

'To Kill a Mockingbird' for today's world, August 23, 2004
'Persepolis' is an astonishing retelling of the author's youth during the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Gross horrors occur including bombings, murders, arrests and riots but what is so extraordinary about Marjane Satrapi's story is how otherwise it is so ordinary. She experiments with cigarettes, listens to punk music and hangs posters on her walls -- all the trimmings of an American adolescent's life. This gives 'Persepolis' a universal appeal, an accessability that makes the differences all the more shocking. The stark reality that Satrapi and her family live in constant danger is effecting, and it will not leave you when you put the book down. The style Satrapi uses in her drawings clearly sets the tone of her story. There is a childish innocence to the illustrations perfectly suited to the worldview of our narrator, herself a child at the beginning. Her gradual awakening to the ways of the world has all of the truth and optimism that make 'To Kill a Mockingbird' the classic it is today. 'Persepolis' earns its place among stories like that and 'The Catcher in the Rye'. I would highly recommend it to anyone, and can't wait for the sequel.

Excellent read in the vein of Maus and Palestine, June 10, 2003
If you enjoyed Art Spiegelmen's Maus or Joe Sacco's Palestine, you are sure to enjoy Marjane Sartrapi's Persepolis. The story telling is bold first persson, and the drawings are stark and striking in their pure black and white sympathy.

I cannot wait until the sequel is translated into English.

compelling story, November 18, 2004
Satrapi's tale evokes a wide range of emotions from the reader. I was charmed by her excitement to get Western "contraband" smuggled into Iran that featured American popular music. At the same time, the tragic losses that are experienced by the oppressive government in Iran- losses of both individual freedoms and lives of those who dissent- remind one of the gravity of the situation that Satrapi grew up in.

The art is simple and black and white, which for me reinforced the perspective of our youthful heroine. Still, the images were adept at conveying emotion when they needed to; the rare use of large panels made the few that do appear seem very large and powerful.

The highest compliments I can pay "Persepolis" is that I would recommend it to friends who ordinarily do not read graphic novels, and that I could not put it down once I started it. A simple story in the best sense of the world- that anyone can identify with it and enjoy it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

"A book about the complexities of combat that's just as applicable for dealing with the complexities of business and our personal lives." (Kevin Sharer, Chairman & CEO, Amgen)

As a commander of Delta Force-the most elite counter-terrorist organization in the world-Pete Blaber took part in some of the most dangerous, controversial, and significant military and political events of our time. Now he takes his intimate knowledge of warfare-and the heart, mind, and spirit it takes to win-and moves his focus from the combat zone to civilian life.

As the smoke clears from exciting stories about neverbefore-revealed top-secret missions that were executed all over the globe, readers will emerge wiser, more capable, and more ready for life's personal victories than they ever thought possible. ... Read more

Reviews

Wow--Sun Tzu meets Malcolm Gladwell, December 2, 2008
Finally a warrior writes about what really happened and the key life lessons we can all take away: `Always listen to the guy on the ground', `When in doubt, develop the situation', and my favorite, `It's not reality unless it's shared' are all embedded in these amazing real-world mission story's. His underlying premise is that the key to understanding the complex world around us is our ability to recognize, understand, and adapt to the underlying patterns that drive the behavior of everything around us, which I wholeheartedly agree with. But what really amazed about this book about patterns, is how many patterns there are in the book itself. Just about everything he writes about--from his childhood 'bombing cars' to his walk across the Gettysburg battlefield is linked to some other event, mission, or lesson somewhere else in the book. I read this book over the weekend, and I wrote so many notes in the margins on the patterns that I discovered, that I'm now going back through for the third time. He says things like `don't charge the machine-gun nest, go around it', and 'treat life like a movie, not a snapshot', that I have always believed in myself, but had never been able to put in words or phrases before. Pete writes about Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, and yes, Montana, with a fresh narrative that makes each mission come to life in a unique never before heard way, while also making what actually happened much easier to understand. The chapter on Gorrilla (not a spelling error) Warfare in Bosnia is magnificent, as was his short story on what we should really have learned from John Walker Lindh--why wasn't this ever covered in the press? The chapter on Ali Mohamed (the wayward terrorist) should be read by our new President, so he doesn't get burned like his predecessors did. Finally, I want to point out that the maps in this book set a whole new standard for battlefield maps. Google earth technology was used to create maps that make you feel like you are flying over the battlefield with a birds-eye view of everything going on below. This may be the best book I've ever read.

A New Way of Thinking, December 13, 2008
What I expected was a good book about really cool missions, what I got was a great book about really cool missions and a new way of thinking about the world, which has radically altered the way I understand and think about problems and opportunities, as well as the way leaders can lead and manage organizations and other human social systems to solve those problems.
After the first two chapters I realized that I wasn't just reading some amazing never-berore-heard stories from the front lines, but I was learning life lessons that I could directly translate to my personal and professional life.
My brother and my best friend also read the book and all of us have our own personal Pete Blaber take-aways--here are mine:

1) Make and take time to think, our minds work in three elementary phases, saturate, incubate, and illuminate. It's ok to not know what to do when first exposed to something, we need to immerse ourselves in the situation, we need to 'Develop the Situation'.
2) To succeed in our personal and professional lives we must consider the impossible, the improbable, and the unlikely as a matter of course. We must Imagine! But to make sure we set ourselves up for success, we have to create an environment where our imaginative juices can flow full throttle. Humor and outrageousness are the fertile fields where the seeds of imagination are planted grown and harvested. Never again will I tell my team 'let's get serious", or 'knock off the joking'. As Pete Blaber so adeptly conveys in his chapter on Gorilla warfare, if you want to come up with truely innovative ideas, you have to laugh!

This book is outstanding, everyone should read it!

Essential Reading for the Leader and Manager, December 5, 2008
This book is fast moving and immediately draws the reader in with great anecdotes and chronicles of the enigmatic world of the "Unit", its members, and life "behind the fence" at Fort Bragg. Pete's principles about leadership and management are universal, transcendent, and are just pure commonsense. Moreover,they are eminently practical and stay with you long after you put the book down. He schools us in the Die Gestalt of leadership -- learn well.

Blaber's book should be on the "must read" list at the SOF University, Command and General Staff College and the War College. Make it essential reading for every officer basic course on the Nine Principles of War, in particular, in a study on "Mission". On second thought, the principles Blaber lays out here cover the eight remaining axioms with equal aplomb. Even Wharton's Business School and Havard's Kennedy School of Government would likewise, do well to make this book mandatory reading - it is that good!

Some Practical Lessons from Delta Force, January 24, 2009
When the dust has finally settled from our involvement in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, one of the engagements that I believe will occupy the time of many prognosticators for generations to come will be "Operation Anaconda" that took place in the Shahi Khot Valley of Afghanistan in the winter of 2002.

Several fine books have already been written describing what happened during those fateful hours in the frigid February and March air high in the mountains near the Pakistan border. Sean Naylor gives a gripping account of his part of the story in "Not a Good Day to Die." (See below for the link to my review from February, 2007.)

Nate Self's recent book, "Two Wars" (to be reviewed here soon) adds another important perspective on what happened in Afghanistan and beyond.

Pete Blaber, the Delta Force commander who was in charge of the AFO (Advanced Force Operations) involved in Operation Anaconda, has written a compelling book that is a welcome addition to the ongoing dialogue about what we can all learn from the events of those days. Adding valuable insight into this engagement, Blaber's book also takes a broad look at lessons he has learned along the way that are practical and applicable not just to military operations but to any situations that presents leadership challenges.

The title of the book, "Mission, the Men, and Me - Lessons from a Former Delta Force Commander ," refers to the three priorities and three questions that Blaber set for himself in making decisions in the heat of battle: "What is best for the Mission; what is best for my men; what is best for me?" Any leader would be well served to adapt these priorities at decisive moments in responding to challenges and opportunities.

Let me share just a few of the nuggets that I found in reading with rapt attention Blaber's thoughts and conclusions. For a more thorough understanding of the depth of his insights, I recommend that you read the book - even if you have no military background or proclivities. This is - above all else - a book about leadership.

"The 3Ms is a guiding principle that I learned early in my career, which had provided direction and context for me ever since. In 1985, when I was a brand-new second lieutenant reporting for duty in Korea, my battalion commander, a soft-spoken Vietnam veteran and Marlboro Man lookalike, called me into his office and asked me if I had ever heard of the 3Ms.

'No-sir,' I replied sheepishly (I was sure it was something I was supposed to have learned during basic officer training). He sauntered over to the chalkboard and drew three capital Ms, one on top of the other in a column. Then he turned to me and explained.

'The 3Ms are the keys to being successful in life. The stand for the mission, the men, and me.' He then drew a line from the top M through the middle M, down to the bottom M. 'They're all connected,' he continued. 'So if you neglect one, you'll screw up the others. The first M stands for the mission; it's the purpose for which you're doing what you're doing. Whether in your personal or professional life, make sure you understand it, and that it makes legal, moral, and ethical sense, then use it to guide all your decisions. The second M stands for the men. Joshua Chamberlain, a Medal of Honor-receiving schoolteacher in the Civil War, once said that "there are two things an officer must do to lead men; he must be careful for his men's welfare, and he must show courage." Welfare of the troops and courage are inextricably linked. When it comes to your men you can't be good at one without being good at the other. Take care of your men's welfare by listening and leading them with sound tactics and techniques that accomplish your mission, and by always having the courage to do the right thing by them. The final M stands for me. Me comes last for a reason. You have to take care of yourself, but you should only do so after you have taken care of the mission, and the men. Never put your own personal well-being, or advancement, ahead of the accomplishment of your mission and taking care of your men . . .'" (Pages 10-11)

Blaber shares his recollection of an incident early in his career within Delta force that tested his commitment to the 3Ms. He chose to countermand the radio order of a commanding general in order to save the lives of his men:

"That simple handshake and the barely audible words of gratitude from a man I completely respected , along with the knowledge that all my men had successfully returned from a dangerous mission, was a defining moment for me that I am proud of as any event in my entire life. Ironically, I didn't do anything other than what I was supposed to do. I didn't lead a charge against an enemy machine-gun nest, nor did I execute some Napoleonic cutting-edge operational maneuver; I simply did the right thing. It was the right thing for the mission, it was the right thing for the men, and it was the right thing for me." (Pages 12-13)

Blaber succinctly summarizes the reason why he labored to write this book and bring it to publication:

"The ultimate goal of this book is to share what I consider to be life-saving and life-changing lessons that I was fortunate enough to learn as a key participant in many of recent history's most impactful events. The single most important lesson I learned, and the plain but powerful foundation that supports the entire book, is that the most effective weapon on any battlefield - whether it be combat, business, or life - is our mind's ability to recognize life's underlying patterns." (Page 14)

One example of recognizing patterns is found in the author's recounting a pivotal conversation with a Delta Force consulting psychologist. Blaber was having trouble sleeping, and was looking for some help:

"You need to understand how the human mind works. The mind has three elementary phases it goes through when it's thinking: saturate, incubate, and illuminate. Although they generally occur in order, all three are continuous processes, so your mind is constantly cycling through all three phases. The saturation phase occurs when the mind if first exposed to something. When you're planning a new mission, you're saturating your mind with facts, assumptions, insights and/or sensory cues - ergo, the saturation phase. the next phase is incubation. This is a critical phase if you ever want to come up with something innovative. The mind needs time to incubate. During this phase the mind subconsciously sorts through all of the inputs and begins to recognize patterns and snap those patterns together to come up with concepts and ideas. This is why you may have heard people say, 'I need to sleep on it' before making a major decision. It's not the sleep per se that they need: it's the time to allow their mind to sort through information and search for patterns. The recognition of patterns that occurs during the incubation phase produces the illumination phase, also known as 'eureka' moments, when your mind begins to translate those patterns and form the into actionable ideas. Saturate, incubate, illuminate - it's how the mind works, and it's probably the main reason why you have last so much sleep over the years. The best thing you can do is to keep a pen and paper by your bed. Writing down your thoughts while you're incubating and illuminating should help to temporarily get the off your mind and back to sleep." (Page 70)

As Blaber continues with his account of the things that happened in the Shahi Khot Valley, one over-arching principle emerges that resonated with me, because I have heard it articulated in many different ways by leaders that I respect: "Always listen to the guy on the ground who is closest to the action." Leaps forward in communication technologies have allowed commanders in the rear echelon to have a false sense of being present in the battle, and making false assumptions that the view that they are seeing "through a straw" has given them enough battlefield awareness to countermand the recommendations of the leaders on the front lines. The last chapters of the book bear strong and impassioned witness to the tragic results of not listening to those on the ground.

I plan to share copies of this book with friends who are leaders in a variety of fields. I strongly recommend that you read it and pass it along.

Al

A thinking warrior, July 27, 2009
This is an extremely worthwhile book, especially if you are of a more cerebral type. All too many special operator memoirs suffer from an excess of rah-rah me-tough-guy braggadocio. Blaber's book is very different. Here is a professional warrior who can both fight and think, and then produce intelligent writing about it. His book is not just descriptive, but reflective. Now don't misunderstand: this is not some philosophical treatise. There are plenty of good, well told recountings of adventures and operations from his decades-long career in special ops, many of which, especially his perspectives on the battle of Sha-hi-Kot, I found very illuminating, having read the other books about it. But what sets this book apart from other memoirs is the fact that his stories always serve to illustrate a point, a broader principle that can be applied not just to military life, but life in general. Other reviewers have detailed those lessons, so I won't go into details, but I highly recommend this book. I guarantee that you will finish it with a feeling of not just having read an interesting story, but having learned some lessons that you will remember.

A guide to life on the edge, August 25, 2009
This excellent book is really about how to thrive out on the edge of a high-risk, high-profile career. It's not a book for armchair experts or backseat drivers of whatever stripe, because one of Blaber's key teachings is how to circumvent the kibbutzers and second-guessers in positions of authority, ignore their distractions and overcome their interference, and accomplish the mission.

In fact, while it's a great title, the equation of the "mission", his "men" and himself "me" gives the misleading impression that Blaber may be a bit of a prima donna. In fact, the "Mission, Men and Me" framework is applied whenever Blaber is being pressured by a senior commander to take an action that Blaber is convinced will result in damage to the mission or needless harm to his men. When forced into these dilemmas, if the only consideration is his personal or career interests, than Blaber always puts "Me" at risk to assure the best outcome for the Mission and his Men.

The realism of the book can be conveyed by observing that Blaber needs to apply the Mission, Men and Me framework fairly frequently!

The book, which is officially divided into Parts One - Four, is thematically structured into three sections:

(1) The first section is a series of very helpful lessons and mental frameworks for handling intense, stressful and complex situations. Blaber has benefited from the kind of resources the US Government can afford to pour into its best and brightest, and an unbelievable amount of cutting edge cognitive, psychological, sociological, and other areas of research have been reduced to practical learnings and made available to the operators of Delta Force, and Blaber makes them available to readers of this book. Just the insight into chronic insomnia provided by a Delta psychologist (page 70) from which I and many people I know who work in high stress professions suffer, is worth many times the price of the book. This section comprises Parts One and Two of the book;

(2) The second section is a realistic, clear-eyed critique of the organisational pathologies that are running rampant in the US Government, and which clog the arteries of any large institution. This is a very alarming section. This is where Blaber's Mission-Men-Me framework, while nominally one of the key tools he explains in Section 1, is used again and again. Blaber has very insightful comments to make about risk aversion, the tactical foolishness of the helicopter assault concept, and the counter-productive stupidities that have been institutionalised through high bandwidth modern telecommunications technology. Two examples of this are (a) the way deeply rear echelon senior commanders, at one end of a data feed 10,000 kilometers away, over-ride combat participants because of the communications capabilities that give the Generals access to two-dimensional video imagery and real time voice contact--and therefore the illusion that they are across all the information required to make tactical decisions during combat, and (b) the second example is the pervasive abuse of the VTC (Video Teleconference), a subject all its own, and how the VTC has allowed the Staff Planning function to engulf and just about devour actual war-fighting, at least in Blaber's account--which is persuasive. This second section is Part Three of the book.

(3) The third section is a live example of Blaber's experiences in combat in the conquest of Afghanistan and the sudden collapse of the Taliban. This is exciting material on its own, but Blaber includes it with a view to illustrating the frameworks he explains in the first section and the kinds of organisational irrationalities he critiques in the second section. This third section is compelling at all levels, but I must say my blood boiled from time to time at the account of the self-serving careerist officers and senior authorities driven by their own egos who repeatedly interfered with the mission and the best interests of the brave men in harm's way.

While this book could be considered an unusually useful management resource there is a broader vista that opens up in its pages, and that is a vision of horizon-to-horizon mismanagement and incompetence in the US Government. I really hope plenty of people in a position to push through much needed reforms are reading this book . . . we need to embark on root to branch institutional reform across the US Government before it's too late . . . 9/11 and the operations described by Blaber were one symptom, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was another, and the Global Financial Crisis (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the SEC, etc.) was yet another . . .

How many of these shocks can we sustain? I hope many people read Blaber's book--and then do something!

The power and pitfalls of true leadership in a big organization., February 23, 2009
This is a wonderful book. In it, Pete Blaber shows clearly what true leadership is and gives you a road map to follow to be a true leader: if you dare.

In his time in the US Army, Blaber was handed a simple but powerful tool for cutting through the clutter as a leader in stressful and confusing situations, "The mission, the men, and me." The idea being that when it becomes unclear what path t take, when conditions are frantic, when orders and ideas conflict, you return to these fundamental precepts to determine the proper course of action. First, think clearly about what the mission at hand is and how it can best be accomplished. From there, think about the well-being of the men in your command and how it can best be supported, preserved or improved. Last, and often least, think about your own well-being.

Blaber gives examples throughout his book of this type of leadership being applied. He also peppers it with other important concepts about planning, preparedness and leadership that fit in perfectly with the basic concept. You come to see the power of leading in the way that Blaber espouses. Unfortunately, you also come to see how rare that type of leadership is and how tough it can be to execute in a large, bureaucratic organization.

Blaber's book is filled with examples of officers in the Army who think first of themselves and then of the mission and the men, or with people who simply go with formulaic, but flawed, ideas rather than risk trying something potentially better, but personally more risky because of its novelty. I've worked in a large company, and tried to lead the way Blaber does and can tell you that the leadership style yields great results. However, the organizational pitfalls Blaber encountered in the Army are in no way limited to the military alone. I ran into identical problems in the private sector, and I'm sure any large charitable group would contain the same issues.

None of this diminishes the power of Blaber's principles, it just serves to prepare you for the challenges you will face if you choose to lead the way Blaber proposes. I highly recommend this book, we can use all the people we can get leading the the way Blaber describes so adeptly in this book.

Developing the situation, March 15, 2009
"Developing the situation is the common-sense approach to dealing with complexity. Both a method and a mind-set, it uses time and our minds to actively build context, so that we can recognize patterns, discover options, and master the future as it unfolds in front of us." These are the words of Pete Blaber that come off the pages of this amazing book and shares with the reader the lessons he learned. Get out your highlighter.

Riveting lessons that you will remember, July 26, 2009
The real life stories, and specifically the detailed and at time intense examples, helped to crystalize the key management and leadership lessons in this book. I believe it is quite rare to have someone whose creative, broadranging mind could thrive in the necesary constraints of the military world - making this a particularly valuable perspective on high stakes and global management. The author has made this accessible for all while remaining riveting and farsighted. Well worth it.

Leadership and history weave together on all fronts to make this an eye opening, life changing read!, June 7, 2009
This compelling, historic and courageous rendition of Pete's military missions should be required reading for everyone in all levels of personal and professional growth!
I will say that I took to heart all of the guiding principles and brought them to life as I thought of examples in my personal and professional life that reflected each one of them.
"When in doubt, develop the situation" is a guiding principle that is evident in every day of our lives.
As the story unfolds, I was purely amazed at Pete's commanding general's reluctance to break away from the rigid plan, despite its misinformation. The principle was at work when Pete decided to stick to his plan, develop the situation and always listen to the guy on the ground.
The principle that also struck me was "it's not reality unless it's shared". Put so perfectly in such few words, this should be an addendum to the "golden rule". The concept is global and yet elementary at the same time. From family to friend, local to multinational business, government, peace and wartime - it's true! If you can't get others to buy in/agree/share your feelings, concept, plan, mission then you clearly will not be successful in achieving your goals!
I can also relate to the "humor your imagination" principle as I believe that humor is essential to the ebb and flow of life's situations, business and personal. If you can't laugh about things you're sure to sink yourself in the process of living and understanding why things happen as they do.
"Don't get treed by a Chihuahua" - this guiding principle is a great reality check, as you proved in the book in several situations that forced you and your team to look at the big picture, alas, The Mission, The Men and Me! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Seven Pillars of Wisdom is the monumental work that assured T.E. Lawrence's place in history as "Lawrence of Arabia." Not only a consummate military history, but also a colorful epic and a lyrical exploration of the mind of a great man, this is one of the indisputable classics of 20th century English literature. Line drawings throughout. ... Read more

Reviews

Foundations of conflict, April 16, 2003
It is difficult to describe the experience of reading The Seven Pillars. It is by turns beautiful and ugly. It is military history. It is a subjective view provided by a man very much of his time. It is an apology and an excuse for the necessities of war. It is a portrait of a tribe that Lawrence came to respect and even love. It is a travel book about life in the desert at the time of writing. It is inevitably a mix of fact and history and fiction and probably at least a little bit of wishful thinking.

It is, ultimately, a pretty amazing book to read.

A few notes:

Before you read the book, do some quick background reading on the history that's involved. This will help avoid confusion.

Be prepared for a long read! It's not only a long book, it's an extremely dense book. The choppiness and frequent changes in tone make it hard to put on the reading cruise control.

Read it as a product of its time. Lawrence was a fascinating man, but not without his prejudices or faults.

Extraordinary Book by Extraordinary Man, May 7, 2000
SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM would be that rarity, an extraordinary tale of action, adventure, politics, and introspection, told by a writer who was also a first-rate intellectual and man of letters (the two -are- different), if it weren't also part of a tradition in English letters: the man or woman such as Charles Doughty or Gertrude Bell or Hester Stanhope or Freya Stark, or the men who went off and played the Great Game in India and Afghanistan who willingly entered cultures alien to them and returned changed, with books for us.

Of all of these, Lawrence has fascinated me most. I first read SEVEN PILLARS when I was twelve, and I've read it every couple of years since then. As I grow wiser, it grows richer.

Lawrence was an unlikely defender of empire, an unlikelier man of action who forced himself into a kind of ascetic mental and physical preparation for the great deeds he felt himself called upon to play. Living as he did from 1888 to 1935, he was practically born in the last age where someone could express that claim without being ridiculed; and he found his war in the Arab Revolt, that long-lasting sideline to the War to End All Wars that produced more war -- and some great writers, among whom Lawrence was one.

This is a story of war. It's also a story of heroism and of anguish, written by a man who not only shaped events, but was shaped -- and warped -- by them. It can be read as military strategy, political history, travel story, or pathology.

But it's better to read it as itself: a unique and complex book written by a man who was loved and admired by the most famous people of his time, but who, in the end, wanted only obscurity and the anesthetizing speed of one of the motorcycles that killed him.

Even better than the movie, January 26, 2000
Movies are often more dazzling than the events they are based upon, but this is a rare instance in which even Hollywood and David Lean could not do justice to their larger than life subject matter. Although Lawrence seemed to think he was writing a history of WWI in the middle east, his account of the war is episodic and confusing. But that doesn't matter at all. This is one of the most astounding adventure stories ever told, all the more amazing because it's true. Or, if you're not an adventure enthusiast, read it as a travelogue of the middle east. Lawrence will fascinate you with such seemingly prosaic things as the texture of the Arabian sand. In many ways, this is one of the greatest books ever written. Lawrence was, however, a product of his times. His attitude toward the Arab people vascillates between admiration and patronization, and some readers might find this aspect of the book distasteful.

Lawrence is back!!, July 16, 2005
Genral Abizaid quotes this book on a regular basis. The London Times (May 22, 2005) reports every American working as a liaison officer with the Arabs carries a copy of this book with them. This month's Army Magazine (online version, July, 2005) has an article called T.E. Lawrence and the Mind of an Insurgent. In it Genearl Giap (who whipped us in Viet Nam) is quoted as saying that Seven Pillars of Wisdom was his guerilla war bible, that he never went anywhere without it. My point is, T.E. Lawrence's well deserved reputation as a military genius has been fully restored after decades of angry revisionists taking out their frustration over the mess in the Middle East on Mr. Lawrence. This book is all things to all people. If you're looking for a vivid, intense description of war in the desert, this is where to go. If you want a damn good adventure story with well drawn characters, look no further. No better travel book has ever been written about the Middle East. Want to understand the Arab mind as well as a Westerner can? This is where to start. As a penetrating, revealing self analysis it has no equal. And, as General Giap and Abizaid have said, there is no better guide to guerilla war. This book is a masterpiece on every level and we should be so grateful we have it.

One of the best books ever written!, July 16, 2006
I first read this book in the early 1960s and because of it T. E. Lawrence became my favorite author. And after all of these years he still is. It's not a frivolous book; the writing does demand your attention and effort. The book is full of adventure, humor, history, analysis, and biographical insight of Lawrence and the Arabs and their life. And as other reviewers have noted, much of this book helps people understand the Arabic situation today.

No writer has ever provided a better psychological analysis or been more clear and honest about his strengths and weaknesses than T.E. Lawrence himself. Read what he wrote before you read what others have written.

A number of good reviews of this book have already been written here so I won't repeat their commentary. Just let me say that to really understand this book, it does help to have a useful background about TEL and his life. "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" represents only a couple of the early years in his adult life, yet those years strongly impact the rest of his life in many ways(approximately another 15 years). And, conversely, it's also true that the life he led after his Arabian adventure influenced the way he told the story of his experiences. The quickest way for readers to acquire this necessary background is to visit "TELawrence.net," a web site dedicated to placing all of T. E. Lawrence's writings online. The full text and publishing history of "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" and his other books, translations, and writings are there, as are approximately 700 of his letters, with many more to be added. It brings together in a searchable website all of T.E. Lawrence's published works and letters that went out of British copyright on 1 January 2006. In addition, UK copyright still covers writings by Lawrence that were first published after January 1, 1956. While the text of these writings cannot be posted, this site will tell you what they are, where to find them, and will identify them; each cite will include page references in the chronological and alphabetical contents lists.

Worth reading, but in some parts you may need Lawrence's perseverance, June 24, 2008
Rightfully regarded as a modern classic, this book is nevertheless not light reading. This is a result of the density of information, as well as Lawrence's writing style, which often makes a re-reading of passages necessary to fully grasp them, besides his use of some unusual vocabulary. But by the time one has completed the journey to Damascus with Lawrence and his Arabs, one has almost got a taste for his own peculiar style, even if one cannot always agree with his views, which however, were pretty progressive for a man who grow up at the height of imperialism.

There are, however, many contradictions in the man. At the start of the book, for example, he sympathizes with the unwilling Turkish conscipts, illiterate Anatolian peasants who really wished to be back home, led by a militaristic officer caste fresh from the Armenian genocide. Later in the book though, little sympathy is shown, and on one occasion when Lawrence was angered by the Turks, he did nothing to stop their massacre on their defeat, and left all their wounded where they fell - every one of hundreds froze to death in the cold winter night...

But when one considers that he lost both brothers in 1915 in France, his father in 1919 of the Spanish influenza, and his closest friend, and probably boyfriend, Salim Ahmed, shortly before his entry into Damascus, one can be more forgiving of his attitude. And who can forget his botched execution of Hamed, who'd killed another man? To avoid a blood feud, Lawrence suggested that he execute the man, which was insisted on by the Arabs. 3 shots with his pistol, one of which hit the man on his wrist. No wonder he said he couldn't sleep that night. Or his having to shoot long-time compatriot Farrah in the head as he was too seriously injured to move, and wanted to avoid the inevitable torturing to death of Arab prisoners. Enver Pasha, the Turkish commander, had thrown so many men live into his furnace that he knew just how long it took before you heard the sound of their heads popping. Considering this background of brutality, Lawrence comes across as positively humane.

The book has it's lighter moments though. Who can forget the tribe of the Ageyl, who were so poor they used to go into battle stripped to their loin cloths, both in the belief that it reduced their chances of infection if they were hit, as well as to protect their clothing from bullet holes or blood stains...the young Arabs urinating on others' wounds as the only antiseptic treatment in the desert...the Howeitat treatment of snake-bites - bind up the part with snake-skin plaster, and read chapters of the Koran to the sufferer until he died. Life was hard, and luxuries were few, something which seemed to attract Lawrence even more towards his mission of reaching Damascus and driving out the Turks, even if his conscience continued to bother him that the British Govt's promises to the Arabs were unlikely to be fulfilled.

Finally, Lawrence claimed he left the original manuscript on the train, and had to rewrite the entire book from memory, an amazing feat considering the wealth of detail here. Actually, it would be a superhuman task, and Robert Graves, one of his best friends, believes the story was a lie. The implication is that Lawrence made out that he'd had to rewrite the book by recalling his memories as a cover for the fact that parts of the book are invented, and many facts changed, and that this would be the perfect excuse should his information later be found to be inaccurate. But why claim to have blown up over 70 bridges when the real number was around 20 or so?

The answer is that this is a work of literature, and not a military textbook. We'll never be really sure of which parts are exactly true, and which merely invented as representing what typically happened. It's not always light reading, so set some time aside for this one, but when you get to the end, you'll be glad of having made the effort.

the deserts fondest stranger, August 25, 2001
I recommend buying a map and locating the seven cities that are the seven pillars of wisdom before riding your camel through this highly rewarding terrain. T.E. Lawrence can write and write well is the magic discovery of this book. I recommend reading a biography first though. An excellent one written by Jeremy Wilson is a good start. Then read this. The biography will give you a good idea of what a complex figure Lawrence is from early days as archeologist and medieval fortification expert to being recruited for WW1 intelligence and usurping his superiors with his vast fields of knowledge, the biography will set the scene to truly enjoy this masterpiece of guerilla warfare. Those who are interested in the clash of cultures will enjoy Lawrence's way with the various Arab personalities which he must befriend and betray in due time. Lawrence's loyalties are none too sure in these perilous times and become all the more tenuous as the war nears its end. Poor Lawrence, his scholarly and energetic and wide minded ideals and impulses which win him friends in the Arab world are qualities which an older and more cynical culture merely uses to its own ends. Great great read. More stars are due.

Lawrence's "rare adventure.", October 20, 2004
"In these pages," T.E. Lawrence writes in the Introductory Chapter of SEVEN PILLARS, "the history is not of the Arab movement, but of me in it. It is a narrative of daily life, mean happenings, little people. Here are no lessons for the world, no disclosures to shock peoples. It is filled with trivial things, partly that no one mistake for history the bones from which some day a man may make history, and partly for the pleasure it gave me to recall the fellowship of the revolt. We were fond together, because of the sweep of the open places, the taste of wild winds, the sunlight, and the hopes in which we worked" (p. 24).

"He was a poet, and a scholar, and a mighty warrior," one of the characters in Sir David Lean's 1962 movie, "Lawrence of Arabia," said about Lawrence. Like many readers, it was Lean's movie that prompted me to read Lawrence's personal account of the Arab revolt. Lawrence (1888-1935) was a British soldier (although it is unlikely that he ever considered himself a real soldier) who unified Arab factions against the occupying Turks in 1916. Written after World War I (1914-18) in 1919, SEVEN PILLARS follows Lawrence's guerrilla adventure through "the naked desert, under the indifferent heaven" (p. 29) and over the course of 660 pages into Damascus, Syria in October, 1918.

SEVEN PILLARS triumphs as a book in several ways. It may be read as Lawrence's unique, first-hand, account (drawn from his war-time notes) of the historical events later depicted in Lean's film. As such, SEVEN PILLARS is fascinating memoir and a great soldier's story, demonstrating Lawrence's keen memory and intellect. It may be read also as a "rare adventure" through a hostile Arabian environment (p. 158). As such, SEVEN PILLARS reads like an entertaining adventure novel, revealing Lawrence's talents as a writer. Or, it may be read as an insightful psychological study of the Arab mind wanting to chart its own course through history. As such, it will satisfy any reader interested in understanding the ongoing Middle East conflict.

G. Merritt

You must read this., November 25, 1999
This is an epic account of the role he played in Arabia during WWI which subsequently spawned the film (good, but not half so good as the book) 'Lawrence of Arabia'. A fascinating and highly intelligent account, which charts how he helped (some would say he was crucial, though he would deny it) to stir up a major rebellion against the Turks, forging to achieve this powerful nationalist sentiments which have yet to recede fully. Some people might think it goes on somewhat too long, but really there's nothing there which I wouldn't have wanted to read, and I would sincerely recommend this for just about anyone. The detailed character portrayals, intense self-analysis and involved schemes described here are worth their weight in gold.

"Precautionary murder" vs. "preemptive defense.", January 23, 2004
Seven Pillars of Wisdom is fascinating from cover to cover. The book is on some levels Lawrence's study of himself as much as a history of the battles in which he was involved. He writes, "Any protestation of the truth from me was called modesty, self-depreciation. It always irritated me, this silly confusion of shyness, which was conduct, with modesty, which was a point of view... I was not modest, but ashamed of my awkwardness, of my physical envelope, of my solitary unlikeness which made me no companion, but an acquaintance, complete, angular, uncomfortable, as a crystal." This type of introspection is most uncommon in a military man.

Not a squeamish soldier, Lawrence was once forced into a situation in which he executed a murderer, and on another occasion he authorized "take no prisoners" after the Turks conducted one of their numerous brutal atrocities. But there were some things even Lawrence recognized as boundaries of civilized behavior best not transgressed. In the final chapters he explains why he thought better of his initial inclination to kill several petty warlords who were participating in and would in the future likely betray the Arab Revolt -- he did not want to teach his Arab followers that "precautionary murder" was a legitimate part of political struggle. One is left wondering what he would have to say about today's politicians who promote "preemptive defense" as a legitimate strategy and standing policy. At least Lawrence's terminology was far more honest and direct. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The noted critic and a Palestinian now teaching at Columbia University,examines the way in which the West observes the Arabs. ... Read more

Reviews

Anti Essentialism & Controversial, October 26, 2001
This book and Edward Said in general seem capable of generating such intense controversy. Many reviewers of this book seem to forget actually to review the work and focus on attacking Edward Said as a person, many others still forget to review the book and proceed to speak for Palestinian rights and the negative western attitudes of Islam. I will attempt to present an actual review of this book based on MY own reading of it.

In Orientalism, Said sets about dismantling the study of the "orient" in general with primary focus on the Islamic Near East. Said argues that concepts such as the Orient, Islam, the Arabs, etc. are too vast to be grouped together and presented as one coherent whole, encompassing all there is to know about the subject. Said bases his view on the shear width and breadth of the subject, the inherent bias of conflicting cultures and more recently the role of the Orientalism in colonialism. It is indeed difficult to attempt to represent a book that is so focused on anti essentialism.

Said's research of western / occidental discourse was very thorough indeed and he does illustrate through repeated examples how misinformation sufficiently repeated can become accepted academic work. Said also presents an analysis of the causes and motives and theorizes about his findings. A lengthy and a times tedious discussion of the origins of Orientalism is rather repetitive and hard to follow for a non specialist like me.

Edward Said however seem to have fallen in the same trap he attributes to Orientalism, he has not attempted to explore Arab writings of the periods he discussed nor has he attempted to present (possibly even read) work by Egyptian and Arab historians of the periods he was addressing save for work carried out in the west and within western universities. In doing so, Said fails to see how the modern and contemporary "orient" sees itself through primarily "oriental" eyes such as Ibn Khaldoun, Al Maqrizi and also through the writings of orientalists like Lane. Said also fails to address the work carried out by orientalists based on many manuscripts of Orientals.

I particularly enjoyed Said's analysis of the strong ties that Orientalism has with power and colonialism. Said analysis of the diverging development of the British and French practice based on the latter's limited success as a colonial power was very enjoyable and very well thought out. The Orientalism Today and indeed the Afterwards section are also very informative and as these were more familiar areas for Said his presentation of ideas and thoughts came across more clearly and the writing was far less tedious than the earlier parts of the book.

Orientalism is not an easy read, it will challenge many established views, indeed it has already with a fair degree of success led to changes in the way the Near East is studied. To me, most of all I see this as a book that offers in part a largely coherent explanation for the on-going misunderstanding between the West and the Near East and in Islam. And while Occidentalism does not exist as a field of study in a place like Egypt per se, Said fails to see that the west is viewed largely in terms of its wealth, promiscuous habits, hypocrisy and anti Islam and thus fails to see it as 2 way street, albeit with unequal power.

This is by no means a the definitive correction of the history of the Middle East or Near Orient, it is however a very legitimate and serious study of a field of study that no doubt has a lot to answer for!

Orientalism Revisited, December 7, 2001
Compounded by debauched images like the one on the cover page of Orientalism, the collective Western sub-conscious in regards to Arab-Islamic culture has been undeniably clouded by a style of thought that harbors superiority. One need look no further than our most esteemed news sources. For this, according to Said, we have Orientalism to blame.
It is the contemporary backlash of Orientalist stereotypes turned prejudices that so disturb author Edward Said. In his view, the resulting legacy of fear and estrangement that characterize the socio-political status quo between the West and Arab nations (and Islam as an ethos) cannot be understated. The irony is that despite the fact that information is more accessible than ever, Oriental biases are being perpetuated more than ever, with shameless stereotypes of Islam being used as fodder on film and even mainstream news-media. This is exemplified by our modern coverage of foreign policy in the Middle East throughout the past century. Diplomatic hypocrisies are whitewashed by the media machine with latent, age-old stereotypes that surface when strategic interests are at risk. Following years of partnership (amidst ethnic-cleansing), the US media ?at the behest of the government ?suddenly saturated the public with the caricature of Iraq's Saddam Hussein as the crazed Arab. Though true, this was marketed at convenience (nevermind Halabja), with the inevitable cultural watershed going unquestioned in the long-term, reducing normal Arabs to "rag-heads?of the little value in the mainstream mind. Similarly in Iran, the US government's coup of the first-ever democratically elected government set the table for Khomeini's stringent Islamic regime years later. Anti-American images and rhetoric dominated our media while opposing motivations were never examined. Overnight, Iranians went from being civilized partners to a sworn enemy. As our media/ government would have us believe, it was only a matter of time before the "other?side lapsed into it's degenerate nature. Though rarely put so bluntly, this is what it is.
Because Orientalism is rooted in canonical history, literature, and art, its treatment is necessarily as exhaustive as the subject is vast. To more effectively address this breadth, Said makes three major claims in Orientalism upon which he builds his case against: that though purporting to be objective, Orientalism served political ends; that Orientalism helped define Europe's self-image; and finally, that Orientalism has produced a distorted and thus false description of Arabs and Islamic culture. In reading the text, one cannot help but appreciate the acute machinations of the author's mind at work, wielding insight that is both incisive and original. Often times, however, the language employed can be painfully esoteric, to the point that one is naturally inclined to grow weary, if not skeptical, of the substance behind the style. It is fair to say that if one read this book casually (though hard to imagine) without a critical mindset, the sheer pretension of the text might compel the reader to accept Said's theories wholesale. And yet while Said's conclusions and scope are revolutionary in themselves, and much of his argument plainly convincing, the case for Orientalism is not without flaws.
Although Said divides his argument three ways, the task of encompassing such a broad concept in a small volume is daunting. Many pieces of knowledge elemental to the development of his arguments are presupposed along the way i.e. historical figures, events, dates implying political context etc., etc. Though the book is supposed to be confined to the colonial era, Said strays as far as Greek history to explain antecedents of Orientalist philosophy, all the while dropping names like Flaubert and Dante as though they were next-door-neighbors. If one is not an exceptionally diversified historian, this makes for a rather fragmented understanding of the case. The need to investigate references on the side is almost certain, at the expense of Said's momentum.
Looking at the heart of his case, Said's assumptions of causality are largely insufficient. Early on he contends that "colonial rule was justified by Orientalism? a statement that is postured as fact though he fails to adequately support it with coherent evidence. A stronger case could be made for trade and military causes as being the main catalyst of the West's (primarily France & England) imperial agenda in the Middle East. Michel Foucault's theorem that knowledge always generates power is treated at length to bolster this claim. Nonetheless, ultimately one can only conclude that Orientalism gave the West a better grasp of Oriental culture accompanied by an unspoken sentiment of eminence, as colonial motivations and objectives are left unexplained. This pre-empts the question as to whether culture and politics are moderately interrelated, or one and the same. Said makes mention of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness in a hollow attempt at illustration, arguing that "reading (the book) was a part of the European effort to hold on to, think about, plan for Africa? In effect he makes a presumption that can in no way be upheld or refuted by historical evidence and is thus weightless. Liberal assertions of this quality appear intermittently as the book progresses, at once logical and confounding to a student of history used to endorsing hard evidence rather than a good reputation.
Indeed Said may have very well bit of more than he could chew. But to his credit, he made a bold case for himself in an area that most scholars would dare not approach. Methodological shortcomings aside ?specifically his assumptions of causality in history - Said's arguments in Orientalism spawned an intense intellectual debate spanning many fields of scholarship that has yet to lose any steam. He makes it clear that as humans we are apt to project, but must first attempt to search ourselves according to our varying identities. More importantly, Said articulates the plight of many disenfranchised people in a manner that demands attention and respect. So while the flesh of his case against Orientalism may be spoilt in some respects, the bones are in tact.

Arguably flawed but exceptionally potent and important, January 31, 2002
Public opinion has gone in and out like the tides on Said's book since I first read it some six odd years ago. It has been said that the primal characteristic of a truly enlightened mind is its ability to entertain two seemingly contradictory ideas at the same time; in that context I find it odd that people can be so proud of their total discrediting of Said's work in favor of the preeminent and (seemingly) diametrically opposed Bernard Lewis. It is obvious to me that both men have something provocative to teach us about Europe and America's relationship with the Middle East (as it has been over the centuries and is reflected in culture and scholarship), and both need to be heard in that context.

It is not often that a brilliantly, exhaustively researched book on an alternatingly controversial and trivialized subject can engender an emotional response of the magnitude with which this work does--which usually means that it is worth reading. In documenting the psychological architecture of the western mind and its perspective on the East--or the "Orient"--he deconstructs it. The idea that it exists deconstructs it by nature; before reading this book you will swear that most of what we know of the Arabian East is the absolute truth, without even being aware that it's been either romanticized into impotence or isn't much of anything complimentary, let alone influential.

I rate ORIENTALISM, for its effect on our psyche as Americans alone (regardless of race or assumed political leanings), as one of the most important books written in the last decades of the 20th century. The world looks the way it does not because of natural law, like the reasons why the Sahara has become a desert--or at least not by the natural laws we have imagined. Edward Said, regardless of the possibility of biases coming through his scholarship, regardless of the political realities he left out of his thesis, shows this in remarkable fashion to people--like myself--who never considered this fact's existence (let alone its influence on my perceptions of the Middle East in all their forms).

Be mature enough to accept that it is not the only educated opinion or set of facts about our complex world, and this book will be a great read and teach a great deal. I would suggest triangulating ORIENTALISM with Karen Armstrong's HOLY WAR and Moseddeq Ahmed's WAR ON FREEDOM, for a truly eye-opening experience of the Western psyche regarding the East.

One of the most disappointing books I've ever read, May 15, 2008
The ways in which Orientalism falls short of sanity are numerous enough to fill a book twice its length. The main issues, however, are:

1) The book claims to be a correction to flawed scholarship, but is immensely, damningly flawed itself.

2) In attempting to deconstruct Orientalism, Said's book is, in and of itself, a horrifyingly orientalist text. The book completely neglects China, Japan and all of the far east, and makes only minimal and superficial observations about the Indian subcontinent. It focuses almost wholly on the Middle East. In attempting to describe the west's relationship with the "Orient," therefore, Said grossly overgeneralizes his observations about a particular region to apply to all of the East. In doing so, Sa'�d is guilty of the same foolishness he perceives in the west, which, oddly enough he also misconstrues as a similarly monolithic entity.

3) Edward Said, through what can only be wilful ignorance, sees colonialism as a phenomenon unique to Europe, and western Europe in particular. Not only is the falsity of such a presumption obvious to anyone with a cursory understanding of Asian history, but it actually reinforces the dichotomy between Occident and Orient which Said is supposedly trying to deconstruct. Furthermore, one of the greatest colonial movements in recent European history was Russian expansion through Siberia and central Asia. But, amusingly enough, Said seems never to have heard of Russian Orientalism.

4) Said makes numerous factual errors that suggest that he hasn't actually read much of the work he claims to be criticizing or using. He refers, for example, to "Peter the Venerable and other Cluniac Orientalists." Not true. Peter the Venerable was very much on his own. Among the many orientalists Said denigrates as out of touch and unconsciously racist is E. G. Browne, who was in fact a tireless campaigner for Persian independence and democracy. There are larger errors too, such as claiming that Muslim armies conquered Turkey before they conquered North Africa. On the other hand, claiming that Dante's slander of Muhammad in the Inferno is no different from modern American foreign policy may not be a factual error, but it does suggest a gross allergy to detail and nuance.

5) Said's analysis, heavy on Freud, essentializes the west, with such gems as "all academic knowledge about India and Egypt is somehow tinged and impressed with, violated by, the gross political fact [of Orientalism]" and the absurd implication that "Every [nineteenth century] European, in what he could say about the Orient, was consequently a racist, an imperialist, and almost totally ethnocentric." As Said would have it, a westerner cannot know Arabic, Hebrew or Bengali without being instrumental to an imperialist enterprise.

It is this 5th point that makes me particularly sad (I was actually shaking.) In Said's zeal to construe European imperialism as racist, he has also rather foolishly betrayed his ignorance. For example, his outright slander of European linguists in the 19th century would be LAUGHABLE if I weren't so creeped out by the fact that people still take it seriously.

It is impossible to study historical linguistics without learning how it began with Sir William Jones' discovery in the 19th century of Sanskrit's similarity to Greek and Latin. The following statement of his will be encountered in any introduction to the discipline:

The Sanscrit language, whatever be its antiquity, is of a wonderful structure; more perfect than the Greek, more copious than the Latin, and more exquisitely refined than either, yet bearing to both of them a stronger affinity, both in the roots of verbs and in the forms of grammar, than could possibly have been produced by accident; so strong indeed, that no philologer could examine them all three without believing them to have sprung from some common source.

This statement, according to Said "indicates the extent to which modern Orientalism, even in its philosophical beginnings, was a comparative discipline having for its principal goal the grounding of the European languages in a distant, and harmless, Oriental source."

Quite the opposite. Seeing a connection between Eastern and Western languages was in no way, shape or form the "goal" of Orientalist scholars. Nor was it in the interest of their empires to see European languages as having an "Oriental source." To say that European scholars actually wanted to ground European languages in such sources is a manifest stupidity. They discovered a pre-existing relationship. They did not further a pre-existing goal. As Jones eventually discovered, Latin and Greek do not have their sources in Sanskrit. Rather, they do indeed descend from a common linguistic ancestor.

If Jones was nothing more than a racist who brought his preconceived notions of superiority to the Indian subcontinent's linguistic history, then why do I constantly see Indian scholars of Indian languages praising him, quoting the very eulogy on Sanskrit that I just cited.

Said also skewers the German linguist Friedrich Schlegel, saying "[Although] Schlegel had practically renounced his Orientalism, he still held that Sanskrit and Persian on the one hand and Greek and German on the other had more affinities with each other than with Semitic, Chinese, American, or African languages." The only conclusion that can be drawn is that Said simply doesn't know that the view Schlegel held has been universally acknowledged as TRUE for well over a century.

Said is, in effect, impeaching well-established facts (which are currently only questioned by Quacks and non-specialists) as having their basis in Orientalism.

In addition, Said himself acknowledges that German orientalism in particular was not motivated by any particular desire for cultural hegemony, since Germany had no colonies to maintain. However, he justifies almost completely ignoring German scholarly contributions by saying that"Britain and France were the pioneer nations...in Oriental studies." This is patently false. German scholarship on the Orient was in no way subordinate to, or derivative of, British and French work. The first worthwhile Arabic grammar, for example, was published not by a Frenchman or an Englishman, but by a German theologian named Karl Caspari. The first remotely useful dictionary of Contemporary Literary Arabic (Hans Wehr's Arabisches W�rterbuch) was also published by a German. German oriental scholarship achieved such primacy that today in many Western universities (including the one I'm enrolled in) demonstrating a mastery of written German is a prerequisite for doing graduate work in near eastern studies.

I would venture to guess that Said ignores German orientalism not because it is of secondary importance, but because a) it challenges his notion of Orientalist scholarship as ipso facto imperialist and b) because his command of German is poor, as he demonstrates when translating Goethe's famous "Gottes ist der Orient" as "God is the Orient" instead of "The orient is God's," mistaking a German genitive ending for a nominative one.

On another note, in refusing to allow for selflessness or dedication to unbiased inquiry on the part of orientalists, Said denies them the responsibility of moral agency. If they can do no good, how can they, in Said's world of utter relativism, be said to do evil? Relegating the west to the position of something like a geological force, rather than a complex bundle of motives and narratives, Said renders his own conclusions irrelevant, since it is impossible to pass moral judgment on an entity for something over which it has no control.

Furthermore, I can't shake the feeling that there's something of a problem in the fact that Edward Said is more a product of the west than of the "Orient" he claims to defend. In Orientalism he says "any and all representations, because they are representations, are embedded first in the language and then in the culture, institutions and political ambience of the representer...We must be prepared to accept the fact that a representation is eo ipso implicated, intertwined, embedded, interwoven with a great many other things beside the "truth" which is itself a representation."

This book demonstrates Said to be a true postmodernist, implying that all (or nearly all) narratives have their value. How, then, can Said claim access to the Eastern narrative as someone who has been a product of exclusively European languages and education since the age of 12 and who didn't speak Arabic particularly well until adulthood? The passage I just quoted would seem to disqualify him from speaking for the "Orient."

Furthermore, in the same vein, Said seems to forget that all of the most influential criticisms of the west (including the ones he has written) draw upon tools developed by the *west.* Fanon, Papp�, Esack, Sa'adawi and Said himself all drew upon Freud, Marx, Foucault, Marcuse, Benjamin and De Beauvoire for their analytical tools. If the West developed tools of thought that hegemonically preclude their exponents from giving an honest account of the east, then how is it that every single work which makes this assertion derives its power from the very analytical tools it denigrates?

I am severely disappointed.

Crucial work on culture and imperialism, June 22, 2006
Given the amount that has already been said here about Said's `Orientalism', it is worth just summarising, as I understand it, what the book is about and the kind of readership it will be of interest to.

What is the book about? `Orientalism' deals with Western (mainly British, French and American) colonial representation of `the Orient' (mainly the Middle East). In other words, it is about how the West saw the East.

What are the book's arguments? Said demonstrates how Western representations of the Orient were not grounded in reality but were in fact constructed in opposition to whatever the West saw itself as - rational, liberal, progressive, dynamic. In the process, the Orient came to be represented as the irrational and decadent `Other' to the West. More controversially, Said contends that this was a means of imposing cultural domination on the Orient. Said uses Foucault's notion of discourse (an institutionalised way of thinking) to show how Western `knowledge' of the East gave it power over the East.

Why is the book significant? `Orientalism' has created shockwaves throughout academia and beyond since its publication in 1978. For one, it revolutionises the way we think about European empire - that imperial power was enforced not just politically or economically, but also culturally. The work has since spawned a whole sub-field of cultural studies on European imperialism, or more broadly, Western cultural influence. Said's textual deconstruction of colonial literature also paved the way various schools of postcolonial theorists concerned with colonial literary criticism. These ideas still reverberate with contemporary concerns, especially America's role in shaping in Middle East.

What are the books defects? Many of the shortcomings of the book have already been addressed here, but I shall highlight some of them briefly. Firstly, Said presents a monolithic picture of `the West' in the very same way he accuses them of representing `the East'; in reality, `the West' was and is of course far less homogenous that Said suggests and the discourse of the Oriental `Other' is but one of many other discourses. Secondly, he neglects to demonstrate how the Orient influenced the West as well; cultural influence was bidirectional. Thirdly, Said's personal engagement with the subject as a Palestinian living in America undoubtedly distorts or at least biases his judgements. These are amongst the reasons why I give the book only 4 out of 5 stars.

Despite these shortcomings, this seminal work is impossible to ignore and I would highly recommend it. I found the writing clear and forceful, and the arguments cogent. The extent to which the work has been cited, dissected and qualified is itself tribute to its immense influence, even twenty years on. A must-read.

The other side of anti-Semitism, October 16, 1997
The phenomenon Edward Said describes in his book is the anti-Arab and anti-Muslim traditions in society and literature. "Orientalism" is a term that describes a "discourse", a school of thought. And like anti-Semtism, which was one part of Orientalist prejudice in the 19th century, the discourse of anti-Muslim anti-Arab prejudice has a long and powerful history. Regrettably it infects leading scholars of the Middle East like Bernard Lewis. Said deserves credit for putting it all together. Although he is a harsh critic of Western imperialism and Israeli and American power in the Middle East, he hardly manifests racism towards any group.

What about the Ottoman Empire?, August 23, 2001
Edwards Said's book, Orientalism, is both a study on the origins, repercussions, and general history of the concept of "Orientalism" as well as an example of cultural history in action, and in many ways it is also evidence of how cultural history can go drastically wrong. The text itself investigates how Orientalism, or what Said also describes as "the distinction between Western superiority and Oriental inferiority," (42) expanded and proliferated in the years of Western expansion; namely, the 19th Century. Although it had existed before, Said argues that "Orientalism" was made concrete by scientists, explorers, and scholars and is mostly the result of these people quantifying and qualifying and making "rational" a concept they could not understand. Edward Said says that the original notion of the dividing line between East and West "is more than anything else imaginative." (55) Once Orientalism was conceptualized from this imagined line, Said argues, it offered a set of rules, descriptions and modes of behavior that generalized a wildly diverse population and made it easily attainable and exploitable by the West. Orientalism was also invented as a way for Europeans to reconcile their fear of the Near East and Islam, which is the topic most covered by Said and was a great influence on Orientalism because of its sheer magnitude and power. While Orientalism was originally conceived out of imagined misconceptions and a largely created body of evidence as realized in Barthelemy d'Herbelot's Bibliotheque Orientale (originally published in 1697), it was perpetuated in later "projects" best exemplified in Napoleon's accounts of travel through Egypt in Description de l'Egypte. From this point on, Orientalism had a "scope" and was available for future Orientalists to further generalize the Orient for scientific, literary, and imperialist purposes. Edward Said also argues that Orientalism benefited "professional scholars" and academic institutions because now an entire business based on the idea of Western superiority was created to help serve the above-mentioned scientists, anthropologists, and political thinkers. The modern Orientalist, Said argues, was "in his view, a hero rescuing the Orient from the obscurity, alienation, and strangeness which he himself had properly distinguished." (121) Orientalism not only flourished, but new assumptions made on the old ones only served to perpetuate further the untrue notions on which Orientalism was founded. After Said describes the endeavors of various Orientalists including Chateaubriand, Larmartine, and finally, Richard Burton, the reader is given exhaustive evidence of how Orientalism grew into what it is today; more Orientalism. Orientalism now, Said says, is only the same idea of generalizing and, in a sense, primitivizing the "other" through modern-day "area-studies." Because these area studies are from a long and established tradition of Orientalism, they are only an extension of, not reaction to, all the misconceptions encapsulated in Orientalism. Although Edward Said's Orientalism is an illuminating history of an idea (Orientalism) and how it was created, propagated, and continues to exist, his volume is nonetheless redundant and hostile in tone that made me immediately dislike it and put me on the defensive. In no instance did I find Said to be self--critical; his arguments were set forth like dogma. His extensive endeavors to list the faults generated by "Orientalism" are in some cases based on false assumptions. That is, there have been nations of Islamic people (i.e., the Ottoman Empire) who for over 500 years systematically enslaved and ruled over parts of Eastern Europe. These kinds of reverse atrocities are virtually ignored, probably because Said is only really documenting the past two centuries. In addition, I found very little in the area of proposals or alternatives to the way of conceptualizing the "Orient" other than what Said criticizes in his 300-plus-page book. I understand that Said's mission was "to describe a particular system of ideas, not by any means to displace the system with a new one" (325) but in my opinion a history of a subject should allow the reader to conceive of and interpret ideas for a new system and because Said fervently rejected to do so, so did I. In my opinion, Orientalism is also an example of where cultural history can become so subjective that unless the reader accepts the book without question, it serves little purpose other than as an outlet for anger on the part of the author and as testament to how tenuous a historian's job is when he or she lets a particular view so obviously overpowering the content of the text.

Ground-breaking scholarship, October 14, 2001
Edward Said would say that both demonizing and deifying are problematic because both are distortions and Said wanted to decrease distortion. And so it is that his work has been criticized and praised in a manner that mirrors this distortion through demonizing and deifying. Edward Said's ground-breaking work has been critized on many levels. Some say his writing does not allow adequate agency for Arab and Asian people. In some cases, his examples of historic authors who are allegedly discrediting the "Orient," actually seem to be worshipping.
Regardless of the critics, I found the work wholely enlightening. There are so many details of EuroAmerican travel literature which was so profoundly and disturbingly racist. This book gives me a new insight into the history of the way people in EuroAmerica used to think about "The Rest" meaning everything that was not "The West." Edward's work provide s a new way to examine racism -- not from a purely emotional or coldly statistical perspective, but from literary and academic perspectives. This book is a close examination of how racism in many forms, Arab, Asian or "Other," permeates the institutions of the world. Dangerously, these "authoritative" views of Other people become acceptable ways of talking about each other. In this way, racism becomes embedded in the educational systems, in the universities, in the libraries of the world. Elimating it becomes all the more difficult, because it creates the illusion that it is natural, authentic, scientific and rational.
Said's Orientalism is an excellent work that I strongly recommend to anyone trying to understand the world, especially the Middle East. Breaking out of the International media paradigms is difficult without some assistance. Said provides the necessary assistance.

On Orientalism, November 18, 2005
In this post 9.11 world where ever-increasing importance
is being attached to keywords such as `Islamic
fundamentalism,' `Jihad,' and `Clash of civilizations,'
Edward Said's monumental publication serves as a reminder to
both agitated policymakers and the alarmed public that such
perceptions of the `Islam threat' are, in fact, nothing new.

Said's expos� persistently delineates how the West has created
an erroneous, heavily biased systematic knowledge of the Orient
for political, economical and social purposes. The Orient
- which, in the book, is mainly represented through the Arab
world - has been defined as the antithesis of everything
European (or Western). Thus, the Orient loses its intrinsic,
self-determined value and becomes a counterfeit identity that
only accentuates the genuineness of the Occidental.
Overly exaggerated and false perceptions of the Orient are
promulgated, to be embedded in the works of philologists,
poets, government officials, anthropologists, and so on,
all who compose - be it voluntarily or involuntarily,
consciously or subconsciously, intentionally or
unintentionally - the vast body of `Orientalists'.

Although Said may not have expected the controversy bred and
spread through his book to have such far-reaching implications
as they have now, his claims are pertinent to why and how
current international, US-led foreign policy objectives have
become centered on the two-fold strategy of a) countering
terrorism (i.e. countering the `Islam threat') and
b) proliferating Western ideals of freedom and democracy.
The striking similarities between European point of view
toward the Orient during 17c-early 20c and American attitudes
in the post Cold War world validate the subsisting tradition
of Orientalism.

While the author has devoted much time and attention to
deconstruct the Western creation of the Orient, not much
work has been done on the contrary - the author himself
acknowledges this in the latter parts of the text.
Yet after patiently going through the details, the reader
may ask, and justifiably so, "What, then, is the correct or
recommendable approach to understanding the Orient?"
In other words, after deconstructing the `false' Orient,
how are we to reconstruct the `true' Orient? Should such
reconstruction be the responsibility of penitent Western
scholars, or self-determined Oriental scholars?

This also leads to other important questions that have been
neglected in Said's work (perhaps because it was not within
the mandate of this particular volume), which is - what are
Oriental perceptions of the Occidental, and Oriental
perceptions of the Oriental? If, as the author claims,
perceptions on different cultural realms are defined through
a relationship of power, domination and hegemony, does the
Orientals' conception of the West conform to such an assertion?
How do Orientals define themselves, and how do other
cultures `less powerful' than the Oriental perceive the Orient?
Are all such perceptions necessarily under the dominating
influence of "Orientalism"? To ask and answer such questions
would be the critical next step to enhancing the persuasive
power of Said's argument.

An exhaustive review of European literature about the East, December 17, 1999
Whatever one may chose to believe about Said's methodology, one cannot question his vast erudition concerning Western literature about the Middle East. Said presents a rigorous and thoroughgoing exegesis of Western texts about the "Orient" and covers virtually the entire gamut in European letters, from Nietzsche to Karl Marx, from British colonialsim to American social science. His penetrating criticism of this material constitutes a significant contribution to the canon of literature.

One may argue against the merit of Said's more radical interpretation of these texts, namely, that the concept of the "Orient" is a sweeping generalization that lacks "ontological stability," and must be understood as a discourse of power in Western literature. This is a fascinating and intellectually pregnant thesis, although many may find it recondite and polemical. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

The Lemon Tree, May 9, 2006
In my 56 years, I've read several books that have changed my life--brought me greater understandings, taught me things I didn't know, mesmerized me so much that I took the books with me everywhere I went--even reading at stop lights! The Lemon Tree is right up there with The Haj, Hawaii, and Night. This history fills in all the gaps of my previous knowledge. So many people have questions about the Middle Eastern conflicts and all of those questions are answered in this book. My friends and I agree that we all SHOULD know more about the Middle East situation, but rarely do we want to sit down and study a history book. This book is full of facts, but it's a page turner!I could hardly put it down. My life was on hold. One day I was reading The Lemon Tree and I actually started crying. There were heart-stopping moments, too. Very exciting! A thriller! I want to meet the real people in the book so much. They are so brave, both Arabs and Israelis, Muslims and Jews. I love how Sandy Tolan showed Israel through different view points, e.g. al-Ramla through Arabic eyes and Ramla through Israeli eyes. It helped shift my thinking as I was reading. Everyone simply has to read this book, both sides, all sides!

Compassion, History, Documentation, Hope, May 3, 2006
Who has a heart large enough to contain compassion both for the longing for Zion, for sanctuary, for homeland, of the Jewish survivors who emigrated to the nascent Israel after WWII, and at the same time the longing for return, for justice, for homeland, of the Palestinians who were expelled from the homes they had occupied for generations to make room for what was to become Israel?

Sandy Tolan, author of The Lemon Tree, has, and when you read this remarkable book your heart, too, will stretch until it is large enough to encompass the whole.

If you don't know the history of Palestine and Israel, read this book. It is a true story, but it reads like a novel. It's a page-turner that tells "Everything you ever wanted to know about the history of Israel and Palestine, but were afraid to ask."

If you know the history, but you find the subject difficult to discuss with others, read this book for back-up. Every event is documented in the extensive source notes. Arab accounts of what occurred around 1948 have long been available. Israeli Army reports of the same events were declassified only 50 years after the fact. Only since then have the disparate narratives begun to intertwine into one coherent story of what happened in 1948 and after. All of the historic phenomena are documented here from both Israeli and Palestinian sources.

If you follow the news of the region, and therefore you despair, read this book. You'll discover that hope prevails -- in the care of those who sneak across borders to knock on doors, and those who, having considered and rejected more conventional responses to presumed enemies, instead answer, "Yes. Please come in."

FROM A LEMON SAPLING A MIGHTY ___?___ MAY GROW, July 19, 2006
Sandy Tolan's THE LEMON TREE encapsulates the Israeli-Palestinian dilemma better than anything I've read to date. It does so by telling the true story of two families who occupied and loved the same house in the West Bank town of Ramla: the Palestinian Khairis who built it and lived in it up until 1948 and the Bulgarian Jewish Eshkenazis who lived in it from 1948 until 1984. It is the perfect metaphor for the intractable problem of two peoples who have historical claims to the same piece of real estate.

Tolan's central figures are Bashir Khairi and Dalia Eshkenazi who meet for the first time in the aftermath of the Six Day War and maintain a tenuous friendship into the 21st century. His narrative has a distinctly novelistic style. (In fact another Amazon reviewer refers to it as "a trashy, bitter novel") Tolan begins by introducing the reader to Bashir's and Dalia's parents in the 1930's and describing the societies in which they lived. As with Austen or Tolstoi, one absorbs social, historical, and political context while trying to guess where the story is leading.

For example, I learned in passing that Axis member Bulgaria did the best job of any nation in Europe of protecting its Jewish population from the Nazi death camps. One also encounters future leaders of Israel and of Fatah in unexpected places in Tolan's narrative. The order to expel the Arab inhabitants of Lydda and Ramla during the 1948 War was given by Lt. Col. Yitzhak Rabin. Abu Jihad, Arafat's right hand, who helped launch the first Intifada, was among the children expelled from Ramla.

THE LEMON TREE is not a feel-good book. Other reviewers have drawn hopeful conclusions from the relationship of Bashir and Dalia and from the planting of a new lemon tree at the house in Ramla. I am less sanguine.

Bashir Khairi, trained as a lawyer, has spent most of his adult life in Israeli prisons or in exile. The prison in Ramla where he was incarcerated was built on an olive grove which had belonged to his family for twelve generations. Bashir's conviction that the land of Israel and Palestine should be transformed into a single, secular, democratic state has few supporters among Palestineans or anywhere else in the world. Dalia continues to act on the belief that individuals behaving with good will can begin to heal the wounds that Israelis and Palestinians have inflicted on each other and upon themselves. Neither approach seems to offer a great deal of hope at the moment.

The Lemon Tree, December 11, 2006
"The Lemon Tree", a is a very compelling book about the Middle East conflict. Sandy Tolan presents a comprehensive history of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, with meticulous documentation of sources at the end of the narrative.

The history is weaved around the personal stories of two families who lived in the same house, and specifically two individuals in those families. We are first introduced to Bashir, whose father built the house in the town of El-Ramla and which his family occupied until they were forced out by Israeli soldiers in 1947.
we then meet Dalia, the daughter of Bulgarian parents who emigrated to Israel in 1948, and who lived in the house from 1948 on.

Following the 6 Day War in 1967, Bashir travels from Ramallah, where his family now lives, to Ramla to see the house, and is greeted by Dalia, who, after hesitating a moment, invites him in. This first encounter spawns a life-long relationship between the two, despite their ideological and political differences, and despite the widely divergent paths that their lives take.

The Lemon Tree is a powerful book. As a critical but strong supporter of Israel, I felt that the author sometimes shifted the sentiment in favor of the Palestinian cause, giving somewhat short thrift to Israel's legitimate security concerns, and to the dark policy choices it must often face given the fact that it is a tiny country surrounded by hostile nations and peoples. Nonetheless, it is difficult for even the most ardent Zionist to condone some of the tactics used by Israel to try to quell the social and political unrest both within and outside of its borders.

In many ways, The Lemon Tree is a disturbing book, insofar as it sometimes leaves the reader feeling that the chasm between the two sides will never be bridged. So long as the Palestinians insist on the right to return to the lands which they once occupied, even at the expense of dismantling the Jewish state and uprooting those who now occupy the houses and lands once belonging to Palestinian Arabs, peace seems virtually impossible to achieve.

In any event, despite the fact that the book tends to justify and rationalize the violent actions of the Palestinians fighting for their perceived rights, while taking a condemnatory view towards Israeli actions, the chief heroine of this book is Dalia, who remains a voice of compassion, empathy and reason in a sea of madness. It is a book well worth reading.

A Must Read but deeply flawed, December 27, 2006
This book is both a "must read" and at the same time it is deeply flawed. If you are seeking an emotional and decidedly gripping account of the Middle-east conflict this is an excellent choice. It will also serve admirably to put a face on both sides of the conflict. It should challenge the everyone who already associates themselves with a position on the matter to question their beliefs and to seriously consider the point of view of the other side in a meaningful way.

That said, where this book falls down is in the objectivity department. Put simply the author clearly attempted mightily to be unbiased and balanced but still allowed personal bias and spin to infiltrate the book. In its weakest form, the author's bias makes him much more likely to credit accounts favorable to the Palestinian Arabs and hostile to the Palestinian Jews* (Hereafter "Israelis"). He often sites sources and historians with a known and recognizable agenda, as well as "fringe" sources. However, this is largely forgivable because he sometimes also provides a balancing point of view to compensate or at least admits when facts are in significant dispute.

However, a worse failing is the tendency to systematically "spin" information to the determent of Israel. For example, in a later chapter on the 2nd Indefada (the riots, or uprisings, or terrorist acts, or insurgency -depending on who you ask- of 2000 and following years) he mentions the Israeli accusation that Palestinian gunmen operated from behind a screen of civilians, usually children. He goes on to say that a UN investigation revealed that this was "the exception rather than the rule." This is a case of "spin" when one considers that the UN actually confirmed that the Israeli accusation was founded in fact. To call it the "exception" is casting the evidence in light as favorable to one side as possible. In other cases, he presents facts that are generally very well established and corroborated by neutral sources or even the Arabs as "Israeli assertions." For example, he mentions villages that the Israelis cleared after capturing them in the 6Day War because "Israelis claimed" they had participated in attacks on Jewish forces during the 1948 War. He does not mention that the NY Times and the Jordanian Army also confirmed that fact. To add the phrase "Israel claims" etc. indicates that the following may not be true; it can and should be used when there is real doubt but not when all reputable (Arab, Jew, and Other) sources agree on a fact. Nor does he mention that these villagers were compensated at the time. I am not saying that there was justification for that act, which is certainly debatable, but it is revealing that it was not mentioned. It robs several of the hard questions of balance

Other times, he ignores inconvenient evidence from highly reputable or significant sources. This is a pity because often I would have liked to see his assessment of the ignored evidence. One such piece of evidence that would go to the actual heart of his book was Israeli claims that they expelled the Arab inhabitants of Lyda or Lod (a town next to the one in central to his narrative and one he discusses on multiple occasions) only after they turned on the Israelis after having surrendered to them.

After that catalogue of problems, perhaps it is surprising that I honestly recommend this book as one of two that a person MUST read in order to understand the historical context of the conflict. The other, FYI, is O'Jerusalem which, I admit, leans a bit towards the Jewish side. I also do praise the author for attempting balance even if he does not always succeed. Ideally the two books should be read one after the other as they will give the reader a very balanced view of the problem with one leaning a little towards the Arabs while the other leans a little towards the Jews.

The Lemon Tree is a griping, if flawed, personal account of the struggle that continues to have terrible ramifications 60 years after the UN voted to create a Jewish and an Arab state in Palestine.

*The Jewish population of the region were commonly referred to as "Palestinians" or "Palestinian Jews" until the creation of the Jewish State in 1948, at which point they began to be referred to as Israelis. Sorry about the nitpick, but terminology is important.

A Page Turner, June 10, 2006
The Lemon Tree tells the story of the Palestinian-Israeli experience through the lives and interactions of an Israeli woman and a Palestinian man. This true story documents the life of Dalia, whose parents flee to Palestine with their infant daughter after the Holocaust. We also learn about Bashir, a Palestinian whose family is expelled from their home in the Palestinian village of Ramla by Zionist forces in 1948.

Dalia grows up in Bashir's former home and one day a heart-stopping event occurs. Bashir appears at her front door, wishing to see the home he had grown up in and fled as a child. He takes a lemon from the backyard lemon tree to his father in Ramallah as a memento of the home they have lost.

The plot continues with many poignant twists and turns. As the two characters grow and age, their lives intersect in intriguing ways. And through this beautifully-written narrative, author Sandy Tolan humanizes the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the people it affects. It is recommended for anyone with an interest in the region.

Wonderful Writing and Impressive Research, June 7, 2006
I rarely read a non-fiction book that is a page-turner. This is the rare one. The Lemon Tree had me wanting to come home after work and pick up my reading where I had left off. This book manages to present the extremely complicated events of the last 60 years of the Palestenian/Israeli conflict in a narrative that informs while also being extremely moving. The Lemon Tree contains detailed information based on first hand research about Israeli policies towards Palestinians that are often glossed over for fear of offending. I hope that Sandy Tolan's impressive research insulates this important historical book from being viewed as a anti-Israeli work. By telling the history of the region through the eyes of 2 real individuals, one an Israeli survivor of the Holocaust and the other a Palestinian who lost his home and town to Israel, Tolan humanizes history in a way that gives one a sense of hope.

A wonderful reading journey, August 30, 2006
I just finished reading "The Lemon Tree" and I truly enjoyed it. Much of my reading took place during the most recent conflict/war in Lebanon. It is so sad that we still have to witness so much bloodshed.

It must have been extremely hard for Sandy Tolan to write a book about such a difficult subject and remain accurate to all the facts as well as fair to all sides of the conflict. Based on what I have read before (from other authors with opposing points of view), and considering the vast amount of resources that Sandy has researched, and considering how he carefully presents all sides of every issue, I think that Sandy has been successful in overcoming this challenge.

I found the book very informative, but at the same time very joyful to read. I'm not sure if "joy" would be the proper word considering the subject matter; but the way that Sandy presents the narrative and divides the book in sections and chapters that take the reader from dramatic stories to fun-filled episodes and details of everyday life, makes reading "The Lemon Tree" a very joyful experience. It made me cry and made me smile. A wonderful reading journey at a very unfortunate time when once again the tanks are on the move and skies of Lebanon and Northern Israel are filled with jets and rockets and thousands are forced to leave their homes and their trees.

I hope that one day, peace finally prevails in this troubled region and people of all nationalities, religions, and races would embrace each other in love and harmony.

Experiencing human conditions in conflict, February 7, 2007
(Also in audio book by High Bridge Audio and read by author)

The struggle between Israel and Palestine has been going on so long, it's easy to forget that before 1947, there was no state called Israel, no Palestinian refugees. But there were Palestinian Arabs. And there were Jews. And the events that led up to the creation of Israel threw individuals from both of these backgrounds together, their lives forever entwined over a common heritage on a piece of land, once called Palestine.

Sandy Tolan gives us a chance to experience the human dimensions of this bitter conflict. Through interviews and extended research, he follows the lives of two individuals: Bashir Khairi, a Palestinian Arab whose family was forced at gunpoint to flee their home in al-Ramla, and Dalia Eshkenazi, a Jew whose family fled the Nazis and took up residence in the very home which Bashir's family left behind. The two eventually met in 1967, when Bashir made a brave pilgrimage from the refugee camps of the West Bank to see his childhood home. Dalia, unlike many of the Jews in the area, invited him inside, and the two struck up an unusual friendship that has survived decades, ideological differences, and even war.

Tolan details Palestine's history, including the creation of the state of Israel, the role of Britain and the UN in partitioning up the land, and the series of wars that followed, in which Israel slowly acquired nearly all of what was once called Palestine.

-- He explains Zionism, the desire of the Jews for their own homeland, free from persecution, and how that desire led the Jews and the Western world to claim lands in Palestine.

-- He examines the Palestinian refugees' equally strong desire for the right of return to their family homes, and how that desire led to the creation of organizations such as Hamas, considered "terrorist" organizations by the West, but considered by the Palestinians as their only hope to draw the world's attention to the injustices done to them.

The incredible thing about this fantastic book is its ability to show both sides with empathy and understanding, to highlight how complicated this conflict really is.

Armchair Interviews says: Author Tolan is a veteran print and radio journalist who teaches international reporting at Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism and has appeared on NPR.

Very enlightening, July 3, 2006
It is amazing the increased depth of `understanding' I have now for the issues facing Israelis and Palestinians. It is a fascinating history portrayed with finesse and sensitivity via this author and his linking the large events to the more human, personal struggles of two families.

How I know this book is enlightening is this: I read the news yesterday and actually understood what I read about what is going on this week over there. I mean I really understood it, and I cared...and it didn't feel like it was happening a million miles from here. Even for someone well traveled and educated, this issue's context has been elusive for me.

I wanted to learn, and this book helped me do that using facts and real human perspective. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Lt. Michael Patrick Murphy, leader of a reconnaissance squad from Navy SEAL Team 10, posthumously received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on 28 June 2005, during a fierce battle with Taliban fighters in the remote mountains of eastern Afghanistan. Michael was the first recipient of the nation s highest military honor as a result of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. He was also the first naval officer to earn the medal since the Vietnam War, and the first SEAL to be honored posthumously. A young man of great character, he is the subject of Naval Special Warfare courses on leadership, and an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, naval base, school, post office, ball park, and hospital emergency room have all been named in his honor. In his bestselling book, Marcus Luttrell, the only survivor of Operation Red Wings, called Michael the best officer he ever knew, an iron-souled warrior of colossal, almost unbelievable courage in the face of the enemy. SEAL of Honor tells the story of Michael s life and how he came to be that man of selfless courage and honor. This biography argues that his heroic action during the deadly firefight with the Taliban revealed his true character and attempts to answer why Michael readily sacrificed his life for his comrades. SEAL of Honor is the story of a valiant young man, who was recognized by his peers for his compassion and for his leadership, because he was guided by an extraordinary sense of duty and responsibility. Tracing Michael s journey from a seemingly ordinary life on New York s Long Island, to that remote mountainside in Afghanistan, SEAL of Honor portrays how he came the moment of the extraordinary heroism that made him the most celebrated Medal of Honor recipient since WWII. Moreover, the book brings the Afghan war back to the home front, focusing on the tight knit Murphy family and the devastating effect of his death upon them as they watched the story of Operation Red Wings unfold in the news. The book attempts to answer why Michael s service to his country and his comrades was a calling faithfully answered, a duty justly upheld, and a life, while all too short, well lived. ... Read more

Reviews

SEAL of Honor: A Review, May 5, 2010
SEAL of Honor is a compelling read chock full of lessons learned for military and civilian alike. It is a tearjerker from the very beginning and Gary Williams does an excellent job of capturing the duality of our everyday peaceful lives here in the United States and the exceptional heroism and harrowing tragedies that occur overseas. He does this by highlighting the daily rhythm of the families involved that remain relatively unchanged until the news seeping out of Afghanistan provides a clue that Michael Murphy might have been near the action. All of the key figures in the book had continued on their daily regimen, worried, certainly upset that warriors had been killed and wounded, but of course thinking it had to be someone else. Then, with the news that Michael was involved, the world stopped for his loving parents, fianc�, friends, peers, and extended family around the Long Island and the Naval Special Warfare communities. This book works on many levels. First, it is an evenhanded account of a young man's drive to become a Navy SEAL despite several other life path opportunities. Some men and women just want to serve their country and Michael Murphy was of that noble gene pool. Second, SEAL of Honor captures the agony of those on the home front as they pine for their loved ones in harm's way and pray that the government vehicle doesn't stop in front of their house and officers in full dress uniform don't appear on their doorstep. Importantly, SEAL of Honor is also a trove of leadership lessons that future generations of service men and women can read, debate, and study as they formulate their own unique leadership styles. As an author of thriller fiction I always study heroes, real life and fictional, and the best heroes are humble, selfless, hard working, and determined. Michael Murphy is a true American hero in the finest sense of the word. Williams artfully captures the legacy he leaves behind that will help educate and train young leaders in our country. Williams captures well Murphy's upbringing in the Patchogue and Long Island communities and how his family, friends, and community helped shape his character and values. SEAL of Honor is more than an account of a military action. Rather, it is an examination of one man's life, his maturation, his service, his combat experience, and the actions that led to Michael Murphy being awarded the Medal of Honor. SEAL of Honor should be on every leader's short list of must read books.
Reprinted from [...] with permission.
Brigadier General Anthony J. Tata (USA, Ret)

"...Marines from Company C, 1st Battalion (Airborne)???", May 28, 2010
I've been following the events of Operation Red Wings and then Operation Whalers since 2005. During my 22 year Marine Corps Career, I've been heavily involved in training units for mountain warfare, as well as having deployed (in 2009) to eastern Afghanistan in the same area of operation (RC-East) in which these ops took place. I saw on the Seal of Honor Facebook page that the author, Gary Williams, is asking readers directly to write reviews of the book on Amazon. So here goes...

The opening chapters are nice, although pretty much a rehash of information written before in a number of Navy SEAL books, which covers their training. The quotes in chapter openings, like another reviewer noted, seem lifted off of "inspiration" web sites, and there is an uncanny resemblance between the author's "original" background information and that presented on Wikipedia pages (I particularly noted this in his section about the Global War on Terror).

That said, I was most interested in the section on Operation Red Wings. Well...right off the bat, Williams seems to be continuing the fictional "story line" that Ahmad Shah was anything but a low-level regional operator in the Nangarhar province - Kunar province (part of RC-East) region of Afghanistan: Page 130: "Consuming an increasing amount of his team's time was Mullah Ahmad Shah, one of Osama bin Laden's top lieutenants. He commanded the rebel group known as the Mountain Tigers, a militia force with an estimated strength of 40 to 150 men." Having read another book on the topic (not Lone Survivor), which goes into great detail (utilizing after action reports of actual signals intelligence and human intelligence about Shah, and interviews of those who conducted this intel work both during his embed in Afghanistan and afterwards), I shook my head upon reading this. Most likely Shah was just a small time guy (with nothing to do with Osama bin Laden), who had big aspirations. He likley had up to 20 fighters, not 40-150. However, as I saw no reference from Mr. Williams, who probably never embedded with the SEALs, I gave him a pass. But then after reading the second paragraph on page 131, I could give him a pass no longer: "One of the primary missions for which Lieutenant Murphy's team was brought to Afghanistan was to utilize their reconnaissance skills to neutralize high-profile al-Qaeda and Taliban Targets."

It was the next sentence that really got me, though, at which point not only did Mr. Williams lose all credibility with me, but I could not see how anyone could take this "author" seriously:

"On June 3, 2005, Shah's forces ambushed and killed three Marines from Company C, 1st Battalion (Airborne) near Forward Operating Base (FOB) Orgun-E, located outside the town of Orgune in the Paktika province in southwestern Afghanistan along the Pakistani border. Killed were Captain Charles D. Robinson and Staff Sergeant Leroy E. Alexander. Seriously burned was Staff Sergeant Christopher N. Piper, who subsequently died of his wounds. The Marines approached CJSOTF-A's [Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force - Afghanistan] commanders and requested the capture or elimination of Shah."

Note to Mr. Williams: There is no such unit in the Marine Corps as "Company C, 1st Battalion (Airborne)" in fact there is no such DESIGNATION in the Marine Corps as "(Airborne)." A quick (took me less than 15 seconds) Google search yielded that Robinson, Alexander, and Piper were members of 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) - which is an ARMY component of USSOCOM (absolutely nothing to do with the Marine Corps); 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) fell under the command of CJSOTF-A in Afghanistan.
Also: if Mr. Williams had taken a quick look at a map of Afghanistan (like the one published 6 pages prior to this passage in "Seal of Honor," he would have seen that Paktika is not in southwestern Afghanistan, but southeastern Afghanistan, no where near where Ahmad Shah operated in 2005 in Nangarhar and Kunar Provinces.

His last sentence in that passage, stating that the Marines approached CJSOTF-A about Shah, is not only outright fabrication, but maligns an entire battalion of Marines and works as an incredible disservice to the department of defense (including the Navy SEALs) as a whole. Here is the gist of what really happened:

2nd Battalion of the 3rd Marine Regiment planned Operation Red Wings to take out the operations of Ahmad Shah, who was a small time terrorist in the area and was looking to disrupt the elections to be held in Kunar in September of 2005, part of National elections for that country. 2/3 needed helicopter support for the op (one planned for a dark night), but since they deployed as an infantry battalion without supporting aviation assets, they sought support from the 160th SOAR(A), an Army special operations unit specializing in nighttime inserts. But the CJSOTF would only allow 160th support if 2/3 tasked a special operations ground unit for the opening phases of the operation. This unit ended up being an assortment of Navy SEALs in country at the time, including Murphy. That is the real evolution--backed by after action reports and peer reviewed professional military papers--of Navy SEAL involvement in this operation. Omission and fabrication, Mr. Williams, while you may find an appropriate vehicle in your obviously overzealous quest to ingratiate yourself to the Navy SEALs, ultimately does the entire U.S. Military a disservice by stoking parochialism and interservice rivalry.

By the way, the name--Red Wings was coined by the Marine battalion (2/3), not by the SEALs as claimed by Williams. Explanation: There was a lineage of naming ops after sports teams, began by 2/3's sister battalion (3/3), who preceded them in RC-East. An assistant operations officer in 2/3 came up with the actual list of hockey team names (Red Wings was originally planned by 3/3, when it was called `Stars' after the Dallas Stars hockey team, 2/3 just wanted to come up with a new hockey team name, but not one from Texas). I found a scan of the actual list (again, with a quick Google search. Just type in "operation red wings name 2/3" into Google (without the quotes) and you'll come up with the page that has it). Scroll down to where it says THE NAME, about 2/3 the way down, and you can read all about it, and see the list for yourself.

Another outright insult to the Marine battalion, 2/3, who actually prevailed over Ahmad Shah during Operation Whalers, can be found at the end of "Seal of Honor," on page 202, "Postscript". He states:
"On July 8, 2005, at a memorial service for the eighteen known dead from Operation Red Wings, Captain Pete Van Hooser [a SEAL] declared that their deaths [SEALs and Army special operations troops of Operation Red Wings] would not go unanswered. What he knew, but could not say, was that Operation Red Wings was half of a duel [I think he meant dual] plan to rid the Korangal Valley of Taliban and al-Qaeda forces." Operation Whalers (planned, executed, and named by 2/3 - after the Hartford Whalers--not around any more as a Hartford team) was a conventional forces only op, one executed in mid-August, the planning for which didn't even begin until mid July. There is no way Captain Van Hooser could have any knowledge of Whalers on July 8, 2005, as it didn't even exist even as a model of a COA (course of action), much less a named op. Furthermore, while in the first paragraph Williams states that Red Wings and Whalers were planned in unison, just one paragraph later, he states that Whalers was "in response" to the killing. Huh? Which is it? They planned the two together, or one was in response to the disaster of Red wings? Neither. The Marines just carried out their original intent of disrupting anticoalition militia activity in the region for the upcoming elections. And by the way, Mr. Williams, most of the fighting in Whalers did not take place in the Korangal, but in the Chowkay Valley.
If you want the full story of Operation Whalers, as well as Red Wings, read Victory Point by Ed Darack.

Well, Mr. Williams, you asked for it--literally, on your Facebook page.

Meet the man behind America's first Medal of Honor earned in Afghanistan, May 5, 2010
"Seal of Honor", by Gary Williams, is the biography of LT Michael P. Murphy, USN, the first man to be honored with the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions in the mountains of Afghanistan. The actions of LT Murphy and his heavily outnumbered SEAL team are documented in Marcus Luttrell's outstanding book "Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10". "Seal of Honor" reaches far beyond the battlefield to offer the reader insights into how this hero came to be.

Ingrained into every SEAL, is the ethos that the team is more important than self. Williams appropriately begins the the book by focusing on a SEAL's first team - his family. Reconstructing the events as told through personal interviews with the family, Williams exposes the reader to the uncertainty, the shock, and the disbelief experienced by LT Murphy's parents, siblings, and fiancee as they relive the casualty notification process - the process by which they learned their beloved Michael was at first missing and then recovered from the unforgiving mountains of the Hindu Kush. The reader also experiences the incredibly emotionally moving tribute given to LT Murphy by fellow warriors as his remains are transported from Afghanistan back to the United States. The reader then follows the solemn procession as Michael is transported to his final duty station at Calverton National Cemetery. As the reader is awed by the massive outpouring of community support, you begin to wonder how such a young man made such a huge impact on the community.

Williams delves into Michael's life as he matures from the little league baseball player, to the recent college graduate who decides he is going to go to the Navy's Officer Candidate School and become a SEAL. The author retraces Murphy's steps as he prepares himself in his efforts to gain a letter of recommendation to become a SEAL. His humility and determination to constantly improve himself earned him entry into SEAL training - and these same personal traits carried him through the rigorous training he would endure over the next months.
The reader then learns about the incredibly difficult training that a sailor completes during his transformation into a member of the elite SEAL community. Readers who enjoy this section are encouraged to learn more in Dick Couch's book "The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class 228".

Having provided the reader with an understanding of the man and the training he underwent in preparation, Williams finally discusses the operational deployment of LT Murphy and his team. After goat-herders discover the team's hiding position, Murphy humanely decides to release his unfortunate captives. A short time later, the team finds itself surrounded by forces of Mullah Ahmad Shah - the man they were sent to surveill. During the brief, but intense firefight, all four men are wounded and LT Murphy makes a decision to do the heroic act that earns the Medal of Honor.

LT Murphy was not alone in heroic actions that day. June 28, 2005 remains the day with the highest number of special force fatalities since June 4, 1944. It is fitting that Williams dedicates his final chapter of the book to the eighteen other men who perished during the operation.

Williams quotes Capt John McCain, USN (Ret) statement "that courage is not the absense of fear, it is the capacity for action despite our fears." LT Murphy is the embodiment of courage, and this book is story of how this young man's character was forged in his formative years. The United States is blessed to not only have men like LT Michael Murphy, but also small communities like Patchogue, New York where he was raised. It truly takes a village to raise great men and women with the sense of service embodied by LT Murphy. Williams did a fantastic job introducing us to the man behind the medal.

Inspiring!, May 19, 2010
I simply could not out this book down from the moment I read the first page. It is a truly inspiring book about a true American Hero who sacrificed his own life in order to save his team members. It also is a book about how to be a leader and how Michael lead by example.

Getting to see what it takes to be a SEAL was appsolutely amazing. One cannot image what a person goes through to become a SEAL. Michael showed true determination in order to achieve his goal.

The author captured what the family went through as they waited for new on Michael when he was missing. I felt the shear agony of how they felt waiting for news. It was simply gut rentching.

This is a must read book that offers insight into a man that lived a life for others. America was truly lucky to have Michael Murphy protecting her. Those who knew Michael in person are even luckier for having known such an honorable man!!

Seal of Honor - Gary Williams, May 14, 2010
Seal of Honor for any type of reader is a one of a kind book that will be enjoyed by all. It is an outstanding publication on the desire of a young man to provide service to his nation, fight against terrorism and to serve in one of the world's most elite military forces - The Navy SEALS. Williams allows the reader to journey through Murphy's young life, his rationale for joining the service and how he endured and made it through this difficult training. The book is an important material on service, honor and patriotism several years after 9/11 and the every day war that our nation is waging against the terrorists. You will not be disappointed by Seal of Honor! One of the best military and American history books that I have read in some time. Good job to Williams and his efforts to write an outstanding account of this holder of the Medal of Honor.

should be read by every high school junior in the USA, July 25, 2010
Short and brief a story of commitment, courage, integrity and honor.No one can understand the dedication required by a Special Forces operator until this is read. And no one can understand the life of Michael Murphy until this is read. Bravo, Mr Williams. a great story about a great American HERO.

Good- Not Great, June 2, 2010
I pre-ordered this book WAY in advance and absolutely could not wait to get it. I got it and burned through it in two days and really enjoyed it. I did pick up some new points that I had not previously known (Operation is named after the Detroit Hockey team, and Murphy was involved in a training shooting) but felt that a large portion of this book was kind of a synopsis of Dick Couch's book and Marcus Luttrell's book. The touching moments regarding the family and the funeral were gripping reading and my respect for this national hero grew more and more as I read.

I recommend this book to those with an interest in an American hero and believe it truly does make a good compliment to Lone Survivor and Couch's non-fiction SEAL books. Add this one to your library.

Inspirational, May 18, 2010
Thoroughly enjoyed "Seal of Honor" by Gary Williams detailing the hopes and dreams of Lt. Michael P. Murphy. Reading about the punishing training that prospective Seals go through, gave me insight as to how much it meant to Lt. Murphy to serve his country as a Navy Seal. Very detail oriented with enough personal information to keep me reading through to the end.

Truly inspiring and well written.., May 17, 2010
I read SEAL of Honor over two days, and Lt. Murphy's story still resonates. From his lifeguard days on Long island, to Penn State and finally the US Navy, Mike showed glimpses of character and courage throughout his life. He had struggles along the way (like the foot injury in BUD/S) but never gave up, and stayed focused on his goal of becoming a SEAL. The book is heavy on details, and Mr. Williams did an excellent job researching it . The Medal of Honor process is very interesting, and Mr. Dan Murphy's (Mike's father) journey is quite touching. And as a retired Air Force enlisted, I like the way he honored the other fallen troops from Operation Redwings. Highly recommended.

Born to Serve, August 18, 2010
This a good read, and I especialy would like to see people read it who believe they've had a bad day when they miss their lunch break, or get a flat tire on the way home! This should be required reading in High School! ... Read more

Editorial Review

A true story as exhilarating as a great spy thriller, as turbulent as today’s headlines from the Middle East, 2010 National Best Books Award-winning A Time to Betray reveals what no other previous CIA operative’s memoir possibly could: the inner workings of the notorious Revolutionary Guards of Iran, as witnessed by an Iranian man inside their ranks who spied for the American government. It is a human story, a chronicle of family and friendships torn apart by a terror-mongering regime, and how the adult choices of three childhood mates during the Islamic Republic yielded divisive and tragic fates. And it is the stunningly courageous account of one man’s decades-long commitment to lead a shocking double life informing on the beloved country of his birth, a place that once offered the promise of freedom and enlightenment—but instead ruled by murderous violence and spirit-crushing oppression.

Reza Kahlili grew up in Tehran surrounded by his close-knit family and two spirited boyhood friends. The Iran of his youth allowed Reza to think and act freely, and even indulge a penchant for rebellious pranks in the face of the local mullahs. His political and personal freedoms flourished while he studied computer science at the University of Southern California in the 1970s. But his carefree time in America was cut short with the sudden death of his father, and Reza returned home to find a country on the cusp of change. The revolution of 1979 plunged Iran into a dark age of religious fundamentalism under the Ayatollah Khomeini, and Reza, clinging to the hope of a Persian Renaissance, joined the Revolutionary Guards, an elite force at the beck and call of the Ayatollah. But as Khomeini’s tyrannies unfolded, as his fellow countrymen turned on each other, and after the horror he witnessed inside Evin Prison, a shattered and disillusioned Reza returned to America to dangerously become “Wally,” a spy for the CIA.

In the wake of an Iranian election that sparked global outrage, at a time when Iran’s nuclear program holds the world’s anxious attention, the revelations inside A Time to Betray could not be more powerful or timely. Now resigned from his secretive life to reclaim precious time with his loved ones, Reza Kahlili documents scenes from history with heart-wrenching clarity, as he supplies vital information from the Iran-Iraq War, the Marine barracks bombings in Beirut, the catastrophes of Pan Am Flight 103, the scandal of the Iran-Contra affair, and more . . . a chain of incredible events that culminates in a nation’s fight for freedom that continues to this very day.

A TIME TO BETRAY was the winner of The National Best Books 2010 Awards for Non-Fiction Narrative. It was also honored as the “Finalist” in the “Autobiography/Memoirs” category. It is now part of JCITA’s (Joint Counterintelligence Training Academy of DOD) Iranian Program’s readings. ... Read more

Reviews

a real hero, April 6, 2010
I'm a cynical guy. US politics teaches me that leaders are cowards and fakers who are really out for their own glory. Americans desperately need a hero, and this author is the real deal. He started as a religious idealist whose talents made him the ultimate insider. When he witnessed unspeakable tortures committed against the families of people suspected of betrayal, he betrayed his "brothers." He volunteered to spy for the CIA, loading us up with invaluable information about Khomeini's associates. Every day he had to stare into the faces of people who would torture his wife and baby if they found out, but he kept going. He never got any fame or credit, and he did it totally alone, on his own initiative.

I'm a hard-hearted guy. I don't cry at sappy movies. But Khalili's rendering of his two best friends and their youthful idealism, and the separate paths they chose in the Iranian Revolution, repeatedly got me choked up. The story is tragic and horrifying, the espionage is nail-biting, and as the risks get more intense, I kept saying, "I can't believe this guy is doing this!"

I stayed up all night reading this, surprised the author waited over two decades to tell his story-- why not cash in on his heroism back in 1988?-- until I realized he's driven by one mission, which can be summed up as: "The governing mullahs in Iran cannot be negotiated with, because they've been explicitly planning Armageddon all along." If we can't trust this insider, who can we trust?

I'm not an effusive guy, just groggy from lack of sleep after I stayed up all night with this book. I dare you to read page one. Get hooked by this story and remind yourself what courage is really all about. Our nation should work for a free Iran, if only because the culture produces sterling characters like this author and his childhood friends.

Read This Book! It's Brilliant, April 6, 2010
I saw a review by Michael Totten who said this book is a real page turner - that he couldn't put it down. True words. It gripped me from the first page. I don't have enough words to describe all the emotions the writer evokes. It reads like a novel, but it's a true story, which the best spy book writers couldn't invent.

You are right there with him as he tries to carry on a normal life working for the Revolutionary Guards, all the while spying for the CIA. The events that turned him into a spy are heart wrenching. You get to know his family and friends as if they were sitting next to you. You feel the terror and sadness of the young people of Iran as they try to deal with a new Thugocracy that's taken over their country. You understand Reza's confusion and being torn, trying to find the right thing to do. You get anxious and feel the panic as he finds himself in situations that you know he can't get out, but he manages. He's still around.

This is the first book I've read about Iran (and I've read several) that paints an accurate picture of the Iranian culture, families, friendships, neighborhoods, home life, schooling, military and the government.

This book should be required reading for everyone in our government so they can understand what's really behind the intentions of the ruling clerics and Amahdinejad. This is an insider's front row view of what's really going on in Iran. Iran's ruling clerics are truly bad people who mean to do us harm and Kahlili clearly presents case after case testifying to it.

Reza Kahlili is an alias and after you read this book, you'll understand why he can't use his real name. I expect since radical Islamists won't know where to find him, they'll attack this book. After you read this book, you'll understand why they'll attack him. This is the most definitive indictment of the corruption and true intentions of some very nasty people.

A Time For Love and Courage, April 24, 2010
A Time to Betray

This book wears a mask. Behind the mask there is neither Mister Phelps nor a tape that will self-destruct, but there is an almost unbelievable bundle of real flesh and blood courage and there is a real `Mission Impossible.' Without the mask there would be no book, or only a posthumous one.

So, for God's sake put aside reservations about filters and pseudonyms and fictionalized settings for this stunning first-hand account of a double agent living a double life one heartbeat away from certain death, deep inside the Revolutionary Guards of Iran.

Read the book.

If it doesn't change your life, it will change your outlook.

It did mine. It changed my view of Iran, which I previously believed to be a nation of madmen. Now I know it is only ruled by madmen, but, just under the surface, it is the home of unmatched heroism.

Despite the vast gulf between our life histories, I feel a kinship with Reza, the man who lived this double life. He came to America as a young man when Shah Pahlavi was still in power and Iran lived in unbalanced prosperity without freedom. Reza drove around in a shiny red Mustang with mag wheels, enjoying his youth just like I did in my shiny red Oldsmobile 442. If we had passed each other on the highway, no doubt we would have waved.

While we were driving around in our shiny red muscle cars, Reza and I were similar in one other respect: we both had two close friends of the kind that might hand off a frog instead of shaking hands just to mock our superiors--or as easily die for each other. Like my friends, Reza's loved American Westerns and each had our favorite hero. Reza's, like mine, was Steve McQueen.

A three-legged stool is a very stable object, but a friendship composed of three souls is likely flawed by a weakness that we both experienced: At any given time, one of the three friends is a little on the outs with the other two.

My own triumvirate of friends morphed when one of us drifted off into a different life; Reza's ended suddenly and tragically. You will have to read the book to find out how.

Despite its title, "A Time to Betray" is a tale of courage and of love, not of treason. Love permeates. It is true love, a commitment that sustains Reza's relationship with his beautiful wife Somaya and their son Omid through stresses no one would willingly tolerate. Most of us would simply curl up and die, or, if we are more cowardly, walk away muttering "Who needs this?"

Aside from Somaya, my favorite character is Reza's Grandpa, Agha Joon, who admonished the young Reza to "Grow old, young man"--grow up, you child. Grandpa was a wise man, able to distinguish the similarities between the despot Shah Pahlavi, and Ayatolla Khomeini who succeeded him and mounted the infamous Iran Hostage Crisis that took Jimmy Carter's presidency down to defeat against Ronald Reagan.

Agha Joon, Grandpa, has more to tell. I know it.

I took four pages of notes as I read "A Time to Betray." The only time I take that kind of trouble is when I'm reading an extraordinarily important book, one that explains the present as well as the past by illuminating truth through veiled fictional devices.

"A Time to Betray" is such a book. It helped me to understand Iran, and villains, and heroes, and love. It changed me -- changed my outlook on Iran, the world, and the United States of America.

This book is not without flaws. It has a clich� or two, like `thugocracy', not that I could think of a better term to describe Iran's current regime. It has a few awkward sentences, the meaning of which is clear. Arranged differently, they would read easier.

These are the flaws of filters and pseudonyms and fictionalized settings, and accountants, and publishing realities - and spooks. I'm grateful that the CIA did not quash it altogether.

Get the book and read it. Then log on to Facebook and listen to some of the interviews where Reza's voice is masked to save his life and that of his family. This is not Mister Phelps' world, I assure you. Despite its flaws, this is Mission Impossible" made real.

A Time to Wake Up, August 2, 2010
There are several books I wish Americans were reading today. Ayaan Hirsi Ali's Nomad and Melanie Phillips's A World Turned Upside Down. But most of all I hope they would read this one, for it is time they begin to understand what is happening in Iran and the dangers of doing nothing. In 2005 Reza Kahlili's wife Somaya told him "Tell the world what you have witnessed and what these criminals have done to us." Thank you, Somaya.

It is almost impossible to explain to Americans what it is like to live in a totalitarian Islamic society, all the more so with journalists like Roger Cohen of the New York Times parachuting into Iran for a few weeks and thinking that by asking people in the street he would get a realistic picture. Yet Reza Kahlili has managed to do it. The book has a strange feel of Smiley's People by John le Carr� mixed with Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner and Arthur Koestler's Darkness at Noon. But of course, it is a unique book by a brave and honest man who has decided to speak up and warn the world of the imminent danger of Iranian apocalyptic jihadists, and of American stupidity in not recognizing the danger.

This is not a thriller, a spy novel, an autobiography, a historical account and psychological drama. It is a combination of all of the above by a man whose sole motive was to try and do something and reverse the descent into barbarity that the 1979 revolution had plunged Iran into. This something was not writing letters to the editor from California but working among the Revolutionary Guards in Teheran while being a spy for the CIA - an extremely dangerous endeavor. If found out his family would have been tortured and executed in front of him, not put on the first flight back home like the Russian spy Anna Chapman a few weeks ago. .

What motivates a man to take such enormous risks? The turning point in the book are the horrific events in Evin prison which are conveyed with such power that all his subsequent actions become understandable, yet only someone with exceptional courage and determination could have persevered for so long.

However, despite all his efforts American policy towards Iran had from the start been one of appeasement of the mullahs, from the time of President Reagan to this day with President Obama. It is as if the political elites never understood what he had been risking his life to tell them. What a shame!

The political elites also did not seem to understand that so many Persians were proud of their great history, expressed in the words of Reza's grandfather, Agha Joon: "This is the land were Cyrus the Great ruled one of the largest empires the world has ever seen. He brought dignity and respect for all to this great civilization: a land where the first charter of human rights was introduced, a land where women were respected, where slavery was abolished, and a land where Jews were free to return to their native land at the end of the Babylonian captivity. This was the Persia where poets, philosophers, and scientists were the bedrock of national pride, where religion was based on three simple premises: good thoughts, good words, and good deeds".


Reza Kahili has remained true to his conviction. After settling in the US he could have lived a quite and secluded life. But after 9/11 and the rise of Ahmadinejad on the urging of his wife he decided to speak up and write this book. How many Americans have heard of the Mahdi? Will they take notice when Kahlili writes: "The hadiths predict that `many will be killed and the rest will suffer hunger and lawlessness'. People like Ahmadinejad so completely believed that these conditions would hasten the return of the twelfth Imam that they were willing to foment universal war, chaos, and famine to bring it about".


Reza Kahlili risked his life to help his people and help the US. He was there. His words carry weight. The West should listen.

A Time to Peek Through an Evil Regime, June 14, 2010
This book is a life story of an Iranian, who like millions of his fellow compatriots, fell in love with a revolution that was supposed to bring political freedom and social justice to Iran but soon realized that the so-called "Islamic Republic" was designed to transform Iran to a brutal theocracy that isolated Iran from the rest of the free world and began to repress its citizens only a few hours after its inception on February 11, 1979. What makes this life story unique; however, is that the author is not contempt to close his eyes to all the atrocities committed by this repressive regime and decides to do something about it. It is with this intention that the author (a high ranking member of Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps - IRGC) decides to betray the Corps and becomes a spy for CIA in hopes that secret information he passes will enable the United States to help Iranian people overthrow their anti-Iranian regime.

A Time to Betray is a nail-biting thriller that captivates you from the instant you read the first page and takes you to a roller coaster of events that keep you on the edge of your seat to find out how events will finally unfold. It is an easy read that connects well with its reader and narrates the story so vividly to express the struggles, fears, raw emotions and conflicts the author experiences because of his double life he leads as a spy. It gives non-Iranians a candid view of Iranian's culture, customs, and their way of life, something that is seldom being ignored by the western media. The book is also very successful in telling the story of how most Iranians feel towards their undemocratic and oppressive regime. This too is seldom being ignored by the western media since they can only report on Iran from the lenses of Iranian regime's propaganda machine that has been in effect from the early days of the Islamic revolution in order to give a false view of what Iranians feel towards their government to achieve some level of legitimacy in the international arena.

This book paints a very accurate picture of how life under the Islamic Republic has become for Iranians, and how their attempts to fight the system is met by force and crushed systematically on daily basis from the first days of Ayatollah Khomeini until present. Although this book has revealed some of the untold secrets about the nature of the Islamic Republic regime, it is by no means a "tell-all" account of everything that has happened. As clearly mentioned by the author throughout the book, the information passed on is relayed to CIA, and it is obvious that many of the information are still classified by the US government that prevents the author from exposing to general public. However, one could get an accurate flavor of how the Islamic Republic works and operates both inside and outside of Iran and why terrorism will not be diminished substantially in the region until this brutal regime is dealt with by the international community and crumbles completely.

It is also very sad to see that despite all the valuable information that is being passed on to CIA, the United States has never had an effective strategy against Iran and couldn't foil the terrorist plots against Americans and other nationals that were warned well in advance by the author. Since the sham election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Iranian people's uprising in form of the green movement, it is imperative for the international community to show effective support for the Iranian people and hold the Islamic Republic accountable for their massive human rights violations. After reading the book, it is my belief that the only way to bring peace and stability to Iran, and the region for that matter, and solve Iran's nuclear issue is to help Iranians in their quest against the military dictatorship of Khamenei & Co. (enabled by IRGC) and conduct free and fair election in Iran by the United Nations and/or other international bodies, so the Iranians could elect a democratic system they deserve.

I could not put down this book from the second I picked it up, and highly recommend it to both Iranians and non-Iranians alike.

A time to betray, June 1, 2010


Absolutely the best book I've read in a long time. I don't say that lightly as I'm usually very critical of plots and writing styles. Mr. Kahlili has an amazing story to tell and it should be a must read for everyone.

I love the style because he makes it so easy to read even though the material is difficult to take at times. At first I couldn't put it down but then I didn't want it to end, so I slowed down my reading.

Iran is a very dangerous country being ruled by very dangerous people - the mullahs, and reading this book gave me a new understanding of just how bad they are.

Kahlili takes you on a heart-wrenching journey from an idealistic childhood with his 2 best friends to horrific personal events that caused him to seek out the help of the CIA that led to him betraying his country by becoming a spy. Along the way you learn about a beautiful culture that was ruined by radical religious zealots. You meet people whose bravery is only found in novels - not real life.

I was impressed with his sensitivity in dealing with very difficult situations. He brings you right into his life up close and personal. The constant fight he had with himself trying to do the right thing and meeting an unresponsive blank wall in dealing with the CIA breaks your heart. This is one very brave man.

I see that he is continuing his fight for a free Iran through a series of blogs on his website, which is the name of the book. He also has a series of interviews and appearances stored on the website. Of course, his voice is disguised as is his appearance.

Fascinating story - and it continues...

I can't help but think about what a great movie this would make.

A Real Man with a Real Story, June 13, 2010
I'm not a typical spy novel reader, but the situation in Iran and the history of the Revolution and the horrible consequences that have occurred since are of interest to me.

This book does grip the reader. It gripped me. The story gives the sense of history and deep personal relationships that I need to feel connected. The family relationships, the long standing friendships, the marital relationship all added to create a true sense of a real person and a culture that I have had little exposure to. Yet, at the same time these all reminded me of the very human relationships that the majority of us have had in whatever culture we have been raised.

This is the story of a real person, not some fake spy. This story takes us through the exurberance of youth to reveal the courage of a deeply thoughful and caring man caught in the web of politics and religion. Hopefully, none of us in the West will ever be called upon to find out if we have the kind of courage that Reza Kahlili shows he had.

The book is filled with the kind of tension that does keep the reader going. It explains the Iranian culture, the old government and the horrifying new government (now 31 years old). If you are at all interested in a real story that is touching, sad, humorous, educational and terrifying, then I strongly recommend this book. I couldn't put it down.

Astonishing Indeed!--Eye Opening on multiple levels..., May 9, 2010
Love this book...and I'm not a big fan of (for lack of a better term) "political" books, fictional or not.

First of all, it's an excellent read. REALLY makes you feel like you are in Reza's head and in his actual predicaments...there's some really 'edge of your seat' type moments here. And you absolutely feel the sustained discomfort of his situation...appearing to his family as part of the problem...but secretly, being a huge patriot for the preservation of their way of life. Like someone says here...this is the story of a true hero...risking everything for a cause..everything...with absolutely no foreseeable promise of personal gain or glory.

However, what is great about the book is the story it has to tell...it's hugely eye opening in a lot of ways... quite honestly, it helped me see Iran as a nation of people rather than a nation of religious zealotry. However, although it opened my mind in a lot of ways...it, confirmed my suspicions in others. It so very effectively articulates the age old lesson (often taught, seemingly never learned), that religious fanaticism MUST be keep in check...and the MOST despicable of deeds are usually carried out in the name of religion (one of the most brutal ironies of human existence!).

Any Westerner that thinks these zealots can be reasoned with...and that peace and love will win the day is profoundly delusional ...and should be required to read this book...especially the passages about Evin Prison, the systematic brutal raping of girls to prevent their entry into heaven, etc.....

Anyway...enough of that...this is an exceptional book and if this is an accurate account of what happened...this is one of the most remarkable men of our time.

Making some sense of a region in peril, June 18, 2010
As a westerner not fully up to speed on the Iranian situation and its future impact on the world's events, I find it refreshing and very informative to read an Iranian's account of the crisis in his own homeland. We get bits and pieces of news from the region which have passed through the editorial departments of various news groups. Reza Kahlili has,in this book, tried to show the world what went wrong with their revolution. The ideals they had hoped for completely gone and the oppression they hoped to shed themselves from renewed in forms they could not have imagined. It reaffirms that in any society, Muslim or Christian, Buddhist or Jewish, extremism is so very dangerous as it leads all away from the Life that our common God really wants us to live.

Now is the Time to Tell, May 18, 2010
I quickly ordered Mr. Kahlili's memoir after hearing him on a radio interview. I couldn't wait to dive into the intriguing double-life of a man who, remarkably, worked for the CIA while serving in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps. Perhaps it was the coarseness of Mr. Kahlili's voice as disguised for the interview that led me to believe that the book would contain simply a litany of hard facts and IRGC secrets. Perhaps it was for the fact that Mr. Kahlili had willingly worked for the IRGC that I believed that a man in his position would not dare to share details of his personal life (which could lead to his unmasking). For whatever reason, I was not prepared for the wonderful journey of A Time to Betray.

After a brief scene during which Mr. Kahlili is inaugurated into the life of a spy, the story turns back to the everyday lives of "Reza" and his two best friends in 1960's and 70's Iran. Each family exhibits its own political opinions, religious convictions (or lack thereof) and hopes for Iran's future. These chapters contain memorable images of tightly-knot Iranian families and roots of deep friendships. The euphoria of the revolution will momentarily strengthen even further the friendship of the three, now young men. This does not last.

Mr. Kahlili brings us close to the horrors and abuses of post-revolutionary Iran. The images are as powerful as a "Youtube" posting. This reader was moved to tears. Excitement, intrigue and money may motivate a spy. Mr. Kahlili, a US-educated computer technology expert with a secure job in the IRGC, spies as a matter of conscience. Even so, he occasionally experiences profound feelings of guilt. Mr. Kahlili does not white-wash past US involvement in Iran. He is well aware that the last best hope to save Iran is not a pure white knight. Even as he spies for the US, Mr. Kahlili witnesses a series of US Administrations naively dealing and blundering with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and he is appropriately critical in his book.

I will not disclose the details of Mr. Kahlili's life as a spy. I also will not review late 20th-century Iranian history. Mr. Kahlili recounts both most believably. He never exaggerates his own story, and he confirms Iranian involvement in a number of horrific international events of this period. Some have wondered why Mr. Kahlili waited so long to tell his story. The answer is found in the book: He loves and cherishes his family and would do anything to protect them. However, he also loves and cherishes Iran, and he knows that now is the time to speak. May his dream for a free Iran be realized soon. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Informative, insightful, important, October 12, 2010
In an era in which Arab has become a four-letter word, Zogby presents withthe very voices we as Americans have chosen to ignore. How can we expect to understand a vast swath of the world if we have predetermined what we think they believe, what motivates them? Zogby asks us instead to listen. This book uses hard data collected from thousands of interviews conducted during numerous polls across the Arab region, coupled with personal anecdotes, to draw a much clearer picture of why our policies in the Middle East have not worked in the past. It also offers insights on how we can choose to approach the region differently in the future. I consider myself to be a fairly informed reader and yet found myself having frequent "aha" moments throughout reading this book. I was also shocked by some of what I read, including the fact that 65% of Americans believe Iran is an Arab country or that only 37% can identify 1948 as the year of Israel's War of Independence. If you ever felt like you needed to know more about what Arabs are thinking and feeling this book will be invaluable.

Arab Voices: What They Are Saying to Us and Why it Matters, October 27, 2010
I have just read "Arab Voices: What They Are Saying to Us and Why it Matters" written by James Zogby.

This excellent book should be on everyone's "must read" list!!

The polling information from Zogby International was carefully analyzed and distilled into a current primer of Arab opinion. Mr Zogby's analysis of this polling data coupled with his own personal experiences and involvement makes it possible to clearly understand the Arab world view. I also feel that this book is a must read for the (too) large numbers of Americans who do not understand the feelings and realities of the Arab world.

A Must Read, October 12, 2010
Add my voice to those ascertaining that Arab Voices is "a must read". Jim brings the scenes, the streets, the schools, the studios to our beds and desks. We read the pleas, we feel the pressure, we learn of biases, we hear the voices - and hope that one day everyone will. Debates, debacles, defamation and cultural demagoguery play vividly. We relive what we have witnessed, we visualize what we have missed.

The Yemeni girl bumps into a grill isolating the playground of understanding from those who innocently wished to partake. She is no more relevant than the half a million children Madeleine Albright would sacrifice, blockade. Infamous influencers - Friedman, Wilders, Beck, Pat, Patai and Pipe lay barren their hearts and minds as they describe the Arab Mind. None is pretty.

Speaking of Arab American Minds: Edward Said and Khalil Gibran now mean something more to me than what I knew: the former after reading his beautiful quote, and the latter after learning of the "Brooklyn Madrassa" masterpiece described in the book.

In memory of Mr. Zogby's father, I will always try to smell the peaches, and remember.

Excellent, November 13, 2010
An excellent book - not overly academic, not preachy, just an open discussion of a people too-often portrayed from just one side (whichever side it may be). Zogby's writing style is much like his interview style -- uncomplicated, insightful, and intriguing.

Anyone interested in the Middle East --from a foreign relations, business, or cultural perspective-- should get & read this book. Immediately!

Required Reading, November 30, 2010
Fans of this author are not surprised that he would produce such important work. Arab Voices borrows equally from the study of history, anthropology, sociology, statistics, and political science. In a little over 200 pages, Jim Zogby weaves these constituent parts into an integrated whole that coherently and convincingly explains why so much of our nation's Middle East policy has failed. As a tribute to its great balance, Arab Voices also explains why the efforts of our Arab brothers and sisters to connect with Americans on equal terms have been beset with equal failure. As a blueprint for what must be done to change minds and to change policy here in the U.S. and abroad, Arab Voices stands alone as a beacon of rationality in a sea of ignorance.

Thoughtful analysis, December 10, 2010
Zogby, a name associated for years with polling, is also the name of the author of a new book, "Arab Voices". James Zogby, the family member here, has written a thoughtful book about how Arabs view Americans, themselves and their future.
At the outset, it may seem a moot point when Zogby speaks about listening to Arabs and their concerns. Without a doubt, that's true. But he underscores why that's important...from Arab stereotyping to the disastrous consequences that befell both the United States and the Arab world due to the Iraq War. The author pounces on so-called "experts", (he's not a big fan of Thomas L. Friedman, for example) and using his own background as an Arab-American, Zogby goes on to reveal an in-depth look at the world as seen through Arab eyes.

Divided into two sections...one dispelling Arab myths and the other presenting current situations in four Arab countries, Zobgy uses polling data to explore just how Arabs feel. Had that been more of a goal during the Bush administration one wonders how much good could have been accomplished and how much unnecessary bloodshed could have been avoided.

"Arab Voices" is sensible and timely. If American policy towards the Arab world is going to change, President Obama will have to take more charge. I highly recommend this book for its calm tone and insight.

Arab Voices--loud and clear, December 7, 2010
James Zogby speaks with a uniquely qualified voice about the Arab experience in both the Middle East and the USA. Son of a Lebanese immigrant of very modest fortune, he and his brother John (Zogby International polls) exemplify the American Dream of achieving success through competence and hard work. Straight-talking but never strident, he discusses prejudice against Arabs and the desperate need for basic understanding--too often deliberately discouraged by hostile domestic influences--about Arab peoples, their history, language, culture, aspirations.

Zogby's analysis of cases where willful ignorance and bias have botched U.S. actions and interests--Iraq, Lebanon, Israel/Palestine--provides a concise education in what went wrong and why, supported by numerous references to actual, eye-opening polls of opinion in Arab countries. This book should be on the desk--and in the hands--of everyone involved with Middle East policy. It is also an immensely valuable source of information and insight for schools, libraries, and anyone who cares about the health of American civil society.

Must read!, November 29, 2010
This book is a great overview of the history and current state of the middle east crisis. It breaks down the East- West conflict into its basic elements in a clear and logical layout. It is very informative even to the well informed. Very well written and a must read for all those interested or involved in middle east affairs or for that matter all Americans.

Pure Liberal Rubbish, November 28, 2010
All I can say is "wow". This guy is clearly agenda driven, this book could've been co-written by Michael Moore. Attack the Republicans and conservatives. Yikes, does a true American really believe this?? ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Bemused by the One Star Review, December 10, 2010
I do not feel myself qualified to write an exacting review of Aftermath, but I simply had to post a small piece in counter-distinction to the only other available customer review, which I found vapid and deliberately misleading.

Aftermath is absolutely essential reading for anyone curious about the history and current affairs of geopolitical activity in the Middle East. Rosen writes in a style which I found perfectly suited to both the material and its urgency. There is simply no better single source of information on this topic.

a very good book, December 13, 2010
I had no problem with the author's writing style. In fact, I very much enjoyed it. This book gave me a much clearer idea of what the people of Iraq have had to endure as a result of this pointless war.

Unbelievably awful writing, November 24, 2010
I purchased this book after listening to the author's interview on Democracy Now recently. Between what I heard there and the glowing endorsements from Noam Chomsky and Andrew Bacevich, both of whom I have immense respect for, I had incredibly high expectations for this book. Nothing could have prepared me for the utter holocaust of writing that is Aftermath. I only made it 25% of the way through before I was overwhelmed with intellectual pain and had to give up on it. I am a very patient and tenacious individual, and I almost never bail out on a book I start no matter how bad it is, but I simply could not read it.

Aftermath seems like it could have been written by a strobe light. It is a constant stream of moments, illuminated with far too much intensity, appearing in disjointed sequence that confuse and overwhelm the reader. It almost seems like he published his field notes from his time as a journalist in the middle east, with absolutely no editing whatsoever.

After a long and meandering introduction to the first part of the book about the descent of Iraq into sectarian violence, Rosen states that despite conventional wisdom that sectarian strife has a long history in Iraq and has always been there, the civil war that eventually occurred subsequent to the occupation was entirely the fault of the US. He then utterly fails to demonstrate that in any cohesive way. He strings together seemingly random incidences of violence between sects, with almost no mention of the US. The writing style organizes information into small to medium sized paragraphs, each dealing with some specific moment or event, which may or may not be at all related to the paragraphs before and after it, and which have no transition or flow. There is no sense of narrative whatsoever. There is very little analysis or commentary, just a mind dump of information. There seems to have been little thought into considering what information is relevant to what the author is trying to say at any given time (if the author even knows what he is trying to say at any given time), and there is vast amounts of superfluous text.

If the information is coherent and interesting, I don't mind a boring book at all. However, the presence of vast amounts of irrelevant information (describing people's mustaches, passing comments about his friends that are not important in relation to the event he is describing, and other such frivolous details) makes it a chore to get to the interesting information. Given the disjointed structure I mentioned earlier, it's difficult to keep interesting information in context. The author constantly skips around geographical areas and does not keep a clear chronology. He often includes large portions of people's speech without putting it in context. After reading a section about events and speech towards the end of the sectarian violence in Iraq, he suddenly, with no preface, included a long speech about Muslim unity and predictions that there will be no civil war. This is confusing, given the previous discussion of violence, but a page or so later, you realize that he was quoting something someone said years earlier, without making that clear.

With his tendency to skip around with no transition or flow, it's very difficult to pick out the occasional insight or interesting informative text and incorporate it into some kind of coherent thesis.

Beyond the content, the style of the book was eminently unreadable. His tone was dominated by plain, short, repetitive sentences like "We saw Muqtada Speak. He said ____. We got in the car and drove to Baghdad. There was an Iraqi Police Checkpoint. There had been a Sunni attack". There were occasional variations in syntax, but some paragraphs read like that for some time, and I found it exceptionally dry, on top of all the other problems I've described.

Frankly, I am quite shocked at the poor quality of this book. It makes me question whether anyone who endorsed it actually read it. I simply can't understand how Rosen, a well regarded journalist with excellent credentials, could write anything so atrocious. I purchased this book on kindle, and perhaps the kindle version is an unedited manuscript or something? I'm also rather incensed that the kindle version cost twice as much as normal kindle books. I don't mind paying extra for quality writing, but overcharging me for such drivel is insulting. After forcing myself to read 25% of this book, my brain felt dirty and violated. I rarely drink, but I found myself needing to cleanse my mind of this atrocity with copious quantities of toxic chemicals. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

As close as it could be, October 8, 2010
Being someone that has participated in sniper operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq I can say that this is the first, and only, authentic sniper book that has been published during the current conflict. Being a avid reader, I will pick up anything that has to do with the military. Unfortunately I have found very few realistic, authentic accounts of current combat operations. Sniper goes to great lengths to cover all aspects of sniping in the Global War on Terrorism. I like the fact that short stories were used, the reader gets to see the differences between conducting sniper operations within a city and out in the rural areas, as well as how different units and branches of the military operate. The folks interviewed were superb professionals, I know this because I get to work with them. Great book Gina and Matt.

Great insight of the modern US sniper, October 12, 2010
This book is a great portrayal of snipers from all the services and how each of us work together to make this war tick.
Each unit has a unique job and this book portrayed that well. From a Special Ops point of view, since our stories are never in the limelight I can appreciate the access and insight Gina and Matt recieved during the writing process.
I also like that each chapter is its own tale. Together it makes a whole and shows how our military is winning this war on Terrorism.
Well done!

Didn't flow for me, September 9, 2010
I read it. that is some good news because if I don't like a book at all I stop reading it. This book has many good stories but for me there was never really a flow. These are short stories of different Snipers (God Bless them all), so I get that the whole book may not flow. But in many cases the individual stories didn't flow. ... Read more

Editorial Review

After graduating from Princeton, Donovan Campbell wanted to give back to his country, engage in the world, and learn to lead. So he joined the service, becoming a commander of a forty-man infantry platoon called Joker One. Campbell had just months to train and transform a ragtag group of brand-new Marines into a first-rate cohesive fighting unit, men who would become his family. They were assigned to Ramadi, the capital of the Sunni-dominated Anbar province that was an explosion just waiting to happen. And when it did happen—with the chilling cries of "Jihad, Jihad, Jihad!" echoing from minaret to minaret—Campbell and company were there to protect the innocent, battle the insurgents, and pick up the pieces.

Thrillingly told by the man who led the unit of hard-pressed Marines, Joker One is a gripping tale of a leadership and loyalty. ... Read more

Reviews

Reads like a Hollywood Blockbuster, December 17, 2008
Describing Joker One by Donovan Campbell in one word is a difficult task but if forced to do so the word would be poignant. Joker One is the story of the individual Marines who comprised one of the platoon's deployed to fight in Iraq. More than a story about a war, Campbell slaps the "Human Condition" on the face of the Iraqi War, and for good measure nail guns it in place. His story is one that needed to be told, not to sway your opinion of whether the United States occupation of Iraq is justified, but rather to put names and faces to the individuals who served their country. It doesn't matter whether you are pro or anti war what matters is that you understand the struggles of the individuals involved. The men in this story didn't wage the war but rather carried out their mission with courage, bravado, and outright selfless determination. If you are not touched by the words between the bindings of this book than I might suggest you send out a search party for your soul.

The Stateside news reports of the Iraqi War have been meaningless rhetoric up to this point. We have been feed the gruesome details of body counts and have seen the anti-American sentiments of the Iraqi people, but up until the story of Joker One these stories have been a benign representation of the actual happenings in Iraq. We haven't been told the stories of the "so-called" US allies who when forced with the decision of standing up for their own free society or their own mortality immediately switch their alliances and begin to open fire on our troops. Nor have we seen firsthand, the cowardly Iraqi insurgent's complete disregard of their own countrymen as they use them as human shields as a means to an end.

Some soldiers have returned to the States battered, beaten, and broken both physically and mentally. Others have returned Stateside in wooden boxes draped with the United States flag. Campbell has identified these soldiers by name. Soldiers like you and I who have families, dreams, and ambitions now which regardless of injury or death have become severely altered by their mere participation in the ugliest form of human interaction.

Lieutenant Campbell takes this opportunity to provide the reader a front row seat into the daily struggles of his platoon. It would have been easy for him to shed the spotlight directly upon himself in this story; in order to boost his own ego. But to the contrary, Campbell highlights the extraordinary camaraderie of the men under his charge. Instead of highlighting his successes, he focuses on the successes of his men and points out his errors in judgment. He continually second guesses the split-second decisions he was forced to make. If only I had done X rather than Y, things might have been different; is the common theme of his thought process.

Joker One reads like an action packed Major Motion Picture. I had to constantly remind myself that I was reading a true story and not a piece of fiction dreamed up by some overly imaginative author hammering away at the keys of his or her word processor.

Joker One is so vivid and alive with detail that it hits the reader in the solar plexus with unrelenting force. Thanks to Lieutenant Campbell, here is to the soldiers of Joker One, Semper Fi!

Honest, Eye Opening, Unbiased, Sincere and Incredibly Interesting, January 9, 2009

Deeply Moveing, March 26, 2009
I have been an avid reader since the 6th grad, and during my life I have read hundreds, if not thousands, of books. I have ordered from Amazon since the beginning, but this is the first time I have decided to write a review.

I found this book to be a deeply moving experience. I have always been a sucker for war stories but this one is different. I really felt that this was the most honest presentation of one man's experience of war that I have ever encountered.

If you are looking for a cold clinical discussion of battle with diagrams and notes on troop deployment this is not it. This book puts you at street level from the POV of one man commanding his troops. The depictions of battle in this book are gritty, bloody, and real.

Donovan Campbell served his country well as a Marine and also by writing this book. By reading this book I came to a greater understanding of what our men have been through. I gained a profound respect for our combat forces and veterans. This book was so poignant at times that it reduced me to tears. It was a brutal read but the hours I spent reading this book where more than worth it. I have never been as moved in my life by a storey as I was by this account. It is well worth your time. Buy it! Read it! You will not regret it!

Heroes, March 19, 2009
My son is currently stationed in Iraq as a 1st Lieutenant in the Marine Corps. Donovan Campbell's well written book has given me a peek into life as a Marine in preparation for, and deployment to, a combat zone. Joker One brings alive the many faceless and nameless Marines that are referred to as "troops" in the daily news. Donovan Campbell fittingly dedicates his book to "the men of Joker One and to the parents, spouses, and fiancees of the fighters overseas. Those who wait at home have the hardest job in the military." Joker One give us more reasons to be proud of the decision our sons and daughters made to "assume responsibility greater than myself." (Cambpell's words, and our son's words when asked why he wanted to join the Marine Corps.)

Well-written, believable account of deployment, January 14, 2009

A Piece of War, that Built a Lifetime of Brotherly Love, January 1, 2009

Good, but could have been better, May 28, 2009
After a couple hours of research and reading book descriptions/customer reviews I decided to purchase this book and put a couple others on hold (One Bullet Away, My War, Lone Survivor). I think I got what I was looking for, a first hand account of the fighting in Iraq. I think I also learned some important messages about leadership. I think Campbell also does a great job of clearly explaining all the military jargon that civilians like myself dont understand, and excelled at breaking down the battles they were involved in. However I actually would have liked to hear a little more about the author himself. I thought some of the more interesting parts were when he was describing how he was feeling and what he was thinking. I know from friends who have been to Iraq and in the service in general that it is a significant personal struggle (harsh living conditions, family problems, missing familty etc.)

I see why this book is a top seller. Its easy to read, everything is laid ourt very well, and overall its message is very positive, but for a first hand account I dont feel any connection to the author. I started reading My War by Colby Buzzell which is written in a completely different style but the reason I like it is that I feel a connection to the author and can picture myself in his shoes. Im not saying My War is the better book (depends on what your looking for) and I prefer the style of Joker One but some personal insights would have made this book much more enjoyable for me.

An honest, touching account of war, January 4, 2009
Joker One is the story of one man's experience on a tour of duty in Iraq---beginning with preparation and training at home and in Kuwait.

I was a little concerned about getting through this book, as military writing is not my favorite. This one, however, held me throughout. This book provided me with what will undoubtedly be one of my favorite and most moving reading experiences.

Campbell tells his story with honesty, humor, and dignity. I'm (ALMOST) old enough to be his mother, and I found myself feeling very maternal toward this young man. Every time he questioned himself or worried about failure, I wanted to comfort him. He and his men performed their duties with remarkable courage and honor. And this book conveyed their experiences well. I feel proud and grateful for their service.

It was refreshing to read a book about Iraq that wasn't steeped in politics. Campbell "simply" told the raw tale of life on the ground in Ramadi. Having read it, I have a better idea of the hardship facing the fighting man than ever before. I've always had a healthy amount of respect and deep gratitude for the American military---those feelings are deeper and stronger in the aftermath of this story.

I often find with books like this that there is a compelling story that is written poorly. This book, however, tells a compelling story and is also written in a compelling fashion. Campbell has tremendous talent to convey deep emotion, humor, and create a "scene" that captivates.

Tough Love in the Desert, April 10, 2009
Donovan Campbell sets out as a young lieutenant; a little overconfident in his strength, na�ve in his assumptions toward the results he would achieve, but brimming with the faith in the United States and the justice of the mission. The foundations of his beliefs are shaken as he sees not only his soldiers wounded or dying around him outside of his control, but also sees a people who like America and Americans less than when he arrived. Despite that, his story sees the deeper meaning in the daily personal sacrifices made by him, and the Marines around him, to do what they can to make the hellacious city of Ramadi a little better; one street, one kid, one person at a time.

Tales of individual and group heroism leave you with a feeling of awe as you read about the amazing selflessness of the Marines such as Doc Camacho, who runs into the street yelling "Shoot at me!" to distract a machine gun so that another young marine can sprint through the fire to rescue a wounded Iraqi child. Hearing the self-crimination of the soldiers as they constantly wonder, could I have reacted quicker? Could they have saved their comrades from injury? If they had only taken a different route, would they have saved lives? The burden on such young men is enormous, and Americans who wish to attempt to understand their sacrifice should read their story.

Reviewed by Jeremy McKnight

Bullets, Bravery and Brotherhood, March 12, 2009
I should disclose this was not only my first book on Iraq, but the first war memoir I have ever read. I'm not even exactly sure what made me pick it up or that I would make it through the first few chapters. As a housewife, I have as little in common with your typical marine as anyone. But this book is excellent, and surprisingly relatable. The consummately humble Campbell tells the story of his platoon, Joker One, from it's inception through deployment to Iraqi city of Ramadi for a nine month peace keeping mission. The reader is presented with a straightforward and honest account of war from the men who fought it.

Campbell writes with grace and humor telling us of the platoon's growing pains and mistakes as well as his short comings as a leader. He takes the time to walk the reader through military basics and the political setting of Ramadi making the story accessible without over politicizing or romanticizing his work. There is plenty of action, though nothing is gritty, and the book brims with poignant moments. I doubt it is possible to finish this book without renewed appreciation for the sacrifices our men make out of love for each other and our country. If you've ever wondered how service men keep their lives, faith and humanity--read this book.
... Read more