Holy War, Inc.: Inside the Secret World of Osama bin Laden

A slew of books came out in the wake of 9/11. Some were eerily written before the WTC bombing. Others came out super-quick to capitalize on it. And others were long in the works. Some were seemingly cut-and-paste jobs -- and others were incredibly dry and boring, more suitable for those doing PhD research than for general readers seeking answers and easy-to-understand background. But rest assured: Holy War, Inc. is THE book to understand Osama bin Laden and the terror war -- and it's a pleasure to read. It has the solid information. And it is written in a highly compelling style, so much so that you'll hate to put it down. The bulk of the work on it was completed in August 2001 so it wasn't written quickly to cash in on the tragedy. It represents four years of solid investigative reporting, written by a journalist who truly KNOWS how to write...so you want to turn the page and read some more. I firmly believe the stylistic pluses of this book can't be ignored for anyone who wants to find out more about Osama bin Laden and the new post-Sept. 11 world in which we all live. I personally have read --and suffered -- through some of the leading books on this subject. Although I'm a former journalist and no dummy (well, technically: I am now a fulltime ventriloquist)I had to drink lots of coffee to plow through some of these other books. And when I put some of these books down I wanted to LEAVE THEM THERE. Bergen, CNN's terrorism expert, clearly has done his homework -- and presented it exceedingly well. This book clearly works highly successfully on SEVERAL LEVELS:a)A vividly described account of how he interviewed key figures in the Jihadist terrorism network, including bin Laden himself. He describes traveling on the land, how key players look, and their attitudes. When you read these accounts, intricate word pictures are painted in your mind. It's as if you are THERE. His description of Peshawar, Pakistan: "Seeking some relief from the noise and pollution, I paid a visit to the leafy graveyard where dozens of British officers and soldiers were buried." On his meeting with bin Laden:"He is a tall man, well over six feet, his face dominated by an aquiline nose....he walked with a cane and seemed tired, less like a swaggering revolutionary than a Muslim ascetic...Those around him treated him with the utmost deference..."b)Boilerplate material. The facts, figures and histories of some of these folks, their groups, their funding, and the countries (one less, as of this writing...) in which they overtly and covertly operate. All presented in an easy-to-read, journalistic style.c)New investigative info: How bin Laden lives, travels and communicates with cells. Since 9/11 some of this material has been borrowed by other media as part of research -- but it has never been better presented than in this book.d)A context in which readers can get some idea of what comes next. Indeed, the book came out right after 9/11 and in in the book's afterward Bergen states "we can be certain that al-Quaeda is planning another attack on an American target in a place no one expects." But American citizens -- and policy makers -- should be able to anticipate things (as well as they can anticipate things) a lot better by reading Bergen's masterful, can't-put-it-down Holy War, Inc. A MUST read if you want to know what's really going on and how a lot of it started.

If, like me, after 9/11 you felt a pressing need to "know thine enemy," this is the perfect book to purchase. You may have already seen Bergen on MSNBC--they repeat often a special on bin Laden with him interviewed frequently, a lot of which is lifted verbatim from the book.Clearly written by a guy who's been reporting on all parties involved long before 9/11, this book really gives you the big picture on bin Laden, Al Qaeda and the roots of both throughout recent years. You'll get the info surrounding the original WTC bombing, the African Embassy bombings, the Cole bombing, the failed Millenium bombings here and a few other more recent militant Islamist capers.It definitely spells out why bin Laden reviles the U.S. so much, but does not necessarily answer how he could come to believe the things he does with such murderous verocity--although what could?If you want a quick primer on Al Qaeda, bin Laden or his even scarier #2, this book is a quick, easy read.Note: I have "The New Jackals" ordered but have not read it yet; allegedly it's a great read as well.

It's cool to read the part about Peter Bergen's experience in Afghanistan. And this book was written awhile ago; closer to 9/11 than we are now so the perspective then vs now and what we've learned in the meantime makes this book a relevant read and an interesting one. Bergen's resume speaks for itself.

Bergen's first book on Osama bin Laden and the Al-Qaeda network, this is still an excellent and dependable resource for learning about one of the world's most infamous men. Bergen is a reliable source, and one of the few men in the world to have personally met Bin Laden in very dangerous circumstances. Those wishing to know who Bin Laden is and what he wants would be well-advised to read this accurate, clearly written volume.

This is a very well researched and presented time line of the origins, theories, and the 'start' of Middle East terrorism. In order to understand the world today, it's a great book to read. A page turner.

Good read, insights into the strange world of Islam, a seventh century religion finding itself in the 21st century.The Islamists love our 21st century technology, but still want to destroy us, the "infidels".

Have not gotten this yet, how can I say anything about it, i am sorry, but what can i say?

Definitely a must read for anyone who's at least slightly interested in international relations

Le point sur Ben Laden, par un journaliste de CNN, publié au lendemain des attentats du 11 Septembre. Plutôt politiquement correct avec quelques aperçus critiques.

Good.

good book