Blood and Rage: A Cultural History of Terrorism - Hardcover

Burleigh, Michael

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0007241275 ISBN 13: 9780007241279

Publisher: HarperPress, 2008

Synopsis

A far-reaching history of terrorism across the world from its beginnings to the modern-day, from the highly acclaimed author of ‘Sacred Causes’ and ‘Earthly Powers’.

Basing his study on a wide range of sources and key players from the world of terrorism, Burleigh explains and defines the meaning of terrorism and marks its progression from its hard to trace beginnings to the modern-day.

He begins with the first modern terrorist groups: the Irish Republican Brotherhood – the precursors of the IRA – who played a key role in the formation of an Irish Republican ideology. He goes on to look at Tsarist Russia where the 'intelligentsia' launched attacks on organs of state, left-wing fighting against 'Fascism' and 'Nazism' in the 70's and 80's in western Germany and Italy, and Britain and Spain's long and drawn out battles with their own terrorist groups the IRA and ETA respectively. He ends with the first globally inclusive account of Islamist terrorism since 1980s till the present.

Primarily, Burleigh aims to elucidate the mind-set of people who use political violence and explore the background and the milieu of the people involved. He will be interviewing several senior military and police figures who were responsible for security in Northern Ireland, as well as former soldiers who took part in operations such as 'Bloody Sunday'. He will examine the Middle East which, since 1970's, has been the world's epicentre for terrorism and the mythologies and delusions of Islamist radicals.

Finally, he makes clear that the west has considerable resources to comprehend and combat terrorism – despite consistently failing to do so – and highlights the shamefully inadequate nature of US public diplomacy. The book also includes a number of practical suggestions as to how terrorism can be combated both ideologically and militarily.

'Blood and Rage' is an unrivalled study that sheds an insightful new light, and a refreshingly complex angle, on a plight that threatens to affect the world at large for many years to come and establishes Michael Burleigh as one of the most original, learned and important historians of our time.

About this title

Review:

'Magisterial...broad in scope, powerful in its argument and brimming with healthy rage. (Burleigh's section on Islamist terrorism) sees him at his polemical best, exposing the multiple hypocrisies - and lazy thinking - of the Islamist terrorist with a sharpened pen...A riveting book.' Evening Standard

‘This timely and important books' relevance is embracing. [Burleigh] is a clear–eyed historian...he sets his targets in context...and then pulverises them with an orderly and ceaseless barrage of facts. “Blood & Rage” is in all sorts of ways an outstanding book.’ Daily Telegraph

‘A magisterial tome, broad in scope, powerful in argument and brimming with healthy rage...[a] riveting book.’ Spectator

'The clearest, sanest and most knowledgeable voice is increasingly that of the historian Michael Burleigh. No one writes so well or so reliably, and this powerful book will give another boost to his reputation.' Daily Mail

'Written in Burleigh's usual cogent and trenchant style, the book can be highly recommended.' Sunday Telegraph

‘Burleigh's evident ability to assimilate and communicate incisively...a highly intelligent and comprehensive survey of recent terrorism.’ The Observer

‘In this volume, the handiwork of terrorists over the course of a century and a half is described with remorseless, stomach-turning attention to detail...Burleigh's greatest virtue as a chronicler of violence is that he always lets the facts speak for themselves.’ Mail on Sunday

‘Rich, dense and polemical...a deft and judicious guide. The anger that informs the book is seldom allowed to cloud the author's judgement.’ The Spectator

‘Caustic and forthright...Burleigh offers a witty, robust and self–confident guide to a subject that regrettably now affects all our lives to some degree.’ Daily Express

‘Makes rollicking good reading...Burleigh is good at analysing the response to terrorism.' Sunday Times

From the Back Cover:

Blood and Rage is a sweeping and deeply penetrating work of history that explores the nature of terrorism from its origins in the West to today's global threat fueled by fundamentalists. Distinguished historian Michael Burleigh ("There are few better writers at work today" —The Sunday Times) emphasizes the lethal resentments and the twisted morality that spawn terrorism rather than the ideological or religious justification that routinely accompanies it. He reveals who the terrorist groups are, how they organize and operate, what motivates their violence, and how wider support encourages them.

Burleigh takes us from the roots of terrorism in the Irish Republican Brotherhood, the Russian Nihilists, and the London-based anarchists of Black International to the various terrorist campaigns that exist today. He also explores the lives of people engaged in careers of political violence and those who are most affected by terrorism.

Burleigh argues persuasively that history enables us to see how terrorism can be effectively contained and countered by avoiding the major mistakes of the past and by exploiting weaknesses within terrorist organizations. The problems in today's world, as well—especially the chaos inflicted by terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan—reflect the tragic, disastrous, and far-reaching consequences of this long war.

Authoritative, illuminating, and masterfully written, Blood and Rage sheds an unflinching light on the global threat that we are likely to face for decades to come.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperPress
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0007241275
• ISBN 13: 9780007241279
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 545