Wilkinson's
second edition is not just an eloquently written
and challenging read it is also a comprehensive
resource on global terrorism with a tremendously
detailed further reading section and up-to-date
glossary of terrorist groups.
This
professionally compiled package should not be
surprising as the author is Chairman of the Advisory
Board of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism
and Political Violence at the University of St
Andrews.
A
radically different interpretation on global terrorism
is gained from another similarly compelling Routledge
title, Imperialism and Resistance, by John
Rees, a founding member of the Stop the War Coalition
in Britain.
This
work is crucial to fully capturing the seriousness
of democracies' reaction to the global terror
threat as it represents some of the most potent
anti-war arguments ever penned since 9/11.
The
overwhelming secret of the success of Rees' work
is that he avoids the pitfall of being intellectually
engulfed by his fervent anti-war ideology. His
writing style is fluid; his message clear and
concise, and his grammatical presentation makes
his arguments and themes easy to understand.
Overall,
the admirable quality of Rees is his slick ability
to bring his readers with him. One specific paragraph
emphasises this skill.
Outlining
what Rees portrays as the three titans of the
modern world, he writes: