World Terrorism

Gr 10 Up—Considering the complexity of the subject, Ciment has done an adequate job of describing and documenting many of the numerous types and acts of terrorism from 600 BCE to 2011. The double-column text is arranged in six parts that cover definitions, types and categories; historical roots—terrorism from ancient Greece and Rome through World War II; modern terrorism—post-World War II; 9/11 attacks and aftermath, a section that has been revised since the 2003 work; tactics, methods, and aims of modern terrorism; and counterterrorism. The historical entries, arranged in chronological order, vary from almost two pages to four pages in length. Each entry contains numerous subheadings, a "Key Dates" box, several items in "see also" listings, and a lengthy further-reading list. Most of the articles are accompanied by either a black-and-white photo or a map, both of which have informative captions. The appendixes contain a chronology of major terrorist events, 1945–2011 and a directory describing terrorist groups and individuals. Keep in mind that this is an overview and not a definitive work. This set will be beneficial to libraries not owning the earlier edition, and to those that need extra information on the 9/11 attacks and the responses to them, including the pursuit and death of Osama bin Laden.—Eldon Younce, Anthony Public Library, KS