The 9/11 encyclopedia by Stephen E. AtkinsCall Number: Cannon Library, Reference section, First Floor HV6432.7 .A85 2008
ISBN: 0275994317
Publication Date: Westport, CT : Praeger Security International, 2008.
Summary
Atkins (Associate University Librarian for Collection Management, Texas A&M U.) present a two-volume encyclopedia on the September 11th attacks of 2001. In depth coverage is provided for the participants in the September 11th plot, the sequence of events on the day itself, the reasons American intelligence and law enforcement failed to prevent the attacks, and the various conspiracy theories that have emerged in subsequent years. The first volume contains 158 A-to-Z entries ranging from 300 to 3000 words each. In order to give a sense of their scope, perhaps one can cite the headings in the "guide to related topics," which include airline flights, airport security, American intelligence efforts, American political leadership, centers of terrorist planning, counterterrorism, critics of US policy before 9/11, economic aftermath, families of 9/11, FBI agents, fighting terrorism, firefighters, government agencies, ground zero, jihad supporters, Joint Committee on Intelligence, movies and documentaries, New York City officials and agencies, 9/11 Commission, 9/11 conspiracy theories, 9/11 hijackers, 9/11 hijacking supporters, Al-Qaeda leadership, Al-Qaeda operatives, Pentagon, reconstruction efforts, structural reports, support efforts after 9/11, terrorist acts and plans, victims of 9/11, World Trade Center bombing of 1993, and World Trade Center complex. The second volume contains a detailed chronology, 42 primary source documents, and an annotated bibliography. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Table of Contents
Volume 1
oreword
reface
lphabetical List of Entries
ist of Primary Documents
uide to Related Topics
ntroduction
ncyclopedia entries
olume 2
hronology of Events Surrounding 9/11
rimary Documents
nnotated
Bibliography
ndex
Reviews
Library Journal
It is clear from this two-volume set's organization, arrangement, and authority that it was written by a library and information professional. Indeed, Atkins is associate university librarian for collection management at Texas A&M University. Advancing his previous works on terrorism, extremists, and world politics-e.g., Encyclopedia of Modern American Extremists and Extremist Groups (Oryx, 2002) and Historical Encyclopedia of Atomic Energy (Greenwood, 2000), which won a Booklist Editors' Choice Award-Atkins now attempts to impose "some order to an otherwise undifferentiated mass of conflicting information." Readers will find an alphabetical list of 158 entries of people and events leading up to, taking place on, and occurring in the time after 9/11 and synthesized to elicit key information about each entry. Together with the list of 42 primary documents, chronology, annotated bibliography, index, and guide to related topics, this volume brings context and frames the wealth of expert knowledge incorporated into the body of this work. Each entry contains descriptive sidebars with strategic notes and images before ending with See also and See document references, as well as "Suggested Readings." The primary documents, e.g., Document 1, "Letter Justifying the Bombing of the World Trade Center" (February 1993), and Document 13, "Mohamed Atta's Letter of Advice for Hijackers" (September 2001), gather components crucial to the study, research, and connections of 9/11. Volume 1 contains the preface and encyclopedia, and Volume 2 contains the chronology, primary documents, annotated bibliography, and index. BOTTOM LINE Atkins has made some sense out of one of the most tragic days in American history. Comprehensive enough for graduates and scholars yet clear and concise enough for undergraduates, this would make a welcome addition to any library. [Available electronically via Greenwood Digital Collection.]-Marianne E. Giltrud, Catholic Univ. of America Libs., Washington, DC (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.