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Tremble the Devil: "the story of terrorism as Jesus Christ, James Bond, and Osama bin Ladin would tell it."
From the start terrorism has been framed as the work of the Devil himself, but this is a dangerous terrorism is nothing more than the continuation of ancient wars by modern means.
We see it everyday in the stretching out across deafened Arab streets, uncurling in the clouds above shattered refugee camps, and clawing hungrily at the social fabric of America. As our societies and the technologies they depend on have evolved, so too have the methods of the terrorist.
Understanding today's terrorism requires three levels of how the history and religion of the Middle East shaped and in many ways predicated the first modern acts of terrorism, the still-evolving relationship between terrorism and asymmetric warfare, and how globalization's technological and cultural implications will determine the shape and character of the miasma of terror that now threatens to darken the face of the entire civilized world.
"Tremble the Devil" uses engaging allusions to everyone and everything from Jesus Christ to Beer Pong and from Malcolm X to Friday the Thirteenth, hooks taken from the words of artists ranging from the Rolling Stones and Jay-Z to William Blake and Tupac Shakur at the start of each chapter, and the social insights of "The Tipping Point" along with the compelling colloquial style of "Freakonomics." All of this is woven together to form an intriguing and salient book that reads like a novel.
We see it everyday in the stretching out across deafened Arab streets, uncurling in the clouds above shattered refugee camps, and clawing hungrily at the social fabric of America. As our societies and the technologies they depend on have evolved, so too have the methods of the terrorist.
Understanding today's terrorism requires three levels of how the history and religion of the Middle East shaped and in many ways predicated the first modern acts of terrorism, the still-evolving relationship between terrorism and asymmetric warfare, and how globalization's technological and cultural implications will determine the shape and character of the miasma of terror that now threatens to darken the face of the entire civilized world.
"Tremble the Devil" uses engaging allusions to everyone and everything from Jesus Christ to Beer Pong and from Malcolm X to Friday the Thirteenth, hooks taken from the words of artists ranging from the Rolling Stones and Jay-Z to William Blake and Tupac Shakur at the start of each chapter, and the social insights of "The Tipping Point" along with the compelling colloquial style of "Freakonomics." All of this is woven together to form an intriguing and salient book that reads like a novel.
396 pages, Kindle Edition
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About the author
Kyle Williams
13 books11 followersFear is the lifeblood of terrorism, and we all fear the unknown. So there’s no better counter to terrorism than simply spreading understanding. That's why "Tremble the Devil" is posted free online, so that before buying the book you can read as much of it as you'd like at: www.TrembleTheDevil.com
For the first time, an entire book on the history, origins, and future of terrorism is available for free online in an easy-to-navigate format. Tremble the Devil was written by a Harvard-educated counterterrorism analyst, it’s an accessible, fast-paced distillation of everything you need to know about the world’s most dangerous phenomenon. It combines compelling narratives with approachable academic explanations into an intriguing and salient book that reads like a novel – it’s The Looming Tower meets Freakonomics.
If you’d like to read it away from your computer, you can also get a copy to read in print or on your e-reader.
Spreading understanding is so important because people only freak out when they don’t understand what’s going on, the true nature of the threat. And so terrorism only works when we don’t realize that terrorists as individuals are – often as not – pretty freaking dim. That’s why the book is posted up online for free: in the hope that when the next attacks hit they’ll be a little less effective, because after reading the book you’ll understand terrorism a little bit better and freak out a little bit less.
For the first time, an entire book on the history, origins, and future of terrorism is available for free online in an easy-to-navigate format. Tremble the Devil was written by a Harvard-educated counterterrorism analyst, it’s an accessible, fast-paced distillation of everything you need to know about the world’s most dangerous phenomenon. It combines compelling narratives with approachable academic explanations into an intriguing and salient book that reads like a novel – it’s The Looming Tower meets Freakonomics.
If you’d like to read it away from your computer, you can also get a copy to read in print or on your e-reader.
Spreading understanding is so important because people only freak out when they don’t understand what’s going on, the true nature of the threat. And so terrorism only works when we don’t realize that terrorists as individuals are – often as not – pretty freaking dim. That’s why the book is posted up online for free: in the hope that when the next attacks hit they’ll be a little less effective, because after reading the book you’ll understand terrorism a little bit better and freak out a little bit less.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 12, 2011
There has been much in the news lately on terrorism with the demise of OBL, so this is the prefect time to finish and review this book. Tremble the Devil is a non-political and very detailed look at the history and advancement of terrorism. No right or left, just facts and history.
There is so much in this book that it is difficult to even give a synopsis of Tremble the Devil. The author details history, the types of terrorism, and the main characters involved. It is stunning to realize how much terrorism has accomplished, many times by people who shouldn’t have been capable. Imagine the intense training of a truck bomber only to find out at the last minute that he didn’t know how to drive a stick-shift vehicle.
Normally I wouldn’t bother with a book written by an anonymous author, but I am glad I did and confess that this book took me totally by surprise. The author is a retired Department of Defense Analyst and his knowledge of terrorism, foreign affairs and the historical background details makes this a must-read. While some of his conclusions concerning domestic social issues seemed out of place to me, there is no question that when it comes to terrorism, Tremble the Devil is the textbook. I highly recommend this book for those who want to know more about terrorism, the origin of radical Islam and its fingerprint in the world today.
There is so much in this book that it is difficult to even give a synopsis of Tremble the Devil. The author details history, the types of terrorism, and the main characters involved. It is stunning to realize how much terrorism has accomplished, many times by people who shouldn’t have been capable. Imagine the intense training of a truck bomber only to find out at the last minute that he didn’t know how to drive a stick-shift vehicle.
Normally I wouldn’t bother with a book written by an anonymous author, but I am glad I did and confess that this book took me totally by surprise. The author is a retired Department of Defense Analyst and his knowledge of terrorism, foreign affairs and the historical background details makes this a must-read. While some of his conclusions concerning domestic social issues seemed out of place to me, there is no question that when it comes to terrorism, Tremble the Devil is the textbook. I highly recommend this book for those who want to know more about terrorism, the origin of radical Islam and its fingerprint in the world today.
December 1, 2011
"Tremble the Devil" is not just another book on terrorism. Written by a former Department of Defense counter-terrorism analyst, "Tremble the Devil" is the most accessible book on terrorism ever written. "Tremble" is an illuminating perspective on the complicated subjects of terrorism and the drug trade from a DoD insider, without the political agenda put forth by most news outlets.
"Tremble the Devil" will change your perspective on terrorism. No other author has so intricately written about terrorism in such detail as it pertains to the average American. Most off all, however, it is an entertaining read. You will come away with both historical and on the ground context to this complex subject, with quite a few relevant pop-culture references thrown in.
As a society, we fear what we do not know. We fear change and not being in control. Read "Tremble the Devil" to understand what the terrorists are fighting for. "Fear is the lifeblood of terrorism, and we all fear the unknown. So there's no better counter to terrorism than simply spreading understanding."
The book is excellent. Those new to the topic will learn a great deal, and a already knowledgeable reader will still come away with many new ideas. "Tremble the Devil" is highly recommended.
"Tremble the Devil" will change your perspective on terrorism. No other author has so intricately written about terrorism in such detail as it pertains to the average American. Most off all, however, it is an entertaining read. You will come away with both historical and on the ground context to this complex subject, with quite a few relevant pop-culture references thrown in.
As a society, we fear what we do not know. We fear change and not being in control. Read "Tremble the Devil" to understand what the terrorists are fighting for. "Fear is the lifeblood of terrorism, and we all fear the unknown. So there's no better counter to terrorism than simply spreading understanding."
The book is excellent. Those new to the topic will learn a great deal, and a already knowledgeable reader will still come away with many new ideas. "Tremble the Devil" is highly recommended.
December 1, 2011
"Tremble the Devil" is not just another book on terrorism. Written by a former Department of Defense counter-terrorism analyst, "Tremble the Devil" is the most accessible book on terrorism ever written. "Tremble" is an illuminating perspective on the complicated subjects of terrorism and the drug trade from a DoD insider, without the political agenda put forth by most news outlets.
"Tremble the Devil" will change your perspective on terrorism. No other author has so intricately written about terrorism in such detail as it pertains to the average American. Most off all, however, it is an entertaining read. You will come away with both historical and on the ground context to this complex subject, with quite a few relevant pop-culture references thrown in.
As a society, we fear what we do not know. We fear change and not being in control. Read "Tremble the Devil" to understand what the terrorists are fighting for. "Fear is the lifeblood of terrorism, and we all fear the unknown. So there's no better counter to terrorism than simply spreading understanding."
The book is excellent. Those new to the topic will learn a great deal, and a already knowledgeable reader will still come away with many new ideas. "Tremble the Devil" is highly recommended.
"Tremble the Devil" will change your perspective on terrorism. No other author has so intricately written about terrorism in such detail as it pertains to the average American. Most off all, however, it is an entertaining read. You will come away with both historical and on the ground context to this complex subject, with quite a few relevant pop-culture references thrown in.
As a society, we fear what we do not know. We fear change and not being in control. Read "Tremble the Devil" to understand what the terrorists are fighting for. "Fear is the lifeblood of terrorism, and we all fear the unknown. So there's no better counter to terrorism than simply spreading understanding."
The book is excellent. Those new to the topic will learn a great deal, and a already knowledgeable reader will still come away with many new ideas. "Tremble the Devil" is highly recommended.
August 21, 2011
I bought this b/c some Redditor did an IAMA/AMA about writing this. I liked his story, and told him I would buy it. I did, and I have been enjoying it. It's interesting, mostly well written (an editor would help, but over all it's on point.) This guy quit his job, put himself $90K in the hole to write this book on terrorism and the drug war, and feels that this is the only thing he has done with his Harvard education. If this is all he does with it, it was well earned. The most important message we all need to grasp to understand modern terrorism/ Islamic terrorism. Do him, and yourself a favor and buy this book.
May 31, 2012
did you ever want to know what really motivated the 9/11 hijackers, osama, 7/7 bombers, and other legendary "terrorists" to do what they did and how they did it? then this is probably the book for you. stripped of almost all political propaganda ("they hate us because of our freedoms!"), this book is full of raw truth. still reading....
August 2, 2014
Tosh.
my review will be a sum of parts.
firstly my disappointment that the book didn't deliver on any of its signalled levels. it's not a history of terrorism. it's about those bits of the history of terrorism that fit with the author's aim of citing Modern Radical Islam as the likely cause of most of future events.
I'm not anti semetic, anti islam or any other anti religious sect. I read this with the latest horrific scenes in Gazza gracing my TV screen. I struggled to the end because I wanted to try to understand a little.
my most often feeling whilst reading wasn't anger at the over simplified message but frustration at how the text jumps around so much. It's not clever interweaving of different tales that results, it's an epilepsy inducing hotchpotch. my poor kindle reset itself it was so confused.
lastly, if the final message the author intends to send is that the Devil hides amongst the disaffected, radicalised, Islam-converted black prison population of America, I refuse to accept it.
can I say anything good about this book? Yes. I want to know more about Islam.
I won't learn Arabic so I can read the Quran. I'll ask someone I know, work with and trust to explain it to me.
am I missing the author's point by doing this? Probably.
my review will be a sum of parts.
firstly my disappointment that the book didn't deliver on any of its signalled levels. it's not a history of terrorism. it's about those bits of the history of terrorism that fit with the author's aim of citing Modern Radical Islam as the likely cause of most of future events.
I'm not anti semetic, anti islam or any other anti religious sect. I read this with the latest horrific scenes in Gazza gracing my TV screen. I struggled to the end because I wanted to try to understand a little.
my most often feeling whilst reading wasn't anger at the over simplified message but frustration at how the text jumps around so much. It's not clever interweaving of different tales that results, it's an epilepsy inducing hotchpotch. my poor kindle reset itself it was so confused.
lastly, if the final message the author intends to send is that the Devil hides amongst the disaffected, radicalised, Islam-converted black prison population of America, I refuse to accept it.
can I say anything good about this book? Yes. I want to know more about Islam.
I won't learn Arabic so I can read the Quran. I'll ask someone I know, work with and trust to explain it to me.
am I missing the author's point by doing this? Probably.
December 23, 2014
A well written book about the history and types of terrorism, why it comes about and mindsets of the people involved. It's almost inevitable that any society in power will find itself the target of terrorism since there will always be some group that finds itself disaffected and pushed to the brink. The differing views of terrorist attacks, those in the west and those of the disaffected groups, is what struck me the most. That and the potential for homegrown terrorists building in our prisons. The history about Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King was interesting. I had never paid much attention to their personal stories, just what was presented in the paper or on TV each February, so it was kind of surprising.
The eBook was formatted OK with a few spelling/grammar mistakes, but still very readable.
The eBook was formatted OK with a few spelling/grammar mistakes, but still very readable.
September 10, 2012
Good book about terrorism combined with some thought-provoking views on the Civil Rights movement and the War on Drugs.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews