The Infernal Machine

Reviews / Votes

Carr's central point is that politicians' responses go beyond all sensible assessment of risk and do half the terrorist's job for him. . . . I am with Carr in believing that the chief risk today is not of Muslim terrorists undermining western democracy but of the West doing so itself by absurdly overstating that risk. -- Simon Jenkins, Sunday Times Carr has a twofold mission. To establish the humanity and sanity of men and women whom governmental and media maledictions have routinely caricatured as evil monsters, and to expose the atrocities and injustices that are perpetrated under the guise of counter-terrorism. -- Michael Burleigh, Sunday Telegraph Matthew Carr has written a brilliant book. 'The Infernal Machine' brims with insight. Here, finally, we are able to see modern terrorism in its proper context. -- Professor Andrew J. Bacevich, author, 'The New American Militarism: How Americans are Seduced by War' Matthew Carr has assembled a rich narrative, enlivened by pen portraits, real and fictional. * Globe and Mail * Carr makes about as much sense of terrorism, in its historic and current permutations, as any author is likely to do. * The Boston Globe * The professional 'terrorologists' should tremble at the publication of this brilliant book which so deftly dismantles the bogus pretenses and false analogies with which they sanctify the global war on civil liberties and free speech. The Satanic face of Terror, as Carr demonstrates with vivid historical case-studies, is usually the State looking at itself in a mirror. -- Mike Davis, author of 'Buda's Wagon: A Brief History of the Car Bomb' Profound in its thinking and ramifications. * Sunday Herald * Probably the best monographic treatment of terrorism's historical arc. -- Aziz Huq, New York University This is an excellent, fascinating history that demystifies much of what we think we know about terrorism. -- Frank Furedi