- Hardcover: 158 pages
- Publisher: OUP Oxford (8 Sep 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0199287171
- ISBN-13: 978-0199287178
- Product Dimensions: 19 x 13.7 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 549,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Review
A quirky, provocative look at the metaphysics of political violence over the centuries. (Financial Times Politics Books of the Year, 2005 )
There have been plenty of rather hastily written books about terrorism in the wake of the appalling events of recent months, but for me the best was beyond question Terry Eagleton's little gem 'Holy Terror'... it offers one of the best guides I know to what matters most in Christianity. (Rowan Williams, Books of the Year, TLS )
Its central argument is right and, more to the point, welcome. (Bryan Appleyard, Sunday Times )
The literature on terrorism grows by the shelf-load, but Eagleton's is a genuinely fresh take. This is a politics book in the widest sense, and it is all the better for it. (Aditya Chakrabortty, New Statesman )
A sprightly set of essays. (Steven Poole, The Guardian )
Terry Eagleton's intriguing study is admirably free from short-sightedness. A rich and finely wrought essay, which fully displays the bleakness of the human condition, yet offers, in the end, an elusive ray of hope. (John Cottingham, The Tablet )
This is Eagleton at his most interesting. Provocative, startling, and always relevant to politics. (Bill McSweeney, Irish Times )
With luck, though, Holy Terror is the opening in what could become a useful debate. (Michael Moorcock, Daily Telegraph )
There have been plenty of rather hastily written books about terrorism in the wake of the appalling events of recent months, but for me the best was beyond question Terry Eagleton's little gem 'Holy Terror'... it offers one of the best guides I know to what matters most in Christianity. (Rowan Williams, Books of the Year, TLS )
Its central argument is right and, more to the point, welcome. (Bryan Appleyard, Sunday Times )
The literature on terrorism grows by the shelf-load, but Eagleton's is a genuinely fresh take. This is a politics book in the widest sense, and it is all the better for it. (Aditya Chakrabortty, New Statesman )
A sprightly set of essays. (Steven Poole, The Guardian )
Terry Eagleton's intriguing study is admirably free from short-sightedness. A rich and finely wrought essay, which fully displays the bleakness of the human condition, yet offers, in the end, an elusive ray of hope. (John Cottingham, The Tablet )
This is Eagleton at his most interesting. Provocative, startling, and always relevant to politics. (Bill McSweeney, Irish Times )
With luck, though, Holy Terror is the opening in what could become a useful debate. (Michael Moorcock, Daily Telegraph )
Bill McSweeney, Irish Times
"This is Eagleton at his most interesting. Provocative, startling, and always relevant to politics."
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Witty, erudite, short, persuasive and political in the best sense. Excellent at bringing out the concepts of Thanatos in Freud, jouissance in Lacan and evil in Christian (and other) moral thought, without once descending into navel-gazing, obscuratism or over-complication. Impressive also in making some political links and distinctions between socialism and barbarism, US power and terrorisms, and the balance between the strategic and the surplus in terroristic violence of all stripes.
If there is a weakness, it is that these matters are addressed too heavily towards the current moment and so not considered sufficiently in terms of other recurrent examples like war rape, aerial bombardment, certain liberal ethics of just war, famine and the like. But none of that should stop you from seeking out and devouring this little gem.
If there is a weakness, it is that these matters are addressed too heavily towards the current moment and so not considered sufficiently in terms of other recurrent examples like war rape, aerial bombardment, certain liberal ethics of just war, famine and the like. But none of that should stop you from seeking out and devouring this little gem.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
15 of 20 people found the following review helpful
An Excellent Work About the History of Terrorism
21 Oct 2005
Format:Hardcover
Terry Eagleton has written an excellent, albeit dense, history of terrorism. Eagleton's argument is that terrorism is actually a modern method that has its roots in the French Revolution.
Eagleton's work is both well reasoned and researched. If you want a good, solid general survey about terrorism history, then this is the book for you.
Eagleton's work is both well reasoned and researched. If you want a good, solid general survey about terrorism history, then this is the book for you.
13 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Seven out of ten....
15 Nov 2005
Format:Hardcover
This is very much a philosophical reflection on the idea of terror, as it is on concepts such as life, death, love, desire, good and evil. Eagleton asks us to think critically about what these words imply, instead of accepting interpretations which we may have inherited.
It is extremely theorectical, very much academic and written in a style can feel like the author is deliberately trying to exclude readers. It is full of specific literary references - most of the time it doesn't make a huge difference if you don't know the work in question,but other times it does. Eagleton slows down for nobody, nor is he one to offer explanations for certain things where they might be needed.
This book is not about international relations, foreign policy or the differences between civilizations. It is a reflection, and as such it works very well indeed. Overall a commendable piece of work.
It is extremely theorectical, very much academic and written in a style can feel like the author is deliberately trying to exclude readers. It is full of specific literary references - most of the time it doesn't make a huge difference if you don't know the work in question,but other times it does. Eagleton slows down for nobody, nor is he one to offer explanations for certain things where they might be needed.
This book is not about international relations, foreign policy or the differences between civilizations. It is a reflection, and as such it works very well indeed. Overall a commendable piece of work.
5 of 30 people found the following review helpful
The sin of moral equivalence
25 April 2006
Format:Hardcover
As early as the first page of this work Eagelton shows his political colors. He accuses the Pentagon and the United States of being guilty of terror in the same way as those Islamic groups which deliberately target civilians are. This is an irresponsible and mistaken claim.
In fact Eagelton's method of mixing literary references with matter- of - fact happenings give a sense that he has no real experience , no true understanding of the subject. The gruesome cruel deliberate targeting of civilians for political purposes is not much illuminated by abstruse and complicated jargon- making.
Terror's is not holy. It is Evil.
In fact Eagelton's method of mixing literary references with matter- of - fact happenings give a sense that he has no real experience , no true understanding of the subject. The gruesome cruel deliberate targeting of civilians for political purposes is not much illuminated by abstruse and complicated jargon- making.
Terror's is not holy. It is Evil.
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