The Looming Tower

By Lawrence Wright. 421 Pages. "The Looming Tower" is a gripping narrative that spans five decades. It explains in detail the growth of Islamic fundamentalism, the rise of al-Qaeda, and the intelligence failures that culminated in the attacks of the World Trade Center. Lawrence Wright recreates firsthand the transformation of Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri from incompetent and idealistic soldiers in Afghanistan to leaders of the most successful terrorist group in history. He follows FBI counter-terrorism chief John O'Neill as he uncovers the emerging danger from al-Qaeda in the 1990s and struggles to track this new threat. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum are possible only through your support.