Defining Documents in American History: The Legacy of 9/11 Review
“No one doubts the importance of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, to world history. Obviously, thousands of books have been written about it. This one, edited by Shally-Jensen (independent editor), pulls together 44 documents relating the event in the broad context of the larger historical sweep of 100 years. It also clarifies that the attack wasn’t an isolated event but one that needs to be seen as part of a larger sociopolitical complex. Documents that cover the oil industry in the early 20th century, the nationalization of the Suez Canal, and the earlier bombing of the World Trade Center provide historical background. Of course, the events close to 9/11 are covered, including the destruction of the Buddhist statues at Bamiyan. But the emphasis is on 9/11 itself and what followed. George W. Bush’s address to the nation and Barack Obama's announcement of Osama Bin Laden's killing are here, of course. Shally-Jensen supplies contextualizing information for all the documents as well as biographies of the creators. The best audience for this book is lower-division undergraduates, who can use it as a source for making connections among the various events surrounding the terrorist attacks. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty.”
-Choice, 2019
“Particularly interesting are the documents relating to the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, a topic that has recently been in the news. Each document analysis contains a glossary, and the book is enhanced overall by the use of black-and-white photographs and maps. Appendixes include a “Time Line of 9/11,” which starts in 1970 and runs through 2001; a list of web resources, a bibliography, and an index. This document collection is recommended for school and public libraries. Those who own a copy of Defining Documents in World History: The Middle East, however, will want to look carefully at the table of contents as some of the same documents appear in both titles.”
-ARBA, 2019