Exposing Torture

January 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-Covering everything from spike chairs to waterboarding, Marcovitz presents a thematic overview of various methods of torture, the international response to it, and its impact on victims and society. Throughout, Marcovitz intersperses concise profiles of perpetrators and victims from nearly every continent and time-period, enabling readers to connect with the subject. The highly publicized examples of torture, such as Abu Ghraib, are contextualized for readers. The inclusion of fraternity and sorority hazing, while brief, is timely and thought-provoking. Drawings and photographs extend the narrative, and many are not as graphic as the frank descriptions in the text. Though the writing is repetitive and disjointed in spots, Marcovitz succeeds in bringing focus to the larger issue of torture and the plight of individual victims around the world. Students doing research will find depth in this book and its extensive back matter.-Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY

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December 15, 2014
This overview delves into the history of torture, from the flayings, burnings and other brutal methods used in ancient societies to the psychological and sexual torture of the 21st century, and tackles complex ethical and moral questions. Torture is universally condemned in international law, yet its efficacy as a method of intelligence gathering and controlling human behavior continues to be debated. Marcovitz chronicles how torture has been used since ancient times: in witch hunts and the Inquisition, the suppression of political dissent by autocratic regimes, as punishment for an array of crimes. In the 18th century, the Enlightenment brought the push for human rights and arguments that torture was unacceptable under any circumstances. Despite attempts to prohibit torture through international compacts like the Geneva Convention and the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, the practice of torture persists to the present day. Marcovitz devotes a good deal of discussion to its widespread use by the United States, citing examples like Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay and the policy of extraordinary rendition. Both sides of the debate on the efficacy and necessity of torture are presented and left to readers to decide if torture is ever acceptable. Though none of the issues presented is explored in any great depth, this overview provides readers with a useful starting place for further exploration. (glossary, timeline, source notes, bibliography, websites, index) (Nonfiction. 14-18)

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March 1, 2015
Grades 8-12 The use of torture has been a concern in current history, albeit one that usually focuses on Americans as victims. But recently the debate on torture sometimes aims at Americans as practitioners. This slender volume is packed with information about torture, presented in clear, cogent, and well-organized chapters. Marcovitz describes the history of torture from ancient times to the present, the regimes that use it, and the impact it has on its victims. He does not shirk from discussing American culpability in its use and presents the diverging opinions on the efficacy and morality of enhanced interrogation techniques. Marcovitz's language is accessible, and the layout is attractive with plenty of photographs and sidebars to support and enhance the material. Furthermore, Marcovitz avoids sensationalizing the topic, treating both it and his readers seriously; methods and particulars are described with restraint. A good index, an extensive glossary, source notes, a bibliography, a time line, and print, web, and film sources for further information round out the text. This is a good pick for schools or those interested in current events.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)