Bin Laden

If ever there was a timely, necessary book, this is it. Dense with fact and analysis, BIN LADEN tells the story of America's nemesis in the style of a detective novel, as Bodansky uncovers clue after clue behind bin Laden's goals and ambitions. Narrator Nadia May (aka Wanda McCaddon) keeps the story moving through its forest of ideas using a straight reportorial tone along with effective pauses for meaning. It's also easy to follow her narration because her pacing and timing are excellent. May's voice has a rough, almost gravelly quality that imparts a distinctive gravity to the text. At the same time, though, she is lively and interesting to listen to. May is especially good pronouncing the difficult Arabic and Islamic names, making it easier for us to follow the cast of characters. R.I.G. 2003 Audie Award Finalist (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine

November 1, 2001
Director of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare, Bodansky had a lot to say about bin Laden in his 1999 publication. The information is even more relevant today.

November 15, 2002
This book's very complexity is a sober testiment to the confusion most Americans feel when trying to understand why militant Islamic terrorists hate us so much. How is it possible that nations that have sent their best students to our best universities in order to receive a quality education, that welcome our technology, and whose citizens enjoy the material objects we all desire (cars, TVs, computers, etc.) can breed people who think nothing of destroying buildings along with themselves? This is not a standard biography of bin Laden; there is very little known about him, and Bodansky focuses more on the man's actions than on the man himself. The mind-numbing details of organizations, splinters of those organizations, mullahs, sheiks, scholars, political groups, and shifting alliances will overwhelm the average listener. There is also no real explanation of how the terrorists use the Koran as the justification for their deeds. Most Americans are just incapable of entering the mind of bin Laden and getting even a glimmer of why his hatred is so virulent. Nadia May possesses excellent skills in pronouncing the often difficult Arab names, terms, and organizations. The price of the CD version of the book places it in the range of only the largest libraries; other institutions may want to consider the much less-expensive print or cassette editions.-Joseph L. Carlson, Lompoc P.L., CA