Messages to the World: The Statements of Osama bin Laden

Required reading for anyone trying to make sense of what's going on in the Middle East and the Muslim world more generally. And maybe more importantly, it exposes some of the myths that have been built around the man as lies, and portrays him as a pious and warm-hearted man who has felt moved by his God into taking action for his people. He is not so unlike Gandhi or Martin Luther King, Jr., except in terms of the strategic approach he has chosen to obtain such a liberation.

The good thing about this book, besides the text of Osama's words and messages, is that it is very well annotated. Anytime Osama uses references to the Qu'ran or other Islamic works, it is identified in the footnotes. Also, other people, events, and so on are identified in order to provide context. At times, looking at some of the footnotes can be interesting. However, this is not exactly a page turner, part of the reason I gave it only two-stars. It is a bit slow reading. Yet, Osama emerges as a very talented and thoughtful orator for one as well as knowledgeable of his religion and beliefs. Thus, I think it is an important book. Certainly, researchers will find it of interest. College students who may be writing papers on topics show more related to terrorism and the Middle East may want to look at it as well. Overall, anyone wanting to get a better sense of the man and his movement should be reading this book. show less