Longitudes And Attitudes: Exploring The World After September 11 By Thomas L. Friedman
Jul 8th, 2009 by Bargin Hunter
Longitudes And Attitudes: Exploring The World After September 11 By Thomas L. Friedman
From Publishers Weekly
History just took a right turn into a blind alley, comments the New York Times columnist in his latest book, and something very dear has just been taken away from us. Tackling this observation from many different angles, this lucid book, consisting of Friedmans exceptionally frank and convincing columns and an insightful post-September 11 diary, prods at the questions surrounding that day and offers an invaluable reporters perspective on the world from outside U.S. borders. The columns, which are the bulk of the book, represent a comprehensive album of the past two years ranging from the usefulness of building a missile shield to analyzing the structure of Arab societies yet they rarely stray from the central theme of promoting thoughtful and measured consideration of the U.S. role in the world. However, the previously unpublished diary offers the most insight to the state of the world after September 11. Stranded in Israel during the attacks, Friedman ended up traveling throughout the Middle East, discovering how the terrorist attacks affected the region and uncovering many of the roots of anti-American sentiment, which he aptly describes alongside his reflections on watching his daughters multicultural middle-school chorus sing God Bless America. Unapologetically pro-American, Friedmans deliberation on what changed on September 11 outside of the U.S. ultimately centers on the strength of American society and our place in the world.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Foreign affairs columnist for the New York Times, Friedman gathers pieces for what he calls a word album of recent events.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Why Buy A Longitudes And Attitudes: Exploring The World After September 11 By Thomas L. Friedman?
Americas leading observer of the international scene on the minute-by-minute events of September 11th–before, during and after
As the Foreign Affairs columnist for the The New York Times, Thomas L. Friedman is in a unique position to interpret the world for American readers. Twice a week, Friedmans celebrated commentary provides the most trenchant, pithy,and illuminating perspective in journalism.
Longitudes and Attitudes contains the columns Friedman has published about the most momentous news story of our time, as well as a diary of his experiences and reactions during this period of crisis. As the author writes, the book is not meant to be a comprehensive study of September 11 and all the factors that went into it. Rather, my hope is that it will constitute a word album that captures and preserves the raw, unpolished, emotional and analytical responses that illustrate how I, and others, felt as we tried to grapple with September and its aftermath, as they were unfolding.
Readers have repeatedly said that Friedman has expressed the essence of their own feelings, helping them not only by explaining who they are, but also by reassuring us about who we are. More than any other journalist writing, Friedman gives voice to Americas awakening sense of its role in a changed world.
Customer Reviews & Opinions
a reporter who does not look away
Any thoughtful person will be outraged by at least a few of these essays. I cannot tell which ones those will be–because, dear reader, I do not know your politics. I do know that when it comes to the Middle East, everyone seems to have an opinion and as Thomas Friedman in this book challenges virtually all of the commonly-held ones (on the left and the right alike) it is quite likely that you, like me, will mutter over some essay “You utter idiot.” But I hope you won’t put the book down.For Thomas Friedman (unlike so many) has the courage to gaze into the heart of darkness in the Middle East that made 9/11, the Islamists’ war against the West, and their war against the Jews possible. And Thomas Friedman reports what he sees.
He tells us that our Arab partners do not present “an alternative positive view of America [in their countries]–even though they were sending their kids here to be educated.” He tells us that “the terrorists can exploit the Interned.. but in their suffocated world.. they could never invent it.” He tells us that “these terrorists aren’t out for a new kind of coexistence with us. They are out for our nonexistence.” He tells about how a friendship with an Arab Muslim intellectual disappeared when the intellectual questioned him about how Jews run the world and he tells us how frustrated the Jordanians are that the intifada and not the remarkable Jordanian reforms are dominating Jordanian news.
In short, Thomas Freidman refuses to conform to facile “truths” of today; he refuses to look away. You may, at times find him frustrating and angry; you may get angry with him. But you will not find him substituting fashionable ideology for what he sees. For that reason, I recommend his book.
So true, so important, everyone should read it
I only wish Tom Friedman worked in our government, however, maybe he would then be less influential than as a writer…..I find I agree with 90% of what he says…..Brillant….
Extrordinary book
I’ve read every book that Thomas Friedman has written, and they are all exceptional. Friedman seems to meet everybody significant regarding the subject at hand, and has listened with an open mind. He thinks outside the box, and the proposed solutions he comes up make a lot of sense. His reporting is extremely well-balanced and done with great heart. His documentaries on TV are of equal caliber.
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