First published 2012
The towers have fallen, and America's leaders scramble to prevent the next attack. Kurt Eichenwald takes readers inside the rooms where history unfolds during the eighteen months after 9/11. Presidents and prime ministers make split-second choices while intelligence agencies hunt for answers. The author documents warrantless surveillance programs, the anthrax investigation, and tensions between Washington and London. From CIA headquarters to Guantanamo Bay, from al-Qaeda camps to foreign detention centers, Eichenwald shows how fear and urgency shaped responses that would define the terror wars. His reporting uncovers previously hidden details about interrogation methods, diplomatic conflicts, and the race to understand new threats. Through fast-paced storytelling and authentic dialogue, he places readers alongside decision-makers as they navigate an unprecedented crisis. The book reveals how deception and desperation drove policies that remained secret for years.
Genres: history, political-science, non-fiction, 21st-century, current-affairs, american-history
Vibes: fast-paced, intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: deception, desperation
Setting: Al-Qaeda Camps, CIA Headquarters, Foreign Detention Centers, Guantanamo Bay, London, Washington
Period: 18 Months After 9/11
640 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster
Content warnings: violence