Blood and Rage: A Cultural History of Terrorism

“A learned and erudite book. Burleigh seamlessly synthesizes vast amounts of historical material and provides often riveting accounts of terrorist atrocities and the literary and political environments where they took place. . . . Thoughtful and nuanced. . . . An exceptional synthesis.” — The New York Times Book Review

“Burleigh has said that a new book about terrorism is published every nine hours. Judging by his own work on the subject, he has read all the others.” — The Boston Globe

From one of our most respected historians, Michael Burleigh (The Third Reich: A New History), comes a fascinating and provocative study of terrorism, from revolutionary Europe to today’s Islamic jihadists.

Blood and Rage is a sweeping and deeply penetrating work of history that explores the nature of terrorism from its origins in the West to today's global threat fueled by fundamentalists. Distinguished historian Michael Burleigh ("There are few better writers at work today" —The Sunday Times) emphasizes the lethal resentments and the twisted morality that spawn terrorism rather than the ideological or religious justification that routinely accompanies it. He reveals who the terrorist groups are, how they organize and operate, what motivates their violence, and how wider support encourages them.

Burleigh takes us from the roots of terrorism in the Irish Republican Brotherhood, the Russian Nihilists, and the London-based anarchists of Black International to the various terrorist campaigns that exist today. He also explores the lives of people engaged in careers of political violence and those who are most affected by terrorism.

Burleigh argues persuasively that history enables us to see how terrorism can be effectively contained and countered by avoiding the major mistakes of the past and by exploiting weaknesses within terrorist organizations. The problems in today's world, as well—especially the chaos inflicted by terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan—reflect the tragic, disastrous, and far-reaching consequences of this long war.

Authoritative, illuminating, and masterfully written, Blood and Rage sheds an unflinching light on the global threat that we are likely to face for decades to come.

“Rollicking good reading in the vein of Conrad’s The Secret Agent. . . . Burleigh’s cast is voluminous, from Irish Fenians to Russian nihilists, from anarchists to revolutionaries, from Zionists to Palestinians and from Algerians to South Africans.” - Simon Jenkins, The Sunday Times

“One of the leading historians of our time.” - The Independent on Sunday

“Timely and important. . . . In all sorts of ways an outstanding book.” - Nicholas Shakespeare, The Daily Telegraph (London)

“Brilliant. . . . Tremendously erudite and enlightening.” - The New York Observer

“Chilling. . . . Burleigh’s assessments are well worth considering.” - The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“Burleigh, one of the leading English-language scholars of the role of ideas in the modern world, makes another major contribution in this pull-no-punches cultural study of terrorism as it has been lived and practiced for a century and a half.” - Publishers Weekly

“Magisterial, broad in scope, powerful in its argument, and brimming with healthy rage. . . . A riveting book.” - Justin Marozzi, The Evening Standard