Rating: 
Summary: A look at murder with understanding but not condonement
Review: After Sept. 11, it seems that everyone wants to learn more about terrorists. Perhaps-know their inner thoughts. Why did they do what they did? What possessed them? This book helps America to understand that many of the problems terrorists espouse are not the government's fault, but merely the complaints of self-absorbed, often heartless men.Why was Timothy McVeigh, a kind kid who hated to see animals hurt, able to bomb the Murrah Federal Building and not blink? What made him so disillusioned with the government? Was it his fault? His parents' fault? His friends' fault? This book doesn't give any clear answers-and the right answers have died with McVeigh. Nonetheless, this is an essential read for those who wish to inform themselves of how dangerous-and easy- terrorism really is.
Rating: 
Summary: detailed but flawed
Review: BUFFALO NEWS reporters Michel and Herbeck's book on Timothy McVeigh may stand as the definitive book on this troubled individual (conspiracy theories notwithstanding). However, the book ultimately ends with the question "Why?", and that is its major flaw. One need only to read Gore Vidal's essay "The Meaning of Timothy McVeigh" (in his book PERPETUAL WAR FOR PERPETUAL PEACE) to understand that the bomber, though, troubled, was an intelligent and sane individual. In my opinion, it is not hard to understand why he did what he did. He came from a troubled family life, one which left him without any sense of security or stability in his life. He was later able to find some of this in the military, where he distinguished himself in the first Gulf War. However, when he returned to civilian life, he found that his new-found status as a war hero meant nothing, as he was unable to get a decent job. Doubts about the reasons for going to war made him question the US government, which, coupled with his dire personal life, soon festered into an open hatred for the government, which failed to provide the stability and security just as his parents had failed to provide them. McVeigh then fell back on the only thing he was good at-- his military training. In his own twisted way, he had a strong sense of right and wrong, and felt he was doing the country a favor by striking back against the evils of this country's ruling powers. The federal building was just a symbol to him of the faceless uncaring government, and he probably never even considered the fate of the hundreds of innocents he killed that day; perhaps they were just "collateral damage" to him. Unless we understand him and others like him, we will be forced to face others like him.
Rating:
Summary: detailed but flawed
Review: BUFFALO NEWS reporters Michel and Herbeck's book on Timothy McVeigh may stand as the definitive book on this troubled individual (conspiracy theories notwithstanding). However, the book ultimately ends with the question "Why?", and that is its major flaw. One need only to read Gore Vidal's essay "The Meaning of Timothy McVeigh" (in his book PERPETUAL WAR FOR PERPETUAL PEACE) to understand that the bomber, though, troubled, was an intelligent and sane individual. In my opinion, it is not hard to understand why he did what he did. He came from a troubled family life, one which left him without any sense of security or stability in his life. He was later able to find some of this in the military, where he distinguished himself in the first Gulf War. However, when he returned to civilian life, he found that his new-found status as a war hero meant nothing, as he was unable to get a decent job. Doubts about the reasons for going to war made him question the US government, which, coupled with his dire personal life, soon festered into an open hatred for the government, which failed to provide the stability and security just as his parents had failed to provide them. McVeigh then fell back on the only thing he was good at-- his military training. In his own twisted way, he had a strong sense of right and wrong, and felt he was doing the country a favor by striking back against the evils of this country's ruling powers. The federal building was just a symbol to him of the faceless uncaring government, and he probably never even considered the fate of the hundreds of innocents he killed that day; perhaps they were just "collateral damage" to him. Unless we understand him and others like him, we will be forced to face others like him.
Rating:
Summary: A truly enlightening work...
Review: Dear Amazon.com Readers, It is easy to conclude that books such as this that probe the inner thoughts of serial killers will contribute to others committing the same crime, however we as neighbors and as a nation must understand that there is tremendous value in studying such individuals so we can devise methods of early intervention and protect many from the horrible effects of terrorist acts. I commend the two journalists who wrote this book, and hope that readers will look past the front cover and discover more about how the human mind works. For parents, talk to your children about crimes and how they can be prevented as well as how to help people who seem to be in trouble. For friends, look out for one another, and offer assistance to people who are being bullied or otherwise emotionally traumatized. This is a time when we can take action to educate ourselves and those around us as to the "why" of crimes like this, and the "how" of preventative measures. I hope you can learn many things from this book, and my review. I can only imagine the suffering that Timothy McVeigh is going through, and wish that the people around him could have gotten to him sooner and led him through the tough times in his life before he could have carried out the crime that he did. Take care, as always, --Daniel
Rating:
Summary: SHOCKING AND MIND-ABSORBING!
Review: Having studied behavioural psychology, the minds of serial killers, terrorists and other crimes against people have always left me with a quest to learn more about why these individuals do what they do. Regardless of the endless number of studies and theories in existence in the field of psychology today, we can still never know enough, and the unfortunate part is, we probably never will. In a true account of events, when there is loss of life, injury or brutal abuse, the material is not easy to read without feeling a variety of mixed emotions - saddness, anger, disgust, fear and a sense of complete helplessness that it could happen just as easily in your own town or city no matter where you live in the world today. You question how an individual could do what they did and feel no remorse. For one who has not studied psychology, it may be difficult to comprehend how any individual could commit such unthinkable attrocities. Even for those who have studied this discipline, the human mind still astounds us, the fear it will happen again lives within us, and the attrocities still remain a horror. This book will bring out all of those fixed emotions from deep inside the reader as the interviews with McVeigh and the details of the case are revealed. In the final analysis, amazed and shaken by this act of terrorism, you will still ponder the question, "why?" There has always been violence in our society throughout history, but are people today becoming more violent, or has global communication and technology simply made us more aware of these horrific, violent acts?
Rating:
Summary: Book by Lou Michel: American Terrorist
Review: If you want a book about Timothy McVeigh this is the one to buy.
I like this one as it gives facts all about his life and the bombing and it lacks very few of the authors opinions! When I read about someone I like to read just the facts! I don't like someone trying to sway me in one direction with their opinions. The book, "American Monster" would evidently be nothing but opionins!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: If you want to know what Timothy McVeigh thinks about the government, this is the book you want to read. It is one that will hold your attention, and not only tells what happened at OKC, but what lead him to think like a killer!
Rating:
Summary: It will stay with me forever...
Review: It would be impossible for me to convey all that i'd like to about "American Terrorist" and Timothy Mcveigh within the stipulated 1000 word limit, but its worth the effort, so here goes... I discovered the existence of Timothy Mcveigh only on 09 june 2001, 48 hours before his execution. Living thousands of miles away from where the okc bombing happened and with no direct connection to america or the american way of life, the only recollection I had of the bombing was some television footage seen 6 years ago. The story came back to life when Mcveigh's now famous picture in his orange prison jumpsuit was splashed across all leading newspapers. And from that moment on, I became consumed by an insatiable desire to know more about Mcveigh. I tried the net first and spent hours reading about the man and the history and aftermath of the okc bombing episode. I came across 'American Terrorist' while scouring the net for books on the subject and decided to buy one immediately. the book was not available anywhere in the city I live and so I had to get one shipped. In many ways, 'American Terrorist' has changed the way I look at my life...and everything i consider important or relevant. I must admit straight-off that while there is sadness at the loss of life and the irreparable emotional scars left by the bombing, it is the life and fate of Timothy Mcveigh which has moved me beyond belief. The account of mcveigh's life was deeply disturbing...I wept several times during the course of my reading and often found it difficult to read more than a few pages at a time. What moved me most was that mcveigh was essentially a decent, hardworking, upstanding person. Very American. I can't say anything finer than that. It seems to me incredibly tragic that what could have been a young, promising life had to be so cruelly terminated at 33. Even more ironic is the fact that most Americans seem to have missed the underlying message, the 'wake-up call' Mcveigh hoped would galvanize the American public into more serious thought and action about their government's role on the issue of individual rights, among other things. Of course, one could analyse the various reasons for his action and argue endlessly for or against it. A subject like this will always remain controversial. His failure at making it to the special forces, gradual build-up of rage against the US federal government at its perceived aggression and tyranny, his belief in the new world order... My own family and friends have reacted with disbelief at my more-than-superficial interest in the story. But one thing I believe is that Mcveigh was no phony or coward as the prosecution made him out to be. I will always maintain that it takes a man with rare courage and real depth of conviction in his beliefs to carry out an act or set of acts to prove it and remain true to himself till the very end - whether that act is right or wrong is for a court of law to decide and deal with accordingly. Mcveigh was all that and more. Even in his dispassionate act of bombing a federal building and no apparent show of remorse, there are many small details which show an essentially nice guy. It is unfortunate that an advanced, 'developed' country like the US could kill one of its own citizens and allow the happening to be turned into some kind of morbid festivity. But the fact that this young man went to his death with his 'head unbowed' believing himself to be the 'master of his fate' and the 'captain of his soul' is very admirable. I can't think of any conclusion to a story like mcveigh's or its likely impact on people like myself...it has just taught me to go through life being completely true to myself...
Rating:
Summary: A fatal journey into darkness
Review: The bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City is one of the most horrifying acts in American history. It is hard to comprehend how anyone could willingly create such an ocean of destruction and grief. Timothy McVeigh was responsible for the bombing, and the authors of "American Terrorist" have penetrated the veil of mystery that surrounded him. Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck spent many long hours interviewing McVeigh in prison. They carried out extensive research for their book that took place over several years. The picture that emerges from their writing is often very unsettling, because it strikes so very close to home. McVeigh was not a terrorist from a foreign land, but an American. He served his country with distinction during the Desert Storm campaign, and yet he could kill more than a hundred fellow Americans with a truck bomb. This book goes into McVeigh's past, and describes much of his life. It helps us to understand how he ended up in Oklahoma City on that fateful day in 1995. There is much about Timothy McVeigh that can never be understood, but the authors have done an admirable job of looking into his mind and heart. By looking into that heart, a door is opened into an abyss. There is the hope that something good can come from that looking; something learned that might help prevent such horror in the future. The suffering and pain of the victims is very often stressed within this book. At the end of "American Terrorist", there is a section that lists the names and ages of those that were murdered in Oklahoma City. That moving list of very real people shows the actual legacy that Timothy McVeigh left for the world: a legacy of death and sorrow. Timothy McVeigh's story is a journey into the true heart of darkness.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Book - Compelling and Well Researched and Accurate
Review: This book is definitely four or five stars. It is not a big book but it is probably the most accurate account of Mcveigh. It was written by two local Buffalo reporters, one that got close to the family. McVeigh and his family lived just north of the Buffalo in upstate New York near Niagara Falls and the Canadian border. They did a lot of research and followed up the leads. One writer spoke many times to Timothy's father and got a lot of family information starting right after the arrests continuing up until his death penalty a few years later. It is an excellent in depth job. As a book it is a page turner, well written clear, methodical, a good buy if this story is of interest. After reading the book I visited the Federal Building memorial park in Oklahoma city and the book helped me understand the events. A tragedy well explained. Jack in Toronto
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