Rating: 
Summary: One Day in September
Review: This expertly detailed book gives the story of Arab terrorists who took Israeli hostages during the 1972 Munich Olympics. The author does a great job of giving the fundamental reason behind the attack, as well as a detailed chronology of the events that took place subsequently. This book is even more poignant after the events of September 11th, as it shows that the world is still suffering from the plague of fundamentalist Islamic terrorism.While I did thoroughly enjoy the book, I do disagree with the author on his reasons for the failure of the eventual rescue mission mounted by the German government. Simply, the author believes that the failure was based on anti-Semitisim by Germans, and the fact that they really did not care what happened to the Israeli athletes. However, after reading between the lines of the book, it seems to me that the failure was more the result of a lack of trained hostage rescue squads in Munich. Yet, this was 1972, and these hostage rescue squads were not commonplace in all cities. Also, it seems that the Germans went out of their way to save the athletes, given the limited resources they had. Many German officials quoted in the book seemed willing to do anything to save the Israelis as they desperatly wanted to atone for the Nazi atrocities and not stir up old anger. Regardless of this issue, the book does a superb job of telling the tale of the first major incident of Islamic terror. It is a shame that events like this happen, but maybe by expertly chronicling them, we can learn how to prevent them in the future.
Rating: 
Summary: An amazing book.
Review: This is a spectacularly compelling read. Anyone who liked Black Hawk Down will find much to fascinate here. The book is also fair-minded, and does not minimize the role played by any of the many groups (not just Jews and Arabs) who were party to Munich. Superb.
Rating:
Summary: Great historical analysis of a very human tragedy
Review: This is an extremely well researched and well-written book. To say I couldn't put it down is no exaggeration. Whether or not you are old enough to remember the terrible events, which took place during the Munich Olympics of 1972 you will still gain more knowledge and understanding of what happened. Simon Reeve carefully sets the scene and the background of the attack explaining some of the previous activities of Black September prior to Munich. The mot useful aspect of this book is that it maintains a good story packed with recently obtained information about the sequence of events leading to the deaths of the Israeli Athletes. At the end of the book is a description of the Israeli Operation, which set out to punish Black September for Munich. The personal stories of the bereaved relatives is worth reading in terms of understanding the effect which the attack had on the family's of the athletes. At the end of the book there is a reflective and hopeful sense of optimism that after almost 30 years since the incident that some peace settlement will emerge in the future.
Rating:
Summary: CM Says A MUST READ
Review: This is the entire story of the Munich Olympic Massacre. From the planning stages through to the exploding helicopters carrying the bound Israeli hostages, this book is a magnificent piece of research. Black September was the Palestinian terrorist group responsible for the massacre. Named for the Jordanain military actions against the Palestinians in September of 1970 (the name had nothing to do with Israel, as one reviewer erroneously stated), Black September organized the raid on the Olympic village with the assistance of an apathetic East German Secret Police Force (the Stazi). The pathetic West German police forces at first tried to help, but after a certain point many simply refused to assist. The results were horrifying. The news event was possibly the first live-action 24 hour news event ever broadcast and changed the way crises were broadcast on television forever. Also included in the book is the story of the Israeli Secret Service's (Mossad) Operation Wrath of God, which was the manhunt for the perpetrators of the massacre. This book should be read in conjunction with the documentary of the same name. A+: A masterful document that will bring you to tears.
Rating:
Summary: A STUDY OF THE MUNICH MASSACRE IN EXACTING DETAIL
Review: This is the entire story of the Munich Olympic Massacre. From the planning stages through to the exploding helicopters carrying the bound Israeli hostages, this book is a magnificent piece of research. Black September was the Palestinian terrorist group responsible for the massacre. Named for the Jordanain military actions against the Palestinians in September of 1970 (the name had nothing to do with Israel, as one reviewer erroneously stated), Black September organized the raid on the Olympic village with the assistance of an apathetic East German Secret Police Force (the Stazi). The pathetic West German police forces at first tried to help, but after a certain point many simply refused to assist. The results were horrifying. The news event was possibly the first live-action 24 hour news event ever broadcast and changed the way crises were broadcast on television forever. Also included in the book is the story of the Israeli Secret Service's (Mossad) Operation Wrath of God, which was the manhunt for the perpetrators of the massacre. This book should be read in conjunction with the documentary of the same name. A+: A masterful document that will bring you to tears.
Rating:
Summary: Journalism at its finest
Review: With such an emotionally and politically-charged topic, one of this novel's greatest accomplishments is its objectivity. Its other accomplishments include some of the most thorough research I've seen in a while, superb writing, and a style that keeps such thorough reporting interesting. Reeve reports on every aspect of every crime related to the events of September 5, 1972, including preceeding terrorist attacks that explain the future behavior of Black September, and attacks by Israeli Wrath of God agents following the games. What still strikes the reader hardest is Reeve's unwavering objectivity, even when dealing with the mass murder of civillians, whether by Black September Terrorists or by Israeli inteligence operatives. Reeve is not once lured into editorializing on the events, but rather presents all the facts, both sides of the story, and others' opinions and allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. Consider this purchase money well-spent.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book by a Great Author
Review: With the upcoming 2004 Olympics in Athens, and all the fear of possible security issues, I decided to read this work on the 1972 Massacre at Munich. It is exceptionately told by Simon Reeve on how the attack was planned, conducted and the aftermath. Reeve compiles information on all that were involved, and organizes it in a way that is easy to read and understand. This is one of the best books I have read and I encourage you to pick it up.
| 
