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Walter Laqueur

    May 26, 1921 – September 30, 2018

    Walter Ze'ev Laqueur was an American historian and journalist whose work explored 19th and 20th-century European history, particularly Russian and German history, alongside the history of the Middle East. His extensive scholarship covered a wide range of topics, from the German Youth Movement and Zionism to Communism, the Holocaust, and the diplomatic history of the Cold War. Laqueur was a pioneer in the study of political violence, guerrilla warfare, and terrorism. His insights on international affairs appeared in numerous American and European newspapers and periodicals, and his books have been translated into many languages, reflecting the global reach of his historical analyses.

    Walter Laqueur
    The changing face of antisemitism from ancient times to the present day
    The age of terrorism
    The Israel-Arab Reader
    Thursday's child has far to go
    Generation exodus
    The New Terrorism
    • The New Terrorism

      • 320 pages
      • 12 hours of reading

      Coinciding with this is the alarming increased availability of weapons of mass destruction, cheap and easily accessible chemical and biological weapons and cyberterrorism. Walter Laqueur, a world renowned expert on terrorism and international strategic affairs and author of Fascism:A Reader and Weimar (Phoenix Press), recounts the history of terrorism and examines the future of terrorism worldwide.It is only a matter of time, Laqueur argues, before the attainability of weapons of mass destruction creates a terrifying and unstable scenario. 'a discomfiting augury fore the future. Laqueur's excellent work is probably the best single volume I've seen on the phenomenon of terrorism and political violence'. Vincent Cannistraro, former Chief of CIA Counterterrorism Operations.

      The New Terrorism
    • Generation exodus

      • 400 pages
      • 14 hours of reading

      This text is a generational history of the young people whose lives were irrevocably shaped by the rise of the Nazis. Half a million Jews lived in Germany when Hitler came to power in 1933. Over the next decade, thousands would flee. Among these refugees, teens and young adults formed a remarkable generation. They were old enough to appreciate the loss of their homeland and the experience of flight, but often young and flexible enough to survive and even flourish in new environments. This generation has produced such disparate figures as Henry Kissinger and "Dr Ruth" Westheimer. Walter Laqueur has drawn on interviews, published and unpublished memoirs and his own experiences as a member of this group of refugees, to paint a vivid and moving portrait of Generation Exodus.

      Generation exodus
    • The Israel-Arab Reader

      • 592 pages
      • 21 hours of reading
      3.8(121)Add rating

      A historical overview of the continuing crisis in the Middle East traces the course of the Israel-Arab conflict from its earliest origins, through the various wars, skirmishes, and peace efforts, to the Israel-PLO and Israel-Jordan peace accords, in a collection of articles, speeches, letters, and reports dealing with all aspects of the subject. Original.

      The Israel-Arab Reader
    • Presenting a history of anti-semitism, this book traces its evolution from the religious anti-semitism of the middle ages to a racial anti-semitism that developed in the 19th and 20th centuries. It explains its origins and rationale, how it manifests itself, the different forms of anti-semitism, and what forms it may take.

      The changing face of antisemitism from ancient times to the present day
    • "What happens when a falling birthrate collides with uncontrolled immigration? The Last Days of Europe explores how a massive influx from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East has Loaded Europe with a burgeoning population of immigrants, many of whom have no wish to be integrated into European societies, but make full use of the host nations' generous free social services."--Jacket

      The last days of Europe : epitaph for an old continent
    • Putinism. Putinismus, englische Ausgabe

      • 271 pages
      • 10 hours of reading
      3.3(193)Add rating

      There is no question that tensions between Russia and America are on the rise. The forced annexation of Crimea, the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight 17, and the Russian government's treatment of homosexuals have created diplomatic standoffs and led to a volley of economic sanctions. In America, much of the blame for Russia's recent hostility has fallen on steely-eyed President Vladimir Putin and many have begun to wonder if they we are witnessing the rebirth of Cold War-style dictatorship. Not so fast, argues veteran historian Walter Laqueur. For two decades, Laqueur has been ahead of the curve, predicting events in post-Soviet Russia with uncanny accuracy. In Putinism, he deftly demonstrates how three long-standing pillars of Russian ideology-a strong belief in the Orthodox Church, a sense of Eurasian "manifest destiny," and a fear of foreign enemies-continue to exert a powerful influence on the Russian populous. In fact, today's Russians have more in common with their counterparts from 1904 than 1954 and Putin is much more a servant of his people than we might think. Topical and provocative, Putinism contains much more than historical analysis. Looking to the future, Laqueur explains how America's tendency to see Russia as a Cold War relic is dangerous and premature. Russia can and will challenge the West and it is in our best interest to figure out exactly who we are facing-and what they want-before it is too late.

      Putinism. Putinismus, englische Ausgabe
    • Dying for Jerusalem

      The Past, Present and Future of the Holiest City

      • 345 pages
      • 13 hours of reading

      The Past, Present and Future of the Holiest City Why has a symbol become such a tremendous political issue? Whence the insistence on the part of the religious nationalists on keeping Jerusalem as the permanent and exclusive capital? And why the insistence by Palestinians on having it as their capital, which it never was in the past? Why are people who do not want to live in Jerusalem willing to die for it? Praise for Walter Laquer from the New York Times: "Among the last of a remarkable generation of German Jewish intellectuals, Walter Laquer has seen and survived much of this century's agitated history. He has also written cogently, even preciently, about it for more than 40 years."(Review of Facism: Past, Present, Future) "Walter Laquer--a deeply learned polygot historian, whose expertise ranges from 19th-century Germany to 20th-century Egypt--has for decades stood out as one of the very few sober and intelligent voices in this undistinguised crowd."(Review of No End to War: Terrorism in the Twenty-First Century) "One of our most distinguished scholars of modern European history."(Review of Black Hundred: The Rise of the Extreme Right in Russia)

      Dying for Jerusalem
    • Reflections of a Veteran Pessimist

      Contemplating Modern Europe, Russia, and Jewish History

      • 236 pages
      • 9 hours of reading

      Exploring the themes of nationalism and religious fervor, the book presents a veteran's perspective on Europe’s decline and the Jewish experience in the twentieth century. It also examines Russia's evolution post-Soviet Union and offers personal observations. Laqueur's insights, shaped by his experiences under the Nazi regime, highlight the ongoing threats posed by extreme ideologies in both Europe and the Middle East. The work serves as a poignant reflection on historical and contemporary issues.

      Reflections of a Veteran Pessimist