31 Hours by Masha Hamilton

In the hours following 9/11 it's especially appropriate that my review is for Hamilton's "31 Hours," a dark exploration into the thought process of a domestic terrorist. Masha Hamilton is the perfect novelist to tell this tale. She is not only an accomplished fiction writer, but also a journalist with experience in such hot spots as Afghanistan, Russia, the Middle East and Africa. She understands how
Americans are seen in developing countries and she has obviously very carefully thought through how such a disaster as is told in "31 Hours" could happen-- very easily.

The plot is entirely plausible: a jihadist alien resident from Saudi Arabia has recruited a seemingly normal white, middle class student from New York City to be among the suicide bombers to detonate explosions in the major subway and rail stations in New York City on a given day and time.

We follow the last 31 hours of this young terrorist's life (or we assume it is) We watch as the terrorist, Jonas, shaves himself from head to toe. We don't necessarily get an explanation of why each of the rituals performed is important to the pre-suicide bomber protocol. We just know that the many activities and prayers that Jonas offers in that last 31 hours are on the list that Masoud, his Saudi friend, has given him following his return from terrorist training in Pakistan.

Jonas' reasons for this impending action are given, but most Americans will find it very hard to identify with his concerns. Essentially, Jonas believes that it takes extreme violence to end American intrusion into the affairs of other countries. He believes that other countries will back away from supporting U.S. imperialism if the price exacted by terrorists is truly fearsome. Somehow Jonas doesn't see that violence actually begets more violence most of the time. Perhaps the mindset is similar to that of the U.S. government when they dropped the atomic bomb. In that case, extreme violence did beget peace, but only because Japan was too weak by that time to continue.

This is an extremely well written, chilling psychological thriller that delves into the dark recesses of the mind of a terrorist. It is highly recommended.

Liz Nichols