The devastating "blind" terrorist attacks in New York and Washington brought to the surface the existence and actions of fanatic Islamic groups, against which American President Bush declared war. Shortly before the destruction of the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, Gilles Kepel had meticulously mapped out the Islamic movements that had dramatically developed in the last quarter of the 20th century. While the withdrawal of religion towards privatization seemed to be a given in the modern world, the 1970s witnessed the emergence of political groups that swore allegiance to the Quran, seeking to conduct Jihad (holy war for God) and establish an Islamic state. Kepel provides a 25-year assessment of Islamism from a historical, cultural, and social perspective. Because Osama bin Laden is not an anomaly, because the Islamic phenomenon will continue to be relevant for a long time, Kepel's book is an essential aid in understanding a world that, since September 11, 2001, seems to have become extremely unpredictable and inexplicable...