The Author, David Hagberg, was interviewed on an L.A. talk radio program tonight (in fact, he’s still on, and you can listen here, though I don’t know how much longer it will last.) and it’s been a fascinating interview. I’ve never read any of his books (I’d actually never even heard of him before this), but I understand he’s supposed to be a “Clancy-esque” writer.
Well, he wrote a book that was published last August (2000) and it’s first major release was just this past June, called Joshua’s Hammer. Snippets from some of the reviews:
The interviewer, Art Bell, says the book is eerily prophetic and extremely insightful into the inside operations of the CIA and the workings of bin Laden’s organization. Apparently Hagberg did some pretty thorough research (and supposedly has some close contacts in the CIA). So I’m curious if anyone who’s read it feels as though they have any better insight into the tragedies of September 11 (in spite of the fact that it’s only a novel). And if you haven’t read it, do you think it would creep you out to read it now?
I don’t really have anything to contribute save this warning: Art Bell is perfectly capable of finding eery prophecies in his breakfast burrito as well as insight in the salsa, and as such the book might have as much to do with gardening as September 11th.
Thanks, Trucido. I don’t know anything about Bell (I’m usually not up late enough to listen to his program, nor am I usually in my car at that time of night, which is the only place I have that station tuned in). However, the interview really had nothing to do with any kind of “prophesy,” as the author doesn’t claim to have “foreseen” the events when he wrote the book - it’s a made-up work of fiction.
I really just wondered if anyone who had read it, found it to be at all insightful, as well as entertaining. And though it’s really more of an IMHO question, if anyone who hasn’t yet read it, would find reading a novel about Osama bin Laden staging a terrorist attack on the United States not entertaining at this particular time.
P.S. I do know that “it’s first major release…” should be “its first major release”, but it was extremely late, I was tired, my fingers typed ahead of my brain and I didn’t proofread carefully enough.
well, shayna, this book is on my agenda for the weekend. i’ll let you know. i bought it before the eleventh, but after that i put off reading it for a bit. i’ve been going for the "happy " read for the last 2 weeks.
okay, i read the book now. it is an interesting read. it focuses on osama’s right hand man not the big guy himself. it does give some insight on how osama gets his followers and how they fit into his plans.
