Terrorism for self-glorification : the Herostratos syndrome / Albert Borowitz.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 162-183) and index.

1. The birth of the Herostratos tradition -- 2. The globalization of Herostratos -- 3. The destroyers -- 4. The killers -- 5. Herostratos at the World Trade Center -- 6. The literature of Herostratos since the early nineteenth century -- App. Herostratos in art and film.

"In this study of the roots of terrorism, author Albert Borowitz assesses the phenomenon of violent crime motivated by a craving for notoriety or self-glorification. He traces this particular brand of terrorism back to 356 BCE with the destruction of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus by arsonist Herostratos. Borowitz then examines similar crimes through history to the present time, detailing many examples of what he calls the "Herostratos Syndrome," such as the attempted explosion of the Greenwich Observatory in 1894, the Taliban's destruction of the giant Buddhas in Afghanistan, the assassination of John Lennon, the Unabomber strikes, and the attacks on the World Trade Center buildings." "The study of terrorism requires interdisciplinary inquiry. Proving that terrorism cannot be the exclusive focus of a single field of scholarship, Borowitz presents this complex subject using sources based in religion, philosophy, history, Greek mythology, and world literature, including works of Chaucer, Cervantes, Mark Twain, and Jean-Paul Sartre." "Written in clear and direct prose, Terrorism for Self-Glorification is original, thorough, and thought provoking. Scholars, specialists, and general readers will find this study of terrorism fascinating and illuminating."--BOOK JACKET.