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The Man Who Warned America: The Life and Death of John O'Neill, the FBI's Embattled Counterterror Warrior Hardcover – August 19, 2003

by Murray Weiss (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 196 ratings
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As a teenager in Atlantic City in the 1960s, John O'Neill dreamed of becoming an FBI agent. Over the next four decades, his charisma, talent, and dedication catapulted him to the top echelons of the FBI in its fight against terrorism and drew him into a world of glamour, intrigue, and power.

Driven by an all-consuming desire to protect Americans, O'Neill rose through the FBI's ranks and played important roles in every major terrorism investigation of the 1990s, including the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah building in Oklahoma City, the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia, and the USS Cole in Yemen; the twin embassy attacks in Africa; and the capture of Ramzi Yousef, who masterminded the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. O'Neill's larger-than-life personality, hard-charging style, and insistent warnings against complacency won him both fervent admirers and bitter enemies among government officials and his crime-fighting colleagues.

In 1995, O'Neill became the first agent to recognize Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda network as the single greatest terrorist threat to America. He campaigned relentlessly for increased cooperation between the CIA, the FBI, and U.S. and foreign governments, and made decisions that would change the face of counterterrorism. O'Neill won the respect of many powerful figures around the world and earned a legendary reputation as a bon vivant, an innovative leader, and a bridge builder of important alliances. But O'Neill's confident, charming public persona belied several professional disappointments and the growing strain of secretly maintaining a complex web of romantic relationships. When the FBI and the U.S. government continued to disregard his calls to connect the terror trail to bin Laden and his associates, O'Neill became even more disillusioned and ultimately resigned his post at the FBI. Just days later, John O'Neill perished helping others to safety on September 11, 2001, while on his new job as director of security at the World Trade Center. Ironically, as Louis Napoli of the joint terrorist task force said, "[O'Neill] chased bin Laden all over the world and bin Laden caught up with him." In The Man Who Warned America, Murray Weiss weaves groundbreaking insider insight and hundreds of hardhitting interviews into a masterful tale of John O'Neill's quest to save America.

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  1. Print length
    464 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    William Morrow
  4. Publication date
    August 19, 2003
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.41 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0060508221
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0060508227
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the 1990s, FBI counterterrorism expert John O'Neill was widely regarded as one of the government's foremost authorities on Mideastern politics and terrorism; he was also a prominent fixture at Manhattan nightlife hot spots like Elaine's. He spent nearly a decade investigating the bombings orchestrated by religious extremists, recognizing Osama bin Laden as a threat long before other federal authorities did. But O'Neill died in another bin Laden attack shortly after leaving the FBI, just a few weeks into a new job as security chief at the World Trade Center. Weiss, as criminal justice reporter for the New York Post, knew O'Neill as a valued source, but from the story he presents, it's unclear how well anybody-even those closest to him-really knew O'Neill, a man described by friends as "on the run from himself" his entire adult life. It wasn't until after his death, for example, that his three girlfriends learned about one another-and that he was still legally bound to the wife he said he had divorced. The biography acknowledges his complicated relationships without lingering over details, putting them in the context of a lifelong need for admiration and approval both personally and professionally. Weiss handles the terrorism angle with slightly less subtlety, asserting that the Clinton administration was distracted from the issue by endless scandal and suggesting that if the rest of the government had investigated it with O'Neill's tenacity, September 11 might have been avoided. But the political overtones never get in the way of this portrait of a dynamic yet enigmatic crusader who was as human as he was heroic.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Murray Weiss is the criminal justice editor at the New York Post.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow; 1st edition (August 19, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0060508221
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0060508227
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.74 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.41 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 196 ratings

About the author

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Murray Weiss

Murray Weiss

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Murray Weiss is an award-winning investigative journalist, author, columnist, editor and CBS News "48 Hours" producer, and is considered an expert on law enforcement, criminal justice, organized crime and terrorism.

Murray has held a number of prominent positions at two of the country's largest newspapers, the New York Post and the New York Daily News, and exposed the secrets of murderers, mob bosses, terrorists and politicians to coining the expression "Rough Sex." Under former Post editor Pete Hamill, Murray served for nearly a year as metropolitan editor during one of the paper's most difficult, and colorful, periods.

His book, "The Man Who Warned America," (Harper Collins, 2003), was the definitive ground-breaking, New York Times best selling 9/11 tome on the FBI National Security counter-terrorism leader who chased Osama bin Laden around the world, but died in the attack on the World Trade Center.

Murray continued his award-winning reporting at DNAinfo New York, scoring top honors from The New York Press Club, and was honored with its prestigious "President's Award" in 2015 for a career of distinguished journalism.

He is now a producer at CBS News 48 Hours, and has been a frequent television and radio commentator and analyst with appearances on the "Today Show," "Larry King Live," "Imus," "CBS 48Hours," "Dateline" and "The Brian Lehrer Show," among others.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
196 global ratings

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9 customers mention "Insight"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting, informative, and compelling. They say it's full of stunning revelations and moves like a good novel.

"...I didn’t want to give up my copy.Amazing information about an amazing man...." Read more

"...Some great pictures as well. Book moves liek a good novel.not dry non fiction." Read more

"Interesting book having seen The looming tower it was good to compare and wonder what if and think we have a long way to go and sort out this blight..." Read more

"Outstanding book...fascinating read...." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well-written and documented.

"...It is that well written!" Read more

"very well written and documented book I totally enjoyed it and it brought to light the reason we were so unprepared for 9/11 and how we could..." Read more

"The Man Who Warned America is written in a clear and concise manner. It's written as though it a straight forward biography ...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

DeBee
5.0 out of 5 stars If you are able, BY THIS BOOK!
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2023
Verified Purchase
I bought this book when it first came out.
I purchased this copy for a friend. I didn’t want to give up my copy.
Amazing information about an amazing man.
Again if it is available, get it, don’t think you’ll be sorry.
Then share it.
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Melissa A. Adams
5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down
Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2019
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Nearly eighteen years after 9/11, I happened upon this book after watching the "Looming Tower" mini-series on Hulu. I wanted to learn more about the agents portrayed in the series. This book did not disappoint. Another reader said it read like a novel of non-stop action. I found that same experience. The list of interviews and media material that Weiss used in writing this book was astounding. I particularly respect how Weiss tried to describe a very complex man, showing both good and bad qualities, smart choices and foolish choices, and how he painted a picture through several first-hand accounts from people who worked closely with O'Neill.
I truly had difficulty putting this book down, even reading it on my phone over my lunch break at work. It is that well written!
13 people found this helpful
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SpeedReader
4.0 out of 5 stars A good biography
Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2023
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This is a biography of John O'Neill, who was basically the FBI's head of counterterrorism in the New York office until 2001, when he retired and went to work as the head of security at the World Trade Center, where he was about two weeks into the job when he was killed in the September 11th terrorist attacks.

The book details O'Neill's life from his time growing up in New Jersey, dreaming of becoming an FBI agent, to his death in 2001. The book focuses on how he was one of the first people to recognize and warn government officials of the threat of Al-Qaeda and worked to build a case against Osama Bin Ladin so the FBI could go into Afghanistan and grab him. It also detailed the way O'Neill butted heads with people in the FBI and how his penchant for bending the rules, and his personal life caused him to be passed over for promotions and ultimately forced out of the FBI. The book portrays O'Neill as being married to his work, and being someone who rarely slept and was obsessive about getting everything perfect.

The book is a bit incomplete (e.g., it mostly glosses over how the CIA and FBI were fighting about sharing information), and gets some things about what happened on September 11th itself wrong. The book was published in 2002, so certainly not all of the information that has been revealed since it was written was widely known when it was being written, but some of the mistakes could have been avoided with a little research and better editing.

Overall, the book is a good look at a man with a complex life. The book is about 300 pages of substantive text, and then about 30 pages of notes. It is not an easy read, but it is not extremely difficult to get through either. People who read quickly should be able to get through it in a week or less, depending on how much time they have to read. I definitely recommend it.
One person found this helpful
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yiayia
5.0 out of 5 stars very well written and documented book I totally enjoyed it and it brought to light the reason we ...
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2017
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very well written and documented book I totally enjoyed it and it brought to light the reason we were so unprepared for 9/11 and how we could have prvented it . O'neill was a great patriot and a true hero. The book shows the man and also the events and work he did. Worth every minute It was recommended to me by me son and rigtly so. Some great pictures as well. Book moves liek a good novel.not dry non fiction.
5 people found this helpful
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Walters
5.0 out of 5 stars Clear and Concise Record of John O'Neill's Life
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2018
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The Man Who Warned America is written in a clear and concise manner. It's written as though it a straight forward biography . The book lacks the built in excitement of the "Looming Tower," while retaining all the important events, told in chronological order. The book includes the known facts of O'Neill's complicated private life, without dwelling on them any more than necessary. John O'Neill was an amazing individual, and dogged in his pursuit of terrorists and his warnings to our government should have been heard before he died in the Twin Towers.
4 people found this helpful
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Robert Mcdowell
5.0 out of 5 stars home grown hero
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2010
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the book joined together the life of an imperfect man with the struggles of an imperfect world. John O'Neill served his country with a valor and attention to duty in the likes of Horatio at the brige in ancient Rome. He bled himself dry to alert those in power of the terrorist threat to America. Ten years later we find ourselves in Yemen as he said would happen. Inactivity by Clinton and Amb.Bodine and other State Department people led to many American deaths. The book presented facts in conjunction with a remarkable story of one man's life to protect us all who are so lucky to live in this wonderful country.
3 people found this helpful
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susan streder
5.0 out of 5 stars It tells a sad disturbing story of how BADLY our government failed each ...
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2018
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This book is a MUST READ for every American. It tells a sad disturbing story of how BADLY our government failed each one of us. As usual, politics (especially the Clinton kind) were more important than the safety of American citizens. 9/11 could have been avoided --read the book--AND watch the 10 episode series on Hulu called The Looming Tower--and see if you agree.
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Trevor Beaver
4.0 out of 5 stars The good read
Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2018
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Interesting book having seen The looming tower it was good to compare and wonder what if and think we have a long way to go and sort out this blight on the world.
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Top reviews from other countries

Ann Hastings
5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 15, 2024
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One of the best books I have ever read
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Debbie Leigh
5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative, interesting and sad.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 25, 2020
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I love loved this book. I have been interested in John O’Neil since reading The Leaning Towers. Very insightful to a misunderstood man. Who the USA should have taken more notice of!
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Mr. D. Blackburn
4.0 out of 5 stars Someone's missing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 23, 2020
Verified Purchase
A really great book about someone who would have saved a lot of people if the US government had listened to him. There's one thing I find really strange about it is it never mentions Ali Soufan, a guy who he worked very closely with in the FBI.
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Michael Clark
5.0 out of 5 stars Best work centred on 9/11 i have read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 25, 2018
Verified Purchase
Gripping and well told and ultimately very sad
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