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{{ | {{Short description|2013 book by Cathy-Scott Clerk and Adrian Levy}} | ||
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{{Infobox book | {{Infobox book | ||
| name = The Siege: The Attack on the Taj | | name = The Siege: The Attack on the Taj | ||
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| wikisource = | | wikisource = | ||
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'''''The Siege: The Attack on the Taj''''' is a non-fiction book by [[Cathy Scott-Clark]] and [[Adrian Levy]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?288413|title=Bullets to the crown|publisher=Outlook|accessdate=2013-11-26}}</ref> It is an account of the [[2008 Mumbai attacks|2008 attacks]] on [[The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel]] in [[Mumbai]], India, during the night of 26 November 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17707527-the-siege|title=The Siege: 68 Hours Inside the Taj|publisher=[[Goodreads]]|accessdate=2013-11-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-siege-catherine-scott-clark/1114820819?ean=9781101613245|title=The Siege:68 Hours inside the Taj by Cathy Scott|publisher=[[Barnes & Noble]]|accessdate=2013-11-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/FXj0NkxmFZANdGhBigRKTI/Book-Review--The-Siege.html|title=Book review: The Siege|publisher=Livemint|accessdate=2013-11-26}}</ref> It presents an insider view of the attacks based on extensive research by the authors. The book was first published by [[Penguin Books]] in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/the-siege-takes-the-reader-into-the-heart-of-the-2611-attack/437423-40-101.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206123948/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/the-siege-takes-the-reader-into-the-heart-of-the-2611-attack/437423-40-101.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-12-06|title=The Siege takes the reader into the heart of the 26/11 attack|publisher=[[IBNLive]]|accessdate=2013-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780143123750,00.html|title=The Siege- Books by Cathy Scott|publisher=[[Penguin Books]]|accessdate=2013-11-26}}</ref> It includes unreleased documents from the trial of [[Ajmal Kasab]] in India, including telephone conversations between the militants.<ref name="siege">{{cite | '''''The Siege: The Attack on the Taj''''' is a non-fiction book by [[Cathy Scott-Clark]] and [[Adrian Levy]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?288413|title=Bullets to the crown|publisher=Outlook|accessdate=2013-11-26}}</ref> It is an account of the [[2008 Mumbai attacks|2008 attacks]] on [[The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel]] in [[Mumbai]], India, during the night of 26 November 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17707527-the-siege|title=The Siege: 68 Hours Inside the Taj|publisher=[[Goodreads]]|accessdate=2013-11-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-siege-catherine-scott-clark/1114820819?ean=9781101613245|title=The Siege:68 Hours inside the Taj by Cathy Scott|publisher=[[Barnes & Noble]]|accessdate=2013-11-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/FXj0NkxmFZANdGhBigRKTI/Book-Review--The-Siege.html|title=Book review: The Siege|date=23 November 2013 |publisher=Livemint|accessdate=2013-11-26}}</ref> It presents an insider view of the attacks based on extensive research by the authors. The book was first published by [[Penguin Books]] in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/the-siege-takes-the-reader-into-the-heart-of-the-2611-attack/437423-40-101.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206123948/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/the-siege-takes-the-reader-into-the-heart-of-the-2611-attack/437423-40-101.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-12-06|title=The Siege takes the reader into the heart of the 26/11 attack|publisher=[[IBNLive]]|accessdate=2013-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780143123750,00.html|title=The Siege- Books by Cathy Scott|publisher=[[Penguin Books]]|accessdate=2013-11-26}}</ref> It includes unreleased documents from the trial of [[Ajmal Kasab]] in India, including telephone conversations between the militants.<ref name="siege">{{cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2013/11/19/review-round-up-the-siege-of-mumbai/|title=Review Round-Up: The Siege of Mumbai|newspaper=[[Wall Street Journal]]|date=19 November 2013 |accessdate=2013-12-01 |last1=Lahiri |first1=Tripti }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://mumbaiboss.com/2013/11/25/the-siege-authors-on-the-taj-understanding-david-headley-and-what-mumbai-learnt-from-2611/|title=Q&A with 'The Siege' authors Adrian Levy and Cathy-Scott Clerk|publisher=Mumbai Boss|accessdate=2014-02-01}}</ref> | ||
== Storyline == | == Storyline == | ||
The book opens with a description of the day-to-day life of the rich and wealthy people of Mumbai. Sabina Sehgal Saikia, a highly regarded food critic working for the ''[[Times of India]]'' is present. A wedding reception is underway. Less than an hour after start of the party, the attackers bypass security and make their way into the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. They immediately start shooting, and people hide under the dinner tables.<ref name="bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.biographile.com/the-siege-on-survival-and-testimony-of-the-2008-taj-attacks/24968/|title=The Siege: Searing Testimony to the 2008 Taj Attacks|publisher=Biographile.com|accessdate=2013-12-01}}</ref> The book is considerably more violent than other books in this category.<ref name="hindu">{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/when-the-house-of-magic-burned/article5390811.ece?homepage=true|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|title=When the 'house of magic' burned|accessdate=2013-11-26}}</ref> The authors describe the militants as "landlocked boys from impoverished rural communities, who knew only about chickens and goats".<ref>{{cite web|url= | The book opens with a description of the day-to-day life of the rich and wealthy people of Mumbai. [[Sabina Sehgal Saikia]], a highly regarded food critic working for the ''[[Times of India]]'' is present. A wedding reception is underway. Less than an hour after start of the party, the attackers bypass security and make their way into the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. They immediately start shooting, and people hide under the dinner tables.<ref name="bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.biographile.com/the-siege-on-survival-and-testimony-of-the-2008-taj-attacks/24968/|title=The Siege: Searing Testimony to the 2008 Taj Attacks|publisher=Biographile.com|accessdate=2013-12-01|archive-date=22 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150822185029/http://www.biographile.com/the-siege-on-survival-and-testimony-of-the-2008-taj-attacks/24968/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The book is considerably more violent than other books in this category.<ref name="hindu">{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/when-the-house-of-magic-burned/article5390811.ece?homepage=true|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]|title=When the 'house of magic' burned|accessdate=2013-11-26}}</ref> The authors describe the militants as "landlocked boys from impoverished rural communities, who knew only about chickens and goats".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/books/article/1356664/book-review-siege-cathy-scott-clark-and-adrian-levy|title=Book Review: The Siege:68 Hours Inside the Taj|publisher=SCMP.com|year=2013}}</ref> The book claims that 26 different warnings had been issued by the [[R&AW]], India's external intelligence agency, saying that the Taj, the [[Oberoi Trident]] and the Leopold Cafe might be targeted.<ref name="hindu" /> The book includes descriptions of how people were ambushed as they tried to escape, and of the days of violence that followed the initial attacks.<ref name="bio" /> Interviews with many victims of the attack are included in the book.<ref name="siege" /> | ||
== Critical review == | == Critical review == | ||
''The Siege'' has received mainly positive reviews from critics. Dwight Garner of the ''[[New York Times]]'' said: | ''The Siege'' has received mainly positive reviews from critics. Dwight Garner of the ''[[New York Times]]'' said: | ||
<blockquote>They are not the most gifted writers you will ever come across. I spent the first 50 pages of ''The Siege'' tallying clichés, dangling modifiers and awkward phrases. These very quickly stopped—or stopped mattering, I'm not sure which. The story they present steamrolls finicky objections. It's a tragedy and a thriller with concussive human and political resonance. I read it in what felt like three blinks.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/30/books/the-siege-describes-the-attack-on-the-taj-hotel-in-mumbai.html?_r=0|title='The Siege' Describes the Attack on the Taj in Mumbai|newspaper=[[New York Times]]|accessdate=2013-11-26}}</ref></blockquote> | <blockquote>They are not the most gifted writers you will ever come across. I spent the first 50 pages of ''The Siege'' tallying clichés, dangling modifiers and awkward phrases. These very quickly stopped—or stopped mattering, I'm not sure which. The story they present steamrolls finicky objections. It's a tragedy and a thriller with concussive human and political resonance. I read it in what felt like three blinks.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/30/books/the-siege-describes-the-attack-on-the-taj-hotel-in-mumbai.html?_r=0|title='The Siege' Describes the Attack on the Taj in Mumbai|newspaper=[[New York Times]]|date=29 October 2013 |accessdate=2013-11-26|last1=Garner |first1=Dwight }}</ref></blockquote> | ||
[[Firstpost]] reviewer Deepanjana Paul wrote: | ''[[Firstpost]]'' reviewer Deepanjana Paul wrote: | ||
<blockquote>''The Siege'' is not a book you read for literary flair. It's written with the racing energy of a paperback thriller. There's just one significant difference from that popular genre: ''The Siege'' is all verified fact. Levy and Scott-Clark's reportage is outstanding, especially when you keep in mind how difficult it is to convince government departments like the National Security Guard to talk.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/living/the-siege-a-well-documented-racy-and-incomplete-thriller-1250585.html|title=The Siege: Well documented and races like a thriller, but incomplete| | <blockquote>''The Siege'' is not a book you read for literary flair. It's written with the racing energy of a paperback thriller. There's just one significant difference from that popular genre: ''The Siege'' is all verified fact. Levy and Scott-Clark's reportage is outstanding, especially when you keep in mind how difficult it is to convince government departments like the National Security Guard to talk.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/living/the-siege-a-well-documented-racy-and-incomplete-thriller-1250585.html|title=The Siege: Well documented and races like a thriller, but incomplete|date=26 November 2013 |work=[[Firstpost]]|accessdate=2013-11-26}}</ref></blockquote> | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
{{reflist | {{reflist}} | ||
{{2008 Mumbai attacks}} | |||
{{Authority control}} | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Siege The Attack on the Taj}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Siege The Attack on the Taj}} | ||
[[Category:2013 non-fiction books]] | [[Category:2013 non-fiction books]] | ||
[[Category:American non-fiction books]] | [[Category:American non-fiction books]] | ||
[[Category:English-language non-fiction books]] | |||
[[Category:Penguin Books books]] | [[Category:Penguin Books books]] | ||
[[Category:Books about Mumbai]] | [[Category:Books about Mumbai]] | ||
[[Category:Books about terrorism]] | [[Category:Books about Islamic terrorism]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Works based on the 2008 Mumbai attacks]] | ||
Latest revision as of 07:10, 27 March 2026
 The cover picture of the book | |
| Author | Cathy Scott-Clark, Adrian Levy |
|---|---|
| Country | United States, India |
| Language | English |
| Subject | 2008 Mumbai attacks |
| Published | Penguin Books in 2013 |
| Media type | Print (paperback) |
| Pages | 344 (Paperback) |
| ISBN | 9780143420101 |
The Siege: The Attack on the Taj is a non-fiction book by Cathy Scott-Clark and Adrian Levy.[1] It is an account of the 2008 attacks on The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai, India, during the night of 26 November 2008.[2][3][4] It presents an insider view of the attacks based on extensive research by the authors. The book was first published by Penguin Books in 2013.[5][6] It includes unreleased documents from the trial of Ajmal Kasab in India, including telephone conversations between the militants.[7][8]
Storyline[edit | edit source]
The book opens with a description of the day-to-day life of the rich and wealthy people of Mumbai. Sabina Sehgal Saikia, a highly regarded food critic working for the Times of India is present. A wedding reception is underway. Less than an hour after start of the party, the attackers bypass security and make their way into the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. They immediately start shooting, and people hide under the dinner tables.[9] The book is considerably more violent than other books in this category.[10] The authors describe the militants as "landlocked boys from impoverished rural communities, who knew only about chickens and goats".[11] The book claims that 26 different warnings had been issued by the R&AW, India's external intelligence agency, saying that the Taj, the Oberoi Trident and the Leopold Cafe might be targeted.[10] The book includes descriptions of how people were ambushed as they tried to escape, and of the days of violence that followed the initial attacks.[9] Interviews with many victims of the attack are included in the book.[7]
Critical review[edit | edit source]
The Siege has received mainly positive reviews from critics. Dwight Garner of the New York Times said:
They are not the most gifted writers you will ever come across. I spent the first 50 pages of The Siege tallying clichés, dangling modifiers and awkward phrases. These very quickly stopped—or stopped mattering, I'm not sure which. The story they present steamrolls finicky objections. It's a tragedy and a thriller with concussive human and political resonance. I read it in what felt like three blinks.[12]
Firstpost reviewer Deepanjana Paul wrote:
The Siege is not a book you read for literary flair. It's written with the racing energy of a paperback thriller. There's just one significant difference from that popular genre: The Siege is all verified fact. Levy and Scott-Clark's reportage is outstanding, especially when you keep in mind how difficult it is to convince government departments like the National Security Guard to talk.[13]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "Bullets to the crown". Outlook. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ↑ "The Siege: 68 Hours Inside the Taj". Goodreads. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ↑ "The Siege:68 Hours inside the Taj by Cathy Scott". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ↑ "Book review: The Siege". Livemint. 23 November 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ↑ "The Siege takes the reader into the heart of the 26/11 attack". IBNLive. Archived from the original on 6 December 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
- ↑ "The Siege- Books by Cathy Scott". Penguin Books. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lahiri, Tripti (19 November 2013). "Review Round-Up: The Siege of Mumbai". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
- ↑ "Q&A with 'The Siege' authors Adrian Levy and Cathy-Scott Clerk". Mumbai Boss. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "The Siege: Searing Testimony to the 2008 Taj Attacks". Biographile.com. Archived from the original on 22 August 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "When the 'house of magic' burned". The Hindu. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ↑ "Book Review: The Siege:68 Hours Inside the Taj". SCMP.com. 2013.
- ↑ Garner, Dwight (29 October 2013). "'The Siege' Describes the Attack on the Taj in Mumbai". New York Times. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ↑ "The Siege: Well documented and races like a thriller, but incomplete". Firstpost. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.