Ramón Spaaij

“Defined variously as a ‘radical loser,’ a ‘lunatic assassin,’ or more grandiosely as a symptom of our fractured political age, the lone wolf terrorist is a much-commented-upon but frequently misunderstood phenomenon. Thankfully, with the publication of Hamm and Spaaij’s compelling new work, The Age of Lone Wolf Terrorism, we now have the definitive resource with which to explore both the mindset and the motivations of this most perplexing of political extremists. Crisply written and extraordinarily rich in empirical detail, this is essential reading for students of terrorism, criminologists concerned with political violence, and anyone else interested in the evolving nature of late modern radicalization.”

Keith Hayward, University of Copenhagen

“A searing, eye-opening, and comprehensive depiction of the evolving nature of terrorism in the United States, The Age of Lone Wolf Terrorism is certain to become essential reading for anyone interested in understanding both the factors leading to terrorism and new ways of approaching counterterrorism. Hamm and Spaaij’s detailed analysis of the connection between personal circumstances and contemporary social and political realities shed light on aspects of terrorism that are all too often overlooked. Their work is an indispensable primer for policy makers, counterterrorism experts, and students of terrorism.”

Karen J. Greenberg, Director, Center on National Security, Fordham University

“Hamm and Spaaij have done us all, as citizens in a world increasingly vulnerable to lone wolf terrorism, a service in their comprehensive analysis of this phenomenon.”

Padraig Collins, PsycCritiques

“Exceptional from a scholarly point of view, while also providing crucial insights that can help towards devising effective policy responses to lone wolf terrorism.”

Christos Balafoutis, British Journal of Criminology

“Genuinely indispensable.”

Matthew Feldman, Times Higher Education

“The authors make a compelling, data-backed argument that political violence committed by lone offenders has been steadily increasing for decades, and that this increase is particularly marked in the United States.”

Journal of Communication

“A useful introduction into the history of lone wolf terrorism in the United States.”

H-War

“A book bursting with insight and precision that leaves little to be desired. […] I applaud their effort to not only influence larger political changes, but also to suggest life-saving procedures we can apply on the road to social emancipation.”

Crime, Media, Culture: An International Journal

“If you read only one book on lone wolf terrorism, this should be it. It sets the benchmark on what we know about this threat and what can be done to safeguard the future. Superb.”

Andrew Silke, University of East London

“A searing, eye-opening, and comprehensive depiction of the evolving nature of terrorism in the United States, The Age of Lone Wolf Terrorism is certain to become essential reading for anyone interested in understanding both the factors leading to terrorism and new ways of approaching counterterrorism. Hamm and Spaaij’s detailed analysis of the connection between personal circumstances and contemporary social and political realities shed light on aspects of terrorism that are all too often overlooked. Their work is an indispensable primer for policy makers, counterterrorism experts, and students of terrorism.”

Karen J. Greenberg, Director, Center on National Security, Fordham University

“Hamm and Spaaij yield several unique findings that upend established terrorism expertise […] The Age of Lone Wolf Terrorism does manage to break the typical mould of terrorism studies.“

Kris Millett, Critical Studies on Terrorism

“The Age of Lone Wolf Terrorism provides an important data-driven extension to our current understanding of who lone wolves are and the factors that led them to undertake the acts that they did. It is a well-researched and dynamic read that seamlessly flows between quantitative analyses and qualitative deep-dives.”

Neil Shortland, Theoretical Criminology

“An impressive examination of the rise of lone wolf terrorism and its implications for Western counter-terrorism strategy. […] Highly recommended.”

CHOICE: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries

“This book presents a compelling look at how lone wolf terrorists are made over time, not born. […] For security professionals trying to understand the lone wolf threat, this book provides an excellent reference.”

Bill Scott, CPP, Security Management

“An outstanding manual for professionals and criminology students, as well as an interesting (and easy to understand) book for everyone.”

The Serial Reader