John Tulloch - One day in July - Experiencing 717, published by Little Brown, £12.99 Reviewed by Jon Kershaw This is a moving and honest account of one of the Edgware Road survivors in the July 7 bombings last year. His bloodied face became one of the defining images of the survivors. From the introduction it is clear that the author (a professor on media and risk) is an intelligent, compassionate individual. He dedicates the book to all victims of the 'war on terror'
In the foreword he details his entry into the Tube on that fateful July day. In the next paragraph, he writes about an analogous situation where a young Brazilian electrician also enters the Tube and similarly unaware of the tragic fate which awaits him.
The first chapter records the actual bombing and his recollections. He recalls in amazing detail the people in the carriage immediately prior to the bombing although not Mohammad Sidique Khan (the bomber). The explosion is recalled with an air of surrealism.
Amazingly, although Tulloch was not too far from the bomber, he survived with his limbs intact and was able to stagger around. This is where adrenalin kicked in. Bizarrely, he remembers that he had a computer flash drive which contained his research.
He focused his mind on this. This continued until a man from the train going the opposite way (which was not damaged at all) came into the carriage and helped him to look for his bag. This was found and he is relieved.
The rest of the book details his recovery and the political implications of his experiences.
He explains how his initial optimism at surviving was quickly eroded when he had to come to terms with the slow, painful road to recovery.
However, the main focus of his account is how the media bombings.
He describes how he was reunited with the RAF commander who looked after him in the carriage. The picture of them shaking hands is reproduced in the Sun the next day with a blunt message - "Show them that we are not afraid" Later in the same issue the paper calls for police to be given extra powers to deal with terrorism.
Tulloch is very critical of this approach and cites an article by Robert Fisk showing that British support for US foreign policy made it a target for terrorists.
Tulloch's attempts to get across this viewpoint was sabotaged on more than one occasion by different news organisations.
He gave an interview to the Today programme but it was not used, presumably because uncomfortable truths about Iraq are told. There was a discussion on Five Live three months after the bombings. Tulloch shows how the programme is structured within a certain political framework so as to exclude alternative viewpoints which challenge the official wisdom. Then there was the incident with the Sun using his bloodied face to justify Blair's anti-terror laws.
This book is a gripping account of one man's terrible ordeal but also tremendously uplifting. His final chapter is in the form of an open letter to the bomber, explaining why he was wrong to pursue that course of action but giving voice to the tremendous injustices the Muslim world feels.
page 23 of the scan
The next issue of Socialist Resistance will be produced on Sept30Oct1, and distributed in the week beginning October 2. The deadline for feature articles and for letters (which are welcome items, reviews and local news are also welcome. Socialist on any topic, up to 400 words) will be Monday September 25. Diary