A well-researched compendium of torture throughout the ages. Mr Hassner highlights why information obtained through torture should always be questioned and draws parallels in history. A bit dry and pedantic at times, it is definitely a good read for lovers of history and this niche of interest.

Ron Hassner's Anatomy of Torture opens with the troubling declaration that due to the dearth of available data it is hard to measure how effective torture is, especially in revealing timely operational intelligence. While this is a very modern problem, particularly as torture (or "enhanced interrogation techniques") have been used by the US and their allies in combating terrorism, Hassner looked back in history and was able to find a large enough data pool to explore the nature of torture through the Spanish Inquisition in the years 1484 to 1601.

Building on the work of other scholars and encouraging others to pursue this line of inquiry, Hassner presents three cities of the Spanish Empire; Ciudad Real, Toldeo and Mexico City. In each place he details the way the inquisitors pursued accusations and in some cases began to torture and then how they adapted their methods. His finds suggest that Inquisitors were more successful when they tortured, or threatened to torture, seeking "corroborative" information. As in, they had information from another source, but wanted to confirm it. The other method Hassner describes is "exploratory torture" where one is tortured to see what they reveal.

Hassner also takes time to dispel some of the misconceptions about the Spanish Inquisition, such as torture not being used to determine guilt and that those who kept their silence were often freed with lesser penalties than those who broke and then recanted.

While centered on a controversial topic, Hassner handles it with a great deal of thought and care. He devotes the last two sections to summarize the research presented and also address the great ethical complications of a nation using torture as well as suggested research pathways for other scholars.

This is much delayed as the Kindle version was difficult to read as the title header on pages was not well aligned and was continually breaking through the text.

Difficult read but important title I unfortunately wasn't able to finish. Will recommend for purchase to any Non fiction collection.

'Anatomy of Torture' is a detailed and very well researched non-fiction book about torture.

It's an engaging and disturbing book that raises a lot of important issues.
The author compares Spanish Inquisition’s torture practices to the ones used in modern times.
He dives into the history of torture, how it's used, the ethics of enhanced interrogation used in the 'War on Terror' and its effectiveness.
He looks at both sides of the argument in a very neutral and balanced way.

Since not a lot is known about modern torture, mostly because it's not publicly documented and a lot of it is hidden away in classified documents, the author focuses more on the history of torture than modern day use.

I would recommend 'Anatomy of Torture' to anyone interested in learning more on the subject.

Thank you NetGalley and Cornell University Press for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Anatomy of Torture is a comprehensive and thought-provoking book about what it means to torture, the how, why, when, where and who is/was involved. Interestingly, most of the evidence used is drawn from copious and extremely detailed manuscripts scribes painstakingly documented from the Spanish and Mexican Inquisition as we have very few details from more recent interrogations. Some of the manuscripts are pictured in this book. But does torture work?

Author Ron Hassner discusses interrogative torture as opposed to confessional. Though torture then and now (such as waterboarding which is older than most would think) is described, Hassner's focus is more on the causes, characters and effects. He explains the process of extracting information slowly, the importance of corroboration and testimonies, comparing male vs. female reactions, advantages of Inquisition methods over modern, "shadow of torture", myths of the Inquisition, eliminating Jews and Muslim from Spain, torture victims' understandable false claims and recantations and the "confession trap" using a plethora of examples from said manuscripts. Historical context is important to remember and Hassner details extracting information from those involved in modern terrorist events including Osama bin Laden's group, for example. But far, far less is known about this than the Inquisition of 500 years ago. Amazing.

If you are at all intrigued by the subject, do not hesitate to read this book. You will undoubtedly learn a lot as I did!

My sincere thank you to Cornell University Press and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this extraordinary book.

I was so impressed with this book! Ron Hassner managed to construct a compelling argument from start to finish, delineating the history of torture as a means of obtaining information, and how said information is impacted by the kind of torture a person receives. I have never given much thought to violent interrogation techniques, but this book has awakened in me an interest to look into this subject a lot more.

Thanks to NetGalley and Cornell University Press for providing me with an ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.

A specific analysis of the Spanish Inquisition’s torture practices that is used to evaluate modern regimes’ use of torture. I found there was a good mix of broad but numerous vs. detailed but limited accounts that painted a comprehensive picture of the Inquisition’s development. I personally would’ve liked more historical background, but since this is a work of political science scholarship, it’s not really necessary. I’m not a torture scholar, so I actually learned a lot about the subject, especially in areas that countered my biases and assumptions. The ethical analysis of torture scholarship seemed extraneous to this work’s purpose, but I understand its inclusion. There were several moments while reading that I thought “I’m sure intelligence agencies somewhere are taking notes,” but Hassner stresses the importance of scholarship for scholarship’s sake, even if its conclusions could unintentionally (and that’s key) lead to bad consequences. An “anatomy” of torture feels somewhat misleading as a title, since the analysis of torture practices is mostly limited to one historical era. I feel like anatomy implies a broader focus, but that’s just a small gripe.

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Ron E. Hassner, and Cornell University Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Always one to keep my brain sharp with some academic reading, I turned to this analysis by Ron E. Hassner. While talk of torture and ‘enhanced interrogation’ were buzz words a few decades ago, the topic can still bring out many opinions on both sides of the argument. Does it work? How effective is it? When (if ever) should it be used to garner needed information? Hassner tackles these and many other questions, while also exploring the ethics of torture and its analysis in this concise book that is full of information and opportunities for the reader to learn.

From the outset, Hassner explains that not much is known about modern torture, mostly because it is not documented publicly. Surely, the Americans used it quite significantly after September 11, 2001, but they used euphemisms and kept specifics locked away in classified documents, making any analysis all but impossible. Hassner also explores that different sources offer greatly varied answers when it comes to certain people who were detained, including types, frequency, and intensity of torture. Therefore, any analysis of modern torture is impossible and leaves the door wide open for speculative answers, which is not Hassner’s intention.

Instead, the book examines some of the torture that history has provided with a great deal of documentation. Hassner focuses his attention on the Spanish Inquisition, which used torture quite extensively and over a long period of time. There are also a great number of resources readily available to the curious academic that discuss torture of all kinds and its effectiveness. Hassner uses this for the foundation of his tome and explores how it brought about results, but not in the same way US sources cite torture is used.

The attentive reader will see that Hassner divides torture not only by the time period within the Inquisition, but also types of torture used. It was primarily used to extract information, not pigeonhole individuals who were of a different religious belief. Use of secondary information was key to corroborate views before torture might have been considered, rather than relying on pain to lead towards truth telling. In fact, Hassner explicitly mentions throughout that extreme pain was likely not an effective type of torture, as it would have the recipient say whatever was needed to stop the agony, rather than revealing needed truths.

After a few case studies and analysis, Hassner turns to the ethics of torture and reporting it in a modern, academic fashion. While there have been groups who have used torture for long periods, many sought to scare populations, rather than extract key pieces of information from specific people. This is key to better understanding the process and how torture can only be as effective as its application. Use it too broadly and it becomes moot, though some regimes seem not to mind the stick over the carrot approach.

Ron E. Hassner provides the reader with a strong and well-paced book on torture, exemplifying its effective use, as well las its key downfalls. He uses strong examples, both modern and historical, to support his arguments, but chooses to remain as neutral as possible on the subject, so that the reader can come up with some of their own conclusions. The chapters were full of information, both prose and tabular, allowing for effective and comprehensive understanding of everything on the subject matter. While some of it did get a little deeper than I would have expected (or, at times,could synthesise), I thoroughly enjoyed learning and took much away from this short tome. While I may not be rushing out to read a great deal else on the subject, it has piqued my interest to see what others say on the topic and how they contrast with the work Hassner presented here.

Kudos, Mr. Hassner, for a wonderful chance to better understand theins and out of torture, as well as how history has taught us its uses and downfalls.

Dr. Hassner has spent a career studying and teaching the history of conflict, particularly the impact of faith on conflict. This work studies in depth the practice of torture during the auto-da-fe practice as well as other methods of violent conversion practiced by the Catholic Church after the Reconquista of Spain. The interesting application of this study is the practice of enhanced interrogation techniques during the "War on Terror." Well worth the time and thought that it will provoke.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Cornell University Press for an advanced copy of historical and political studies.

For all the debate about the ethics of Enhanced Interrogation and its use by American forces to fight the War on Terror, one of the largest questions raised is does it work. Both sides have their views on the subject, but most of the information that would be needed for a study are hidden under numerous layers of top secrets and other ways government uses to hide things it wishes would go away. So Ron E. Hassner, Professor of Political Science at University of California, Berkeley has gone to a group that kept meticulous records about their torture sessions, the Spanish Inquisition.

Anatomy of Torture is not a pro or con kind of a book. Professor Hassner states his examples, long transcriptions done by scribes of various torture sessions, every action, tool used, scream made, and every word said. The author then studies court transcripts, did the torture lead to convictions, did the information lead further, or was it ignored. What strikes the reader most is that records from hundreds of years ago were easier, even with translating and age than reading and accessing records from only twenty years ago. Also these sections are not easy to read in many places.

The writing is both scholarly and disturbing, both in the subject, and what is happening. I won't go into a summary. This is a very interesting book that raises quite a few questions about what humanity allows itself to do. How could a government say yes, torture is fine we need information, and run a program so haphazardly, where the Inquisition seems to have had more rules, better trained interrogators, and a stronger system to follow up on leads gained. This is a slim, well written book that raises a lot of important issues. Issues that I don't think this country is ever going to address.

How has torture become so acceptable in society? What does it say about humanity? The author does a fantastic job of explaining to us how torture is used, and if it is successful in retrieving what they hope for. This book was very engaging and easy to follow. I would recommend to anyone interested in learning more on the subject.

Like the book described this is an anatomy of torture. To draw conclusions regarding the efficacy of torture in the modern use by the USA post 9/11 the use of torture in the Spanish Inquisition is looked at in a historical context. The information is well researched and draws meaningful conclusions. The text is dense however as the subject matter is interesting it is easier to read than most academic texts. Kindle version of eARC was unfortunately unreadable due to the overshadow text about copyright and distribution not being properly formatted for kindle, I had to read via NetGalley shelf app.

Torture, whether we agree with it or not, has been and still is a big part of society. Hassner has written a truly solid examination of how torture has been used and whether or not it is successful in gaining truthful information. Using detailed records from The Spanish Inquisition, and the limited information available from the investigation following 9/11, Hassner has written the dialogue he has had with himself in an engaging and thoughtful way.

I have been left wondering, not only about the legitimacy of the confessions gained from hurting and nearly killing people, but also about what this says about humanity. No matter the crime, or the need for details, why has it ever become acceptable to act like monsters? I am now very invested in a line of thought I had rarely given any consideration previously and would be very interested in reading more on this subject.

This is a solid work dealing with torture. There is no question it is an important book in the field. What strikes me most is that this deals with a body of records, the Spanish Inquisition, that is not rivaled for detail and breadth anywhere else. As such we take some caution, as the author recommends, in extrapolating what we can draw from it. That said, we would do well to take this book seriously and examine, with the author, his process of unravelling what torture is, and how and why it is used.

For myself I kept asking, as we went from example to example, what if this is merely a failure of human beings to deal with that which they can not control. Torture as a means of fooling those in authority that they are controlling and supressing as they wish seemed obvious. Even if torture succeeds generally, we have been left with a sense that this is an sad failure of man to confront his inability to accept that somethings in this world are beyond him.

This is what the author, Hassner, has done, he has provided a book so detailed and easy to follow you will be engaged. Your engagement will get you thinking about this subject. This is not a catalogue of horrors but a dialogue with the author. Hassner is to be commended and I would definitely recommend this book.