The Way of the Strangers: Encounters with the Islamic State

The Way of the Strangers: Encounters with the Islamic State

What does ISIS really want? This is the definitive account of the strategy, psychology, and fundamentalism driving the Islamic State.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BYÂ FOREIGN AFFAIRSÂ â€¢Â â€œWorthy of Joseph Conrad . . . gripping, sobering and revelatory.â€â€”Tom Holland,Â New Statesman

The Islamic State inspired a wave of true believers to travel to Syria from Europe, America, and the Middle East, in numbers not seen since the Crusades. What compelled tens of thousands of men and women to leave comfortable, privileged lives to join a death cult in the desert? Steven Pinker called Graeme Woodâ€™s analysis of this phenomenon inÂ The AtlanticÂ â€œfascinating, terrifying, occasionally blackly humorous.â€ InÂ The Way of the Strangers, Wood uses character study, analysis, and original reporting to take us further into the Islamic Stateâ€™s apocalyptic vision.

Though the Islamic State has lost territory, it threatens to rise again, and its followers are plotting on every continent. From the streets of Cairo to the mosques of London, Wood meets with supporters, recruiters, and scholars and asks them why they believe that killing and dying for this cause is the only path to Paradise. With a new afterword,Â The Way of the StrangersÂ uncovers the theology and emotional appeal of this resilient group and explores its idiosyncratic, coherent approach to Islam. Just as Lawrence Wrightâ€™sÂ The Looming TowerÂ explained the rise of Al Qaida, this book will shape our understanding of a new and deadlier generation of terrorists.

Praise for The Way of the Strangers

â€œThe Way of the StrangersÂ represents journalism at its best: vivid writing, indefatigable legwork, and fearless analysis.â€â€”Robert D. Kaplan, author ofÂ The Return of Marco Poloâ€™s World

â€œWood is a brilliant analyst and storyteller, and his firsthand reporting and language abilities make him the most reliable commentator on the Islamic State that I have read. His wit matches his intelligence (â€™Well-behaved Salafis seldom make historyâ€™)â€”you don't get through any two pages in his book without a good laugh.â€â€”Peter Theroux, author ofÂ Sandstorms: Days and Nights in ArabiaÂ

â€œExcruciatingly well observed and devastatingly honest . . . This is the first and only book about the Islamic State to expose, explain, and ultimately undermine its ideology with the relentless irony that comes from blending deep knowledge with hands-on experience. Wood makes it impossible not to laugh, despite the horrors.â€â€”Elisabeth Kendall, senior research fellow in Arabic and Islamic studies, University of Oxford
Country USA
Brand Random House Books for Young Readers
Manufacturer Random House
Binding Hardcover
ReleaseDate 2016-12-20
UnitCount 1
EANs 9780812988758

Country	USA
Brand	Random House Books for Young Readers
Manufacturer	Random House
Binding	Hardcover
ReleaseDate	2016-12-20
UnitCount	1
EANs	9780812988758

The Way of the Strangers: Encounters with the Islamic State

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