After witnessing the awful aftermath of decades of sectarian
aggression and radical Islamist violence, Jared Cohen decided that
he must go to the Middle East to better understand the phenomenon.
After extensively studying Arabic and the history of the Middle
East, he journeyed into the region and reached out to the youth in
the area, putting himself in danger in order to understand their
culture and views on government, Israel, and America. Children of
Jihad is Cohen's account of his travels and interviews with the
people he met.
In September 2006, he was named the youngest member to the
Secretary of State's Policy Planning Staff, where he focused on
counter-terrorism, counter-radicalization, and Middle East/North
Africa issues. Prior to his work at the State Department, Cohen
received his BA from Stanford University and continued his
education at the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes
Scholar. Currently, he is the director of Google Ideas and is an
Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He also
serves as a member of the National Counterterrorism Center's
Director's Advisory Board.
Jared Cohen is also the author ofOne Hundred Days of Silence and
most recently co-authored The New Digital Age, with Eric Schmidt,
the executive chairman of Google.
“A riveting read from start to finish.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Children of Jihad is a very smart, insightful account of a young
Jewish- American (and rhodes scholar) trying to understand his
generation across the line in the middle east.”
— Tom Brokaw, NBC Universal
"This young gutsy writer knows that the East-West struggle is being
fought over the cafe tables of the Near and Middle East. Do the
youth of the Islamic world dream of an engineering degree from
Michigan State or a martyrs death? This young American has had the
moxie to sit and listen for hours at those tables. In the words of
the poet, Jared Cohen has taken the road "less traveled by, and
that has made all the difference."
—Chris Matthews, Host of MSNBC's Hardball and NBC's The Chris
Matthews Show
"Jared Cohen has written a unique book. Imagine a young American
circulating in the back alleys and cafes of Iran, Lebanon, Syria,
Palestinian refugee camps, and Iraq meeting other youth on their
terms and asking pointed questions about their aspirations,
concerns and attitudes toward their rulers and toward the United
States. There are breathtaking descriptions of flirting with danger
and fascinating dialogues that provide deep insights into the
politics and sociology of four key countries in the Middle East. It
is a fascinating read which I recommend to anyone who wants to
develop a better understanding of the [Middle East] and Arab
world."
— Frank Carlucci, Former Secretary of Defense
"An enlightening and entertaining story that is part travelogue and
part cultural analysis. Gaining insights through simple
conversation, Cohen paints a compelling picture of the politically
awakened youth of the Middle East."
—Zbigniew Brzezinski, Former National Security Advisor
"In this remarkable book Cohen provides a fresh perspective on the
Middle East. Seen through the eyes of the youth, and poignantly
describing their hopes and despairs, Cohen provides a timely
commentary on the troubled relations between America and the Middle
East. Looking at the habits and passions that binds the youth
across the cultural divide as well as the politics that which
divides them this book provides much food for thought for Americans
and Middle Easterners alike."
—Vali Nasr, author of The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam
will Shape the Future
"Astonishing."
—Washington Times
"Children of Jihad succeeds at breaking down some inaccurate
generalizations and replacing them with more accurate
generalizations, and it does a good job of humanizing Middle
Eastern youth by telling their individual stories"
—Haaretz
"An important book to read."
— Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC Morning Joe
"I admire Jared Cohen's courage, vigor and insight. He has been a
wonderful source of information and understanding about Iran,
particularly youth attitudes and ideals. His advice is helpful in
fostering better relations, better public diplomacy and progress
toward greater democratic freedoms and openness in Iran."
—Senator Richard Lugar, Ranking Member on Senate Foreign Relations
Committee
“Cohen’s chronicle is fine fieldwork for students of the Middle
East”
—Booklist
— Media
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