The Way of the Strangers
Encounters with the Islamic State
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Narrated by:
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Graeme Wood
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By:
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Graeme Wood
About this listen
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 by Foreign Affairs
“Worthy of Joseph Conrad...gripping, sobering and revelatory.” (Tom Holland, 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 Wood’s analysis of this phenomenon in The Atlantic “fascinating, terrifying, occasionally blackly humorous”. In The Way of the Strangers, Wood uses character study, analysis, and original reporting to take us further into the Islamic State’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, The Way of the Strangers uncovers the theology and emotional appeal of this resilient group and explores its idiosyncratic, coherent approach to Islam. Just as Lawrence Wright’s The Looming Tower explained the rise of Al Qaida, this work will shape our understanding of a new and deadlier generation of terrorists.
Praise for The Way of the Strangers:
“The Way of the Strangers represents journalism at its best: vivid writing, indefatigable legwork, and fearless analysis.” (Robert D. Kaplan, author of The Return of Marco Polo’s World)
“Wood 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 (’Well-behaved Salafis seldom make history’) - you don't get through any two pages in his book without a good laugh.” (Peter Theroux, author of Sandstorms: Days and Nights in Arabia)
“Excruciatingly 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.” (Elisabeth Kendall, senior research fellow in Arabic and Islamic studies, University of Oxford)
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David Shipler delves into the origins of the prejudices of Jews and Arabs that have been intensified by war, terrorism, and nationalism. Focusing on the diverse cultures that exist side by side in Israel and Israeli-controlled territories, Shipler examines the process of indoctrination that begins in schools; he discusses the far ranging effects of socioeconomic differences, historical conflicts between Islam and Judaism, attitudes about the Holocaust, and much more.
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'Arab and Jew' Needs a Good Editor
- By Robert W. Gillespie on 10-23-03
By: David K. Shipler
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If the Oceans Were Ink
- An Unlikely Friendship and a Journey to the Heart of the Quran
- By: Carla Power
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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If the Oceans Were Ink is Carla Power's eye-opening story of how she and her longtime friend, Sheikh Mohammad Akram Nadwi, found a way to confront ugly stereotypes and persistent misperceptions that were cleaving their communities. Their friendship - between a secular American and a madrasa-trained sheikh - had always seemed unlikely, but now they were frustrated and bewildered by the battles being fought in their names.
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WAY TOO LONG-but good material
- By teri_novabern on 07-30-16
By: Carla Power
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The Truth About Muhammad
- Founder of the World's Most Intolerant Religion
- By: Robert Spencer
- Narrated by: James Adams
- Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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In The Truth about Muhammad, New York Times best-selling author and Islam expert Robert Spencer offers an honest and telling portrait of the founder of Islam - perhaps the first such portrait in half a century - unbounded by fear and political correctness, unflinching, and willing to face the hard facts about Muhammad's life that continue to affect our world today.
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Enlightening
- By Cx30 on 12-09-06
By: Robert Spencer
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Children of Paradise
- The Struggle for the Soul of Iran
- By: Laura Secor
- Narrated by: Mozhan Marnò
- Length: 17 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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The drama that shaped today’s Iran, from the Revolution to the present day. In 1979, seemingly overnight - moving at a clip some 30 years faster than the rest of the world - Iran became the first revolutionary theocracy in modern times. Since then, the country has been largely a black box to the West, a sinister presence looming over the horizon. But inside Iran, a breathtaking drama has unfolded since then, as religious thinkers, political operatives, poets, journalists, and activists have imagined and reimagined what Iran should be.
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Most Engaging
- By malita on 12-29-22
By: Laura Secor
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Why the Jews?
- The Reason for Anti-Semitism, the Most Accurate Predictor of Human Evil
- By: Dennis Prager, Joseph Telushkin
- Narrated by: Traber Burns
- Length: 8 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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In this seminal work that has spent more than 30 years in print, Dennis Prager and Joseph Telushkin explain the reasons behind anti-Semitism, the world's preoccupation with the Jews and Israel, and why now more than ever the world needs to confront anti-Jewish sentiment. Prager and Telushkin examine in detail how anti-Semitism is a unique hatred - no other prejudice has been as universal, deep, or permanent - and how the concept of the "chosen people" spawned that hatred.
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It answers the question!
- By MarissaB on 10-01-16
By: Dennis Prager, and others
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Nonviolence
- The History of a Dangerous Idea
- By: Mark Kurlansky
- Narrated by: Richard Dreyfuss
- Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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In this timely, highly original, and controversial narrative, New York Times best-selling author Mark Kurlansky discusses nonviolence as a distinct entity, a course of action, rather than a mere state of mind. Nonviolence can and should be a technique for overcoming social injustice and ending wars, he asserts, which is why it is the preferred method of those who speak truth to power.
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A brief, necessary account of the history of nonviolence
- By Real Talk on 07-29-20
By: Mark Kurlansky
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Strange Gods
- A Secular History of Conversion
- By: Susan Jacoby
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Wiley
- Length: 19 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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In this original and riveting exploration, Susan Jacoby argues that conversion - especially in the free American "religious marketplace" - is too often viewed only within the conventional and simplistic narrative of personal reinvention and divine grace. Instead, the author places conversions within a secular social context that has, at various times, included the force of a unified church and state, desire for upward economic mobility, and interreligious marriage.
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Our own fabrications
- By David E. Felker on 01-03-17
By: Susan Jacoby
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The Complete Infidel's Guide to Iran
- By: Robert Spencer
- Narrated by: Bob Reed
- Length: 11 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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The author of The Complete Infidel's Guide to ISIS and The Complete Infidel's Guide to the Koran returns with the sharp wit and boundless courage needed to expose the oncoming storm from Iran.
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Terrible
- By J. R. Bowers on 12-22-16
By: Robert Spencer
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Radical
- My Journey out of Islamist Extremism
- By: Maajid Nawaz
- Narrated by: David Linski
- Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Maajid Nawaz spent his teenage years listening to American hip-hop and learning about the radical Islamist movement spreading throughout Europe and Asia in the 1980s and '90s. At 16, he was already a ranking member in Hizb ut-Tahrir, a London-based Islamist group. He quickly rose through the ranks to become a top recruiter, a charismatic spokesman for the cause of uniting Islam's political power across the world.
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Insightful and Enlightening. Blown Away by Radical
- By oneofmanymonkeys on 04-29-16
By: Maajid Nawaz
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Inside the Kingdom
- Kings, Clerics, Modernists, Terrorists, and the Struggle for Saudi Arabia
- By: Robert Lacey
- Narrated by: Robert Lacey
- Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Best-selling author Robert Lacey tells us what happened in the Middle East's oil-rich powerhouse---while we weren't looking.
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Inside the Kingdom
- By Ibrahim on 03-19-10
By: Robert Lacey
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Mirror to the Church
- Resurrecting Faith after Genocide in Rwanda
- By: Emmanuel M. Katongole, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
- Narrated by: Jonathan Petersen
- Length: 3 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1994, the most Christianized country in Africa became the site of its worst genocide. The tragedy was in Rwanda, but what happened was a mirror reflecting the deep brokenness of the church in the West. Yet by looking at what happened and why, we can find hope for the global body of Christ.
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Powerful
- By Freddy G on 03-07-20
By: Emmanuel M. Katongole, and others
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Preachers of Hate
- Islam and the War on America
- By: Kenneth Timmerman
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Like no book before it, Preachers of Hate uncovers an ancient hatred that threatens the life and livelihood of every American. The "new" anti-Semitism targets not only Jews, but Americans specifically and the West in general. It targets our values, our lifestyle, and our freedoms. It is the single most important issue we face when trying to make sense of the Arab world.
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This is an EXCELLENT.... EYE OPENING read!
- By Jon on 11-23-03
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A Battle for the Soul of Islam
- An American Muslim Patriot's Fight to Save His Faith
- By: M. Zuhdi Jasser
- Narrated by: Michael Prichard
- Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Among the unsettling social shifts in the wake of 9/11 was the global attention paid to Islam. Here in the United States, we became divided, often sadly along partisan lines, between those who believed every Muslim was a potential threat and those who believed no Muslim could do wrong. For conservative Wisconsin native and former U.S. Navy lieutenant commander Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, these radical times meant facing a new reality as a devout Muslim and a patriot - a certain betrayal within his faith.
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A courageous and clear champion of American Liberty
- By Craigan on 04-07-16
By: M. Zuhdi Jasser
What listeners say about The Way of the Strangers
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Pablop960
- 11-26-23
Definitive Work on the Minds of Jihadists
After the 2023 Terrorist attack on Israel and the following response of destroying all of Gaza I needed to understand the purpose behind Muslims who call for Caliphate - Mr. Wood wrote a definitive work here work every second of my time.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 06-18-17
For those interested in ISIS strategy.
A collection of exhaustive research and lengthy interviews as told (necessarily, in ny opinion) by the journalist and author himself. This is terribly enlightening. I'm struck by a few things. First, Islamic interpretation is complicated. In that finding, I'm comforted because it's so consistent with Christianity (and Judaism). The book is written by a journalist who is attempting to address questions -- that I've had myself -- as done by actually talking to Muslims. One of the countless men he's interviewed made a point that I'd feel better understanding better because of supreme importance to non-Muslims. He suggested (roughly) that a "silent majority" of Muslims are secretly pleased about Salafi actions and the Baghdadi Caliphate since its implementation of sharia law indicates that the end of days and jannah is near.
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- Mike Tancsa
- 06-30-17
fascinating almost ethnographic
a very well-written book. it's hard not to Discount the weight of evidence and research he puts forth to describe Islamic State and their followers that is somewhat of a minority position in the popular press.
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- Alex Economu
- 07-08-17
Graeme Wood puts on a clinic
Fascinating interviews, insightful analysis, captivating stories, this is the best book you can find to get into the minds and hearts of ISIS supporters. It's at once hilarious and chilling, and Graeme's narration is spectacular. Must buy!
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- Lee Wilkins
- 06-14-17
What are Jihadists Thinking, and Why?
Graeme Wood set out to understand our enemy, and this book is written to capture the thoughts of those who support the Islamic State. He's interviewed many, and a common pattern emerges through their stories. Graeme is an excellent writer, and storyteller, and I've recommended this book to many of my friends. Despite the deadly horror and seriousness of the subject matter, Graeme occasionally uses wry humor as he points out the contradictions in the personal lives of those who preach hatred and jihad against any "non-believers". He also helps understand why moderate Muslims' attitude toward jihadists are relatively unlikely to make a serious dent in the problem. I recommend this book highly.
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-19-20
The Wat of Strangers
Excellent book, clear and very informative. Excellent performance which is just right Unbiased and well researched. I have learned so much and would recommend the book highly.
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- Omid Ashtari
- 11-26-22
Simply fascinating
Just so interesting to see into the minds of such an organization and its people.
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- Ernie
- 12-27-16
Informative
This book offers a look into the minds and motivations of ISIS and other current Muslim causes around the world.
It also spawned many questions for me. This book does a great job of explaining the motivations of the "boots on the ground" soldiers of ISIS. Perhaps a future book would provide similar analysis of the financial backing of these movements. Missing from this book was some examination of Muslims not "in the battle". What are their thoughts of ISIS. Not the 30 second media version, but the imbedded, knowledgeable version.
Overall a great job. Thorough, and from close examination. Well done.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Cindy F. Tow
- 05-24-17
Very eye opening
Talk about being put to sleep by a Narrator! Only thing keeping you awake is the education you are receiving from the content. OMG!!
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- David
- 02-01-18
This is the single best book on Islam I have seen.
And I have seen and listened to dozens of them over decades. The most remarkable thing about this particular book is that it is appropriate for people like me who know all about these particulars, as well as people who do not know the particulars.
The tragedy of the entire thing is that nothing can be done about it. Specifically, Islam has two vulnerabilities. First and foremost it has nothing like a Pope. The Roman Catholic Church never had more then three contenders at any one time. Islam? Every damned Imam is his own Pope.
Worse, Islamic theology (Koran, Hadith etc) are irredeemably supremacist. The Christian's Jesus said: "Those of you who are without sin throw the first stones." Islamic theology is simply, more or less, kill them all. Christianity has the New Testament. Islam has a war manual. Just read the Koran. You need to do it three times in succession to get the whole effect.
Or Youtube" "David Wood" or Islam 201.
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