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maryquitecontrary_22's review
3.0
Watched the TED talk after finishing- the book added detail I would have been curious about that couldn't fit in a 9-minute speech.
kobnet's review
5.0
This is one of my all-time favorite books.
While reading it I got the feeling that the editor was absolutely brutal, not letting a single word get in unless it was absolutely necessary, so the book is very short.
While reading it I got the feeling that the editor was absolutely brutal, not letting a single word get in unless it was absolutely necessary, so the book is very short.
mmotleyu's review
3.0
I was interested to hear how Zak's dad soured on the United States after a 2 negative experiences which he never recovered from. His mother's story as a woman who chose to covert to Islam and the treatment she received at the hands of her physically abusive husband (after Zak's dad) and how trapped she felt was equally as interestingas Zak's story.
kitsuneheart's review
5.0
Children whose parents are in jail are not entirely rare. A child whose father is in jail for terrorist crimes is rarely considered in America, but Zak Ebrahim's father has been in jail for the assassination of a prominent Jewish leader since Zak was seven years old. In the years that followed, Zak gained a strange notoriety at school, where his father's deeds were mostly ignored, but sometimes even rewarded, with students expressing approval of the man's actions, even giving Zak money.
But Zak grew up uncomfortable with his father's actions. Where did the hate come from? What was its purpose? Was it good? As he grew, his father's hate became more pronounced, sending Zak further and further away, until, despite being the son of one of America's most well-know pre-9/11 terrorists, Zak came to a tolerance and love of his fellow men that his father would have seen as sacrilegious.
The audiobook reading is fantastic. This is a worthy read for anyone, but especially recommended if you've a family member who has their own prejudices to work through.
But Zak grew up uncomfortable with his father's actions. Where did the hate come from? What was its purpose? Was it good? As he grew, his father's hate became more pronounced, sending Zak further and further away, until, despite being the son of one of America's most well-know pre-9/11 terrorists, Zak came to a tolerance and love of his fellow men that his father would have seen as sacrilegious.
The audiobook reading is fantastic. This is a worthy read for anyone, but especially recommended if you've a family member who has their own prejudices to work through.
jasperburns's review against another edition
4.0
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mfumarolo's review
3.0
In this brief memoir, Zak Ebrahim highlights some of the shaping moments of his life as the son of the terrorist who killed the leader of the Jewish Defense League and from his prison cell helped plan the1993 WTC bombings. Ebrahim's childhood was completely shaped by his father's beliefs and growing extremism, and while this book lays out the timeline of what his father and his fellow terrorists were up to, I would have liked to have learned more about Ebrahim himself and his beliefs. The premise of the book is about how the son of a terrorist never felt that hate himself, but then what was he feeling instead? What does he feel now? A fascinating read, I wish there were a bit more to it.
ttayfel1997's review
4.0
I received this book as part of my local library's "Expand your reading comfort zone" challenge and boy did this book expand my comfort zone. When the librarian first handed me the book, I had to hide my disappointment. I'm used to reading young adult books, usually once that contain romance, and this book didn't seem like it would have either. Although the book was nothing like what I'm used to reading...I still found it hard to put down. Zak's story captured me from the first few words. I was moved by his journey and surprised, that despite all he went through, he was able to choose love instead of hate. This story was a quick read, but it will stick with me forever.
sfujii's review
4.0
"My father lost his way - but that didn't stop me from finding mine."
This book represents one of the things I love about books and literature - its ability to take us inside the lives of people we could otherwise know nothing about. To give us the opportunity to understand someone who has lived an existence so far removed from our own that it is hard to fathom. This guy has such an incredible upbringing, in a culture that is so foreign to me, but one that is such an integral part of our country in so many ways. I wanted this to be longer and more developed, not because it was lacking in any way, but because it was so interesting, I wanted to know MORE.
"People try nonviolence for a week, and when it 'doesn't work,' they go back to violence, which hasn't worked for centuries." -Roszak
This book represents one of the things I love about books and literature - its ability to take us inside the lives of people we could otherwise know nothing about. To give us the opportunity to understand someone who has lived an existence so far removed from our own that it is hard to fathom. This guy has such an incredible upbringing, in a culture that is so foreign to me, but one that is such an integral part of our country in so many ways. I wanted this to be longer and more developed, not because it was lacking in any way, but because it was so interesting, I wanted to know MORE.
"People try nonviolence for a week, and when it 'doesn't work,' they go back to violence, which hasn't worked for centuries." -Roszak