Last year, I was loaned a book by one of my professors after he read aloud a passage during class in order to teach us how to write creatively.  

That book was called “Children of Jihad” by Jared Cohen. I have had the privilege of reading it over the past year.

I know what you’re thinking: It took you a year to read a book? Yes, it did. Between working, class and pursuing hobbies, I haven’t had much time to read.  

However, that does not take away the power of reading and this book in general.  

In the book, Cohen, a Jewish American, travels to several Middle-Eastern countries at the height of the war on terrorism. He first travels to Iran in 2004 where he is escorted by several people in an attempt to learn about the youth of Iran.  

To his and to my surprise, there were a lot of commonalities. Teenagers and young adults in Iran party, sneak out and do other young adult activities. Of course, they do these things in secrecy to avoid the morality police.  

They criticize their government online, just like we do, although through anonymous forums. Many Iranian young people look to the West for their influences and an aspirational way of life. Of course, they are taught to hate the American government.  

However, many of them spoke positively about American citizens and our country as a whole. They separated the United States government from its citizens.  

Cohen then traveled to Lebanon in 2005, during a time where there was a contentious election in the country. He visited the cosmopolitan capital of Beirut, where he witnesses Lebanese youth openly drinking, clubbing, driving western cars and even acts of homosexuality.  

He discusses politics yet again with the youth of Lebanon. A lot of Lebanese youth share similar sentiments of their Iranian counterparts, where they love American citizens and their way of life but share disdain for the American government and foreign policy.  

He then visits a refugee camp for displaced Palestinians south of Beirut.

The contrast could not be more stark. Palestinian refugees are living in squalor, often in tents. Lebanon struck a deal with Palestinian refugees after Syrian occupation, agreeing to let the Palestinians stay in exchange for them securing their own security of the camps.  

Being a Jewish person, Cohen treads very carefully. He speaks to militant leaders whose houses are adorned with military-grade weapons. Cohen elaborates how a small portion of Palestinians become radicalized in their youth due to their living conditions. However, young Palestinians still admire the western way of life compared to their parents and grandparents.  

Overall, the book was an incredible read. It is captivating, thrilling and chilling, all in one book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is curious about the world outside the U.S. or who wants to dispel preconceived notions about other cultures. This book goes to show that humans are more alike than we think, and that there are cracks in government propaganda, American or otherwise.  

Rating: 10/10

Jacob Hamm can be reached at 581-2812 or at jmhamm@eiu.edu.