War at the End of the World

What is ISIS? Where did it come from? What are its intentions?

The Way of the Strangers: Encounters with the Islamic State, a fascinating and in-depth journey into the minds of the true believers in the Islamic State, reveals their psychology, their character, and their goals.

From the streets of Cairo to the mosques of London to the suburbs of Melbourne, Wood follows in the footsteps of and interviews supporters, recruiters, and members of the world's most infamous jihadist group. We meet an Egyptian tailor who went from making bespoke suits for Paul Newman to living under Sharia law; an Australian convert who translates the group's sermons and threats into English; and a self-taught Muslim cleric determined to see the United States, his birth nation, soaked in blood.

Based on unprecedented access to high-ranking members of the Islamic State, this book is an immersion into the apocalyptic dogma that underlies this group's worldview. Only by accepting that the Islamic State truly believes that the end is near can we understand its strategy and predict its next moves.

Graeme Wood also offers an impressive and timely clarifying analysis of the fundamental differences and divisions within Islam, resulting in a complex and nuanced picture that completely breaks with the often misleading stereotypes prevalent in Europe.

Reviews:
«Fascinating and indispensable. A journey to the end of the night around the world. As individuals, the men he encounters are misfits, even losers. But their millennial ideology makes them the most dangerous people on the planet.»
Niall Ferguson

«A global journey to meet the raving fans of the Islamic State. Unlike most journalists who write about Islam today, Wood has no biased view or hidden agenda.»
The New Republic

«The best way to defeat ISIS is to understand it. And for that, the best way to start is this book. A great read. You should read this book.»
The Week

«The Islamic State is a dangerous place, and this book is a tour of its extremes.»
Dexter Filkins, The New York Times Book Review

«Conradian. The most entertaining book written about the Islamic State. The comic part emerges mainly from the imbalance between the scale of the claims and ambitions of its characters and the banality of their daily lives. Exciting, serious, and revealing.»
New Statesman

«Essential. Wood dismantles a series of comforting deceptions.»
National Review

«This is the definitive work on the origins, plans, and meaning of the world's most dangerous terrorist organization. Wood is fearless, incessantly curious, and magnetically engaging. An achievement.»
The Atlantic