My Year Inside Radical Islam

My Year Inside Radical Islam

By Daveed Gartenstein-Ross

Book Description

A young man's search for spiritual meaning takes an unexpected and troubling turn in this candid memoir of religious conversion and ideological seduction. Growing up in liberal Oregon with parents who had abandoned their Jewish faith, Daveed Gartenstein-Ross felt a deep longing for religious connection and purpose that his secular upbringing couldn't fulfill.

During his college years in the late 1990s, he encountered a compelling Muslim student whose blend of thoughtful faith and political conviction seemed to offer exactly what he was seeking. What began as an authentic desire to embrace Islam and join a meaningful religious community gradually evolved into something far more dangerous. Through his personal journey, Gartenstein-Ross reveals how genuine spiritual seeking can be manipulated and how even well-intentioned individuals can find themselves drawn toward extremist interpretations of faith.

This memoir offers a rare insider's perspective on the process of radicalization, showing how the human need for belonging and purpose can be exploited by those with darker agendas. Rather than simply condemning extremism from the outside, the author examines his own vulnerability and the gradual shifts in thinking that led him away from his original values.

Now working as a counterterrorism consultant, Gartenstein-Ross provides valuable insights into how good intentions can be corrupted and how spiritual seekers can protect themselves from manipulation while pursuing authentic faith.

Who Is This For?

📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~8 hours)

📄 Length: 304 pages

What You'll Discover

  • ✓ Explore Muslim converts from Judaism
  • ✓ Explore Biography
  • ✓ Explore Biography & Autobiography
  • ✓ Explore Muslims, united states
  • ✓ Explore Islam, united states
  • ✓ Explore Islamic fundamentalism
  • ✓ Explore Terrorism
  • ✓ Explore Nonfiction

Topics Covered

Muslim converts from Judaism Biography Biography & Autobiography Muslims, united states Islam, united states Islamic fundamentalism Terrorism Nonfiction Customs and practices Oregon, biography Islam Islam and politics Religion & Spirituality Wahhābīyah

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