Prisoner of Zion

An NPR journalists riveting exploration of religious fanaticism terrorism persecution and confronting ones own beliefs in a post 9/11 world.. Soon after the World Trade Center towers fell on September 11 2001 it became clear that the United States would invade Afghanistan. Writer and This American Life producer Scott Carrier decided to go there too.. In a series of remarkable essays Carrier raised among Mormons noted similarities in the beliefs and practices of the Taliban and the Utah church stressing the fundamentalist pledge of obedience to authority and revelations and visions from God to a Chosen people. Carrier needed to see and experience the Taliban for himself: who are these fanatics these fundamentalists? And what do they want? (Publishers Weekly).. Throughout these engrossing stories of travel interspersed with historical vignettes and the authors private struggles Carrier writes about his adventuressometime harrowing sometimes humorous and always revealingbut also about the bigger problem. Having grown up among the resolute of the Salt Lake City church he argues it will never work to attack the true believers headon. The faithful thrive on persecution. Somehow he thinks we need to find a wayinside ourselvesto rise above fear and anger (Kirkus Reviews)