An immigrant's son shuns his heritage and his homeland, only to see them come to dominate headlines in a manner that forces him to come to a deeper understanding of himself and his world. This notable collection of personal stories and cultural insights illuminates anew the grand American immigrant experience. Just as notably, Lessons from the Holy Wars is invaluable for anyone seeking insight into the encounter-or collision-of Islam and the West. Filled with wonder and wit, it offers a revealing perspective on the events of our day.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From the Publisher
Rob Asghar, a Fellow at the University of Southern California's Center on Public Diplomacy, has been published in more than 30 news outlets around the world, including the Huffington Post, Wall Street Journal and Japan Times.
Asghar learned his lessons the hard way. He experienced conservative Muslim guilt by drinking and watching Three's Company. He experienced conservative Christian guilt by giving less than 10% of his income to his church and continuing to watch Three's Company. He attempted to flee Pakistan as a child due to the smell. He remains bitter about losing a rigged class election to the snobby daughter of Pakistani nuclear mastermind AQ Khan. He overspends as a foolish, ongoing rebellion against his immigrant parents' prudent, Shake-n-Bake-eating ways. He survived historic anti-American attacks during his years in Pakistan. His late father called him "the second-worst man alive" for drifting from Islam, and angry evangelicals called him a closet jihadist for later drifting from them. He spent a lifetime attempting to please others and to make peace among people and cultures -- only to find that happiness comes from letting people down and allowing them to scuffle, within good reason!
A few political & personal lessons from the holy wars:
* US foreign policy has been warped by American evangelicals' misunderstandings of their own New Testament teachings.
* Religion doesn't kill people: Culture & Mother Nature kill people.
* To succeed in life, you gotta learn to be a disappointment.
* It's not about Af-Pak, it's about In-Pak--Pakistan's relationship with India is what should matter to Washington.
* Want peace? You need to master the art of "managing devils."
Asghar learned his lessons the hard way. He experienced conservative Muslim guilt by drinking and watching Three's Company. He experienced conservative Christian guilt by giving less than 10% of his income to his church and continuing to watch Three's Company. He attempted to flee Pakistan as a child due to the smell. He remains bitter about losing a rigged class election to the snobby daughter of Pakistani nuclear mastermind AQ Khan. He overspends as a foolish, ongoing rebellion against his immigrant parents' prudent, Shake-n-Bake-eating ways. He survived historic anti-American attacks during his years in Pakistan. His late father called him "the second-worst man alive" for drifting from Islam, and angry evangelicals called him a closet jihadist for later drifting from them. He spent a lifetime attempting to please others and to make peace among people and cultures -- only to find that happiness comes from letting people down and allowing them to scuffle, within good reason!
A few political & personal lessons from the holy wars:
* US foreign policy has been warped by American evangelicals' misunderstandings of their own New Testament teachings.
* Religion doesn't kill people: Culture & Mother Nature kill people.
* To succeed in life, you gotta learn to be a disappointment.
* It's not about Af-Pak, it's about In-Pak--Pakistan's relationship with India is what should matter to Washington.
* Want peace? You need to master the art of "managing devils."
From the Author
"A book that makes you laugh and think at the same time."
-- Dan Cray, contributor, TIME magazine
-- Dan Cray, contributor, TIME magazine
"Asghar's immigrant family story is illuminating and encouraging - a hopeful sign that as each of us moves along our respective voyages of self-discovery and self-expression, even the most seemingly painful conflicts of identity and security can be overcome."
-- From the foreword by Warren Bennis, bestselling leadership author
"Drawing from his unique background, Asghar frames pressing issues through both personal and scholarly lenses--and in doing so, he has emerged as a unique and profound voice among commentators on South Asia and the Muslim world."
-- Varun Soni, dean of religious life, University of Southern California
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More About the Author
Rob Asghar is a Pakistani American political writer whose essays and commentaries have appeared in more than 30 newspapers around the world, including The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Denver Post, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Jordan Times and Japan Times. Asghar has also been a columnist for Creators Syndicate and is currently a regular blogger for the Huffington Post and the Los Angeles Daily News. He is a fellow at the Center on Public Diplomacy at the University of Southern California and a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A. Corcoran
Format:Paperback
Rob Asghar has been informing and entertaining me through his writing for years. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of the relationship between the West and Islam from someone who has both a personal and intellectual perspective.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Cameron
Format:Paperback
Smart, entertaining, and very relatable -- simply, a really captivating debut piece by author Asghar. A great read for those following what's happening in Pakistan or those studying Muslim American culture, but also a great read for those just learning about it all or even completely unfamiliar with any of it. Definitely a must-read story relatable to every American immigrant.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I greatly enjoyed Mr. Asghar's book! His unique perspective and gift for (very funny) storytelling make for a highly entertaining and highly informative read. The autobiographical Part I gives a great introduction to the essays that make up Part II; knowing Mr. Asghar's personal journey as a child criss-crossing the middle east and the west with his family illuminates his reflections on events of our post 9/11 world and the suspicions and misunderstandings that continue to exist between the west and the Islamic world. Highly Recommended!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Clever combination of humor and punditry
In Lessons from the Holy Wars, Asghar tackles the complex issues regarding Muslim and Western communities from a unique perspective. Read more
Published on March 13, 2010 by PCH
5.0 out of 5 stars
Uncommonly witty and perceptive
Lessons from the Holy Wars is laugh-out-loud funny, moving and provocative. Asghar writes with disarming honesty and self-deprecating wit about wrestling with questions of faith... Read more
Published on March 9, 2010 by ONeill1963
5.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining and Enlightening!
Rob Asghar's Lessons from the Holy Wars is a surprisingly delightful read. The book's mix of humor and intellect is positively "Seinfeldian," Asghar demonstrates in this personal... Read more
Published on March 2, 2010 by Jerome Hughes
5.0 out of 5 stars
An engaging read!
Rob Asghar has had such an interesting life, filled with so many different experiences in Pakistan and the United States. Read more
Published on March 2, 2010 by Jude Fawley
4.0 out of 5 stars
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Pakistani
_Lessons from the Holy Wars_ reminds us that the personal is political. It reminds us that faiths and families shape our lives and shape the world. Read more
Published on March 1, 2010 by Dana Del George
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Long and Winding Road
Lessons From The Holy Wars is the narrative of a man who, when he ultimately found himself, discovered that he had not fallen nearly as far from his parents' tree as he might have... Read more
Published on February 15, 2010 by Joanne Weidman
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great read
A great book that entertained while at the same time generating some deep inner reflection. After reading the book I realize how little I learned about Pakistanis despite living... Read more
Published on February 8, 2010 by Alan S. Greene
5.0 out of 5 stars
Timely, funny, painful, honest...a must read.
Rob Asghar is a man of many words...all well-chosen, no matter what topic he addresses. In this, his first book, he invites us into his Pakistani-American world, taking us from... Read more
Published on February 3, 2010 by Karin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Honest Odyssey
Written with revealing and sometimes brutal honesty, usually at the author's expense. This is not a political essay as the title might suggest. Read more
Published on January 18, 2010 by Gregory King
5.0 out of 5 stars
Insightful, Moving, Funny and Rare Book
Reading "Holy Wars" is like listening to a good friend telling hard-won truths in a household weighted down with family secrets. Read more
Published on January 9, 2010 by Tim Chambers
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