I'll Go

Alexs Thompson must be the only person who backpacked through terrorist-loving Yemen to escape the pain of being an abused, poor, Black kid from Philly. 9/11 inspired Alexs to become an international expert on Muslim clerics. He earned a PhD from the University of Chicago, learned five languages, sought out Muslim fundamentalists in places like Syria, and became an adviser to General David Petraeus. As a non-Muslim, he spent over a decade memorizing the Qur'an, praying with Muslims,...
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Alexs Thompson must be the only person who backpacked through terrorist-loving Yemen to escape the pain of being an abused, poor, Black kid from Philly. 9/11 inspired Alexs to become an international expert on Muslim clerics. He earned a PhD from the University of Chicago, learned five languages, sought out Muslim fundamentalists in places like Syria, and became an adviser to General David Petraeus. As a non-Muslim, he spent over a decade memorizing the Qur'an, praying with Muslims, and fasting Ramadan so he could help Marines and Special Forces Soldiers avoid combat by building relationships with Muslim leaders.But success wasn't easy or guaranteed. As a boy he fought his own battles against an abusive stepfather, coming to terms with how Black people are treated in America, and the trauma of war. At every difficult decision-whether to leave home at eighteen or abandon his successful career for love-he always found a way to express his independent spirit of adventure.Alexs's wide ranging travels shed light on the depth of Islamic religious life from a perspective rarely captured. His struggles are an inspiration to those whose life forces them to overcome at all costs.