First published 2024
Mosab Hassan Yousef grew up as the son of a Hamas founder, surrounded by the ideology and tactics of the organization his father helped create. When Israeli forces imprisoned and tortured him, he faced a choice that would define his life. Disgusted by Hamas methods including rape and violence, he made a dangerous decision to work secretly with Israeli intelligence. He provided information to expose suicide bombers and save lives while maintaining his cover within Hamas circles. His double life eventually became impossible to sustain. He fled to America seeking asylum, where he fought deportation proceedings with Homeland Security. Along the way, he rejected Islam and converted to Christianity, making international headlines. He became a sought-after speaker on Middle Eastern affairs and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He worked with Hollywood to bring his story to screen and eventually obtained US citizenship. Through yoga and spiritual practice, he found the peace that had eluded him during years of living under constant threat of assassination or imprisonment.
Genres: christian, political-science, autobiography, non-fiction, biography-memoir, middle-east
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: America, Hamas, Israel, Middle East
Period: 21st-century
303 pages · Kindle Edition · Forefront Books
Content warnings: abuse, torture, violence