I live in New Jersey. I used to assume that the real name of the city was either Paterson or possibly Passaic.

Opdike has this amazing ability to make the seemingly ordinary day-to-day hustle of northern New Jersey life seem borderline magical and exciting. He truly gets into the minds of just ordinary working people. These are the kind of people who are usually deeply depressed and bored stiff, but somehow he makes them sound really interesting.

The story centers upon Jews, Irish-Americans, Muslims, African-Americans, the middle-aged, and those who are grossly obese. There is never a dull moment. He spares us from pedantic, flamboyant styles or vocabulary without sacrificing his ingenious way of telling a story.

Life isn't a fairy tale, but it basically beats a lot of other predicaments, especially in New Jersey. Here, there is a definite comaradery and a forced enthusiasm in the face of the difficult predicament of life. Inquisitiveness rules each and every day and each and every character's life in this book. And had they been in L.A. or Miami, they might not have functioned that way for a split second, indeed.

Heaven! This book really tests one's patience. "The Terrorist" has a very slow plot and describes extremely a lot.

Taking the background from the 9/11 terrorist incident, the author describes the psychology of Ahmad - a terrorist who just graduated from high school and is also as normal as an ordinary person. The difference here is Ahmad's faith. He has followed Islam since he was 11 years old. At any time in his thoughts and actions, he only thinks about God and lives for God. He sees the material and ordinary lifestyle of the US in the era of new technological change everywhere.

This book is thick with religion. The author does not follow any side or praise or slander any religion, but writes from a neutral perspective. Islam itself is not bad, but the point here is that those religious leaders borrow the name of the holy spirit to smear and misinterpret the meaning of Islam, making those terrorists, those "martyrs for the faith" think that they are serving God and will go to heaven.

However, I don't like any character in this book at all. Their way of doing things seems so hard to understand and the excuses for what they do are kind of strange.

In conclusion, I am quite disappointed with this book. I feel that I am not suitable for reading modern American literature or something like that :)))

Yes, the story managed to hold my interest and was decently written to a certain extent.

However, I was truly disappointed that a highly regarded and excellent writer like John Updike was unable to present and explain Islamic ideas in a more profound and accurate fashion than he did.

Moreover, even his description of his Jewish character seemed rather shallow, and the same could be said about his protagonist's mother's belief system.

It almost feels as if Updike just churned out this work mainly for the sake of making money, rather than putting in his usual depth and care into the exploration of these important themes and characters.

This lack of authenticity and depth in his treatment of such significant aspects leaves the reader with a sense of dissatisfaction and a feeling that the potential of the story was not fully realized.

Overall, while the story had some initial appeal, it ultimately falls short in several crucial areas due to Updike's seemingly hurried and perhaps less than committed approach.

I am evolving into a serial abandoner of books. It's not even possible to attribute this fickleness to the fact that I am associated with a library. You see, I find myself falling in love with and then leaving even those books that I have purchased on warm, fuzzy afternoons at Crossword.

Anyhow, Mr. Updike, if by some chance you are reading this, you can blame it on my shallowness. Just carry on with your surfing because I don't believe you'll be pleased to know that I began your book, liked your protagonist, truly 'understood' the voice of the book, and then, Boom! It's goodbye and thanks for all, well, whatever.

For obvious reasons, I can't recommend the book. However, I will most definitely go on record to state that I really, really liked the way it opened. The initial pages had a certain charm and allure that drew me in, but for some reason, I just couldn't follow through. Maybe it was my own distractions or perhaps the story didn't quite hold my interest as I had hoped. But that opening, it was something special.

Maybe some people have a penchant for reading pages upon pages of religious and political musings that lack a substantial plot and feature characters who are despised simply for being overweight or labeled as 'promiscuous'. However, I am most definitely not among that group.

I have always been drawn to stories that have a captivating plot, one that can keep me on the edge of my seat and make me eager to turn the next page. I want to be invested in the lives of the characters, to feel their joys and sorrows, and to root for them as they face challenges and overcome obstacles.

Characters who are judged solely based on superficial qualities like their weight or their perceived sexual behavior seem one-dimensional and unfair to me. I believe that every character should have depth and complexity, and that their actions and decisions should be based on their individual personalities, experiences, and motivations.

In conclusion, while some may find satisfaction in reading religious and political musings with unlikable characters, I prefer stories that offer a more engaging and well-rounded experience.

I thought this was an extremely interesting portrayal of the radicalization of a young Muslim boy.

It presents a perspective that I, perhaps due to my limited knowledge, had not fully considered before. I have no specific frame of reference to determine if this is an entirely accurate depiction or not. However, as I read through the pages, it certainly seems quite plausible to me.

The author has managed to create a narrative that is not only engaging but also very readable. The story flows smoothly, drawing the reader in and making them eager to discover what will happen next.

Overall, I found the book to be both enjoyable and thought-provoking. It has made me reflect on the complex issues surrounding radicalization and the potential factors that can influence a young person's path.

I would highly recommend this book to others who are interested in exploring these themes or simply looking for a good read.

Our book group read this book last month.

Surprisingly, I think I'm the only one who truly liked it.

Updike's writing is, as always, simply wonderful.

He provides great descriptions of his main characters.

There's a 17-year-old high school senior who is half-Irish and half-Middle Eastern and who becomes a devout Muslim.

His mother is a would-be artist.

And his high school guidance counselor is 60+ and Jewish.

The kid, of course, gets pulled into a terrorist cell.

It occurred to me later that the title may be ironic.

Karma, read it just for the wonderful picture of the burned-out guidance counselor.

You will sooo recognize him!

Overall, despite the differences in opinions within the group, I found this book to be a captivating read with its complex characters and thought-provoking storyline.

It makes you reflect on various aspects of life, culture, and belief.

Even though not everyone in the group shared my enthusiasm, I still think it's a book worth considering and discussing.

Perhaps a second reading might help others see the beauty and depth that I discovered.

Who knows, maybe with more time and reflection, their opinions might change.

Arrogant fatalism is a powerful theme that runs through John Updike's novel.

"`Devils,' Ahmad thought." This simple sentence sets the stage for a story filled with delusion, deceit, and irony. Ahmad Mulloy, an eighteen-year-old graduate of Central High School in New Prospect, New Jersey, believes that piousness can be found on the easy path of death and destruction, rather than in the more difficult challenges of life and growth. The irony of this belief is lost on Ahmad, who is influenced by a corrupt imam, Shaikh Rashid.

Ahmad's father, Omar Ashmawy, a Muslim, left when he was three, and he was raised by his Irish-Catholic mother, Teresa Mulloy. Despite her love, she was negligent, and Ahmad dropped out of the college prep program in his senior year. Shaikh Rashid, who has replaced faith with his personal urge to power, advises Ahmad to pursue the romance of driving a truck.

Jack Levy, a high school teacher and guidance counselor for thirty-six years, sees Ahmad's decision as less than sound. Ahmad has shown considerable scholastic aptitude and "inner-directedness," and Levy believes he could do well in college or university. However, Ahmad is under the spell of the charismatic imam, who encourages him to regress to feelings of childhood purity and resent the things that make him feel impure.

As a result, Ahmad becomes a truck driver, sitting high in his cab and looking down on the other traffic, whom he views as "the infidels." He is arrogant and naive, believing that he is following a path of piousness. Updike, a distinguished writer in many genres, takes a different approach with this book. The prose flows like an action-adventure tale, but it also touches the mind and tugs on the heart. His fans will not be disappointed.

It is really tiresome to read so many people criticizing a novel for the wrong reasons. The protagonist is by no means stereotypical. On the contrary, his inner life is of such richness and delicacy that only Updike could have conferred upon an extremist. And so, to be uncomfortable because someone willing to blow up hundreds of "infidels" is portrayed as constantly repeating passages from the Quran to himself and does not have an inner voice of a liberal-arts-educated person like oneself is the height of baseness.

We should look beyond the surface and try to understand the deeper meaning and purpose behind the author's portrayal. Maybe Updike is trying to show the complexity and contradictions within a person, even one who holds such极端 views. By presenting the protagonist in this way, he is challenging our own preconceived notions and making us think more deeply about the nature of extremism and the human psyche.

Instead of simply dismissing the novel as offensive or inappropriate, we should engage with it in a more thoughtful and meaningful way. Only then can we truly appreciate the artistry and skill of the author and gain a deeper understanding of the world around us.

In 2006, the Don of American Literature was finally prepared to deal with the events of 9/11.

I remember that this was a period when American artists were in a state of numbness, having completely lost hope and faith in the humanity that they, as artists, strive so tirelessly to depict, express, challenge, and understand. As tons of debris were being removed from World Trade Center Plaza and the place was being cleaned up and readied for a new era, America's artists were also clearing out their own psychological waste. In some cases, they were closely examining it, dusting off their souls and their artistic tools, and figuring out how to respond.

For John Updike, arguably the most productive great writer of the 20th century and now into the 21st, that response was "Terrorist," a novel that, despite its ominous title, is not a broad overview of the most heinous cancer on modern humanity but rather a small and personal story of a single boy. And this might be the worst thing about this excellent book: the title affected me in such a way that the book (did I mention that it is a truly outstanding book?) sat on my shelf for years before I finally picked it up. Setting aside the fact that this fate befalls many of the books on my shelves due to my slow reading pace, I regret not picking up the book earlier because it is not only a page-turner but also a thought-provoking work that challenges our American sensibilities while at the same time respecting them.

In two parallel and intersecting narratives, Updike presents us with America through the eyes of a jaded and aging Jewish-American high school guidance counselor, Jack Levy, and a devout and dogmatic Arab-American high school graduate, Ahmad Mulloy. The menacing force driving the story is Ahmad's descent, under the influence of a charismatic Imam at the local mosque, into the life of a dedicated jihadist and ultimately a terrorist. Through Ahmad, who is largely an innocent despite his dedication to the Imam's violent interpretations of the Quran, we gain a perspective on the jihadist's worldview that is well-informed and respectful of Islamic thought but by no means sympathetic. This young character is, in many ways, similar to the typical American reader in that his understanding of Islam is just being formed, as is ours. Jack Levy, on the other hand, is the defeated American Liberal, suffering the ravages of age as well as the ravages of the times, doing his best to find peace with the former and stand up in his own small way against the latter. Within the juxtaposition and intertwining of these two narratives, Updike exposes and combines even more competing and stereotype-shattering themes, and in doing so, shines a bright light on a dark world. We not only come away with a greater understanding of the forces that might lead a young Muslim to jihad but also a new familiarity with our own society and the interplay between our aspirations as Americans and those of the terrorist. It is a book that helps us find within ourselves an understanding of what has happened and begin the process of moving on.

Perhaps I am woefully ignorant about many aspects of the Islamic faith and belief. However, I must admit that Updike's last book left me both terrified and in awe of its power.

The journey towards belief, under the guidance of his imam, leads Ahmad Ashmawy Mulloy, the son of an Irish-American mother and an absent Muslim father, on a direct and dangerous path towards terrorism.

What truly struck me was Updike's remarkable skill in delving deep into the mind of a teenager. He was able to capture Ahmad's yearnings, his pent-up anger, and merge his supposedly pure faith with the ugliness and squalor of his surroundings in New Prospect, NJ.

I was also deeply drawn to Jack Levy, the thwarted guidance counselor, who somehow senses certain things in Ahmad that the young man himself may not even be aware of.

This novel is one of the most moving and thought-provoking ones I have ever read, exploring the complex and often disturbing crosscutting between fervent belief and horrific acts.

And as the story unfolds, the consequences continue to pile up, leaving a lasting impact on the reader.

Tomorrow is the ninth anniversary of September 11th.

If you truly desire to be thoroughly spooked in remembrance, then John Updike’s Terrorist can assist you with that. It is a creepy, timely novel that gets under your skin and makes you itch.

However, before delving into all that, I must digress a little.

John Updike is also the author of one of my favorite short stories to teach high school students, titled “A&P.” Notice that I said it’s one of my favorites, not theirs. Firstly, there are no vampires in it, so that’s a strike. Secondly, they have no idea what an A&P is, and teenagers are certain that anything prior to their lifetime is decidedly lame. Lastly and most importantly, they complain of a lack of action. This, from the same group of kids who will read 267 consecutive pages of Edward and Bella staring at each other.

Now, tell me if this isn’t one of the best starts to a story you’ve ever heard: “In walks these three girls in nothing but bathing suits.” They like that part – it sort of reminds them of "Jersey Shore" or something – but they don’t like where it goes. Our hero and narrator, Sammy, is a young man not unlike them. He has a crappy job as a store clerk, and among his major life goals is to impress girls. His chance walks in. If you want to read the story, you can easily find it online. Otherwise, spoiler alert: in an attempt to woo the chicks and be a hero, the young man quits his job. This is a life-altering choice that reaps zero benefits. The story ends less promisingly than it began: “…and my stomach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter.”

You can see where a kid might object to this. If girls walk into a place in bathing suits, their MTV-trained brains have taught them this story should end with Sammy and all three girls in a hot tub. They don’t want to hear how life is balanced on a spinning dime, and how one flick of Fate, dressed like girls in swimsuits, can send your life toppling over with one little choice. So basically, I like teaching it because I enjoy crushing young souls.

No seriously, the real reason I like teaching it – and here’s where my tie-in with Terrorist comes in – is that I like talking about the idea of heroism with them. What is the point of it? When is it worth it? Is it possible to be a hero and a fool simultaneously? These are questions they like answering, and as a result, often decide that they don’t hate John Updike as much as, say, Calculus. It’s a small victory.

While reading Terrorist, I was struck by the similarities between Sammy of “A&P” and the antihero of the novel, Ahmad. Updike wrote about Sammy in 1961. This novel was written nearly fifty years later, in a different world really, yet the young men are both classically flawed in a Shakespearean tragic hero kind of way. You want to like the guy, even if he is a stupid idiot, yet you see the downward spiral coming as clearly as Lindsay Lohan’s.

The crucial and tricky choice that Updike makes is to create a sympathetic character in his "terrorist." Ahmad Ashmawy Mulloy is a high school senior in New Jersey at the book’s start. He is a serious young man who has devoted his life to Islam – not by birth, but by choice. His Egyptian father disappeared when he was three, and he’s being raised by his ex-Catholic-now-atheist Irish mother, who struggles as a nurse’s aide to make ends meet. Ahmad is principled, disciplined, and clean-cut in a context that is anything but. He is surrounded by students and adults alike who are fallen, lost, and lacking faith in both humanity and God. Looking through the eyes of Ahmad, it is easy to see why he thinks that America is a lost nation. Even more fascinating is the chance to understand why he might think that blowing some stuff up might be a valid solution to the problem.

Terrorist is really a novel about characters: Ahmad, his mother, his guidance counselor, his Islamic teacher, his boss, and, perhaps most enticingly, an African-American girl at his school who tempts him in the sinful ways of the world. Suffice it to say that she makes the girls in “A&P” look like nuns. All of these people are vastly damaged, including Ahmad’s Islamic teacher who has convinced Ahmad of a cause worth dying for: to kill infidels.

Now, look at the word “infidel” for a moment. We usually hear this shouted in either a frightening or joking context, as in, “Death to the infidels!” It carries a connotation of insanity. But what it means, quite simply, is unfaithful. Many religions, not just Islam, believe that lack of faith is the worst sin you can commit. It is the downfall of the world, right? When you witness how Ahmad is instructed, it is tempting to want to use a word like “brainwashed.” But is it really so different from what Christians believe? Now you may want to argue that Christians don’t go around killing people for what they do or don’t believe…but I would encourage you to open your history books. It is these kinds of bigger questions that make Updike's novel worth reading.

Whether Ahmad carries through with the plot, and why or why not, is the central question of the novel, so I won’t go into specifics. But what Updike accomplishes here is a portrait of a home-grown terrorist – a citizen, a boy who has mostly grown up in a post-9/11 United States and sees nothing redeeming in it. He shows with frightening clarity how easy it would be for such a boy to “be a hero” in the eyes of a sect of the Muslim world, and to devastate a nation in the process. But what is even more remarkable is that you find yourself, for once, not asking why? Why would someone do such a thing? The motive of 9/11 still seems to mystify most of the country, yet in one slim novel, Updike slaps it on the counter, ugly as a fishmonger. And it’s not that you agree exactly, but you can see why someone might do it. Just like you can see how Sammy would strip off his apron and foolishly stride out the door of the A&P for a meaningless cause. Plus, not to spoil anything, but the book could probably even end with that same sad sentence from “A&P”: “…and my stomach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter.”

Since this is a review, I should probably get around to telling you whether this is good or not. It’s a tricky question. Yes…but. Terrorist is Serious Literature, complete with sometimes painstakingly slow descriptions, and some would absolutely complain of a lack of action and vampires (but the word “breasts” probably appears more than the word “the,” so that might help). It is thought-provoking, but definitely a disturbing bummer. To “like” this book is tantamount to liking a salad: it might be good for you, and might even be delicious for a salad, but it’s still pretty boring in comparison to some chili cheese fries (in which case you might want to try something with a perkier title for starters).

The good news is that it’s not very long, so if this kind of thing interests you, as it does me, then it takes little commitment to add some stuff to your dinner conversation repertoire. After all, this is not an issue that has lost steam with time. The flames keep getting fanned. Muslims want to build a mosque near Ground Zero. A Christian pastor wants to burn the Quran tomorrow. I still can’t bring a bottle of shampoo onto an airplane.

Could an attack like 9/11 happen again? You betcha. Will it? We all pray not. But erasing the possibility means erasing the hatred, the intolerance, and the ignorance on both sides. And for that, we need a real hero.