One of the most talented authors working today, Pearl Abraham creates a chilling portrait of an East Coast surfer dude who drifts into Arabic studies, then Islam and, finally, the cause of militant jihad in Afghanistan. In the run-up to 9/11, the protagonist, John Jude — named after his parents’ favorite Beatle, takes a spill on his street board. His convalescence takes him from Brooklyn to Pakistan, and on to a Taliban training camp. The author, who was raised in an Orthodox Jewish family, has created a gripping novel. — M.S.
