Black Flags: The Rise of ISISBlack Flags: The Rise of ISIS
Score Modern
What it's about
Joby Warrick, a Washington Post reporter, traces the rise of the Islamic State back to one man: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a petty criminal from Jordan who was radicalized in prison. After the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Zarqawi built the group that became al-Qaeda in Iraq, and after his death his followers turned it into ISIS. Warrick follows the Jordanian and American intelligence officers who tracked him and the failures that let the movement grow.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction. It reads like a thriller and explains how ISIS came to exist.
You'll love it if you liked
The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
Ghost Wars
The Forever WarGood to know
It includes descriptions of terrorist violence. It's focused and readable rather than encyclopedic.
By the numbers
- Readers91 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller6 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz4 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #7 of the 44 politics books we rank
- #141 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #273 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS worth reading?
Yes. It won the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction. It ranks #273 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 82.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS about?
Joby Warrick, a Washington Post reporter, traces the rise of the Islamic State back to one man: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a petty criminal from Jordan who was radicalized in prison. After the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Zarqawi built the group that became al-Qaeda in Iraq, and after his death his followers turned it into ISIS. Warrick follows the Jordanian and American intelligence officers who tracked him and the failures that let the movement grow.
How long does it take to read Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS?
About 9 hours (368 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS won?
Pulitzer Prize (General Nonfiction) winner (2016).
What should I read after Black Flags: The Rise of ISIS?
If you liked it, try The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 by Lawrence Wright, Ghost Wars by Steve Coll or The Forever War by Dexter Filkins.