{"product_id":"the-myth-of-martyrdom-what-really-drives-suicide-bombers-rampage-shooters-and-other-self-destructive-killers-9780230342132","title":"The Myth of Martyrdom: What Really Drives Suicide Bombers, Rampage Shooters, and Other Self-Destructive Killers","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Myth of Martyrdom \u003c\/i\u003epresents a startling look at the deepest, darkest secrets that terrorists pray you'll never know.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFor decades, experts from the most powerful governments and prestigious universities around the world have told us that suicide bombers are psychologically normal men and women driven by a single-minded purpose: self-sacrifice. As it turns out, this claim originated with the terrorist leaders themselves, who insisted that they would never recruit mentally unstable people to carry out suicide attacks. As these strikes have become both increasingly common and increasingly deadly, no one has challenged this conventional wisdom. These are fearless ideological warriors, we're told, who have the same resolve and commitment to their beliefs as our own Navy SEALs, because they're willing to die for the sake of their cause. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eThe Myth of Martyrdom, \u003c\/i\u003eAdam Lankford argues that these so-called experts have it all wrong. The truth is that most suicide terrorists are like any other suicidal person--longing to escape from unbearable pain, be it depression, anxiety, marital strife, or professional failure. Their \"martyrdom\" is essentially a cover for an underlying death wish. Drawing on an array of primary sources, including suicide notes, love letters, diary entries, and martyrdom videos, Lankford reveals the important parallels that exist between suicide bombers, airplane hijackers, cult members, and rampage shooters. The result is an astonishing account of rage and shame that will transform the way we think of terrorism forever. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWe can't hope to stop these deadly attacks, Lankford argues, until we understand what's really behind them. This timely and provocative book flips a decades-old argument on its head--and has huge implications for our future.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAdam Lankford \u003c\/b\u003eis a Criminal Justice professor at The University of Alabama. His research has been featured by media outlets such as \u003ci\u003eForeign Policy\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Daily Beast\u003c\/i\u003e, CNN, NPR, \u003ci\u003eThe Atlantic\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Boston Globe\u003c\/i\u003e. From 2003 to 2008, Lankford helped coordinate anti-terrorism efforts in conjunction with the US State Department's Anti-Terrorism Assistance program. Lankford has written for \u003ci\u003eThe Huffington Post\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eForeign Policy\u003c\/i\u003e, and many peer-reviewed journals, and is the author of \u003ci\u003eHuman Killing Machines.\u003c\/i\u003e He lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"St. Martin's Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50318536147218,"sku":"9780230342132","price":25.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_a954ee42-7abe-402d-97cb-d727c4457ca6.jpg?v=1727556917","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-myth-of-martyrdom-what-really-drives-suicide-bombers-rampage-shooters-and-other-self-destructive-killers-9780230342132","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}