"Enjoyable and pioneering."--Marcia Lynx Qualey, al-Masri al-Yom "The author's refusal to demonize and his relative objectivity in telling the story is precisely what makes this book authentic and extremely important. Above all it provides a rare and valuable insight into how easily the young idealist can become radicalized by sects who believe that truth has just one face."--The Huffington Post "The memoir reaches the core of how fanatics--sects of any kind--draw in conceited youngsters by essentially appealing to a naïve hunger for self-sacrifice."--The Independent "a gripping narrative"--Church Times "Captivating and exciting, Life is More Beautiful than Paradise provides valuable insights into the jihadist world-view"--Church Times "offers a rare perspective"--Diplomat magazine "Al-Berry's [work] is required reading for anyong with an interest in the mechanics of radical Islam or the historical realities of militant Islamic activism in Egypt in the last two decades of the 20th century. The sensitivity to the nuances of the Arabic language and Islamist idiom made manifest in the meritorious translation of Humphrey Davies truly makes this work an ideal jumping-off point for any Westerner who is curious about reading the Muslim mind"--Al-Ahram Weekly.