The Unraveling: Pakistan in the Age of Jihad
John R. Schmidt
On Sale: October 30, 2012
Picador
Current Affairs / Politics
For a review copy (US and Canada only) or to schedule an interview with John R. Schmidt, please email gabrielle.gantz [at] picadorusa.com
PRAISE FOR THE UNRAVELING
“Pakistan is where all the headaches of the twenty-first century come together. In The Unraveling, John R. Schmidt draws upon his firsthand experience as a diplomat in that nation to explain why. This is a book filled with useful information, objectively presented and offered at precisely the right time.”—Madeleine K. Albright, U.S. Secretary of State, 1997–2001
“John R. Schmidt pulls no punches in this timely book. He makes a powerful case that Pakistan’s ‘feudal political class’ is that deserving but conflicted country’s worst enemy. He is just as frank in his critique of U.S. policy. His motive is entirely constructive: he administers a bracing and necessary dose of tough love to one of the most important and troubled interstate relations on earth.”—Strobe Talbott, president of the Brookings Institution
“This thought-provoking, evenhanded, and sobering history is a ‘cautionary tale’ about the choices Pakistan’s ruling classes have made that threaten to bring it to the brink of destruction.”—Publishers Weekly
“A rare lucid take on the turmoil in Pakistan . . . [Schmidt] offers a cogent analysis of the havoc caused by a nettlesome concoction of feudal lords, strong military, American pressure and radical Islamist factions all vying for dominance . . . A deeply thoughtful study geared for the lay reader.”—Kirkus Reviews
“[Schmidt] provides here a succinct history of Pakistan and examines, in highly readable and informative prose, how the country became a haven for jihadist groups . . . Because of Schmidt’s years of inside foreign policy experience, his book contains distinct details and observations that outsiders writing cannot offer. Recommended to all serious readers interested in a policymaker’s perspective.”—Library Journal
ABOUT THE UNRAVELING
How did a nation founded as a homeland for South Asian Muslims become a haven for Al Qaeda and other jihadist groups? In this groundbreaking work, former U.S. diplomat John R. Schmidt, who served in Pakistan in the years leading up to 9/11, takes a detailed look at the country’s relationship with radical Islam. The Unraveling is the clearest account yet of the complex, dangerous relationship between the leaders of Pakistan and jihadist groups—and how the rulers’ decisions have led their nation to the brink of disaster and put the world at great risk.
ABOUT JOHN R. SCHMIDT
John R. Schmidt teaches at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University. He served in the State Department during a thirty-year service career, including as political counselor at the U.S. embassy in Islamabad in the years leading up to 9/11.
MORE INFORMATION
Cover image for download
Panel discussion with John R. Schmidt on India and Pakistan (C-Span)
Pakistan on the Brink: The Future of America, Pakistan, and Afghanistan
Books on Tap 