This Son Also Rises in the West

In This Son Also Rises in the West, Ihsan Rajab embarks upon his voyage, which begins in urban Newark, New Jersey, where he grew up in midst of the turbulent sixties, . It is the story of his search for the truth and inner peace in a world full of confusion and uncertainty. Through his struggles, changes, and exciting travel to seventeen countries, Rajab revisits the memories of his dysfunctional family. They are finally united by a spiritual thread of reflection, redemption, and belief.

He credits his father’s love and ability to rise above his own imperfections as a determining factor in his growth from child to man. Through his father’s mistakes and imperfections, he learned many life lessons that are now part of him forever. His father’s wisdom instilled identity, purpose, and direction in him. He was inspired by his father’s uncompromising principles of self-discipline, self-determination, and perseverance through adversity and his own unwavering belief in God when there was nowhere else to turn. His powerful story strives to remove ignorance and confusion while journeying on the road to peace and salvation. A tale of a once “typical” African American family illustrates the choices its members have made and propels them along a new path of satisfaction to a bright and positive future.