The 2015 Common Reading Assignment
The Terrorist’s Son by Zak Ebrahim with Jeff Giles
Before the Discussion:
1. Read the book, The Terrorist’s Son by Zak Ebrahim
2. Type your responses to the Common Reading Questions below
3. Bring your book and typed responses to the discussion
Common Reading Reflection Questions:
1. To what extent do you think Zak’s experiences are unusual and extraordinary, and to
what extent are they universal? Do you relate to anything in his journey?
2. Zak remembers visiting a shooting range with his father. What impression did this
trip have on Zak? How does this scene contribute to the reader’s understanding of
Zak’s character and how his beliefs about his father evolved?
3. It isn’t only terrorists, and certainly isn’t only followers of one particular religion or
ideology, who express bigotry. Have you or someone you know even experienced
the type of bigotry that Zak describes?
4. What do the themes in this book lead you to believe about the culture of Kent State
University?
5. Write a discussion question that you would pose to your discussion group
Note on Cheating and Plagiarism:
Students must submit his or her own work for the assignment. According to the University
Cheating and Plagiarism Policy: Students enrolled in the university, at all its campuses, are to
perform their academic work according to standards set by faculty members, departments,
schools and colleges of the university. When quoting or paraphrasing, a citation should be
provided. Please consult the policy for cheating and plagiarism for reference at:
http://www.kent.edu/plagiarism.