James Fergusson[1] (born 1966) is a British journalist and author specialising in Muslim affairs.

Early life

Fergusson was born in London, the son of the Scottish journalist, author and MEP, Adam Fergusson, and Penelope Hughes (d.2009). He was educated at Eton College and Brasenose College, Oxford.

Career

Fergusson started at The Independent before joining Robert Maxwell’s ill-fated weekly, The European, where he became Op-Ed Features Editor. His interest in Islamic affairs developed when he turned freelance in the mid-1990s, and began reporting from Algeria, Bosnia and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.[2] In 1998 he moved to Sarajevo as press spokesman for the Office of the High Representative, the UN-mandated body charged with implementing the 1995 Dayton Peace Accord. This was followed by a stint in London as an executive at Hakluyt & Company, the secretive corporate intelligence agency. He returned to full-time writing in 2004 with the publication of his first book, Kandahar Cockney.

Books

Kandahar Cockney (HarperCollins 2004) tells the story of Mir, an Afghan asylum-seeker in London who had worked for Fergusson as a translator on assignment in northern Afghanistan.[3][4] It was a Radio 4 Book of the Week. This was followed by The Vitamin Murders (Portobello 2007), an account of the 1952 murder of the nutritionist Sir Jack Drummond.[5] A Million Bullets (Transworld 2008), a critique of Britain's military engagement in Afghanistan,[6][7] was the British Army's Military Book of the Year.[8] It was followed by Taliban – Unknown Enemy (2010), a plea for greater understanding and engagement with Nato's Afghan enemy.[9][10] The World's Most Dangerous Place (2013) examines the security threat posed to the West by the failed state of Somalia and its diaspora.[11][12] It was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize.[13][14] Al-Britannia, My Country (2017) recounts his year spent among Britain's Muslims, and argues for a new approach to that fast-expanding community.[15][16][17] His latest book, In Search of the River Jordan (Yale University Press 2023), investigates the politics of water supply in Israel-Palestine.

Personal life

Fergusson married Melissa Rose Norman (1970-2021) in 2004. He lives in Edinburgh with his four children.

References

  1. ↑ "305857299".
  2. ↑ Duncan, Emma (12 September 2010). "Taliban: The True Story of the World's Most Feared Fighting Force by James Fergusson". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 December 2017.
  3. ↑ Alibhai-Brown, Yasmin (11 June 2004). "Kandahar Cockney by James Fergusson". The Independent. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  4. ↑ Wright, Gillian. "Book review: James Fergussons Kandahar Cockney". India Today. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  5. ↑ "Our diets can kill, in more ways than one". The Daily Telegraph. 22 August 2007. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  6. ↑ Hennessey, Patrick. "Pull Up a Sandbag". Literary Review. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  7. ↑ Purdon, James (16 May 2009). "Review: A Million Bullets by James Fergusson". The Observer. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  8. ↑ Loyd, Anthony (12 June 2008). "A Million Bullets by James Fergusson". The Times. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  9. ↑ Caschetta, A.J. (1 September 2013). "The Taliban's Enablers". Middle East Quarterly. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  10. ↑ "TALIBAN by James Fergusson". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  11. ↑ Hutchinso, Roger. "Book review: The World's Most Dangerous Place: Inside the Outlaw State of Somalia by James Fergusson". The Scotsman. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  12. ↑ Sattin, Anthony (4 February 2013). "The World's Most Dangerous Place by James Fergusson – review". The Observer. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  13. ↑ Wikeley, Jeremy (24 April 2014). "James Fergusson". The Orwell Prize. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  14. ↑ Greenslade, Roy (25 April 2014). "Seven journalists shortlisted for Orwell prize for journalism". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  15. ↑ Bellaigue, Christopher de (1 June 2017). "Al-Britannia, My Country by James Fergusson review – a compelling survey of British Islam". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  16. ↑ Murray, Douglas (17 June 2017). "Review: Al-Britannia, My Country by James Fergusson". The Times. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  17. ↑ Kiley, Sam (June 2017). "Al-Britannia, My Country: by James Fergusson". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
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