Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. History    3. History & Theory - General    4. Iran    5. Islam - Theology    6. Islam and state    7. Political Ideologies - General    8. Politics - Current Events    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Religion    11. Religion and politics    12. ShÃ¥i°ah    13. Asian / Middle Eastern history: from c 1900 -    14. History / Middle East    15. Islamic studies    16. Revolutions & coups   

Subjects:  1. Astronomy (Young Adult)    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Earth Sciences - Geography    5. History - Middle East    6. Iran    7. Juvenile Geography    8. Juvenile Multicultural Studies    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Juvenile literature    11. Middle East - Iran    12. People & Places - Middle East   

Editorial Review

In 1979, a clerical revolution in Iran swept aside the inarguably corrupt government of Shah Reza Pahlavi and set in motion events that would make that nation a world pariah. In the place of one dictatorship came another, one led "by an old bearded cleric in a turban and cloak whose answer to the king's injustice was to wrap the country in a populist message of promise and smother it with an intolerant version of Islam."Read more

Reviews (42)

"shoes often reveal class, wealth, religiosity, and Westernization" !!
Elaine Sciolino is an Italian American who has been reporting on Iran for New York Times for over 20 years. In this book, she writes about different things- sometimes with great successes sometimes with great failure. She talks about her memories of the revolution when she was in the same plane as Ayatollah Khomeini. She writes about early days of revolution, Iran-Iraq war, ex-president Khatami, poetry, history, women, Persian jokes, Iran-US relationship, religion, Persian identity etc.
Iran
This book focused on women movement in Iran. The author illustrated that how Iranian women were treated differently than men. The author of this book portraited Iranian women as an element of rebel against theology state in Iran. The author of the book was shrewd to display cover of the book with refelction, which means there was an other uprising in horizon of Iran.

Detached insights into the suppression of Islamic Iran: a well-researched endeavor.
The excerpt below, with brief commentary, will hopefully provide at least one example of the multi-faceted approach that Ms. Sciolino has taken in preparing this book. Elaine Sciolino is an Italian-American and serves as the Paris Bureau Chief for the New York Times at the time of this publication.
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Subjects:  1. History - General History    2. Middle East - General    3. Middle East - Iran    4. Politics/International Relations    5. Asian / Middle Eastern history    6. History / Middle East    7. Middle East    8. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Reviews (3)

An interesting book about desire and morality
This study attempts a cultural and critical understanding of an important and controversial institution of shi'ite Islam, mut'a. Mut'a often known as "fixed term" or "temporary" marriage is a contract between a man and an unmarried woman, in which both the the PERIOD that the marriage shall last and the MAHR (the wedding gift which the woman gets from the man) must be specified. If during Mut'a they have any offspring, these children are licit and are entitled to receive inheritance from both parents. Mut'a with a virgin girl is highly discouraged without the permission of her legal guardian. The term of the marriage is as long - or as short - as the partners wish it to be. At the end of the specified period the partners may choose to part company witout any divorce or they may extend the mut'a or may even choose to marry permanently. Linda Walbridge (Without Forgetting the Imam: Lebanese Shi'Ism in an American Community - ISBN 0814326757) tells of a young man, hoping for sex with a woman without breaking the rules of his religion or forming a permanent bond with a non-Muslim. He propositioned a number of American women with the prospect of a temporary marriage and "all of them laughed at him except one," and she ended up converting to Islam and getting permanently married to him. Temporary Marriage / Live-ins,what's the difference?
I am not a muslim by birth and I haven't decided embracing Islam yet because of confusion arising from some facets such asthe "Temporary Marriages" in Iran. I am a Filipina married to an Iranian with four kids. The Importance of Paternity
Although an insightful book, it overlooked a very important issue, that of Paternity. Polygamous and temporary marriages in Iran although legal are socially frowned upon within mainstream society. They are prevalent, although in small percentages amongst the very rich and the very poor, I guess both having very little to lose. A temporary marriage is socially akin to an illicit affair.When a man takes a second wife, he hides it. Of course in any society there should be room fo fully-grown adults to live theur lives as they choose. But children should be protected. This above all is the central issue. In all such cases fathers are made legally and socially responsible for children that are born within such liaisons. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History - General History    2. Iran    3. Middle East - Iran    4. Muta    5. Sex customs    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Sociology - General    9. Sociology - Marriage & Family    10. Temporary marriage    11. Sociology, Social Studies   

Subjects:  1. 14th century    2. Art    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. General    5. History - General    6. Illumination of books and manu    7. Illumination of books and manuscripts, Iranian    8. Illustrations    9. Kalilah wa-Dimnah    10. Kalåilah wa-Dimnah.    11. Middle East - General    12. Persian    13. History of art: c 500 CE to c 1400    14. Iran    15. Islamic studies    16. Oriental art    17. Painting & paintings    18. Persian Empire    19. c 1000 CE to c 1500   

Reviews (8)

The final issue here is theodicy....
This author apparently has never experienced communion with God---call it the Divine or the Infinite---and the historical fact of such communion and its present possibility is wholly absent from this book.
Lot of information, but a little all over the place
This book will probably make more sense to somebody who is already a student of history, particularly Central Asian, & therefore somebody who can, because of her already existent knowledge on the subject, decipher more meaning from the helter skelter approach that Kriwaczek seems to take.
A Good Intro?
Maybe. I've shied away from the subject cause I feared getting mired in academic prose, which is not an issue with this book. Trouble is I am sometimes uneasy with this guy's historical conclusions.
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Subjects:  1. History    2. History: World    3. Middle East - General    4. Religion - World Religions    5. Zoroastrianism    6. History / Middle East   

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. General    3. Historic Preservation    4. Restoration Of Historical Buildings    5. Structural Analysis (Engineering)    6. Iran    7. Structural engineering    8. Theory of architecture   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology    2. Anthropology - Cultural    3. Anthropology - General    4. Archaeology / Anthropology    5. History    6. Iran    7. Middle East - Iran    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Social Science / Ethnic Studies    11. World history: from c 1900 -   

Subjects:  1. Government - General    2. History    3. History: World    4. International Relations - General    5. Iran - History    6. Middle East - General    7. Middle East - History    8. Politics / Current Events    9. International relations    10. Iran    11. Syria   

Reviews (3)

A dispassionate voice that Iranians will ignore at their peril
Kurzman's research is thorough, systematic and dispassionate. He demolishes the Economic arguments many of the leftists have marshalled in explaining the root causes of Revolution. He does so by recourse to Macroeconomic data and comparative analysis of similar economies.
Sociology Gives Up explaining theIranian Revolution?
Working within a relatively small timeframe (1977-1979), Kurzman methodically examines five explanatory paradigms which have hitherto been mobilized to explain the success of the Iranian Islamic Revolution.Emplotting each paradigm on a brisk narrative of the revolution itself, he begins with the political explanations (attributing the revolution to increased liberalization), organizational explanations (focusing on mosque and university networks), cultural explanations (pointing to the utilization of 40 day martyrdom mourning cycle as a means of sustaining protest), economic explanations (citing the gridlock caused by thenation-wide strikes in key industries), and military explanations (pointing to the feeble attempts of the Shah's forcesto restore state control).Each of these he finds inadequate and only some completely false.At best, an explanation remains partial but not compelling for the whole.Moreover, they demonstrate a consistent occurrence of the `inversion of cause and effect', e.g., student mobilization created the utility of the mosque networks, mobilization led to the state's economic crisis, not vice versa. Read for the story and its lessons - not what you'd expect.
The Iranian Revolution was totally unexpected before it happened. It is difficult to fathom this essential truth after the fact. The Shah had the military and secret service as well as wealth to put down any revolution it was assumed. In any case material progress and modernization were moving ahead to provide benefits and quell discontent. The Revolution didn't care! It came anyway. But it could not be predicted by any of the social sciences: economics, political science, sociology, etc. Nor by religion. Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History: World    4. Middle East - General    5. Middle East - Iran    6. Revolutionary    7. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    8. History / Middle East    9. Iran    10. Revolutions & coups    11. c 1970 to c 1980   

Subjects:  1. General    2. Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981    3. Middle East - Iran    4. Political Terrorism    5. Political aspects    6. Politics - Current Events    7. Politics and government    8. Politics/International Relations    9. Terrorism    10. United States   

Reviews (9)

A Study in Integrity
The Iran-Contra case is well known as a bipartisan bludgeon. Are the news outlines of it accurate? Was the affair a minor bureaucratic transgression preyed upon by liberal hacks; a deceitful attack on the constitutional separation of powers (checks and balances); or a hyped media event?
Patriotism? Selfresponsiblity? Rule of Law? Character?
This book is the story of a life-long Republican retired federal judge's seven year struggle to unravel the truth behind a vast government conspiracy to conceal willful violations of our country's laws by President Ronald Reagan and many members of his cabinet,CIA officials, members of his national security team and assorted Republican political operatives both inside Congress and out. Mr. Walsh does yeoman work in presenting the unvarnished truth he and his many assistants were finally able to decipher out of hundreds of thousands of original documents and the direct testimony of those his team were able to catch in their lies and bring into court under indictment. The complex legal issues and large cast of perpetrators makes this a difficult and necessarily repetitve slog, but the chilling story is one that Americans of any political persuasion need to be aware of. Lead by a naive President inthe early stages of Alzheimers disease,and guided by a perverse notion of patriotic anticommunism that was the bedrock of cold war Republicanism, our top leaders deliberately violated laws put in place by Congress and even their own foreign policies relating to terrorism. When discovered these "patriots" launched an unprecedented web of lies and stonewalling to save Reagan frompossible impeachment. Mr. Walsh was impeded at every step of his investigation and by all branches of the government. The importance of this account by Mr. Walsh is that irregardless of the legal results of the investigations, the truth of what happened and who did it is revealed for all to see. When this party touts its patriotism, beliefs in the rule of law and self responsiblity and the importance of character, remember what happened here.

Sometimes wordy, always chilling account of a very dark time
At times, this reads as a text book. At times, it reads as a spy thriller. Walsh goes into great detail on the investigation and attempted prosecution of those involved in the Iran-Contra scandal. This book is best suited for those interested in the affair, and are anti Reagan/Bush. I was moved by the compassion of Walsh when after interviewing Reagan, felt it would have been more damaging to our nation to try and prosecute Reagan when it was apparent alzheimers had set in. Walsh felt Reagan knew more then he said, but he also knew that the alzheimers would have been humilitaing to Reagan, and would have made prosecution impossible. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. Iran-Contra Affair, 1985-1990    3. Middle East - Iran    4. Politics / Current Events    5. Politics/International Relations    6. U.S. Government    7. U.S. History - 1980s    8. U.S. History - 1990s    9. United States - 20th Century    10. American history    11. Central government    12. Espionage & secret services    13. USA    14. c 1980 to c 1990    15. c 1990 to c 2000   

Subjects:  1. Antiques / Collectibles    2. Art    3. Design - Textile & Costume    4. General    5. Rugs    6. Carpets & rugs    7. History of specific subjects    8. Iran   

Reviews (5)

Not worth the time reading
This book is more about the authors political views than a study of religions in Iran. I found comparison of present murderous Islamic state of Iran with US democracy unacceptable and nauseating, however, very typical far-left relativism rational. I did not enjoy or learn anything I would like to remember reading this book and found myself skipping paragraphs at a time. If there was a 0 star rating I would select 0 but there is not so 1 it is.

a great book
I think it is a great book. I found it well-structured and fair. The arguments are well-documented. Richard Foltz describes the influence of Persian culture on a wide range of different world religions from Zoroasterism, Manichaeism and Mazdakism (which are pure Iranian religion) to Christianity, Jewism, Islam and even Buddhism.
All world 's ideologies began in Persia ! just read this book and challenge it if u can !
This book is the BEST book ever written on the history of Persia/Iran. Any reader with any right mind can see the plagirisim of the Greeks and the Arabs as all that PERSIA gave to the whole world's philosophy, spirituality and religions. Persia indeed shaped the whole world's ideology but got NONE in return, not even an acknowlegment! What a pity!
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Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. Iran    4. Religion    5. Religion (General)    6. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    7. Spirituality    8. History of religion    9. Religion / History   

Reviews (3)

Methodical. Analytical. Many Sources Uncited Elsewhere.
Dr. Milani's treatment is methodical, deeply analytical and cites many sources which have not been referenced in other books in English. While Keddie's 'Roots of Revolution' reaches similar conclusions wrt 1977-79, and Kamrava's 'Revolution In Iran' stands as a distinct analysis, neither dissects the events of this period and documents it to the extent done in this book. I am yet to find a more informative book.

A Valiant Effort
I had Dr Milani two semesters ago for an International Politics class.I found him to be a rather open minded professor, but in this book he presents a rather one sided argument.Still, for those not familiar with the Islamic Revolution this book may be helpful.I would recommend reading other sources for further information and formulating your own opinions.

A MODEST ATTEMPT
The book was somewhat dry, yet it was informative.Although on the surface the author tried to remain unbiased, it was evident that he was pro-khomeini.There was no mention of the 1000's of people murdered under his authority, especially that of the Bahai's who lived in Iran.Yet theShah was portrayed as an oppressive ruler who had no regard for his people. Without knowing the actual history of Iran and that of the revolution,this book would be hard to follow. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1979-1997    2. History    3. History - General History    4. Iran    5. Islam - General    6. Middle East - Iran    7. Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, 1941-19    8. Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, 1941-1979    9. Religion   

Reviews (18)

In the name of Iran
This book was sad that how her father was executed without faith and without mercy and his children left all alone and they had to make it on their own.

It is not a the whole story !
I have finished this book recently and I really felt I need to say something about it! interestingly I am doughter of a teacher and colonel of the last regim too, who retired after the revolution, no problem at all. However, I do not want to say that those who were executed were all guilty. Her father had other chances too.
A page-turner
I just finished this book and loved it.If you like reading about different culture and enjoy non-fiction this is the perfect book for you.Its true, sometimes the author's admission of crying over clothes and Barbies is shocking - but I see it as admission of truth and lack of understanding.The author isn't patting herself on the back for these traits - but showing the reader how, as a child, she didn't fully comprehend the gravity of her family's situation.She was not careless and selfish individual, but a confused and frightened child. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1938-1979    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Ethnic Cultures - General    7. Government - General    8. Iran    9. Iranians    10. Islamic Studies    11. Latifi, Mohammad Bagher,    12. Lawyers & Judges    13. Middle East - General    14. Middle East - History    15. Women    16. Women In Islam    17. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (4)

an excellent introduction to revolutionary Islam
Keddie does a marvelous job of exploring the roots, appeal and cause of the Iranian revolution of '78 - '79.Essentially the argument is made that the repressive and secular Pahlavi regieme, ignoring and even actively repressing Islam caused a backlash that led to its eventual destruction.At the same time, Keddie makes the point that the close ties the pre-revolutionary Iranian government had with the West, and its increasing reliance on it for support only served to increase the popularity of Islam as an alternative. Misunderstanding of Islamic Revolution in Iran
The Iranian Revolution of 1978-79 successfully identified and institutionalized itself as Islamic. This being said, I find the author's analysis in attempting to explain the meaning of this revolution within a socio-historical experience does not touch the fundamental spirit of the revolution. The author is by no means alone, considering no expert, with the possible exception of Dr. Hamid Algar has adequately conveyed the Islamic-ness of this revolution. The real roots of this revolution go all the way back to the emergence of Shia Islam. The Islamic Revolution in Iran was not the culmination ofyears and years of resistance against the Pahlavi dictatorship, but rather the culmination of 1300 years of Shia resistance. Moreover, the final revolution will culminate under the leadership of Imam Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for him).

A condensed History
By condensing a religious, political, social, and economic history of Iran, Keddie attempts to explain the causes of the 1978-79 Islam Revolution.The style of writing is impersonal and the vast amount ofinformation given makes reading arduous.Since it is an interpretivehistory, Keddie gives no opposing viewpoints.This book seems bettersuited for one who already has knowledge of Iranian history rather than abeginner. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Iran    6. Iran - History    7. Middle East - Iran    8. Revolution, 1979    9. Revolutions    10. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 1500 to c 1900    11. Persian Empire   

Reviews (4)

left me wanting to know more
Although this book answered some of my questions, it still left me with questions unanswered. i still didn't really get a sense of who the people were. it really seemed like a brag book about how they beat up on the romans for the most part and a snipit about how great the coming muslim armies were.
A book not up to the usual Osprey publishing standards.
I was quite disappointed by "Sassanian Elite Cavalry". It did not seem to be up the normal standard of excellency of Osprey's books. The color plates by Angus McBride did not look as polished or as detailed as the usual works by this artist (especially plate E : it ressembles a sketch more than a finished painting).Moreover, some of the plates' descriptions do not quite match the paintings (for example D5 and D6 :the description talks about a quiver and a sword not visible on the plate).The text suffered from the lack of a good and much-needed map of the Sassanian Empire, and a glossary of Persian technical words (for instance plate A caption talks abouta "sardar" without an explanation anywhere in the text). The plates show five women, including at least two warriors, and readers may have liked to know more about the place of women in the Sassanian society and army.Also, the black and white illustrations do not well support the text. One exemple : the author speaks several times about the similarities between Sassanian costumes and certain modern Iranian traditional clothes. A few pictures of the later would be of more help to the reader than too many, slightly blurry, photos of stone carvings. I also wonder why there is only height color plates in this Elite series book instead of the usual twelve.

Sassanians back to life thanks to Dr. Farrokh
At long last, an Iranian writing about Iranian history!
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Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. History    3. History - Military / War    4. Middle East - Iran    5. Military    6. Military - General    7. Military - Other    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Ancient Near East    10. BCE to c 500 CE    11. History / Military / General    12. Land forces & warfare    13. Persian Empire   

Reviews (6)

Scholarly Histarcheologic Treatise & Lively Biblical Account
"Yamauchi attempts to explain Persian history and culture in the context of biblical accounts, enlarging upon this connection in brief discussions of numerous topics." Paula Nielson, Loyola Marymount Univ.,CA
A Thorough Study: Very Scholarly
Edwin Yamaucht is true to his usual excellence in delivering to the lay reader an intelligent and thoroughly researched treatise of a highly academic topic. Those who would disapprove of this book seem to be incensed that it is not written with the slant or emphasis that they desire. The book's success lies in the fact that it is not another tendentious portrayal of some assumed relationship between Zoroastrianism and Judaism. Such a relationship will likely never be scientifically proven, and therefore does not deserve a place among critical scholastic works. Nor does Dr. Yamaucht's book seek to advance this or that theory on biblical authorship or some other such spurious conjecture. Doesn't live up to the title
I got this book in hopes of learning more about the influence that ancient Persian culture (e.g., Zoroastrianism) may have had on postexilic Judaism -- unfortunately, I was quickly disappointed. Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Antiquities    3. Antiquities & Archaeology    4. Bible - Study - Old Testament    5. Biblical Archaeology    6. Excavations (Archaeology)    7. History    8. Iran    9. Iran in the Bible    10. Old Testament Commentary    11. Penology    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Religion - Biblical Studies    14. Social Science    15. To 640 A.D    16. Biblical Studies: Old Testament Backgrounds/Historical Studies/Archaeology    17. Biblical concordances & commentaries    18. Penology & punishment    19. Religion / Antiquities & Archaeology   

Editorial Review

Anyone who views Iran merely as a nation of Muslim fanatics should read this riveting exposition of its tortuous 20th-century history. Born in 1917 into an aristocratic Iranian family, Manucher Farmanfarmaian served his country in the treacherous world of petroleum production and distribution--the source, he believes, of the disastrous Western meddling that indirectly led to the 1979 fundamentalist revolution. Writing with his journalist daughter, Farmanfarmaian details Iran's labyrinthine internal politics and international relations with thoroughness enlivened by muscular prose, a sharp eye for character, and lots of good anecdotes. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

The Shah's Iran; Before the Deluge
Prince Manucher Farmanfarmaian was born in 1917 as a Prince of Persia's reigning Qajar Dynasty. He was raised in a world of Oriental luxury in his father's harem. After obtaining a "proper" education in England, he returned to his homeland, which had changed forever. The Qajar Dynasty had been overthrown and replaced by a Military Officer named Reza Pahlavi, a man determined to "modernise" Iran. As the new Pahlavi Dynasty worked to break the power of the Persian Nobility, they would lead to the creation of a nation of hedonistic aristocrats, not only divorced from the common people but increasingly from reality in ge