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Title: The Iranians: Persia, Islam and the Soul of a Nation by Sandra MacKey ISBN: 0-452-27563-6 Publisher: Plume Books Pub. Date: 01 April, 1998 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.25 (32 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: An excellant review of Iran history & revolution
Comment: I found this book an excellent summarized review of iran history and revolution. I am now a US citizen but escaped from Iran 3 years after the revolution. I have lived through the Shah's era and his idea of great civilization, the revolution and the war. I started reading this book with skepticism at first. However, shortly after reading the first couple of chapters, I realized that the author has depicted the Iran history and revolution very well and to my opinion, very acurate. Even though she had to eventually interpret the situations and make conclusions, those are overall very close to the truth from a cultural and political standpoint as far as I am concerned. I believe those represents a realistic and factual interpretation of Iran culture and politics overall. I have to admit that I was very impressed by the depth of her understanding specially for a foreign author. Maybe that was her advantage since she had to look at all facts realistically with no legacy bindings to any cultural or political parties in Iran. I would highly recommend this book as a must read for Iranians who have an open mind and foreigners who would like to understand the country beyond the streotypes.
I believe two groups of Iranian people would not like the conclusions and comments in the book. The first group is the last regime's proponents including all those that got anywhere under the shah's corrupt police state. The second group are the current die-hard proponents of Velaiat-e-Faghih (Supreme Leader) as a means of governing. These groups are the two extremes of Iranian politics and culture that are both against democracy and have got used to dictatorship way of governing. Both naturally have a lot banked on their relationship with the ruling parties either Shah or the Status quo and will protect it as they have shown with the most brutal ways of suppression.
That leaves a big majority of Iranians and foreigners that will enjoy reading this book to get a realistic point of view apart from extremism. Highly recommended.
Rating: 3
Summary: A small message to the authoress
Comment: Ma'am, I am not given to writing book reviews professionally BUT as a practising, born and bred Zoroastrian, I feel compelled to say that our ethical triad rests on Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds - in that order. Perhaps a typo makes you state Good Works which would equal Good Deeds. Also some not very au fait with Zoroastrianism are often found to place Good Words before Good Thoughts - a slight impossibility, don't you think?
For further assistance with the not too obvious, please feel free to write to me privately at my email address - I should love to learn more about you too!
Thanks for a patient read,
Shirin J. Mistry.
Rating: 4
Summary: Insightful and Fascinating Work by Sandra Mackey
Comment: I read the book when it came out in hard bound, and then again referred to it again recently in my college course work. It is a very insightful and excellent history of Iran. Although I am not Persian I did share parts of the book with Persian friends. Some had their own personal opinions on the matter, however, after reading it, I felt that Sandra Mackey gave a very good perspective. She does add some of her own personal interest and flavor, but I do not think it takes away from factual evidence.
Be prepared, it is a long book. It was a bit tough at the beginning to get going for me, but once I was into it, it was at times a page turner, and very good.
I would highly recommend this book. Anyone with an interest in the story of Iran, be it you are from the era of the Revolution (such as myself) or you are studying Middle East History (like myself) ** Keep in mind most Persians hate being referred to as Middle Easterners and as author and great lecturer Edward Said would say, that is a derogatory term. Anyway, if you find the region of interest, this book is a must read. Very well done, and one of the more detailed and interesting books I have read on Iran and the Persian History.
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Title: The Reckoning: Iraq and the Legacy of Saddam Hussein by Sandra MacKey ISBN: 0393324281 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: April, 2003 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: The Last Great Revolution: Turmoil and Transformation in Iran (Vintage) by Robin B. Wright, Robin Wright ISBN: 0375706305 Publisher: Vintage Books USA Pub. Date: 13 February, 2001 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: The Saudis: Inside the Desert Kingdom, Updated Edition by Sandra MacKey ISBN: 0393324176 Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: October, 2002 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror by Stephen Kinzer, Stephen Kinzer ISBN: 0471265179 Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Pub. Date: 18 July, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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Title: A History of Modern Iran Since 1921: The Pahlavis and After by Ali Ansari ISBN: 0582356857 Publisher: Longman Pub. Date: 03 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $28.00 |
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