Shah of Shahs

Ryszard Kapuscinski

Iran has been in the news daily, each day bringing a more threatening headline. If you are at all interested in the recent history of this volatile country (from the period of the Shahs to the current fundamentalists) The Shah of Shahs by Ryszard Kapuscinski is a must-read. This book is not only a historical review of the Iran’s history for the last 40 years, but a page turner as well.

It reads as if you and the author are sitting by a warm fireplace on a cold winter’s night and he is relating fascinating anecdote after fascinating anecdote of the events leading up to the Iranian revolution. Ryszard’s book demonstrates how powerfully history is changed by just one man saying no to tyranny. If you were to read just one book on Iran, this is the one! I do not usually get into history books, but this one enthralled me from the first page.

Review by Tony Kainauskas