Iran: A Cultural History

This book tells the fascinating story of Iran, one of the oldest civilizations in the world. The author begins with the empire of Cyrus the Great (sixth century BC), and ends with the Islamic Republic. He beautifully shows the uniqueness of Iranian identity, emphasizing its cultural, religious and intellectual aspects, and the people who shaped and shape it.
Successive Persian dynasties waged war on Byzantium, Ferdowsi wrote his magisterial Book of Kings, and as Islam took hold of Persia, Sa'di, Hafez and other poets captured the hearts of Iranians forever. Modern Iran, since the 1979 revolution, is an Islamic country where less than two percent of the population attends Friday prayers, and where women are subject to strict dress codes yet make up sixty percent of the young people in universities.

Commentaries on Iran, a cultural history:
'A compelling, sensitive, and balanced survey of the ancient country, from the days of Zoroaster through the Islamic Republic.' - Kirkus Review
'A beautifully written book, a concise and clear historical narrative that is a pleasure to read and at the same time intellectually stimulating.' - Ali Ansari, Professor, St. Andrews University
'A book like this teaches not only that Iran has more to offer the reader than the Islamic Republic, but also that Iran is much more than what one is inclined to think based on the reporting in the Western media. Fascinatingly written and very readable.' Johan ter Haar, emeritus professor of Persian in Leiden
'A compelling, well-argued, and elegantly written history of a country that repeatedly finds itself at the center of international politics.' Justin Marozzi, author of Tamerlane