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runeclausen's review against another edition
5.0
A most staunch condemnation of british and american imperialism, and interventionism. A most brilliant, and exceedingly detailed, account of this period of Iranian history that shaped the future to come, not just for Iran and the Iranians, but also for the whole region and arguably even the world as a whole.
artathearta's review against another edition
4.0
It was a great retelling of the events leading up to the 1953 coup.
mattbutreads's review against another edition
informative
fast-paced
4.75
The Dulles Brothers finally can have Kissinger for tea in the afterlife.
bryan8063's review against another edition
3.0
This is a very interesting book, but the way the author presents it is fractured. He begins the book with the first failed days of the 1953 coup, then jumps into a great narrative of Iranian history leading up to 1953, then the narrative picks back up with the coup. Well, I forgot the important details of the first try. I think it would have been a lot better to do a straight chronological story.
Overall, it is a good book and it is particularly interesting to see the difference between Truman and Eisenhower on Iran. Truman reflects FDR's earlier suspicions of British imperialism. Also, the interactions between the Shah and his ministers and how Mosaddegh nationalized the oil industry is very interesting. If you are looking for a book to give you historical context of why relations with Iran and the U.S. are very strained, pull this one off the shelf. You might not be bothered by the book's layout, but it threw me off.
Overall, it is a good book and it is particularly interesting to see the difference between Truman and Eisenhower on Iran. Truman reflects FDR's earlier suspicions of British imperialism. Also, the interactions between the Shah and his ministers and how Mosaddegh nationalized the oil industry is very interesting. If you are looking for a book to give you historical context of why relations with Iran and the U.S. are very strained, pull this one off the shelf. You might not be bothered by the book's layout, but it threw me off.
mmazelli's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
I listened to this on Audio but I picked up a paperback to revisit in the future so I can pause, reflect and go back to read footnotes.
geldauran's review against another edition
4.0
A harrowing and sometimes shameful look into the history and politics surrounding the American/British coup of the democratically elected government in Iran.
The title seems a bit erroneous because the book does not truly speak to the "roots of middle east terror," though it gives a detailed and unabashedly honest account of the tremendously horrid treatment of a democratic government and the Iranian people at the hands of those who had just a few years previously fought for democracy, justice, and freedom during WWII. One might easily work to extrapolate the influences this time, these events, and this sort of treatment might have had on the modern middle east, and why many Iranians could/would/should be upset with the Western world and its politics. The book is now some 8 years old, even by its most recent edition, but it is not difficult to take the history presented and understand its influence not only on Bush-era America-Iranian relationships, but also on Obama's administration and the recent Iranian Nuclear Deals.
I feel further compelled to find and read a biography of Prime Minister Mossadegh, to understand the life, politics, and ideals of such an interesting character.
The title seems a bit erroneous because the book does not truly speak to the "roots of middle east terror," though it gives a detailed and unabashedly honest account of the tremendously horrid treatment of a democratic government and the Iranian people at the hands of those who had just a few years previously fought for democracy, justice, and freedom during WWII. One might easily work to extrapolate the influences this time, these events, and this sort of treatment might have had on the modern middle east, and why many Iranians could/would/should be upset with the Western world and its politics. The book is now some 8 years old, even by its most recent edition, but it is not difficult to take the history presented and understand its influence not only on Bush-era America-Iranian relationships, but also on Obama's administration and the recent Iranian Nuclear Deals.
I feel further compelled to find and read a biography of Prime Minister Mossadegh, to understand the life, politics, and ideals of such an interesting character.