Iran & America: Rekindling A Love Lost

By Badi Badiozamani

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• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0974217204
• ISBN13: 9780974217208
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: East-West Understanding Press
• Length: 316 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A good starter

This book is a great starter for anyone interested in learning the history of the relationship between these two countries. This book provides the reader with a quick history of the first interactions between the two states from cultural, educational and religious missions to the establishment of diplomatic relations through to the start of the revolution in 79. This work starts off with a micro look at the beginnings of this tumultuous relationship. This gives readers a nice look at the individuals who started this contact, and by providing this micro look it gives the reader a nice insiders perspective on what motivated these men and women on both sides to begin this interaction. What we see through this perspective is that our relations started off as being quite friendly. While some mistakes were made here and there, on the whole the relationship was very positive and beneficial for both sides. The author then pulls back to provide some of the macro perspective as well. The author provides some brief histories of the two coups in 40s and 50s, and does a good job describing these events with the space he dedicates to these topics. The author provides nice histories of Iran's interactions with the great powers and how these interactions affected Iran. For those like myself they will find the cultural and religious looks into Iran's past to be the most illuminating. The author provides histories of the periods of ancient Iranian history up to the 20th century. These histories are well done. They provide good information, but they do not become tedious for the reader who may not be as interested in these histories. The last couple of chapters are a bit dated since this author was writing this book during the Khatami presidency when it looked like relations could be repaired rather easily. Since publication though a lot of changes have occurred that have moved the two sides further away. Both states have done much to damage the recent relationship, but with the Iranian governemt regressing as it has over the last few years the positive outlook of this book seems a bit premature with hindsight. Also the descritpions of prominent Iranians in the U.S. seemed tedious and out of place. These are individual achievments, and in my opinion do not reflect on the whole. I would say the same thing if someone presented Iranian/Americans who committed crimes. These are individuals. This book is an easy read that will give readers looking to find some good information about Iran a wealth of information. For those looking for a deeper examination, I think you will find some valuable nuggets in this book, but you may want to keep looking.