With the same narrative power that dissected the rule of Haile Selassie in The Emperor, Kapuscinski turns his attention to Iran, combining reportage with reflection to deliver what is at once a compelling account of the fall of the Shah in 1979 and a timeless portrait of the terror state and revolution.  Translated by William R. Brand and Kataryna Mroczkowska-Brand.

"Shah of Shahs is a book of great economy and power.  It has the author's skill with vivid imagery, a breathless way of writing that carries the reader along, a supreme sense of the absurd."--Fouad Ajami, The New Republic

"Insightful and important...a readable, timely and valuable contribution to the understanding of the revolutionary forces at work in Iran...the reader almost becomes a participant."--The New York Times Book Review
Ryszard Kapuscinski, Poland’s most celebrated foreign correspondent, was born in 1932 in Pinsk (in what is now Belarus) and spent four decades reporting on Asia, Latin America, and Africa. He is also the author of Imperium, Another Day of Life, and The Soccer War. His books have been translated into 28 languages. Kapuscinski died in 2007. View titles by Ryszard Kapuscinski

About

With the same narrative power that dissected the rule of Haile Selassie in The Emperor, Kapuscinski turns his attention to Iran, combining reportage with reflection to deliver what is at once a compelling account of the fall of the Shah in 1979 and a timeless portrait of the terror state and revolution.  Translated by William R. Brand and Kataryna Mroczkowska-Brand.

"Shah of Shahs is a book of great economy and power.  It has the author's skill with vivid imagery, a breathless way of writing that carries the reader along, a supreme sense of the absurd."--Fouad Ajami, The New Republic

"Insightful and important...a readable, timely and valuable contribution to the understanding of the revolutionary forces at work in Iran...the reader almost becomes a participant."--The New York Times Book Review

Author

Ryszard Kapuscinski, Poland’s most celebrated foreign correspondent, was born in 1932 in Pinsk (in what is now Belarus) and spent four decades reporting on Asia, Latin America, and Africa. He is also the author of Imperium, Another Day of Life, and The Soccer War. His books have been translated into 28 languages. Kapuscinski died in 2007. View titles by Ryszard Kapuscinski

Books on the History, Politics, and People of Iran

Following the death of Mahsa Amini, young women have taken to the streets to lead anti-government protests. These demonstrations have been met with police violence, prompting a UN investigation into human rights abuses. These books explore the history and politics of Iran with a particular focus on Iranian women’s experiences.

Read more