In the Name of God: The Khomeini Decade [Paperback]

Robin Wright (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This work, which PW judged a "brisk refresher course on Iranian history under Khomeini and his successors," suggests that the Ayatollah's regime was one of constant diversionary tactics. The takeover of the American Embassy and holding of hostages, the terrorist bombings, the war with Iraq--these events shifted the Islamic Republic's attention away from pressing social and economic needs at home. Photos.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Journalist Wright, author of Sacred Rage ( LJ 11/15/85), here tells the chaotic story of the first decade of Khomeini's Islamic revolution. He explains Iran's special position in the Middle East, distinguished by its history, ethnic identity, and religious character, and how its revolution eschewed 20th-century political ideologies for a radical religious aim as expressed by a charismatic, politically astute leader. Wright says that even a close examination of the first stage of the revolution cannot predict its future, since the energies of both leaders and the people have been consumed with conflicts with the United States and Iraq. This sympathetic yet balanced study is one of the few that cogently presents the events following Khomeini's seizure of power in Iran; it enhances Wright's already esteemed reputation. Essential for libraries and general readers.
- Elizabeth R. Hayford, Associated Colls. of the Midwest, Chicago
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 8 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone Books (October 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671725114
• ISBN-13: 978-0671725112
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,775,206 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Robin Wright has reported from more than 140 countries on six continents for The Washington Post, The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, TIME magazine, The Atlantic, The Sunday Times of London, the Los Angeles Times, Foreign Affairs, CBS News and many others.
Wright has also been a fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Yale, Duke, Stanford, the Brookings Institution, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the University of California at Santa Barbara.

She is the recipient of the United Nations Correspondents' Association Gold Medal for coverage of international affairs. The American Academy of Diplomacy selected Wright as the journalist of the year for her "distinguished reporting and analysis of international affairs." She also won the National Press Club award for diplomatic reporting, the National Magazine Award for her reportage from Iran in The New Yorker, and the Overseas Press Club Award for "best reporting in any medium requiring exceptional courage and initia¬tive" for coverage of African wars. She was the recipient of a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation grant.

She has been a television commentator on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, CNN and MSNBC programs, including "Meet the Press," "Face the Nation," "This Week," "Nightline," the PBS Newshour, "Frontline," "Charlie Rose," "Larry King Live," "Washington Week in Review," "The Colbert Report," and HBO's "Real Time."

Wright is the author of "Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East" (2008), which The New York Times and The Washington Post both selected as one of the most notable books of the year. She was the editor of "The Iran Primer: Power, Politics and U.S. Policy" (2010), which brought together 50 of the world's top Iran experts. Her other books include "The Last Great Revolution: Turmoil and Transformation in Iran" (2000), which was selected as one of the 25 most memorable books of the year by the New York Library Association, "Sacred Rage: The Wrath of Militant Islam" (2001), "Flashpoints: Promise and Peril in a New World" (1991), and "In the Name of God: The Khomeini Decade" (1989).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Informed, concise, readable: Iran 101, August 24, 2010

By 

Michael A. Messina (Chicago, Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Name of God: The Khomeini Decade (Paperback)

This book does an excellent job in explaining the causes and ramifications of the 1979 Revolution. It doesn't delve too deeply into personal lives or experiences of big or little players, which I've found is pretty common in a lot of books about Iran. Instead, the author presents the information solidly, showing the stages of the revolution in a panorama. This is a good book if you're just starting to learn about modern Iran.

4.0 out of 5 stars We can't keep ignoring Islamism, September 18, 2009

By 

DM (ORegon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Name of God: The Khomeini Decade (Paperback)

I as well didn't feel author Robin Wright was presenting a "rosy picture" of Islamist terrorists or Ayatollah Khomeini et. al. .
This was my first book on Khomeini and his revolution. I enjoyed it. Recommend it. If anyone can recommend a post-Khomeini and Ahmadinejad book let me know.

I was reading this concurrently with 'Daughter of Persia: A Woman's Journey from Her Father's Harem Through the Islamic Revolution' by Sattareh Farman Farmaian, another great book on the country and people of Iran.
Sattareh (a princess of the Qajar dynasty) writes of life in Iran between 1921 to 1992. and her personal experience with being arrested by Khomeini fanatics, taken to this dang compound I can't remember the name were Khomeini was executing all the Shahs men on the roof and she saw Arafat there. After almost 24hrs she was released but told to leave the country asap or else. She narrowly escaped and now lives in the U.S. She was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for Daughter of Persia: .

Back to In the Name of God

On page 136 R. Wright says that then Vice President George HW Bush's Special Task Force on Combating Terrorism - Final Report - "pledged "total war" on terrorism, whatever its origins." I've just read that report and he never says that. He says ;
"Our conclusion: the U.S. policy and program to combat terrorism is tough and resolute. We firmly oppose terrorism in all forms and wherever it takes place. We are prepared to act in concert with other nations or alone to prevent or respond to terrorist acts. We will make no concessions to terrorists. At the same time, we will use every available resource to gain the safe return of American citizens who are held hostage."

That last sentence negates the previous one, doesn't it? How can you " make no concessions to terrorists " but then "use every available resource to gain the safe return" of American hostages.

4.0 out of 5 stars Provides recent historical backround, June 3, 2003

By 

Dr. W. G. Covington, Jr. (Edinboro, Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Name of God: The Khomeini Decade (Hardcover)

In light of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, this book provides a context in which to understand the current state of affiars. It chronicles the Kohmeini decade in Iran, 1979-1989 and describes how complex the politics of the region can be. The quagmire sometimes causes the U.S. and other nations to allign with questionable parties simply because options are limited. This book describes how some of those linkages come about.