A New York Times best-selling author offers a personal, candid tour of the political and social landscape in Iran.
Hooman Majd offers a dramatic perspective on a country with global ambitions, an elaborate political culture, and enormous implications for world peace. Drawing on privileged access to the Iranian power elite, Majd argues that despite the violence of the disputed 2009 elections, a group of influential ayatollahs—including a liberal, almost-secular opposition—still believes in the Iranian republic; for them, “green” represents not a revolution but a civil rights movement, pushing the country inexorably toward democracy, albeit a particular brand of “Islamic democracy.” With witty, candid, and stylishly intelligent reporting, Majd, himself the grandson of an esteemed ayatollah, introduces top-level politicians and clerics as well as ordinary people (even Jewish community leaders), all expressing pride for their ancient heritage and fierce independence from the West. In the tradition of Jon Lee Anderson’s The Fall of Baghdad, The Ayatollahs’ Democracy is a powerful dispatch from a country at a historic turning point.
The Ayatollahs' Democracy: An Iranian Challenge
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“Regardless what you happen to think of Majd's political analysis (I happen to mostly agree with it), he has the most detailed and gripping reporting of the Iranian elections to date…. I encourage the White House to get a copy of Majd's book. And for Dish readers to pre-order it.” (Patrick Appel - The Atlantic.com )
“No writer knows more about modern Iran than Hooman Majd. Nor does any other commentator write more cogently, or more beautifully, about this complex and sometimes opaque culture. The Ayatollahs’ Democracy establishes Majd as the go-to guy for understanding Iran and Iranian politics.” (Reza Aslan , author of No god but God and Beyond Fundamentalism )
“Hooman Majd’s penetrating new book, The Ayatollahs’ Democracy, exposes Iran's innermost political machinations. Combining analytical agility, journalistic talent, the prose of a seasoned writer, Majd draws deft analogies between events in Iran and events in American history, and untangles the many factions and alliances that run Iran's enigmatic government. Best of all, Majd breaks down complex issues into understandable pieces, without sacrificing complexity. A must read.” (Firoozeh Dumas, author of Funny in Farsi and Laughing Without an Accent )
“The first fifty pages of this book would make a Sundance-winning film, but the meat of the book explores, in vividly readable style, the evolving concept of Islamic democracy, the widespread support for nuclear power, and the historical pride and resistance to western intervention. A well-connected insider with the eye of a master psychologist, Majd gives us a nuanced, in-depth portrait of a country both far more sophisticated and far less rigid than western policymakers have yet appreciated.” (Lesley Hazleton, author of After the Prophet: The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split )
“No writer knows more about modern Iran than Hooman Majd. Nor does any other commentator write more cogently, or more beautifully, about this complex and sometimes opaque culture. The Ayatollahs’ Democracy establishes Majd as the go-to guy for understanding Iran and Iranian politics.” (Reza Aslan , author of No god but God and Beyond Fundamentalism )
“Hooman Majd’s penetrating new book, The Ayatollahs’ Democracy, exposes Iran's innermost political machinations. Combining analytical agility, journalistic talent, the prose of a seasoned writer, Majd draws deft analogies between events in Iran and events in American history, and untangles the many factions and alliances that run Iran's enigmatic government. Best of all, Majd breaks down complex issues into understandable pieces, without sacrificing complexity. A must read.” (Firoozeh Dumas, author of Funny in Farsi and Laughing Without an Accent )
“The first fifty pages of this book would make a Sundance-winning film, but the meat of the book explores, in vividly readable style, the evolving concept of Islamic democracy, the widespread support for nuclear power, and the historical pride and resistance to western intervention. A well-connected insider with the eye of a master psychologist, Majd gives us a nuanced, in-depth portrait of a country both far more sophisticated and far less rigid than western policymakers have yet appreciated.” (Lesley Hazleton, author of After the Prophet: The Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split )
About the Author
Born in Tehran but educated in the West, Hooman Majd is the author of The Ayatollah Begs to Differ (an Economist and Los Angeles Times Best Book of 2008) and The Ayatollahs' Democracy: An Iranian Challenge. He lives in New York City.
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More About the Author
Hooman Majd is an Iranian-American writer and journalist based in New York. He has written for Newsweek, The New Yorker, The New York Observer, The New York Times, The New Republic, The Los Angeles Times, The Financial Times, GQ, Interview Magazine, Salon, Foreign Policy, Politico, The Daily Beast, Reuters, and has contributed to the Huffington Post. His first book, "The Ayatollah Begs to Differ", was published by Doubleday in the Fall of 2008. His second book on Iran, "The Ayatollahs' Democracy" was published by WW. Norton in the Fall of 2010.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By MxMz
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Hooman's access to the inner circle of the regime provides what many crave; what do the key players really think in private? His analysis is what is needed in this belligerent climate of uncertainty and ambiguity. But I don't agree with some of his analysis.
He fails to mention, and he may not be aware of this, that despite the "devotion" of many key players to the Islamic regime, after the crimes committed in the aftermath of election of 2009, many of these very people involved with the '79 revolution and spent time in Shah's prisons, in private, also stated that the revolution put the country on the wrong path. One former very high ranking and inner circle official said, in private, that "they should have made a deal with the Shah to prevent Khomeini from returning to Iran." Many high level officials, including one of my closest relatives who for years had a photo of Ayatollah Khomeini in his private library, have since removed the photos from private homes or any reminder of the revolution. So, perhaps, Hooman's analysis of the devotion of people or the officials to this revolution or regime is not as solid as he states it.
But the missing key in his analysis is China. I completely disagree that the revolution in general, and this regime in particular, brought independence to Iran. Instead of being the devoted proxy of the West under the Shah, Iran has become the lackey and the slave of the Chinese. One hears the disgust with the Chinese everywhere in Iran, in taxis, in bazzars, and at homes.
The agricultural sector has been destroyed due to favorable tariffs given to the Chinese products. Garlic, eggs, and most of fruits in the markets come from China. While subsidies have been removed from the industrial sector in Iran, iron bars from China pay no tariffs, which makes them cheaper than the bars produced in Iran. Many iron factories have shut down with the resulting unemployment. Iranian TV is flooded with Chinese produced serials, heavily edited, with multiple documentaries praising the Chinese culture. Amazingly, the uprising of the Uighurs's Muslims in China last year was completely ignored by the Iranian press and the supreme leader. It seems, according to Iranians, the Chinese can do no wrong. Hooman's lack of coverage of the importance of the Chinese in Iranian politics and economy is the main weakness of this book.
I think Hooman makes a mistake by thinking that the Ayatollahs are the masters of their own fate. This government will not likely have stayed in power had it not been for the Iran-Iraq war 30 years ago. Although I think in case of a foreign invasion or military attack people will rally to protect Iran's border, the Ayatollah's would make a mistake by thinking that Iranians will once again sacrifice their children to support them or this regime. The seed of destruction of this theocracy will not come from the US or Israel, but from the inside, from its own people, its own youth, its economy and lack of opportunity. What will destroy it,as it did the Roman,the Greek, and the Persian empires is hubris.
This book is a must read for all interested in Iran and Iranian politics.
He fails to mention, and he may not be aware of this, that despite the "devotion" of many key players to the Islamic regime, after the crimes committed in the aftermath of election of 2009, many of these very people involved with the '79 revolution and spent time in Shah's prisons, in private, also stated that the revolution put the country on the wrong path. One former very high ranking and inner circle official said, in private, that "they should have made a deal with the Shah to prevent Khomeini from returning to Iran." Many high level officials, including one of my closest relatives who for years had a photo of Ayatollah Khomeini in his private library, have since removed the photos from private homes or any reminder of the revolution. So, perhaps, Hooman's analysis of the devotion of people or the officials to this revolution or regime is not as solid as he states it.
But the missing key in his analysis is China. I completely disagree that the revolution in general, and this regime in particular, brought independence to Iran. Instead of being the devoted proxy of the West under the Shah, Iran has become the lackey and the slave of the Chinese. One hears the disgust with the Chinese everywhere in Iran, in taxis, in bazzars, and at homes.
The agricultural sector has been destroyed due to favorable tariffs given to the Chinese products. Garlic, eggs, and most of fruits in the markets come from China. While subsidies have been removed from the industrial sector in Iran, iron bars from China pay no tariffs, which makes them cheaper than the bars produced in Iran. Many iron factories have shut down with the resulting unemployment. Iranian TV is flooded with Chinese produced serials, heavily edited, with multiple documentaries praising the Chinese culture. Amazingly, the uprising of the Uighurs's Muslims in China last year was completely ignored by the Iranian press and the supreme leader. It seems, according to Iranians, the Chinese can do no wrong. Hooman's lack of coverage of the importance of the Chinese in Iranian politics and economy is the main weakness of this book.
I think Hooman makes a mistake by thinking that the Ayatollahs are the masters of their own fate. This government will not likely have stayed in power had it not been for the Iran-Iraq war 30 years ago. Although I think in case of a foreign invasion or military attack people will rally to protect Iran's border, the Ayatollah's would make a mistake by thinking that Iranians will once again sacrifice their children to support them or this regime. The seed of destruction of this theocracy will not come from the US or Israel, but from the inside, from its own people, its own youth, its economy and lack of opportunity. What will destroy it,as it did the Roman,the Greek, and the Persian empires is hubris.
This book is a must read for all interested in Iran and Iranian politics.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book was written by an Iranian-American journalist, who wants to bring to the American public an insider's view of the Iranian people and government. The author takes you through many conversations with men at the very top of the Iranian power structure, and with simple working men on the street, and with all manner of men in between. (As you can tell, I don't really remember him recounting a conversation with a woman.)
One of the first things I noticed is that the author is a man of strong opinions, often making off-the-cuff, often snide little comments on all sorts of things. It gave me the impression that the author forms his opinions quickly, and does not like to change them.
The effects of this being a book based on conversations is that I felt as though the book gave me a very smoky and dim picture of the inside of Iran, but nonetheless one much more informative that the picture given by most mainstream publications of any political stripe.
It is the author's contention (and I think he makes a very good case) that though the Iranian people are unhappy with the present state of their Islamic democracy, they are in fact quite committed to the government, and will support it. He paints a picture of an Iranian people who are very easily slighted, and yet cannot imagine why anyone would be offended by their chanting "death" to them. A people who are deeply committed to their Shia faith and their imams, and who want their imams to set limits on their democracy - their imams, not necessarily the other imams.
Overall, I found this to be a very informative book, giving me an understanding of the Iranian people that no other book has. My only wish with this book is that the author had finished the book with a chapter of hard analysis, to pull all of his thoughts together. Like is said, without it, it paints a picture of Iran that is smoky and dim. But nonetheless, I really enjoyed this book, and am very glad I read it. I guess that now I should go out and read his other book, The Ayatollah Begs to Differ.
One of the first things I noticed is that the author is a man of strong opinions, often making off-the-cuff, often snide little comments on all sorts of things. It gave me the impression that the author forms his opinions quickly, and does not like to change them.
The effects of this being a book based on conversations is that I felt as though the book gave me a very smoky and dim picture of the inside of Iran, but nonetheless one much more informative that the picture given by most mainstream publications of any political stripe.
It is the author's contention (and I think he makes a very good case) that though the Iranian people are unhappy with the present state of their Islamic democracy, they are in fact quite committed to the government, and will support it. He paints a picture of an Iranian people who are very easily slighted, and yet cannot imagine why anyone would be offended by their chanting "death" to them. A people who are deeply committed to their Shia faith and their imams, and who want their imams to set limits on their democracy - their imams, not necessarily the other imams.
Overall, I found this to be a very informative book, giving me an understanding of the Iranian people that no other book has. My only wish with this book is that the author had finished the book with a chapter of hard analysis, to pull all of his thoughts together. Like is said, without it, it paints a picture of Iran that is smoky and dim. But nonetheless, I really enjoyed this book, and am very glad I read it. I guess that now I should go out and read his other book, The Ayatollah Begs to Differ.
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
A rich,interesting examination of a complicated place and society
October 27, 2010
By giovanni
Format:Hardcover
Hooman Majd is an accompliced analyst of the Middle East . Brought up and now a citizen of the U.S but of iranian origin , he manages to be fair to both countries withought doing favours to neither of them . His new book " The Ayatollahs' Democracy " is a study of the further collapse of the relationships between the two nations during the last decade , noticing page after page so many lost chances by both sides to improve them .
His potrait of Iran is revealing . He describes the country like a child trying to be understood but can't , a proud people with a troubled past that demands things they feel it's their proper right but the rest of the world considers fishy at least.
Majd does indeed believe that the last iranian elections were stolen but at the same time , he rightly points out that the recent green movement stands behind a candidate who is himself part of the establishment and has the same position on the nuclear issue as Ahmadinejad . The people rioting in the street are fighting for a much more noble cause : a functional democratic system , he wisely notes , not to overturn the regime .
His study on the iranian psyche and politics is a joy to read but what the gifted writer doesn't do on this book is face the issues the Ayatollah's rulling class puts on the table . Why indeed does a country which sits on oil , want to develop nuclear energy so bad . Pakistan played hide and seek with the international community during the 90's and suddently , at the end of that decade declared it had a nnuclear bomb . That specific country has been on the verge of collapse for months now and the rest of the world can't even dare to imagine what could happen to it's nuclear arsenal . What if indeed Iran does develop a bomb ? What then ? How will the power dynamics in the region change and what will that mean ? Majd doesn't want to deal with such a scenario .
Finally , the book concludes with a chapter about the jewish minority of Iran . To the suprise of maybe many , the country has a jewish population whose representatives say they have a good life there . If Majd wanted to really test the democratic character of the regime though , he should have spoken to many iranian gay men and women . There are many homophobic places in the world ( a Jamaican president once said in a interview that he " didn't like gays and if it's in my power , they won't have a role in the future society of my country " ) but never an official , let alone a president denied a minority their right to exist ! Maybe theocracy and democracy are not compatible after all..
His potrait of Iran is revealing . He describes the country like a child trying to be understood but can't , a proud people with a troubled past that demands things they feel it's their proper right but the rest of the world considers fishy at least.
Majd does indeed believe that the last iranian elections were stolen but at the same time , he rightly points out that the recent green movement stands behind a candidate who is himself part of the establishment and has the same position on the nuclear issue as Ahmadinejad . The people rioting in the street are fighting for a much more noble cause : a functional democratic system , he wisely notes , not to overturn the regime .
His study on the iranian psyche and politics is a joy to read but what the gifted writer doesn't do on this book is face the issues the Ayatollah's rulling class puts on the table . Why indeed does a country which sits on oil , want to develop nuclear energy so bad . Pakistan played hide and seek with the international community during the 90's and suddently , at the end of that decade declared it had a nnuclear bomb . That specific country has been on the verge of collapse for months now and the rest of the world can't even dare to imagine what could happen to it's nuclear arsenal . What if indeed Iran does develop a bomb ? What then ? How will the power dynamics in the region change and what will that mean ? Majd doesn't want to deal with such a scenario .
Finally , the book concludes with a chapter about the jewish minority of Iran . To the suprise of maybe many , the country has a jewish population whose representatives say they have a good life there . If Majd wanted to really test the democratic character of the regime though , he should have spoken to many iranian gay men and women . There are many homophobic places in the world ( a Jamaican president once said in a interview that he " didn't like gays and if it's in my power , they won't have a role in the future society of my country " ) but never an official , let alone a president denied a minority their right to exist ! Maybe theocracy and democracy are not compatible after all..
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Meet The Iranian People
I bought this book because I was afraid of Iran and Mr. Ahmadinejad. I thought I had better learn more. Iran and the Iranian people are real live individauals to me now. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Evelyn Sue Coon
4.0 out of 5 stars
Iran is a kind of democracy
The chronology in the book bounces around a lot, sometimes in ways that don't seem to make sense. However, the author's arguments are well taken and should be read by all who are... Read more
Published 16 months ago by ConsDemo
4.0 out of 5 stars
The roots of Islam in Iran are deep, but the roots of nationalism are...
In "The Ayatollah's Democracy", Mr. Majd sheds some light on various misconceptions about the Iranian regime and its people. "Iran... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Brian Kodi
4.0 out of 5 stars
Unique Access and Insight ... Rambling Narrative
While this book moves through time according to, perhaps, the author's whim, there is a lot here that the lay reader would not have access to in any other way. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Loves the View
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not a serious work of journalism - biased and lacks thoughful analysis
This book is based on interviews that the author conducted on his trips to Iran and his own thoughts on Iranian politics. Read more
Published on March 18, 2011 by Houman Tamaddon
1.0 out of 5 stars
An Immoral Agent
After the wake of the green movement in Iran, the four letter word author is able to go to Iran and meet with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Read more
Published on March 2, 2011 by Leila Allen
5.0 out of 5 stars
A 'must' for any serious Middle East collection
The Ayatollahs' Democracy: An Iranian Challenge comes from a journalist who packs in a personal observation of the political and social world of modern Iran. Read more
Published on February 20, 2011 by Midwest Book Review
5.0 out of 5 stars
A cause for hope - and beautifully written
Crafted with the same care as the author's The Ayatollah Begs to Differ, itself a gorgeous piece of writing, this latest book is a very valuable contribution to the level of... Read more
Published on October 31, 2010 by Jason Covell
5.0 out of 5 stars
cut through to the real deal
His last book was the ultimate background to understanding the Iranian psyche and the culture that produced it. Read more
Published on October 1, 2010 by Francis Meyer
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