The Shah [Hardcover]

Abbas Milani (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 4, 2011

Though his monarchy was toppled in 1979 and he died in 1980, the life of Mohammad-Reza Shah Pahlevi, the last Shah of Iran, continues to resonate today. Here, internationally respected author Abbas Milani gives us the definitive biography, more than ten years in the making, of the monarch who shaped Iran’s modern age and with it the contemporary politics of the Middle East.
     

The Shah’s was a life filled with contradiction—as a social reformer he built schools, increased equality for women, and greatly reduced the power of the Shia clergy. He made Iran a global power, courting Western leaders from Churchill to Carter, and nationalized his country’s many natural resources. But he was deeply conflicted and insecure in his powerful role. Intolerant of political dissent, he was eventually overthrown by the very people whose loyalty he so desperately sought. This comprehensive and gripping account shows us how Iran went from politically moderate monarchy to totalitarian Islamic republic. Milani reveals the complex and sweeping road that would bring the U.S. and Iran to where they are today.  

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Over the course of almost 40 years, Mohammad Reza Shah was a colossus in Iran, the one constant in a swirl of changing loyalties, political fortunes, and pressures both domestic and international; by the end of his reign, virtually no state decision could be taken, save by him. But as this biography reveals, this accumulation of authority was more a function of the Shah's lifelong distrust of all around him than it was any indication of skill in governing, or of genuine control. Milani (Eminent Persians) paints a richly detailed picture of a complex man plagued by demons and paranoia (much of it well-founded), at once insecure and megalomaniacal. Yet the thicket of biographical detail can leaves the reader longing for more analysis. Milani regularly mentions the Shah's flights of mysticism, for instance, but doesn't place them in any context: was the Shah delusional, or is talk of divine inspiration common in Iranian political discourse? Or both? Milani's book is a good source on the life of one of the 20th century's more enigmatic figures--good enough to pique the reader's frustration that it isn't great. (Jan.)
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From Booklist

A deeply researched portrait of Mohammad Reza Pahlevi, this biography extracts the personality of the last shah of Iran from the royal grandiosity in which he lived. Milani describes him as timid, prone to vacillation, and prey to conspiracy theories, perhaps not ideal traits in an absolute monarch who initiated a modernizing revolution from above, only to be dethroned in 1979 by social forces his authoritarian policies had unleashed. Recounting the shah’s childhood, Milani underscores how closely he was supervised by his father, a military officer who had seized the throne in 1925. In a 1941 political crisis that resulted in young Mohammad’s ascension, the 1953 coup against the Mossadegh government, and the 1978–79 revolution, Milani depicts the shah as fretful, indecisive, and obsessed with detail, extensively citing British and American diplomatic reports about him. The shah’s private life, which included three wives, alleged mistresses, and extravagances in palaces and other riches, is effectively depicted. With sympathy born of a compassion for someone in over his head, Milani’s meticulous amassing of facts establishes a base for readers to form their own opinions. --Gilbert Taylor

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 496 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; First edition (January 4, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1403971935
• ISBN-13: 978-1403971937
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.5 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #324,839 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical analysis and account of the Shah's reign. February 12, 2011

By Kersi Von Zerububbel VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

A month or so ago I was reading about the suicide of one of the Shah's sons in Boston. This rekindled my interest in the Shah and his reign. In India, I recall it was a *big deal* amongst Zoroastrians when the Shah married Soraya and since my ancestors were originally from Persia (Iran) I looked around for a good history and picked Mr. Abbas Milani's book.

This is a wonderful book that flows easily and keeps one hooked. The text gives a fairly detailed account of how the Shah came to be in power and how Britain, America, and Russia influenced Iranian politics and history. The political machinations of various players are scoped out in goodly portions. Of course, with hindsight, one can easily see how the Shah was doomed beginning as early as 1963. Then at the height of his power and flushed with petro dollars, the decade of 1965 - 1975 was the halcyon point. Or was it? Per Mr. Milani the Shah failed to cease the initiative during this decade and compromise with the intellectual middle class and the religious players. Had he done so who knows where Iran would be now. Much good that the Shah had wrought was overwhelmed by corruption, in-fighting, and outright incompetence.

What saddened me were the last days of the Shah. Shuffled from country to country the poor man had no true friends and only one Statesman, Anwar Sadat, who gave him succor. I recall seeing the Shah in interviews on TV in the seventies and the change was remarkable.

One aspect about this book that disappointed me to no end was the COMPLETE lack of any photographs of the historical figures discussed so eloquently in the text. I understand with copyright laws and cost cutting some publishers are taking this route. But I am afraid this significantly marrs an otherwise outstanding work. Human beings need to put a face to a name - we just do. For this reason alone I most reluctantly have to deduct a star from my rating. Very sad to do it but I have to be honest and point out this major flaw. Other than this tragic oversight the book is superb and worth reading sans pictures and all.

43 of 50 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book on the man and the country for anyone who is interested and even those who are not January 4, 2011

By Constant Reader

Format:Hardcover

This book is really terrific. I picked it up and I simply could not put it down. Milani does a great job of balancing substantive information with a narrative that is simply enthralling. The book is based on previously classified documents and is written in a way that flows perfectly. I feel like I really have a sense of the true Shah and why events in Iran went the way they did. If you want to read any book on the Shah or Iran, this is it!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Researched Book July 13, 2011

By Kathy Vonderhaar

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

"The Shah" is a well-researched, in-depth, behind the scenes look at the rise and fall of the Pahlavi Dynasty. Mr. Milani's unbiased expose' of Mohammad Reza Shah's reign details his weaknesses and strengths as a leader in addition to presenting the harm and benefits he left behind for his beloved Iran and its people.

As an American who lived in Tehran during the 1970's, "The Shah" helped to answer some of my questions as to who and what contributed to and caused the downfall of the Shah.