Blood and Oil:: Memoirs of a Persian Prince [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

~ Manucher Farmanfarmaian (Author) "The house already looked abandoned..." (more)
Key Phrases: oil committee, ooo barrels, United States, Reza Shah, Farman Farma (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Anyone who views Iran merely as a nation of Muslim fanatics should read this riveting exposition of its tortuous 20th-century history. Born in 1917 into an aristocratic Iranian family, Manucher Farmanfarmaian served his country in the treacherous world of petroleum production and distribution--the source, he believes, of the disastrous Western meddling that indirectly led to the 1979 fundamentalist revolution. Writing with his journalist daughter, Farmanfarmaian details Iran's labyrinthine internal politics and international relations with thoroughness enlivened by muscular prose, a sharp eye for character, and lots of good anecdotes.

From Booklist

With the assistance of his Princeton-educated daughter, an exiled Iranian prince provides the fascinating details of his extraordinary life. Born into an ancient aristocratic family in 1917, Farmanfarmaian spent his privileged and exotic childhood in the midst of his father's harem. After acquiring an impeccable British education and traveling extensively, he returned to his native land, where he eventually became a director of the National Iranian Oil Company and was directly involved in the formation of OPEC. In 1972, he was handpicked by the shah to serve as Iran's first ambassador to Venezuela. After fleeing from Ayatollah Khomeini's regime in 1979, Farmanfarmaian permanently relocated to Venezuela, establishing a new life and a new business for himself. This dazzling memoir recounts the demise of the British era in the Middle East, the emergence of petroleum politics and U.S. influence, the glittering and decadent reign of the last shah, and the revolutionary fervor that rapidly swept the shah and his allies out of power and out of Iran. A sumptuous and absolutely spellbinding autobiography as well as a vivid tapestry of one nation's turbulent modern history; bound to be requested. Margaret Flanagan

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 514 pages
• Publisher: Random House; 1st edition (April 7, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679440550
• ISBN-13: 978-0679440550
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.4 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #969,675 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reads like a thriller plus its fabulously informative, April 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Blood and Oil: Inside the Shah's Iran (Modern Library Paperbacks) (Paperback)

The cover of this book was a little intimidating--It looked to be a dryly academic men's book. What a wonderful surprise lies waiting inside. I could not put it down. It is a thrilling read and very informative.

Even this opinionated woman was taken with the eloquent narrative, the compelling story and impressed by the honesty of the author.

A GREAT READ

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Shah's Iran; Before the Deluge, February 2, 2006

By	Brendan D. King "Brendan D. King" (Saint Cloud, Minnesota) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Prince Manucher Farmanfarmaian was born in 1917 as a Prince of Persia's reigning Qajar Dynasty. He was raised in a world of Oriental luxury in his father's harem. After obtaining a "proper" education in England, he returned to his homeland, which had changed forever. The Qajar Dynasty had been overthrown and replaced by a Military Officer named Reza Pahlavi, a man determined to "modernise" Iran. As the new Pahlavi Dynasty worked to break the power of the Persian Nobility, they would lead to the creation of a nation of hedonistic aristocrats, not only divorced from the common people but increasingly from reality in general. Writing these memoirs with the aid of his daughter Roxanne, Prince Farmanfarmaian delves deep into the splendor of the Pahlavi Dynasty, while at the same time revealing the very blunders which brought them down. From the profiteering of Reza Shah the Great, to the disastrous socialism of Mossadegh, to the havoc that the last Shah's "land reform" wreaked on the economy, the reader will deeply enjoy being swept away into a nation's tortured history. When the Mullahs finally seize controll and the Prince is forced to follow the Shah into exile, the reader will be on the edge of their seat wondering if he will finally escape. Prince Manucher and Princess Roxanne are to be applauded for taking up the challenge of the glory that was the Pahlavis, without at all ignoring their warts and pimples.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great writing style, but lacking in solid insightful info., September 16, 1998

By A Customer

In this book, an Iranian aristocrat tells a tale of his memories of Iran's turbulent development years in 20th century. The book is first and foremost a selective story of the author's experiences rather than an insightful look at Iran's government and politics. It is very selective and subjective in presenting events as to support the author's point of view and conclusions. The book by itself does not provide necessary historic background to understand the political events discussed and hence one should already have a good knowledge of Iran' s political history to be able to digest the information and viewpoints provided in Blood & Oil. This book does provide a good insight into Iranian aristocratic life under the Shahs and provides one insider's view of historic events in the oil boom years. The bardic writing style used is a delight to read and proves the prowess of the authors in story telling.