The Struggle for Iran (Hardcover)

~ Christopher de Bellaigue (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

De Bellaigue's nuanced musings on Iranian culture and politics have been a celebrated fixture of the New York Review of Books since 1999, when the journalist first hit the streets of Tehran, inspired by the possibility of democratic reform and eager to tell the rest of the world about it. Since then, nuclear brinksmanship and religious conservativism have dominated Iranian political discourse, and the reform movement has gradually stagnated in accordance with what de Bellaigue calls "the slow flattening of hopes." Generally framed as commentary on books (including Kenneth Pollack's The Persian Puzzle, 2005) or cultural events (such as viewing Picasso in Tehran), the 14 essays collected in this book showcase de Bellaigue's talent for contextualizing current political developments within broader patterns of Iranian society. The true vehicle of de Bellaigue's analysis, however, is his willingness to talk politics with a diverse array of Iranians, including students, clerics, and his auto mechanic. An eloquent and sensitive memoir of an increasingly bleak political situation, this collection deserves special recognition for its emphasis on young Iranians' efforts to hybridize Islam and Western values and its implicit suggestion that such efforts may be the way of the future. Driscoll, Brendan
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Review

"Bringing together long essays originally published in journals such as The New York Review of Books and The Guardian, The Struggle for Iran thoughtfully illuminates the politics, history, social life, art and cinema (Iran's biggest export to the world after oil) of one of the world's oldest civilizations..The fascinating diversity of thought and practice of a complex society in flux--a necessary antidote to simplistic axis-of-evil, good-or-bad thinking--is opened up by this sophisticated and elegant book." --LiveMint.com

"A provocative view of a defiant nation and its foes." --Kirkus Reviews

"Watch out for the definitive book on the new Iran, The Struggle for Iran (New York Review of Books), by young British writer Christopher de Bellaigue, one of the best of the new generation of middle east experts writing in English." --Prospect Magazine (UK)

"An eloquent and sensitive memoir of an increasingly bleak political situation, this selection deserves special recognition for its emphasis on young Iranians' efforts to hybridize Islam and Western values and its implicit suggestion that such efforts may be the way of the future." --Booklist

"De Bellaigue's...anecdotes and interviews provide tremendously valuable context for many of today's headlines." --Washington Post Book World

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: New York Review Books (May 22, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590172388
• ISBN-13: 978-1590172384
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #924,896 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To Learn About Contemporary Iran, Skip the TV News and Read This Book, June 7, 2007

By	boudu (eastern united states) - See all my reviews

Though it sounds a truism, it simply must be stated that Iran is a terribly important country. Unfortunately, Americans, who are ostensibly the ultimate arbiters of power in this most powerful entity on the globe, know frightfully little about the history and vibrant political, social and creative dynamics of this ancient civilization. If one watches the television news or reads one of the many lackluster dailies in this country, one is liable to get a rather one-sided impression of a nation of backward thinking Islamic thugs dying to get their hands on a couple of nukes to lob at Israel and the United States. Certainly there are such individuals in positions of power in Iran, but the fact is that Iran boasts one of the more highly educated and politically dynamic populations in the Middle East. Bearing all of this in mind, Christopher de Bellaigue's intimidatingly astute collection of essays could not have come at a better geo-political moment. In pieces dating from November 1999 to October 2006, Bellaigue presents us with a surprisingly comprehensive overview of the complex political forces at play in Iran and underscores the need for a new direction in U.S. policy with respect to Iran. Bellaigue's essays provide an insightful view at the reform movement within Iran, originally championed by Mohammed Khatami which aimed at forging a uniquely Iranian reconciliation between Western-style democratic institutions and the Shia Islam that shapes Iranian society. Moreover, in pieces covering the emerging issue of Iran's development of nuclear technology and Washington's rigidly bellicose response thereto, it becomes clear that the more intransigent the U.S. behaves toward Iran, the more firmly entrenched becomes the hardline conservative establishment. In another essay, Bellaigue shows how British policy during their mandate in Iraq led to the emergence of Qom as the heart of Shi'i Islamic learning and practice. This development eventually greatly influenced the rise of the Ayatollah Khomeini and continues to play an important role in the emerging Shi'i domination of Iraq. The bottom line is that Iran is at a critical moment in its history and is simply too imporant a country to ignore. The U.S. government has an opporunity to to influence Iran's development in a way that will prove beneficial to the entire world--not to mention its all important regional allies, Israel and Iraq. Sadly, the current administration seems to have chosen the worst possible policy in terms of dealing with this emerging situation. The best thing Americans can do is educate themselves on the matter and a good place to start is with Bellaigue's new collection.