Irans religious culture encompasses the most censorious and dogmatic shia muslim clerics in the world, yet its poetry insistently dwells on the joys of life. The first great dynasty in iran was the achaemenid which ruled from 550 to 330 bc. He produced a monumental study of the history of persia, published in 1815. It has largely been dismissed now because people think it is very out of date, although i still think it bears reading. The visual storytelling gives the books an immediate appeal and places them very much in the mainstream, accessible to many who would not normally pick up a book on iran. The best books on iranian history five books expert. The history of iran from ancient persia to the ayatollahs comprehensively and descriptively covers this history, progressing through a timeline dating back to antiquity and examining all of the different religious, political, foreign, and military issues that affect iran and are affected by iran today. This authoritative and comprehensive history of iran, written by homa katouzian, an acclaimed expert, covers the entire history of the area from the ancient persian empire to todays iranian state.
I am finding it so incredibly difficult finding a good book on persia, ive got 2 books, but they arent nearly as in depth as id like them to be and they were made back in the 1960s. Mage publishes englishlanguage books about persian culture, cookbooks, history, biography and autobiography, music and poetry, translations of literature, books on architectural studies, and childrens tales. Across iran and central asia to find the worlds first. A very short introduction oxford university press, 2014. What are the best books to read about the modern history of iran. The high civilization of ancient persia continues today with direct, unbroken ties to its past through the iranian culture. Like the epic poetry of greece and scandinavia, the text explores creation myths, tragic love stories, and great wars. Persia in the bible amazing bible timeline with world. In the following chapters, axworthy discusses the succeeding persian. Here is the video showing the history of iran fromer persia starting from the medes until todays islamic republic, passing through the achaemenid, parthian, sassanid empires and more. This one covered the known history, not dwelling too much on any given era. History and literature sociology novel psychology women glossary publications policy philosophy religion mp3 audio books free books for iran pdf nonpersianbooks miscellaneous information.
Nov 12, 2019 the high civilization of ancient persia continues today with direct, unbroken ties to its past through the iranian culture. Jul 20, 2011 kamin mohammadis top 10 iranian books. Brief overview of the history of iran throughout much of early history, the land known today as iran was known as the persian empire. Iran came to be known as persia in the west thanks to classical greek authors during whose time persia was the dominant kingdom in iran. Finally, the rivers of iran, racing swiftly through.
He always writes very interesting things about the social and political history of the country and this book is actually a collection of essays that he has written on the islamic revolution and its aftermath. In a history of iran, acclaimed historian michael axworthy chronicles the rich history of this complex nation from the achaemenid empire of sixth century bc to the revolution of 1979 to today, including a close look at iran s ongoing attempts to become a nuclear power. Here is the best place for presenting rare, old, new and precious titles to buy them through the earth biggest persian online bookstore. Once there, my iranian friend and i traveled from the shomal the northern border of iran on the caspian sea nearly to the southern border, stopping at many of the sites id learned about while reading. The definitive history of iran, from the ancient persian empires to today. The best books on iranian history 1 khomeinism by ervand abrahamian. Former british foreignservice officer and iranian historian. From them also, thrust up in the wake of the volcanic activity of late pliocene times, came diorite and obsidian, both highly prized in antiquity. It is an islamic republic, but one in which only 1. Jan 08, 2020 ali m ansari is a professor of history at the university of st andrews specialising in the history of iran and author of several books including iran. From the 14th century poetry of hafez to the 21st centurys reading lolita in tehran, iranian bbc journalist pooneh ghoddoosi discusses books that give an insight into the culture, society, and politics of iran. A captivating guide to the persian empire and history of iran, starting from the achaemenid empire, through the parthian, sasanian and safavid empire to the afsharid and qajar dynasty. List of books and articles about iranian history online.
Your first book is khomeinism by ervand abrahamian yes, abrahamian is one of the leading historians of modern iran. A very readable history book is empire of the mind. The history of iran from ancient persia to the ayatollahs. I second quora users opinion and highly recommend the cambridge history of iran series. These works were often written in prose as well as in verse. The blood of flowers by anita amirrezvani, the persian expedition by xenophon, persian fire. The politics of nationalism in modern iran cambridge university press, 2012. Shahnameh tells the legendary stories of preislamic iran. History a thousand years of the persian book exhibitions. New books archaeology, anthropology architecture art biographies, memoirs business, economy children crafts, rugs culture, society diaspora ethnicities, minorities film, video food foreign relations iran us relations geography, nature history ancient history modern history pahlavi era history qajar era humor, satire. I like history books, and realized i had never read one specific to persiairan. What are the best books to read about the modern history.
Olmsteads magisterial history of the persian empire is a corrective supplement to this perspective and one of the best, most wellwritten histories of the ancient world i have ever read. Even with news breaking daily in iran, the first book i send myself. Subjects covered include travel literature, world history, current events, and traditional subjects such as the history of islamic civilization. History of iran persia including medes and persians, cyrus the great, darius, the persian empire, the persian army, persian couriers, the architecture of empire, persian carpets. Iran history, middle eastern history, books barnes. They cost a lot though in both ebook and hardcopy formats. Home browse history middle eastern history iran iranian history. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. From the tenth century to the late nineteenth century, historical writing became one of the most revered and important literary traditions in the persian language. The best books on iran recommended by pooneh ghoddoosi.
Aug 27, 2011 the visual storytelling gives the books an immediate appeal and places them very much in the mainstream, accessible to many who would not normally pick up a book on iran. Discover librarianselected research resources on iranian history from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. I read this book in 1979 just before traveling to iran. The best books on iranian history, as recommended by historian ali ansari. The subtitle empire of the mind denotes some emphasis on cultural aspects of iran, as well as the history of the country and the various dynasties who have ruled the area that was once referred to as persia. I ranib ook is the first and best iranian online bookshop, supply, and great source of persian farsi books. List of books and articles about iranian history online research. A captivating guide to the persian empire and history of iran, starting from the achaemenid empire, through the parthian, sasanian and. Discover facts about its culture, geography, economy, and more. The author of the sword of persia and revolutionary iran, axworthy publishes widely in the field of iranian history. The countrys name was changed from persia to iran in 1935. Michael axworthy teaches at the institute of arab and islamic studies at the university of exeter uk. Empire, authority, and autonomy in achaemenid anatolia, by elspeth r.
Kamin mohammadis top 10 iranian books books the guardian. Sweeping, sensitive and evenhanded overview of the ancient nation, from the days of the prophet zoroaster to those of the islamic republic. The persian empire is the name used to refer to many historical dynasties that have ruled the country of persia now known as iran. By ervand abrahamian 2 for a more in depth and scholarly works, abrahamians iran between two revolutions is a classic. This book brings together his vast and scholarly knowledge of 2500 years of iranian history. This is an nice overview of the history of iran, from the time of cyrus the great to about 2009. This article is concerned with the history of the ancient persian empire, in which presentday iran. It became a theocratic islamic republic in the middle east in western asia. Ali m ansari is a professor of history at the university of st andrews specialising in the history of iran and author of several books including iran. The way the author weaves descriptions of iranian history, tradition, and cuisine into the story is sure to delight those interested in persian. The literary form of new persian is known as farsi in iran, where it.
Due to his status as the last shah of iran, he is often known. The names iran and persia are often used interchangeably to mean the same country. The best books on iran five books expert recommendations. You may search or browse a small part of inventory of persian and english language books about iran. A history of iran, one of several recent books that aim to draw back the gloomy curtain of. From the tenth to the fourteenth centuries a number of persian historians wrote in arabic, the common academic language of the time, including the persian historian abu jafar muhammad ibn jarir altabaris 839923, author of tarikh alrusul wa almuluk, more commonly known as tarikh altabari history of tabari. The definitive history of iran, from the ancient persian empires to todayiran is a land of contradictions. A captivating guide to the barbarians of iranian origins and how these ancient tribes fought against the roman empire, goths, huns, and persians. The article iran contains a description of the geography and economy of the modern country and a short account of its history since the arab invasion of the 7th cent. Tell me about your next book, the classic sketches of persia by sir john malcolm.
Feb 10, 2018 here is the video showing the history of iran fromer persia starting from the medes until todays islamic republic, passing through the achaemenid, parthian, sassanid empires and more. The history of iran, which was commonly known until the mid20th century as persia in the western world, is intertwined with the history of a larger region, also to an extent known as greater iran, comprising the area from anatolia, the bosphorus, and egypt in the west to the borders of ancient india and the syr darya in the east, and from the. A history of iran, one of several recent books that aim to draw back the gloomy curtain of recent events, aims to increase the general readers awareness of the richness and uniqueness of the iranian heritage. Did you know we have a extensive reading list in our wiki.
The persian empire is the name given to a series of dynasties centered in modernday iran that spanned several centuriesfrom the sixth century b. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. He has published books and articles in the field of literary and historical scholarship. It was created by cyrus the great in the 6th century bc and was destroyed by alexander the great in the 4th century bc. A great list of books on iran to help you understand the iranian culture, society and history of persian before your upcoming trip to iran. A classic of modern persian literature, hedayats small novel is. We have been selling persian and english books about iran since 1979. It covers a wide array of subjects and also includes online documentaries.
Learn about the history of iran, formerly known as persia. Epic poetry, absurdist fiction, and modern memoirs. More than 30 years in the writing, this epic poem contains 60,000 verses and tells the mythical and actual history of iran, from the creation. What you see on our site is only a fraction of the books we have available.
It seems like you might be looking for books andor documentaries. In a history of iran, acclaimed historian michael axworthy chronicles the rich history of this complex nation from the achaemenid empire of sixth century bc to the revolution of 1979 to today, including a close look at irans ongoing attempts to become a nuclear power. Although modernday iran corresponds to the heartland of ancient persia, the islamic republic of iran is a multicultural entity. History iran regional and national history world persia. Persian literature, body of writings in new persian also called modern persian, the form of the persian language written since the 9th century with a slightly extended form of the arabic alphabet and with many arabic loanwords. Like most other westerners interested in classical hisory, i had first learned of the persians in terms of the greeks. Sahansahiye iran, refers to a series of imperial dynasties that were centred in iran from the 6th century bc achaemenid empire era to the 20th century ad in the pahlavi dynasty era.
Another great work of iranian intellectual history is ali rahnemas an. Army in the middle east during the war and served for nearly seven years as chief of the middle east section, office of the chief of military history. A history of persia description percy molesworth sykes 18671945 was a british soldier, diplomat, and author who wrote several important books about persia presentday iran and neighboring countries, including ten thousand miles in persia 1902, the glory of the shia world 1910, and this twovolume a history of persia 1915. A concise history of the achaemenid empire, 550330 bce, by matt waters. This article is concerned with the history of the ancient persian empire, in which presentday iran has its roots. List of books and articles about ancient persia online. Michael axworthy, a former british foreign service officer and a lecturer in arabic and islamic studies at the university of exeter. The history of iran presented in her book is not exactly objective but no matter.
206 927 168 852 478 1444 1393 622 1100 374 211 782 593 1050 1205 415 768 982 763 455 291 789 554 982 1211 1026 1370 1532 546 78 787 619 215 359 757 100 627 627