The Persians: Ancient, Mediaeval and Modern Iran

In recent years, Iran has gained attention mostly for negative reasons, its authoritarian religious government, disputed nuclear program, and controversial role in the Middle East, but there is much more to the story of this ancient land than can be gleaned from the news. 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 today’s Iranian state. 

A magisterial history, this book also serves as an excellent background to the role of Iran in the contemporary world.