Download or read book The Iranians written by Sandra Mackey and published by Penguin. This book was released on 1998-04-01 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout its long and complex history, Iran has struggled with two warring identities—one evolving from the values, social organization, and arts of ancient Persia, the other from Islam. By examining the relationship between these two identities, The Iranians explains how the revolution of 1979 came about, why the Islamic Republic has failed, and how Iran today is on the brink of chaos. In this defining portrait of a troubled nation and the forces that shape it, Iranian history and religion become accessible to the nonspecialist. Combining impeccable scholarship with the human insight of firsthand observations, The Iranians provides vital understanding of this unique and pivotal nation. WITH A NEW AFTERWORD BY THE AUTHOR