{{Short description|2017 history book by Abbas Amanat}}
{{Short description|2017 history book by Abbas Amanat}}
””’Iran: A Modern History””’ is a history [[book]] by [[Abbas Amanat]], [[historian]] and [[university professor]], first published in 2017 by [[Yale University Press]]. The book, which took nearly twenty years to complete,{{Sfn|Amanat|2017|p=ix}}offers an account and analysis of five centuries of Iranian history—from the background leading to [[safavid Iran|the rise of the Safavid dynasty]] to the [[Iranian Green Movement|Green Movement]] of 2009.
””’Iran: A Modern History””’ is a history [[book]] by [[Abbas Amanat]], [[historian]] and [[university professor]], first published in 2017 by [[Yale University Press]]. The book, which took nearly twenty years to complete,{{Sfn|Amanat|2017|p=ix}}offers an account and analysis of five centuries of Iranian history—from the background leading to [[safavid Iran|the rise of the Safavid dynasty]] to the [[Iranian Green Movement|Green Movement]] of 2009.
{{Infobox book|name=Iran: A Modern History|author=Abbas Amanat|language=English|country=United States of America|genre=history book|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=9780300112542|italic title=yes|subject=History of Iran from Safavids to 2009|dewey=955.03|congress=2017942532|oclc=971223468|border=yes|published=
{{Infobox book|name=Iran: A Modern History|author=Abbas Amanat|language=English|country=United States of America|genre=history book|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=9780300112542|italic title=yes|subject=History of Iran from Safavids to 2009|dewey=955.03|congress=2017942532|oclc=971223468|border=yes|published=
:: audiobook
:: audiobook
* 2022
* 2022
:: Chinese translation|pages=1028|award=”[[The Times]]” newspaper’s Book of the Week}}
:: Chinese translation|pages=1028|award=
”[[The Times]]” newspaper’s Book of the Week
* was among [[Choice Outstanding Academic Titles]] in 2018}}
==Publication==
==Publication==
”Iran: A Modern History” was first published in 2017 in both print and electronic formats in English by [[Yale University Press]].<ref name=”form”>{{Cite news|url=https://search.worldcat.org/formats-editions/1356412778|title=Iran: A Modern History_Formats and Editions|language=English|access-date=30 October 2025|work=WorldCat}}</ref>A year later, an [[audiobook]] edition, approximately 42 hours long and narrated by Derek Perkins, was released by [[Tantor Media]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://search.worldcat.org/title/1081042772|title=Iran: A Modern History|language=English|access-date=30 October 2025|work=WorldCat}}</ref>In 2022, Ji Kaiyun, director of the Center for Iranian Studies at [[Southwest University]] in [[China]], published a Chinese translation of the work under the title 伊朗五百年 (”Five Hundred Years of Iran”) through [[People’s Daily]] Press in [[Beijing]].<ref name=“form”/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://centerbeijing.yale.edu/zh-hans/node/706|title=伊朗五百年|language=Chinese|trans-title=Five Hundred Years of Iran|access-date=30 October 2025|work=Yale Center Beijing}}</ref>
”Iran: A Modern History” was first published in 2017 in both print and electronic formats in English by [[Yale University Press]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://search.worldcat.org/formats-editions/1356412778|title=Iran: A Modern History_Formats and Editions|language=English|access-date=30 October 2025|work=WorldCat}}</ref>A year later, an [[audiobook]] edition, approximately 42 hours long and narrated by Derek Perkins, was released by [[Tantor Media]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://search.worldcat.org/title/1081042772|title=Iran: A Modern History|language=English|access-date=30 October 2025|work=WorldCat}}</ref>In 2022, Ji Kaiyun, director of the Center for Iranian Studies at [[Southwest University]] in [[China]], published a Chinese translation of the work under the title 伊朗五百年 (”Five Hundred Years of Iran”) through [[People’s Daily]] Press in [[Beijing]].<ref =/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://centerbeijing.yale.edu/zh-hans/node/706|title=伊朗五百年|language=Chinese|trans-title=Five Hundred Years of Iran|access-date=30 October 2025|work=Yale Center Beijing}}</ref>
==Content Summary==
==Content Summary==
”Iran: A Modern History” is organized into four main parts and seventeen chapters, accompanied by a [[preface]], [[Introduction (writing)|introduction]], and [[epilogue]]. In this book, Abbas Amanat presents and analyzes roughly five centuries of Iranian history after the Mongol era, tracing developments from the rise of the [[Safavid order]] to the [[Iranian Green Movement|Green Movement]] of 2009.
”Iran: A Modern History” is organized into four main parts and seventeen chapters, accompanied by a [[preface]], [[Introduction (writing)|introduction]], and [[epilogue]]. In this book, Abbas Amanat presents and analyzes roughly five centuries of Iranian history after the Mongol era, tracing developments from the rise of the [[Safavid order]] to the [[Iranian Green Movement|Green Movement]] of 2009.
The first part examines the emergence of the [[Safavid order]], its rise to power, and the historical background of the movement, culminating in the assassination of [[Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar]].
The first part examines the emergence of the Safavid order, its rise to power, and the historical background of the movement, culminating in the assassination of [[Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar]].
The second part covers the period from the accession of [[Fath-Ali Shah Qajar]] to the [[persian Constitutional Revolution|Constitutional Revolution]] of 1905–1911.
In the final part, Amanat narrates the downfall of the Pahlavi kingdom and follows Iran’s modern trajectory up to the [[Iranian Green Movement|Green Movement]] of 2009.
==Critical Reception==
==Critical Reception==
”Iran: A Modern History” received generally positive critical acclaim. In a review for ”[[The Sunday Times]]”, journalist Justin Marozzi described Abbas Amanat’s research as masterful, extensive, and profound.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/iran-modern-history-abbas-amanat-review-l3rln7cqh|title=Book review: Iran: A Modern History by Abbas Amanat|date=21 January 2018|accessdate=30 October 2025|website=The Times & The Sunday Times|publisher=The Sunday Times|last=Marozzi|first=Justin|language=English}}</ref>”[[The Times]]” selected ”Iran: A Modern History” as its Book of the Week.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/article/review-iran-a-modern-history-by-abbas-amanat-p8q26jqp9|title=Review: Iran: A Modern History by Abbas Amanat|date=6 January 2018|accessdate=30 October 2025|website=The Times & The Sunday Times|publisher=The Times|last=Spencer|first=Richard|language=English}}</ref> Historian [[Ervand Abrahamian]], writing in ”[[The New York Review of Books]]”, characterized the work as a majestic contribution to unraveling the enigmas of Iran’s history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2018/06/07/enigma-of-iranianism/|title=The Enigma of Iranianism|date=7 June 2018|accessdate=30 October 2025|website=The New York Review of Books|last=Abrahamian|first=Ervand|language=English}}</ref>
”Iran: A Modern History” received generally positive critical acclaim. In a review for ”[[The Sunday Times]]”, journalist Justin Marozzi described Abbas Amanat’s research as masterful, extensive, and profound.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/books/article/iran-modern-history-abbas-amanat-review-l3rln7cqh|title=Book review: Iran: A Modern History by Abbas Amanat|date=21 January 2018|accessdate=30 October 2025|website=The Times & The Sunday Times|publisher=The Sunday Times|last=Marozzi|first=Justin|language=English}}</ref>”[[The Times]]” selected ”Iran: A Modern History” as its Book of the Week.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/culture/article/review-iran-a-modern-history-by-abbas-amanat-p8q26jqp9|title=Review: Iran: A Modern History by Abbas Amanat|date=6 January 2018|accessdate=30 October 2025|website=The Times & The Sunday Times|publisher=The Times|last=Spencer|first=Richard|language=English}}</ref> Historian [[Ervand Abrahamian]], writing in ”[[The New York Review of Books]]”, characterized the work as a majestic contribution to unraveling the enigmas of Iran’s history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2018/06/07/enigma-of-iranianism/|title=The Enigma of Iranianism|date=7 June 2018|accessdate=30 October 2025|website=The New York Review of Books|last=Abrahamian|first=Ervand|language=English}}</ref>
Steve Donoghue, in his review for ”[[Open Letters Monthly]]”, praised Amanat’s book as monumental and magnificent. Donoghue highlighted the vibrant portrayal of historical figures, noting the author’s lucid, engaging, and narrative prose infused with subtle wit, through which Amanat depicts with precision and insight the countenance of kings, clerics, and statesmen of every era.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.openlettersmonthlyarchive.com/olm/book-review-iran-a-modern-history|title=Book Review: Iran: A Modern History|accessdate=30 October 2025|publisher=Open Letters Monthly|last=Donoghue|first=Steve|language=English}}</ref>
Steve Donoghue, in his review for ”[[Open Letters Monthly]]”, praised Amanat’s book as monumental and magnificent. Donoghue highlighted the vibrant portrayal of historical figures, noting the author’s lucid, engaging, and narrative prose infused with subtle wit, through which Amanat depicts with precision and insight the countenance of kings, clerics, and statesmen of every era.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.openlettersmonthlyarchive.com/olm/book-review-iran-a-modern-history|title=Book Review: Iran: A Modern History|accessdate=30 October 2025|publisher=Open Letters Monthly|last=Donoghue|first=Steve|language=English}}</ref>
* ”[[The Cambridge History of Iran]]”
* ”[[The Cambridge History of Iran]]”
* ”[[History of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution]]”
* ”[[History of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution]]”
* ”[[The Comprehensive History of Iran]]”
==References==
==References==
2017 history book by Abbas Amanat
Iran: A Modern History is a history book by Abbas Amanat, historian and university professor, first published in 2017 by Yale University Press. The book, which took nearly twenty years to complete,offers an account and analysis of five centuries of Iranian history—from the background leading to the rise of the Safavid dynasty to the Green Movement of 2009. Iran was generally well received by critics.
Iran: A Modern History was first published in 2017 in both print and electronic formats in English by Yale University Press.[2]A year later, an audiobook edition, approximately 42 hours long and narrated by Derek Perkins, was released by Tantor Media.[3]In 2022, Ji Kaiyun, director of the Center for Iranian Studies at Southwest University in China, together with Xing Wenhai and Li Xin, published a Chinese translation of the work under the title 伊朗五百年 (Five Hundred Years of Iran) through People’s Daily Press in Beijing.[4][5]
Iran: A Modern History is organized into four main parts and seventeen chapters, accompanied by a preface, introduction, and epilogue. In this book, Abbas Amanat presents and analyzes roughly five centuries of Iranian history after the Mongol era, tracing developments from the rise of the Safavid order to the Green Movement of 2009.
The first part examines the emergence of the Safavid order, its rise to power, and the historical background of the movement, culminating in the assassination of Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar. The second part covers the period from the accession of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar to the Constitutional Revolution of 1905–1911.
The third part begins with Iran’s entry into the First World War and continues up to the decline of the Pahlavi monarchy. In the final part, Amanat narrates the downfall of the Pahlavi kingdom and follows Iran’s modern trajectory up to the Green Movement of 2009.
Iran: A Modern History received generally positive critical acclaim. In a review for The Sunday Times, journalist Justin Marozzi described Abbas Amanat’s research as masterful, extensive, and profound.[6]The Times selected Iran: A Modern History as its Book of the Week.[7] Historian Ervand Abrahamian, writing in The New York Review of Books, characterized the work as a majestic contribution to unraveling the enigmas of Iran’s history.[8]It was among Choice Outstanding Academic Titles in 2018.[5]
Steve Donoghue, in his review for Open Letters Monthly, praised Amanat’s book as monumental and magnificent. Donoghue highlighted the vibrant portrayal of historical figures, noting the author’s lucid, engaging, and narrative prose infused with subtle wit, through which Amanat depicts with precision and insight the countenance of kings, clerics, and statesmen of every era.[9]
According to Michael Rubin of Middle East Quarterly, the book makes effective use of illustrations, charts, and maps. Rubin observed that Amanat does not whitewash the realities of the 1979 Revolution, yet criticized the analysis of post-revolutionary Iran–U.S. relations for insufficiently addressing the Islamic Republic’s involvement in terrorism and its affiliated groups, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon. For these reasons, Rubin considered the book excellent up to the 1979 Revolution, but of lower quality thereafter.[10]
