It can now be taken as an axiom that the Western press cannot be trusted to report honestly the events of the Middle East as they are occurring and how they have occurred in the past. Journalism has been morphed into a game of politics and self-aggrandizement on the part of journalists. The study of history has been exposed as a game of promoting a particular worldview, and historians have exhibited an extreme bias that is sometimes admitted but frequently is not. For these reasons the study of historical events has taken on particular importance at the present time. Those who sincerely desire an accounting of history in most cases must undertake the study themselves. In addition, the prevailing political climate dictates that an accurate picture of history be available, in order to not be subjected to the mental tyranny of propaganda. Every citizen must now become a historian, and must practice extreme skepticism towards any assertions that are put into print that claim to be accurate appraisals of past events. Documents and sources must be checked meticulously, and no apologies must be given if research indicates that historical events do not conform to prevailing ideologies.

This book, written by one of those who have been "on the ground" in the Middle East, attempts to give an overview of the history of Iran in the twentieth century. The accounting that he gives sounds plausible, and as a whole the book seems to be free of any extreme bias or hidden political agendas. However, it should be remembered that the author has viewed the Middle East through finite time windows, and therefore his appraisal of the events he has observed may not reflect the true situation. The fact that the book must be kept at a manageable length for publication also dictates that the author must employ selective filters on the history he is attempting to analyze. The author though gives many references for those readers who want to pursue further studies on the history of Iran. In view of the current tensions between Iran and the United States, it is imperative that an understanding of this tension be put into proper historical context. Some in the United States government have called for war against Iran. To find out whether such a war is justified entails that a thorough understanding of Iranian history be obtained.

Some of the many historical topics that the author discusses in the book include:

1. The reasons for the invasion of Iran by Iraq in September 1980.
2. The origin and functioning of the Islamic Majlis.
3. The White Revolution, initiated by Shah Pahlavi, in 1963. This consisted of a "six-point" program involving agrarian reform, the nationalization of the forests, the sale of public factories to compensate landlords, suffrage for women, profit-sharing in industry, and the eradication of illiteracy.
4. The overthrow of the Mussadiq government by the CIA in 1953. This was the beginning of the heavy influence and manipulation of the United States into the affairs of Iran. The author reports that U.S. military and economic aid from the years 1953 - 1956 totaled $414, 000, 000. In addition, he reports that thousands of Americans moved to Iran during this time, which caused further alienation of the Iranian populace.
5. The life history of Muhammad Mussadiq al Saltane and his rise to the leadership of Iran in 1949.
6. The nationalization of the oil industry in 1950. The Anglo-Iranian Oil Company was nationalized, resulting in the CIA-sponsored coup against the Mussadiq government.
7. The history of the Reza Shah regime from 1925 - 1941.
8. The history of the Muhammad Reza Shah regime from 1941 - 1979. After installed by the CIA in 1953, the author reports that the Shah's persecution against the opposition resulted in the deaths of 5.000 Iranians as well as the exile of 50,000. The author discusses the formation of the Sazman-e Aminyat Va Ettilaat-e Keshavar (Organization of National Security and Intelligence) or Savak. The Savak organization was discussed by some members of the Western press as being one of the reasons for the overthrow of the Shah in 1979, due to its atrocious conduct towards many Iranian citizens. The author reports that Savak maintained strong ties to the CIA as well as to the Israeli foreign intelligence agency. The author also reports that Savak agents engaged in the deliberate attack against religious seminaries, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people. The Shah also engaged in poll rigging and persecution of political opponents. One of those undergoing persecution and arrest was the Ayatollah Khomeini. The Shah had absolutely no qualms about using the military to suppress uprisings, with as many as ten thousand people reportedly being killed in the Tehran Grand Bazaar in what has been called the Khordad 15 Uprising.
9. The life and history of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The author gives an interesting and detailed description, and the reader obtains insight into the religious views of Khomeini. Particularly interesting is his belief in an ethics that is not rule-based, i.e. not a prescriptive "do and don't" ethics for believers. The goal of all believers must instead be to oust corrupt officials and eliminate repressive regimes, and then replace them with ones that are ruled by just Islamic jurists. Once obtaining power in 1979, Khomeini unfortunately did not hesitate to use it to eliminate rivals, thus proving himself to be the moral equivalent of the man he replaced.