In the Name of God: The Khomeini Decade

by Robin Wright

The author chronicles the first ten years of the Iranian Revolution, employing an unprecedented access to Iran's major figures to outline the nation's importance to the rest of the world

Genres: History, Iran

284 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1989

About the author

Robin B. Wright is an American foreign affairs analyst, author and journalist who has covered wars, revolutions and uprisings around the world. She writes for The New Yorker and is a fellow of the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson Center. Wright has authored five books and coauthored or edited three others.

Reviews

[Will Waghorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book predates neocons thirsting over the idea of starving iranian children to death and plunging the country into eternal darkness. it shows and is a very very good book and i wish more people read this

[David Corleto-Bales · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit dated, (published in 1990) but an excellent history of the Islamic revolution in Iran and the coming to power of the Ayatollah Khomeini and the first decade after his return, (1979-1989). Very good background to the Iranian Revolution, from the modern history of Iran and the relationship that Iran had with the west and other neighbors, and the personal history of Khomeini himself and how he saw the world. A bit depressing that the revolution to overthrow a despot ended up creating much worse living conditions for the majority of Iranians.

[Justin Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid for what it is: a journalistic chronicle of Iran between the last days of the Shah and Khomeini's death. I would have liked a bit more analysis, more on internal politics and less on battleground maneuvers, but you can't have it all. Wright writes clear, concise, uninspired prose. It's sad that this is out of print while current-affairsy 'Why Iran Matters and What the U.S.A. Can Do With Freedom' kind of things get published every day. More history and less prognostication on the international stage might be a good thing.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great primer on the history of Iran, focusing on the rise of Ayatollah Khomeni. Wonderful chapters about the opulence of the previous shah's regime and the how inevitable Khomeni's rise to power indeed was.

[Robin Heath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine, if somewhat outdated, expose of the origins of the Islamic Republic.