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Behind Iranian Lines
paperback book.
400 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1988
About the author
John Cody Fidler-Simpson
23 books54 followersJohn Cody Fidler-Simpson CBE is an English foreign correspondent. He is world affairs editor of BBC News, the world's biggest broadcast news service. One of the most travelled reporters ever, he has spent all his working life at the corporation. He has reported from more than 120 countries, including thirty war zones, and has interviewed numerous world leaders.
Simpson was born in Cleveleys, Lancashire; his family later moved to Dunwich, Suffolk. His great grandfather was Samuel Franklin Cowdery (later known as Samuel Franklin Cody), an American showman in the style of Buffalo Bill Cody, who became a British citizen and was an early pioneer of manned flight in the UK. Simpson reveals in his autobiography that his father was an anarchist. That didn't prevent him from getting a top-notch education: he was sent to Dulwich College Preparatory School and St Paul's, and read English at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he was editor of Granta magazine. In 1965 he was a member of the Magdalene University Challenge team. A year later Simpson started as a trainee sub-editor at BBC radio news.
Simpson became a BBC reporter in 1970. He describes in his autobiography how on his very first day the then prime minister Harold Wilson, angered by the sudden and impudent, as he saw it, appearance of the novice's microphone, punched him in the stomach.
Simpson was the BBC's political editor from 1980 till 1981. He presented the Nine O'Clock News from 1981 till 1982 and became diplomatic editor in 1982. He had also served as a correspondent in South Africa, Brussels and Dublin. He became BBC world affairs editor in 1988.
Simpson was born in Cleveleys, Lancashire; his family later moved to Dunwich, Suffolk. His great grandfather was Samuel Franklin Cowdery (later known as Samuel Franklin Cody), an American showman in the style of Buffalo Bill Cody, who became a British citizen and was an early pioneer of manned flight in the UK. Simpson reveals in his autobiography that his father was an anarchist. That didn't prevent him from getting a top-notch education: he was sent to Dulwich College Preparatory School and St Paul's, and read English at Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he was editor of Granta magazine. In 1965 he was a member of the Magdalene University Challenge team. A year later Simpson started as a trainee sub-editor at BBC radio news.
Simpson became a BBC reporter in 1970. He describes in his autobiography how on his very first day the then prime minister Harold Wilson, angered by the sudden and impudent, as he saw it, appearance of the novice's microphone, punched him in the stomach.
Simpson was the BBC's political editor from 1980 till 1981. He presented the Nine O'Clock News from 1981 till 1982 and became diplomatic editor in 1982. He had also served as a correspondent in South Africa, Brussels and Dublin. He became BBC world affairs editor in 1988.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 28, 2026
Super readable book and touches on many important aspects of Iran under Komenei at the time, while providing historical and cultural contexts. I think it's even more important to learn about the Middle East's past (this book is from 88 iirc) if we want to be politically informed and understand the reasons for conflicts today... emphasis on *today*. Even discusses the shah and why the revolution happened! Important today, considering they want him back!
Also it was so odd to read the anti-iraqi sentiments at the time, considering my family was experiencing the anti-iranian sentiments at the same time Simpson was writing this 😮
Also it was so odd to read the anti-iraqi sentiments at the time, considering my family was experiencing the anti-iranian sentiments at the same time Simpson was writing this 😮
October 2, 2012
Well-written, engaging and enlightening. John Simpson paints what feels like a very balanced picture of life in Iran with the historical backdrops from their proud Persian past, British colonisation, to the Shah and the Ayatollahs providing important perspective on the Iran of today and international politics.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews