This book provides an in depth look at not only Mohammad Musaddiq, but also the general history and politics of his time. It is important for every Iranian to know what this great patriot did for Iran. Men of his honesty and integrety were very rare in Iran at that time, just as they are rare at present. This book follows Musaddiq's life from his childhood up to the decade after the american/british sponsored coup. It can be depressing to read how, many people including the shah and the clerics (not surprisingly!) betrayed their country for personal gain. This book has a lot of detail and interesting behind the scenes information. Homa Katouzian has done an excellent job.

Katouzian is a British university teacher of Iranian origin with megawatts of ill-concealed passion for Muhammad Mussadeq, an aristocratic politician who briefly served as Iran's prime minister in the 1950s. This is a book written by an enthusiast about his idol. It is thus impossible to treat it as a work of scholarship. Katouzian wants us to believe that whatever Mussadeq did was wise, noble and patriotic while whatever Mussadeq's political rivals did was ignoble, cowardly, conspiratorial and treacherous. This is simply too hard to swallow. Another problem is Katouzian's language which is often paralysed by jargon and at times becomes farcical as a result of his efforts to impress the reader with the choice of apparently difficult words. Although Mussadeq was a minor figure in Iran's long history he still deserves a full, unbiased and scientific biography. A READER IN LONDON.

Homa Katouzian undertakes the necessity of having this man's life documented. Her scholarly approach to Mr. Mossadegh (spelled Musaddiq in the book) reveals his desire to make Iran a truly secular, egalitarian, and independent nation and how foreign powers through major miscalculations ruined it all...a must read for anyone who wishes to understand Iran as it is now.

This is a scholarly and comprehensive book about Irans recent history and Mosadegh. In particular, it covers the time period 1950~1965 in great many details. I think this is a must read, as it gives great insight into events that lead to a democratic power vacuum in the late 70s. It also enables the reader to better understand the utlimate rise to power of "Islamic Republic".