The Fall of Heaven

The Pahlavis and the Final Days of Imperial Iran

By: Andrew Scott Cooper

Narrated by: Assaf Cohen

Length: 22 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

An immersive, gripping account of the rise and fall of Iran's glamorous Pahlavi dynasty, written with the cooperation of the late shah's widow, Empress Farah.

In this remarkably human portrait of one of the 20th century's most complicated personalities, author Andrew Scott Cooper traces Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's life from childhood through his ascension to the throne in 1941. He highlights the turbulence of the postwar era, during which the shah survived assassination attempts and coup plots to build a modern, pro-Western state and launch Iran onto the world stage as one of the world's top five powers. Listeners get the story of the shah's political career alongside the story of his courtship and marriage to Farah Diba, who became a power in her own right; the story of the beloved family they created; and an exclusive look at life inside the palace during the Iranian Revolution.

Cooper's investigative account ultimately delivers the fall of the Pahlavi dynasty through the eyes of those who were there: leading Iranian revolutionaries; President Jimmy Carter and White House officials; US Ambassador William Sullivan and his staff in the American embassy in Tehran; American families caught up in the drama; and even Empress Farah herself, along with the rest of the Iranian imperial family.

At once intimate and sweeping, The Fall of Heaven recreates in stunning detail the dramatic and final days of one of the world's most legendary ruling families, the unseating of which helped set the stage for the current state of the Middle East.

©2016 Andrew Scott Cooper (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Very interesting though probably quite biased.

I'm waiting for my Iranian co-worker to finish the book and discuss before assigning a degree of confidence regarding the overall assessment of the major characters. Other than that it was a very interesting account of a history most of us know of, but about which I don't know much.

Very interesting; recommended

A very interesting insight into what occurred in Iran after the coups d'etat in 53'. Although the focus is on the Pahlavi dynasty, the author does not shy away from pointing out shortcomings of the crown and ill-decision making premised on wishful thinking.

Recommended for those interested in a nation/people we know so little about, yet for whom the West holds a strong, negative opinion. For those that want to understand how yesterday's decisions (or lack therein) shaped the world today.

Great book

Eye opening book . Wish the people inside Iran could have access to it. History is the best teacher .

Informative & Important Perspectives

I’m impressed by the body of history in this book- all of the perspectives and all of the events reported by the author that help the reader (no matter how extensively informed prior to reading this one may be on the subject matter) understand what lead to the demise of the Iranian Monarchy. I feel lucky to have found this book.

Get someone who speaks Farsi please...

Why not use someone who could speak Farsi to read this book. Very annoying that every name of persons and places is mispronounced.

Long on quotes, short on narrative

This book was informative but cumbersome due to the minutiae of quotes, asides, and dialogue.

Safest story of down fall of a country

I am an Iranian who was in her 20s when the odious revelation. By the most brutal human beings took place. It was loathsome tragedy that a country could go through. USA did not support the Shah who had every intention to bring his country to a modern civilization and the American Ambassador in Iran of that time typically made the grave mistake to back the brutal mullahs who were behind this hideous revolution. President Carter who lacked the wisdom as a state man created the situation in Middle East that now still we are witnessing. Iran is destroyed and the Iranians are stripped off the most basic freedom. Women are pushed out from the work force and are obliged to cover their hair or go to jail and be tortured and rapped by the guardians of the Islamic Republic. It’s is inconceivable how a country at this time and age could be forced to go back to the dark ages. I hold the USA government mostly responsible to what has happened in Iran of today. The Shah had a huge role in keeping the Middle East in peace and Hormons and just look what happened after him to that part of the world. This book a very detailed account of how it all happened during the last years of the rule of Pahlavi dynasty who were the best possible alternative for our country.

I learned so much, but will have to reread

At first I was skeptical because it seemed so solidly pro-Shah. Later in the book, I became convinced, not that he was perfect, but that he did many good things and wanted to do so much more. I am convinced that his overthrow was a terrible thing for Iran, the US and the world. I say this in spite of the fact that I am an American who believes strongly in democracy.

The fall of Heaven

Great book! I am Iranian and have lived through the nasty revolution while I was child. This book gave me closer perspective of everything was going on before revolution and the reality of Khomeini. The reader's pronunciation of Iranians names is awful!

Perfect capture of historic events

This is truly an amazing book to read or to listen to. It describes the events keeps you on the edge. As an Iranian I wish there were moments in history I could’ve been changed! Absolutely amazing book must read