All the Shah's Men

An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror

By: Stephen Kinzer

Narrated by: Michael Prichard, Jonathan Yen

Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

Half a century ago, the United States overthrew the democratically elected prime minister of Iran, Mohammad Mossadegh, whose "crime" was nationalizing the country's oil industry.

In a cloak-and-dagger story of spies, saboteurs, and secret agents, Kinzer reveals the involvement of Eisenhower, Churchill, Kermit Roosevelt, and the CIA in Operation Ajax, which restored Mohammad Reza Shah to power. Reza imposed a tyranny that ultimately sparked the Islamic Revolution of 1979 which, in turn, inspired fundamentalists throughout the Muslim world, including the Taliban and terrorists who thrived under its protection.

"It is not far-fetched", Kinzer asserts, "to draw a line from Operation Ajax through the Shah's repressive regime and the Islamic Revolution to the fireballs that engulfed the World Trade Center in New York."

©2003 Stephen Kinzer (P)2003 Tantor Media, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Breezy storytelling and diligent research.... This stands as a textbook lesson in how not to conduct foreign policy." (Publishers Weekly)

"With a keen journalistic eye, and with a novelist's pen....a very gripping read." (The New York Times)

"Kinzer's brilliant reconstruction of the Iranian coup is made even more fascinating by the fact that it is true. It is as gripping as a thriller, and also tells much about why the United States is involved today in places like Afgahanistan and Iraq." (Gore Vidal)

Paying for the short-term perspective

Kinzer does a very good job describing the overthrow of the Shah in the 1950s. The actions that are described make one want to scream do the right thing for the long haul, not some immediate battle victory with long-term negative consequences. Doing the right thing does not have to be juxtaposed to a "reality" and a focus on consequences that are perceived on a short-term vision paradigm.

insightful

fantastic book with a deep insight. reads really well. a must read for anybody who is interested in mideast history

This history should be taught in high school

Since the hostage crisis in Iran, Americans have had a visceral hatred for Iran. Unfortunately for post war baby boomers and younger this is the extent of knowledge of this great country. All the Shah's Men goes beyond the bumper sticker mentality by giving details that led to the overthrow of a democratically elected leader which reverberates to this day. At the very least, a synopsis should be taught in American high schools so our young people will not follow their fathers with this blind hatred.

understanding us role and responsibilities in Iran

Excellent education on Iran and US involvement. Why the US had a great responsibility to help central Asia countries. great book and listen.

FASCINATING HISTORY. One of Audible's BEST

I've listened to this twice. If you want to understand the US-Iran relationship, you should hear this amazing history. Mohammad Mosaddegh is completely unknown to most Americans. They need to know of him. Understanding Mosaddegh is essential to being educated to today's realities when it comes to the Middle East. You can't understand India without knowing something of Ghandi. In a similar vein, you can't begin to understand Iran without knowing about Mossaddegh. The world is still dealing with the seismic consequences of Great Britain's arrogance and greed toward Iran (combined with Soviet-inspired paranoia of Communism and Eisenhower's complicity in a CIA-led coup to support the Shah). Ironically, the West's failure to understand and support the common man and the power of democracy inspired a tragic revolutionary vacuum filled by radical extremists to this day.

best of best

The best period, The best of best , I love it, great job. I can not find a word to describe how happy I am with the book.
Thank you

Concise, compelling, and enraging

One of the things I love about Kinzer's book is how he briefly but thoroughly covers the history of Persia/Iran from antiquity to WWI. It provides an excellent context to the immense folly that was Operation Ajax, especially when I think of how Iran could have today been a valuable ally to U.S. interests in the Middle East.

informative

I loved this book. it explains the origins of Iranian distrust of the United States and other western nations. I will continue to study on the life and times of Mossedegh.

Amazing book

Narration is great. Book itself is terrific. Very informative and engaging. Definitely a must read/hear for anyone interested in democracy building in the postwar era

You need to hear this history

The history of U.S. involvement in Iran is largely unknown to Americans. This book is very enlightening with respect to the U.S. involvement in the Iranian coup in the 1950's. The author does an excellent job of describing the events leading up to and immediately following the coup. The history of Iran following these events is glossed over (and I would have liked to hear more on this), but that is not the focus of the book. I now have a much better understanding of the roots of the current relationship between Iran and the U.S.