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)

An eye opener

Having seen the influence of Colonial British in Pakistan (then India), this book brought sickening naustalgia. It is very ineresting to see how we as humans with power, make things that are none of our business, our business. And then when things go wrong, we blame everyone else but ourselves. A must read for everyone interested in longterm ramifications of un welcome intrusions into sovereignty of other countries.

A sad story

The story told her reveals the amazing obtuseness of the British government and business and the duplicity of the United States government. It helps one understand how we got where we were in Iran in 1979 and where we are today.

A good history, but the narration could be better

Although I wasn't crazy about the narrator or sound quality, the subject matter and writing were engaging. Shame on Ike for allowing the coup to happen!

best nonfiction book on the middle east

at a time when a it seems a new middle-east/terrorism/iraq/iran book is coming out every week- its nice to finally see a book that is based in a historical perspective. this book tells such a well-scripted story its almost easy to forget its nonfiction. the authors pacing is that of a suspense novel and his command of middle-eastern history and politics is impressive at the least. if you had to pick one book on the middle east - forget the embedded/nonembedded reporters/Bush analysis etc... and pick a book that relies on historical record rather than opinion.

Why are we in Iraq? Read This and Understand

For anyone who wants to understand why we are currently in Iraq, this book on Iran is essential reading. Tracing the history of British and US interventions in Iran in the twentieth century, it provides a set of historical parallels worth some serious thought. It shows how a joint action by the USA and Great Britain against Mohammad Mossadeh, in 1953, offers an uncanny anticipation of the Bush administration's current doctrine of preemptive war. Importantly, tragically, that preemptive coup in 1953 helped to foster in the Arab world (Iran, Iraq, Afganistan) the very fundamentalist and terrorist forces that the Bush administration now invokes to justify that new doctrine of preemptive war. In short, there are some appalling precedents to the Bush doctrine: the United States today is acting in the tradition first established by Kermit Roosevelt in 1953, when with the backing of Eisenhower's White House as well as Churchill, he engineered the ouster of a man who could have brought a moderate nationalism to Iran. In removing from power the charismatic leader who nationalized the oil fields, Roosevelt's central concern was not the well-being of Iran, but the protection and extension of British and US interests in Iranian oil. The author acknowledges that such an action may have brought 25 years of stability in Iran, but he (and we as readers) are only too aware that the long-term costs for such stability are only beginning to be known. Gripping to listen to, cogently and carefully argued, this book narrates the crucial historical backdrop in Iran against which we should understand our current involvement in Iraq.

His-Story & Government Lies

What a great history lesson, you will be tottaly captivated. I find myself wondering which side I'm routing for. Very Well Done!

One of my favorite books on foreign policy

Any additional comments?

This books tells a shocking bit about US foriegn policy (not that most of it isn't shocking). Is very well written and enjoyable to get through. It is also clear what are is politics (which I don't agree with) and what are the facts. You can come to your own conclusions.

Reads like fiction...

History is always much more interesting than the comic book versions we read in textbooks or hear from ostensible “experts.”
This book was difficult to put down b/c it maintained its grip throughout the painstaking historical research the author performed.
Additionally, while the author has an opinion about the subject matter, he doesn’t necessarily tell the reader what to think. Other opinions are presented with enough information and context that invite the reader to form his/her own assessment (#Refreshing)... though at the end of the day, the ramifications of Operation Ajax are part of the historical record regardless of how we view them in hindsight.

Great review of history

Any additional comments?

For anyone wanting to understand the current conflict in the middle east, you need to listen to this book. The facts are presented without bias. Make your own decision.

Great historical perspective on modern Iran

Kinder provides a very entertaining and informative history of the US involvement in Iranian politics.