📚 During times of war, it can be difficult to track the history of long-standing conflicts — this is where books come in. As the regional Israeli-Iranian-US war escalates, we’ve put together a collection of non-fiction must-reads to help give you a better grasp of the nature of the conflict and its history, as well as a deep understanding of the story of the Iranian people — their past and present — throughout the years.

#1- All the Shah’s Men. Written by American journalist and historian Stephen Kinzer in 2003, this book offers a reading of one of the most pivotal turning points in modern Middle Eastern history: the 1953 coup in Iran led by Britain in cooperation with the CIA.

The book explores the moment when elected Iranian prime minister Mohammad Mosaddegh decided to nationalize the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company to assert Iran's sovereignty over its natural resources — an act London viewed as “theft” warranting intervention. It details the plot to overthrow Mosaddegh's government and the official incorporation of one of the world's most important oil companies into what is now known as BP.

WHERE TO READ IT- You can find the ebook on Amazon. You can also find a physical Arabic copy at El Shorouk Bookstores, and the digital Arabic version is available at no cost via the Hindawi Foundation.

#2- The Mantle of the Prophet. In this 1985 book, Harvard history professor Roy Mottahedeh examines the structure of Iranian society and the transformative shifts that led to the 1979 Revolution.

The book centers on the life of a Shia student, Ali Hashemi, who was raised and educated in a religious seminary (Hawza) in the city of Qom. Moving away from dry historical narration, the book weaves a story through the protagonist's journey that blends biography with religious and political thought.

WHERE TO READ IT- You can find the ebook on Amazon.

#3- Farewell Shiraz. In his 2017 book, Iranian-French journalist and writer Cyrus Kadivar mixes his personal autobiography with historical documentation of Iran's past.

Kadivar provides a deep personal and historical account of the final days of the Pahlavi dynasty and the fall of the Shah in 1979. He brilliantly captures the internal conflicts he faces as an Iranian expatriate forced to live in exile in London since his adolescence.

WHERE TO READ IT- The paperback version is available at Diwan. You can also find the ebook on Amazon.

#4- They Said They Wanted Revolution. Authored by Emmy-winning Iranian-American journalist Neda Toloui-Semnani in 2021, this political and social memoir touches on modern Iranian history as Semnani attempts to deconstruct the memories of her parents, who were student activists in the ranks of Iranian opposition groups. The author explores her parents' past and their journey from Iran to the US in a memoir filled with emotion and conflict.

WHERE TO READ IT- You can find the ebook and the audiobook on Amazon — at no cost with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.

#5- Iran Awakening. This 2006 book by Nobel Peace laureate Iranian lawyer Shirin Ebadi covers an inspiring personal and professional journey, where her biography intertwines with the major political and social shifts in post-Revolution Iran.

Ebadi recounts her experience as one of Iran's first female judges and how her life changed completely after the revolution, when she was stripped of her position because the new regime deemed women unfit for the judiciary.

WHERE TO READ IT- You can find the ebook on Amazon. The Arabic version is available on Nile Wa Furat.

#6- Life as Politics. Originally published in 2009 by renowned Iranian sociologist Asef Bayat, the book offers an analysis of social, political, and economic transformation in the Middle East. Bayat moves beyond traditional political science — which often focuses on elites, parties, and organized revolutions — to explore how change is truly driven.

Using the Iranian experience as a primary model, he examines how marginalized groups — including the poor, youth, and women — reclaim public space and assert their rights through the small, persistent actions of daily life rather than through formal political institutions.

WHERE TO READ IT- You can find the paperback at Diwan, as well as the Arabic edition at Nile Wa Furat.

#7- The Ungrateful Refugee. This biographical book focuses on the reality of refugee life, including its struggles, emotions, and displacement. The 2019 work sees Iranian-American author Dina Nayeri merge her personal memoirs with real stories of refugees and migrants from various countries.

What distinguishes this book is how it transcends the traditional survival story, focusing instead on the psychological, social, and political repercussions that follow reaching “safety” in host countries.

WHERE TO READ IT- You can place a special order for the paperback edition through The Bookspot.

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