Nearly 10 years after I first read and reviewed The Fall of Heaven—a book recommended to me by two Iranian friends who suffered through, and escaped from, the Iranian Revolution of 1978/79—I think it may be time to read it again.
It's a page-turner of a book, and now much more personal, since in the interim our Persian friends have become family. If you want incentive to learn more about the complex history behind the headlines, I recommend acquiring Persian relatives. Failing that, The Fall of Heaven is a good place to start.
