A History of Iran Audiobook By Michael Axworthy cover art

A History of Iran

Empire of the Mind

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

A History of Iran

By: Michael Axworthy
Narrated by: Darius Joseph
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $28.79

Buy for $28.79

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

The definitive history of Iran, from the ancient Persian empires to today

Iran is a land of contradictions. It is an Islamic republic, but one in which only 1.4 percent of the population attend Friday prayers. Iran's religious culture encompasses the most censorious and dogmatic Shi'a Muslim clerics in the world, yet its poetry insistently dwells on the joys of life: wine, beauty, sex. Iranian women are subject to one of the most restrictive dress codes in the Islamic world, but make up nearly 60 percent of the student population of the nation's universities.

In A History of Iran, acclaimed historian Michael Axworthy chronicles the rich history of this complex nation from the Achaemenid Empire of sixth century BC to the revolution of 1979 to today, including a close look at Iran's ongoing attempts to become a nuclear power. A History of Iran offers general audiences an essential guide to understanding this volatile nation, which is once again at the center of the world's attention.

©2016 Michael Axworthy (P)2025 Basic Books Iran Islam Middle East Ancient History Middle Ages Imperialism Africa Ottoman Empire War Military Socialism Royalty Capitalism Crusade

Critic reviews

"Michael Axworthy's deft untangling of the country's history, from the advent of Zoroastrianism to the 1979 revolution, is a stunning achievement."—Observer
"The best available single-volume introduction to Iran's history."—New Statesman
"A beautifully distilled retelling of Iranian history that flashes with insight on every page."—Financial Times
All stars
Most relevant  
Effective deconstruction of much of the complexity of current Iran in order to better follow the path it forges going forward.

Good job condensing an enormously complex history into a single volume.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.