An Unofficial 'The Rest Is History' Reading List

636. Revolution in Iran: Fall of the Shah (Part 1)

January 19, 2026

Description

Why did the Iranian Revolution erupt in 1979? What was the nature of the relationship between President Carter and the ostentatious Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi? And, who was the Ayatollah Ruhollah...

Books Referenced

Apocalyptic Islam and Iranian Shiasm

Author: Abbas Aminat

Context:

Tom Holland quotes from this book when explaining Shiite theology, specifically citing it to describe how the Mahdi will 'initiate an apocalyptic battle of cosmic proportion that precedes the day of resurrection and the end of time.'

Shahnameh

Author: Ferdowsi

Context:

Tom Holland mentions this as the great epic of Iran, noting it's literally 'the book of kings' and that when the Shah stands up, he is correctly conscious of himself as the heir to thousands of years of rule by monarchs.