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Reviews (4)
21 January 2009
A History of Iran: empire of the mind
I bought this book in order to try to understand the present Iran, old Persia. Somehow, it only gave me partial answers why such a multiple rich country -- in previous empire (2300 years ago), civilization, knowledge, strategic power and staunch racial and historical independence from arabs -- could nowadays be so mentaly blind by islamo-fascism to the point of persecuting christian and jewish communities that so much contributed to the diversity wisdom and independence of old Persia.
Personally think, strengthened by book contents, that without persians the political and commercial pseudo-theocracy of islamo-fascism could never have evolved beyhond the 8th century. Persians had then the know how and the organization that enabled the then arab expansion and domination of the middle east, when Europe was being invaded by the Alans, Suevs, Gods, etc that came in hordes from the eurasian plateau.
Text easy to read and absorve. Very good quality of pictures, that nevertheless could still be more revealing.
Overall a very good book, recommendable for anyone that enjoys History without fanaticisms or sectarisms.
RCB
19 March 2009
Colonial Brazil did not finish in 1792 but only in 1822
The book is well written in the context that it discribes History of Colonial Brazil in the stated period but, as mentioned above, it should also have included the period 1792-1822. Only on 7th Sept 1822, Pedro I of Brazil (later Pedro IV of Portugal until his death) recognized autonomy of Brazil from Portugal and got officially the independence by the so-called 'Grito de Ipiranga' (Independencia ou Morte ,ie, Independence or Death) from which Brazil was personally ruled by him until 1831 (while his father was king of Portugal). Then in 1831 he left Brazil for his son Pedro II, that was crowned at adulthood in 1841, and claimed the crown of Portugal (as Pedro IV).
It was a pity that such short period was also not covered, giving rise to a possible 2nd volume about Empirial Brazil from 1822-1895 (Pedro I from 1822-1831, Pedro II nominally 1831-1841, Pedro II in fact 1841-1895); and my be even a 3rd volume, about 100 years of republican Brazil 1895-1995.
The set of maps in the end is quite revealing of Brazil potential and grandeur as a major country for this 3rd Millennium.
02 March 2009
Title is adequate, content is good.
I consider it a quite interesting book, that up to a certain degree permits to understand the importance of the present day jewish iranian community in a nation of many faces.
It also indicates the importance that some years ago (still in the beginning of 20th century) this Jewish community and even Christian community might have had in a multicultural Iran, then the heir of the widsdom of old Persia without the present day fanaticism and mental blindness of the islamo-fascism and its inherent sinful arrogance.