Perspective

Author Ryszard Kapuscinski combines a certain journalistic insistence on objectivity and factual reporting with his own personal reflections and commentary. By the time of his coverage of the Iranian revolution, Kapuscinski had decades of experience as a foreign reporter in countries around the world, and he had particular experience covering coups, revolts, and revolutions, especially in third-world countries. This experience allows Kapuscinski to relate the events of the Iranian revolution to the other revolutions he has covered. For example, he sees the lack of leadership after the revolution as symptomatic of revolutions in general.

Ryszard Kapuscinski's keen grasp of the history of the region allows him to ground the revolution in a historical context. For example, he notes the peculiarities of the Iranian people, and reasons for why they may have so readily embraced the Shiite branch of Muslim faith. He also traces a long history of violence...