An American Martyr in Persia: The Epic Life and Tragic Death of Howard Baskerville
Book by Reza Aslan
DETAILS
Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company (October 11, 2022) Language : English Hardcover : 384 pages ISBN-10 : 1324004479 ISBN-13 : 978-1324004479 Item Weight : 1.5 pounds Dimensions : 6.4 x 1.4 x 9.3 inches Best Sellers Rank: #31,321 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #6 in Iran History #6 in Historical Middle East Biographies #74 in Religious Leader Biographies , In this erudite and piercing biography, best-selling author Reza Aslan proves that one person’s actions can have revolutionary consequences that reverberate the world over. Little known in America but venerated as a martyr in Iran, Howard Baskerville was a twenty-two-year-old Christian missionary from South Dakota who traveled to Persia (modern-day Iran) in 1907 for a two-year stint teaching English and preaching the gospel. He arrived in the midst of a democratic revolution―the first of its kind in the Middle East―led by a group of brilliant young firebrands committed to transforming their country into a fully self-determining, constitutional monarchy, one with free elections and an independent parliament. The Persian students Baskerville educated in English in turn educated him about their struggle for democracy, ultimately inspiring him to leave his teaching post and join them in their fight against a tyrannical shah and his British and Russian backers. “The only difference between me and these people is the place of my birth," Baskerville declared, “and that is not a big difference.” In 1909, Baskerville was killed in battle alongside his students, but his martyrdom spurred on the revolutionaries who succeeded in removing the shah from power, signing a new constitution, and rebuilding parliament in Tehran. To this day, Baskerville’s tomb in the city of Tabriz remains a place of pilgrimage. Every year, thousands of Iranians visit his grave to honor the American who gave his life for Iran. In this rip-roaring tale of his life and death, Aslan gives us a powerful parable about the universal ideals of democracy―and to what degree Americans are willing to support those ideals in a foreign land. Woven throughout is an essential history of the nation we now know as Iran―frequently demonized and misunderstood in the West. Indeed, Baskerville’s life and death represent a “road not taken” in Iran. Baskerville’s story, like his life, is at the center of a whirlwind in which Americans must ask themselves: How seriously do we take our ideals of constitutional democracy and whose freedom do we support? Read more
REVIEW
I have read many books on Iran history and also many other nations. I had actually visited Haward Bakersvile grave in Tabrizi in summer of 2014 on a group tour sponsored by San Francisco Common Wealth with Stephen Kinzer as a guest speaker through out the trip. But, at the time, I had no idea about H.B. significance and sacrifice in Persian history and democratic struggle. I have also read books on shah, 1979 revolution, Romanovs, WW I & II and many ithers. But by far this has been the most engaging and informative book I have read so far, it brought tears to my eyes in more than one occasion... It actually reads like a very engaging epic andulmost like a fiction, but you know it is actually true and all had happened. I had read many bits and peace in various books but having all of it in one place and so nicely organized and written... I was very impressed and I highly recommended it to all particularly those of Iranian desents...
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