King of KingsKing of Kings
What it's about
In 1979, the Shah of Iran, a key American ally with one of the world's best-equipped armies, was overthrown by a revolution led by an elderly exiled cleric, Ayatollah Khomeini, and almost no one in Washington saw it coming. Scott Anderson tells the story of the revolution through the Shah, his court, the revolutionaries and the American officials who misread what was happening, and explains how it led to the hostage crisis and decades of hostility.
Why it's worth reading
It's a gripping narrative history of one of the most consequential events of the last fifty years, and it was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. It explains a great deal about the Middle East today.
You'll love it if you liked
The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
A Bright Shining LieGood to know
It's nearly 500 pages with a large cast of officials and revolutionaries. No prior knowledge of Iran is needed.
By the numbers
- Readers85 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics46 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller10 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz100 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #46 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #47 of the 481 new books we rank
- #247 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by Scott Anderson
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Quick answers
Is King of Kings worth reading?
Yes. It's a gripping narrative history of one of the most consequential events of the last fifty years, and it was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. It ranks #247 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 82.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is King of Kings about?
In 1979, the Shah of Iran, a key American ally with one of the world's best-equipped armies, was overthrown by a revolution led by an elderly exiled cleric, Ayatollah Khomeini, and almost no one in Washington saw it coming. Scott Anderson tells the story of the revolution through the Shah, his court, the revolutionaries and the American officials who misread what was happening, and explains how it led to the hostage crisis and decades of hostility.
How long does it take to read King of Kings?
About 13 hours (530 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after King of Kings?
If you liked it, try The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 by Lawrence Wright, Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi or A Bright Shining Lie by Neil Sheehan.