Dr. Aslan, does an admirable job of introducing us to early twentieth-century Iran from the perspective of an American Missionary. Most importantly this is the story of Howard Baskerville the Revolutionary for freedom and Democracy in Persia. America and Americans were vibrant and expansive in spreading the ideals of personal liberty in all areas. This is one of my favorite reads of 2024.

I've been looking forward to reading this, as it's by one of my favorite authors...and, honestly, favorite people. I'd never heard of Howard Baskerville, and that's incredibly disappointing since Iranians revere him even today. If only the US hadn't interfered in the country's democracy in the 1950s, the world would be a vastly different place, and Baskerville would be the man to thank. The book exceeded even my high expectations.