An Enduring Love: My Life With the Shah - A Memoir
by Farah Pahlavi (Author) Format: Hardcover
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (146)
Farah Pahlavi has lived a life of extremes: a loving marriage to the Shah that ended with his death in 1980; a period of luxury in the court followed by years of exile and loss. Her story has been covered in the press and in countless books, but here she speaks out for the rst time, and tells her own remarkable story. The only child of an Iranian army ofcer, Farah Diba was an architecture student in Paris when she became engaged and married the Shah. Pitched from her ordinary existence into a maelstrom of paparazzi and international attention, she quickly became an icon for her age-a beautiful, serene young woman, romantically married to one of the most powerful men in the world. She writes about her early years and about Iran itself and her profound love for it, of encounters with world leaders, of family life in the palaces of Tehran. She describes the divisions of Iranian society and the gradual shift of public opinion, fuelled by the rise in religious fundamentalism, which led to the sudden overthrow of the Shah in 1979. An Enduring Love includes a moving account of the year the Shah and his Queen spent wandering the globe, rejected from the United States and shuttling between Egypt, Morocco, the Bahamas, Panama, and Mexico. Farah Pahlavi details the years of exile after the Shah's death, as she rebuilt a life for herself and for her children in the United States. Written with an affecting simplicity and directness, this is both a powerful human document and a fascinating perspective on an especially turbulent period in Middle Eastern history.
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Publication date : 10 March 2004
Language : English
Print length : 465 pages
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From other countries
Cameron Hatam
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in the United States on 11 June 2006
Verified Purchase
I am an Iranian who has lived in the United States since the 1979 islamic revolution in Iran that dawned one of the most BRUTAL BRUTAL AND I MEAN BRUTAL governments known to mankind. The second the last secular Prime Minister Shapour Bakthiar left Iran and the Khomeini government invaded Iran, a theocracy was born. This theocracy single handedly killed tens of thousands of Iranians in the first year alone. Mass executions my relatives had to witness, seeing people hung by cranes for reasons such as not wearing their veils (which became compulsory after 1979), wearing neckties in the streets, going out with the opposite sex in the street, and other simple freedoms we have in the United States. One by one, former generals and government employees of the shah were executed via the firing squad because rather than serving under that piece of GARBAGE ayatoillet khomeini, they would rather die. Upon his return to Iran in 1978, he was asked how he felt and the piece of garbage said simply "nothing"....and the people he murdered and the genocide he committed. Little boys were abducted in the streets ordered by khomeini himself for them to run accross mine fields to ensure they were safe...and the ones that weren't were blown up just to make sure...Now 27 years later, a burned out generation and youth who 70% were born after this hijacking, have arisen....Depressed youth in which the government follows them in every way, shape, and form......reasons being MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE UNEMPLOYMENT, being told what to wear, being told how to act, not allowed to have any kind of western fun without fear of raids and repurcussions, and the list goes on.... because of this piece of GARBAGE government. The government in iran gives millions to palestine each year but pays their teachers and other social workers only 100 dollars a month and they are LUCKY just to get that!
The shah's era was a time in which Iran was brought out of the middle ages and into the modern world. An era which brought the Iranian currency equal to 7 tomans to 1 dollar (versus now 5000=1). An era in which women were seen equal in the eyes of the law and could hold any position equal to a male.....An era where anyone could choose what kind of education they want to recieve, what religion to preach, how to live their life peacefull.......An era in which every 100 college graduates had 200 jobs to select from where now every 100 have 35-40 at max leaving the balance home doing nothing all day, trying to determine who pays the bills......Yeah the cia trained savak was out of hand, and corruption within that faction were running amuck (the only area where anyone can bring up the myth of him being a "ruthless dictator")....but you know what, the shah ORDERED the arrest of the savaki leaders after he got the reports of what was going on and the corruption....The "ruthless dictator" told the troops to withdraw on black friday after 70-100 people were shot, but thousands more could have been killed but weren't. This book is a wonderful account of her life with the shah in detail.
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Ramin
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 June 2022
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I really enjoyed reading this book
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Vancouver, B.C.
5.0 out of 5 stars Very well written. An incredible political adventure.
Reviewed in Canada on 26 September 2019
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A must read for anyone interested in the politics of the region. The Shah and his wife did a lot for the people of Iran and this book brings those achievements to light!
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Nora Amerikas
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and sad reading. very well written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 November 2014
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Interesting and sad reading. very well written.
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S. Gomez
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book
Reviewed in the United States on 12 December 2024
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It’s been years since I read this book so I can’t give a detailed review. I still have it and just may read it again. I would love to see a movie made if there hasn’t been one already. I was young when the Shah of Iran escaped from Iran with his families lives, looking for a safe place to live and we, the USA turned our backs on him. I never quite understood that. It’s a love story worth reading.
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fara
5.0 out of 5 stars Truthful but heartbreaking
Reviewed in Canada on 23 January 2021
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I wish I read about her long time ago. As I read more I get tears eyes; how did we ruin something that was almost perfect #Iran
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Nicola Enrico Zagni
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 February 2021
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The book is arrived late due to COVID and international shipping, but it’s better than the description so I’m very happy.
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Roy Jendon Cumigad
5.0 out of 5 stars Great!
Reviewed in Canada on 22 May 2019
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Item was just as expected and arrived quickly.
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F. sha
5.0 out of 5 stars Accurate Memoir of How Islamic Extremism invaded Iran
Reviewed in the United States on 11 September 2025
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
As an Iranian who was born during Pahlavi dynasty this book gives me a feeling of nostalgia. Nostalgia for the good old days during Pahlavi dynasty and before the Islamic Revolution. That dark Revolution changed everybody’s life not just Pahlavi family for the worst. Her memoir is an accurate account of what happened during those ominous years after the Islamic obscurantism victory.
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars A true love story.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 December 2020
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
A moving book written by the Shabanou Farah Palhevi. A story of love and tragedy.
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maria p meza
5.0 out of 5 stars the history nobody said about this time
Reviewed in the United States on 29 October 2025
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
one of the most amazing books about Iran
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Firsthand Witness
4.0 out of 5 stars "In Ketabe Kheli Khub ast" (Farsi, for "This a very good book")
Reviewed in the United States on 26 September 2005
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Easy read (1-3 days):
An intense autobiography of Farah's life as Empress to the Shah of Iran. Personal insight about the life she lived previous to their marriage, as well as extensive insight of their lives as leaders of Iran. This book covers how Farah already lived a privileged life previous to meeting the Shah on formal occasion. She continues her life with the Shah with appropriate Empress' interest in her home country, a country to which she expresses deep devotion and connection, even after being forced to leave by violent political and religious resurgence contributing to the US embassy takeover in Tehran, and the flight from their own country.
Their friendship with Anwar Sadat and family is also covered, expressing the Sadat family's explicit loyalty as friends and leaders.
Wonderful representations of loyalties and a personal look at US-Iranian politics and policies, as well as historical information about the temporary improvement for quality of life that Iran was able to achieve during the Pahlavi reign.
As Farsi is one of my favorite languages, I found the few words in Farsi an enjoyment to discover. If you are interested in privileged lifestyles, or you are connected to that era or the people of Iran, you will instantly feel at home with this book. Vivid descriptions of Iranian landscapes and cultures that vary from region to region are especially informative, especially if you have never been there.
It is interesting to note the comparison between the Westernized version of Islam during the Shah's reign compared to Farah's expressed concern for the future of Iran, especially under the current, harsh "Clerical Regime".
Also interesting are personal and political accounts of America, Europe and many other countries who turned their backs on the Pahlavi family during their plight to find doctors for the Shah's terminal illness, and their difficult search for a home.
Many personal photos also add substance to this endearing story of privilege and plight!
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Verna Miller
4.0 out of 5 stars Peace
Reviewed in Canada on 9 April 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Interesting read on the Queens version of events. I can only hope that some of the programs she initiated will be brought back now that the clerics seemed to have eased a bit. The extremist events of today are sad and make Iran's situation pale in comparison. Peace and mindfulness to all
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Christopher Rebandel
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book that gives a good overview of this dignified ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 March 2017
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An excellent book that gives a good overview of this dignified and courageous woman's life .It arrived promptly and in satisfactory condition
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Lizzy Karmenzind
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful love story, and story of survival.
Reviewed in the United States on 20 May 2025
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Beautifully written memoir.
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Zizi
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 June 2017
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
A very nice read, totally recommend this bood.
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Ryan
5.0 out of 5 stars Sad Story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 June 2015
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Just wondering why she did not write her story in Farsi.
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carissima
5.0 out of 5 stars upfront
Reviewed in the United States on 16 August 2012
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
The book I received was in an impeccable condition. I could not stop reading and reading - a book straight from the heart with joys and tribulations'
It taught me that even royalty do not escape their destiny. It brought tears to my eyes just reading about a family who had more than everything
and were not able to have some kind of closure and a place they could call home. An enduring love and mostly an enduring life. Farah Pahlevi has written a book for posterity and in doing so she has touched everyone's life, even someone like myself who does not know much about Iran. Jackie
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Greg
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 May 2016
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Love it
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Kiwi Bloke
4.0 out of 5 stars Eye Opener
Reviewed in the United States on 9 September 2024
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In light of the misery in Iran in 2024, this is an eye-opening read
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Fa_aa_tt
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely lovely book!
Reviewed in the United States on 11 March 2024
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It's a great, friendly language, amusing, and nice to read book!
I got the used one which worked for me!
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TRheingold
4.0 out of 5 stars I love history, and this is something I lived through
Reviewed in the United States on 4 October 2014
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I love history, and this is something I lived through. Was very interested to learn more about Farah's background. There were some places in the memoir that dragged, but overall it was something special to read about what she and her husband the shah accomplished during their reign. It was a dreadful time for them in exile and am appalled that there could be this kind of situation regarding his medical care. The book really conveyed the the pain of that time. She's a remarkable woman.
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H. A. Syed
5.0 out of 5 stars An Enduring Love
Reviewed in the United States on 15 January 2013
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Five stars because I liked the book to read and finished quickly. For the contents, obviously she will praise her side and tells her side of the story. They were living a lavish life and wasiting countrys money like any politician. Fortunately i have visisyed one of their palace in Tehran. It is like a modern day building (not a fortress).
There is enough to everything and it comes from the Lord and their enough came at that day. She should be happy that they were able to leave the country in one piece and alive. See what is happening in Arab countries.
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scorpio nb
4.0 out of 5 stars Not in very good condition ( as described ) but acceptable.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 August 2019
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
The book looked to have been gnawed at, around the top and bottom edges, I threw away the outside sleeve and disinfected the edges, otherwise O.K
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Norma Wade
2.0 out of 5 stars A distortion of history
Reviewed in the United States on 8 June 2014
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Not very accurate historically, (She failed to mention the role of the CIA- Operation Ajax, telling us instead that the people's love for the shah brought him back from his first exile etc). She also mentioned "elected officials" at least twice (No elections in the Shah's Iran), and perhaps, to me at least,the most glaring was her claim that the Shah talked Israel into returning the oil wells of the Sinai to Egypt. I could have have sworn that this was one of the conditions of the Camp David Accords which had nothing to do with the Shah. She glossed over facts and mostly made excuses. I bought this book because I had read other people's account of the revolution and I wanted to hear it from her point of view. I know that she and her family suffered greatly and for that I am sorry. But I don't believe that is a cause for distorting historical facts. Pleasant reading though, for someone looking for a good love story.
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Guego
3.0 out of 5 stars Review
Reviewed in the United States on 7 October 2023
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It’s ok , it’s her story
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Vicki Wagner
3.0 out of 5 stars Understanding the Shah from perspective of his wife who loved him
Reviewed in the United States on 24 July 2021
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Also read The Fall of Heaven— books tell two very different stories both in substance and perception; learned a lot about Iran in the 1950s to 1980
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mbchua
5.0 out of 5 stars A rare book now
Reviewed in the United States on 4 December 2021
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Recommended for anyone interested in recent history of Iran. The memoir is very candid as she always is.
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L. Sterling
4.0 out of 5 stars A bio on life with the Shah of Iran
Reviewed in the United States on 7 January 2008
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Very informative insight for Iranians living in the US and abroad. Info on the downfall of the Shah and how the Carter adminstration turned their backs on the Shah and the Iranian people. Carter is a disgrace for what he did to Iran. The Shah was not the purest of governments but far better than the Khomeni revolution and the present day government.
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Mandana lezgi
5.0 out of 5 stars The language is easy to understand.
Reviewed in the United States on 31 January 2022
Verified Purchase
It's good for the people who English is their second language. I love the writer.
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John Israel Gideon
5.0 out of 5 stars The autobiography of the mother of modern Iran!
Reviewed in the United States on 16 February 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
A touching memoir of the woman whose face had become a symbol of modern Iran and whose legacy will endure indefinitely as long as the Iran that 'was' in the Pahlavi era is continually studied/re-examined by members of the Diaspora, those inside Iran today and Iranologists all over the globe alike.
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Collector Doll
5.0 out of 5 stars Read it twice already
Reviewed in the United States on 17 July 2013
Verified Purchase
This book had a special meaning for me. In the mid 70's I had the pleasure of visiting Iran with a co-worker and my oldest son. I found the people to be extremely friendy and hospitable. Being able to visit Isfahan,Persepolis and of course Teheran was awesom.
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Paulo Marques
4.0 out of 5 stars Love it
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 July 2012
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I really love this book, it gives a different perspective that you are used to read about the Iran Empire. I didn't find the book boring and I found an easy writing.
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parsa
5.0 out of 5 stars Why did I buy it again
Reviewed in the United States on 8 October 2019
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Loving the Queen I bought the book as a gift to a friend of mine.
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Betty J.
5.0 out of 5 stars Empressive.
Reviewed in the United States on 14 May 2019
Verified Purchase
The quality of the binding, and the texture of the pages.
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Patricia C.
5.0 out of 5 stars A Memoir
Reviewed in the United States on 30 September 2019
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
A great book.
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Ruth Ward
2.0 out of 5 stars An Enduring Love
Reviewed in the United States on 10 April 2014
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
I only bought the book because I needed it for a book club. One of our members is from Iran and was able to add some reality to the autobiography.
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manoucheher lajavardi
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on 25 June 2018
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
good
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venus reyhanyfar
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on 22 February 2015
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Great book
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Amazon Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars An enduringly dull read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 July 2015
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Boring and dull. Also I agree with other readers: her husband was a tyrant and the lives of poor people were not improved, hence the massive support for Khomeini.
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keivan Zolfghar
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 January 2016
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Excellent materials
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