The Lonely War: One Woman's Account of the Struggle for Modern Iran : Fathi, Nazila: Amazon.com.au: Books

The Lonely War: One Woman's Account of the Struggle for Modern Iran : Fathi, Nazila: Amazon.com.au: Books



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The Lonely War: One Woman's Account of the Struggle for Modern Iran
by Nazila Fathi (Author) Format: Hardcover
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars (75)


In the summer of 2009, as she was covering the popular uprisings in Tehran for the New York Times, Iranian journalist Nazila Fathi received a phone call. "They have given your photo to snipers," a government source warned her. Soon after, with undercover agents closing in, Fathi fled the country with her husband and two children, beginning a life of exile.

In The Lonely War, Fathi interweaves her story with that of the country she left behind, showing how Iran is locked in a battle between hardliners and reformers that dates back to the country's 1979 revolution. Fathi was nine years old when that uprising replaced the Iranian shah with a radical Islamic regime. Her father, an official at a government ministry, was fired for wearing a necktie and knowing English; to support his family he was forced to labor in an orchard hundreds of miles from Tehran. At the same time, the family's destitute, uneducated housekeeper was able to retire and purchase a modern apartment -- all because her family supported the new regime.

As Fathi shows, changes like these caused decades of inequality -- especially for the poor and for women -- to vanish overnight. Yet a new breed of tyranny took its place, as she discovered when she began her journalistic career. Fathi quickly confronted the upper limits of opportunity for women in the new Iran and earned the enmity of the country's ruthless intelligence service. But while she and many other Iranians have fled for the safety of the West, millions of their middleclass countrymen -- many of them the same people whom the regime once lifted out of poverty -- continue pushing for more personal freedoms and a renewed relationship with the outside world.

Drawing on over two decades of reporting and extensive interviews with both ordinary Iranians and high-level officials before and since her departure, Fathi describes Iran's awakening alongside her own, revealing how moderates are steadily retaking the country.

336 pages

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"An invaluable contribution to our understanding of current Iranian political and cultural dynamics, the driving forces behind Iranian foreign policy, and the challenges the country is likely to face in the near future."

--Foreign Policy Association

"Vivid and compelling... Fathi recounts in exquisite detail three decades in pre and post-1979 Iran - revealing the inherent contradictions at the heart of life after the revolution."

--The Guardian (UK)

"Fathi offers a masterful telling of her country's modern history."

--New York Journal of Books

"With dazzling frankness and authenticity.... Fathi shows the reality faced by Iranian citizens throughout the last 30 years of political upheaval in the country. [M]ultifaceted and incredibly informative.... Readers of history and politics will revel in the accurate reporting of a veteran journalist and lovers of human interest stories will feel gratified to know Fathi so personally. This educational, emotionally enthralling read about a country many Americans know only a little about is a must-read."

--Library Journal, starred review

"Pertinent and timely."

--Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Drawing on more than a decade of reporting for the New York Times in Iran, Nazila Fathi has written a lucid and highly engaging portrait of Iranian politics from the 1979 revolution to today. One of the book's most illuminating features is her vivid portrait of the impoverished recruits for the paramilitary Basij and Revolutionary Guard Corps--including their subsequent disillusionment and adoption of a more middle class, secular life style. Highly recommended for college courses."

--Janet Afary, author of Sexual Politics in Modern Iran

"As fearless as it is honest, The Lonely War tells the inside story of how Iranians have grappled with--and also been inspired by--their Islamic Republic. Journalist Nazila Fathi gives us a powerful personal account of coming of age in revolutionary Iran, exploring Iran's turbulent modern history through a remarkable cast of real characters and deftly navigating Iran's cultural and political divide to provide us a superb picture of what makes Iran today."

--Scott Peterson, author of Let the Swords Encircle Me: Iran--A Journey Behind the Headlines

"In short and lucid chapters...Ms. Fathi conveys the experiences of people from different walks of life and intersperses these accounts with observations about how the new Islamic revolutionary ideology was conceived, anticipated, received and resisted. Her portraits of the women's rights activists Faezeh Hashemi and Shahla Sherkat make for fascinating reading. So do her accounts of other courageous Iranian women.... Ms. Fathi's book is a testament to her courage and to the brave struggles of many Iranians who continue to live there with patience, hope and determination."

--New York Times

"A revealing and often exhilarating portrait of [Fathi's] life as a female reporter in the Islamic Republic."

--Wall Street Journal

"A personal and experiential account of how changes in the internecine politics of Iran since the revolution have affected the lives of millions. Fathi's supremely accessible narrative is an excellent primer for those who want to understand the machinations of the regime; hers is a brave and important voice."

--Washington Post

"Fathi distills three decades of Iranian politics through a personal lens in her unputdownable memoir."

--Vogue.com

"Paints a vivid portrait of a nation struggling to reinvent itself after years of oppression."

--Shelf Awareness

"Moving... The book intertwines [Fathi's] personal experiences of marriage and motherhood with the major events of the period."

--Al-Monitor

"In a skilful balance of personal history and academic research, Fathi brings to life the complex social, economic and political upheaval of the transition from the shah of Iran's western-oriented, oil-drunk secular society, to the Ayatollah Khomeini's vision of a cloistered Shiite Islamic republic.... A detailed, vivid chronicle of three decades of oppression, complex power struggle and, as Fathi makes clear, a people who will not be silenced. An important, highly enjoyable contribution to the understanding of modern Iran."

--Winnipeg Free Press

"[Fathi's] sharp new memoir, The Lonely War, reveals an expert understanding of the motivations of Iran's tangled, self-contradictory religious and political leadership. A well-told story about Iran's ongoing resistance to faith-based oppression."

--Washington City Paper

"[A] gripping account... This is essential reading for anyone interested in the evolution of modern Iran."

--Booklist

"Readers keeping an eye on the contemporary Middle East will learn much from Fathi's travels and observations."

--Kirkus Reviews

"Richly informative and insightful--a wonderful book and a great read."

--Leila Ahmed, author of A Border Passage: From Cairo to America--A Woman's Journey

"Nazila Fathi's The Lonely War is both a touching personal story that illuminates the struggles of life in Iran and a broader reflection on the sociopolitical effects of the Islamic revolution on the Iranian people. With so much misinformation about Iran in the national discourse, Fathi's book is a valuable resource for anyone looking to read beyond the headlines."

--Hooman Majd, author of The Ayatollah Begs to Differ: The Paradox of Modern Iran

"Nazila Fathi's riveting story of growing up under the Islamic Revolution and becoming one of the country's finest women journalists is told with passion and deep intelligence. A powerful read that sheds much needed light on Iran's enduring contradictions, The Lonely War is at once an intimate memoir of an Iranian who struggled to remake her country from within, and a chilling glimpse into how the state silences its critics."

--Azadeh Moaveni, author of Lipstick Jihad: A Memoir of Growing up Iranian in America and American in Iran

Book Description

A veteran political correspondent presents a ground-level history of Iran since 1979, showing how the country's enduring reform movement will reshape the country-if the West gives it the chance

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The Lonely War: One Woman's Account of the Struggle for Modern Iran

The Lonely War: One Woman's Account of the Struggle for Modern Iran

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0465069991

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Basic Books

Publication date ‏ : ‎ 9 December 2014

Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st

Language ‏ : ‎ English

Print length ‏ : ‎ 336 pages

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780465069996

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0465069996

Item weight ‏ : ‎ 567 g

Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 16.51 x 3.18 x 24.13 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 672,662 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

380 in History of Iran

658 in Historical Middle East Biographies

1,196 in Middle Eastern Politics

Customer Reviews: 4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars   (75)

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Nazila Fathi

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Nazila Fathi

Nazila Fathi is a former New York Times journalist and an award-winning reporter. Her book,The Lonely War, One Woman’s Account of the Struggle for Modern Iran, was named the best nonfiction in 2014 by Vogue, The Guardian, and Foreign Policy Association. She is a mother and believes stories raise more confident children.

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From Australia

J.Bloomfield, former diplomat

5.0 out of 5 stars An inspiring book that contributes to understanding modern Iran and its people’s quest for freedom

Reviewed in Australia on 21 August 2025

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Nazila Fathi’s ‘The Lonely War: One Woman’s Account of the Struggle for Modern Iran’ is a powerful, comprehensive and deeply personal account of coming of age in revolutionary Iran and of navigating the political, economic and social upheaval brought about by the Islamic Revolution. Drawing on her experience as a journalist in Iran, including for the New York Times, Fathi provides a detailed, well-researched and accessible account of those turbulent events and the difficult decades that followed, culminating in the 2009 Green Movement uprisings that led her and her family to flee their homeland. Fathi speaks honestly and bravely of the challenges and contradictions of life in revolutionary Iran, the disillusionment but also the courage and hope of those who seek change from within. An inspiring book that contributes significantly to understanding modern Iran and its people’s ongoing quest for peace and freedom.

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Amazon Customer

4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars

Reviewed in Australia on 17 October 2015

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A good read.

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From other countries

Karim Ghazi Wakili

5.0 out of 5 stars Honest and passionate

Reviewed in Germany on 25 April 2020

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

The account of someone who rose up during this stolen revolution describing openly her feelings and their evolution while the years passed and reality blow away the fog of idealism.

It helped me to get in touch with this generation to which I had lost contact due to my very long exile. I am really greatful for having had that opportunity of having a glimpse into the soul and feelings of this downtrodden but still proud generation.

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R. Thatcher

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm not very good at writing reviews

Reviewed in Canada on 24 November 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I'm not very good at writing reviews. Read this book and develop a much better understanding of Iran, where it has been and where it is going. I found it to be absolutely excellent. Parts will surprise you.

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Charlie Koo

5.0 out of 5 stars An enthralling read

Reviewed in the United States on 8 May 2025

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

While I am far from being an expert on modern Iranian history and politics, I was certainly aware of the tremendous upheavals and challenges thrust upon Iranian society as a whole following the regime change in 1979. But to learn of the Islamic revolution’s impact at a personal level – beginning with that of a 9-year-old girl growing up in Tehran and eventually that of an accomplished young woman journalist, for the New York Times no less - made Nazila Fathi’s book an enthralling read from the very first page. I am in awe of her courage, passion for the truth, and enduring optimism for her country’s future despite the ongoing climate of oppression.

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K. Scarpace

4.0 out of 5 stars My book club enjoyed it and we had a good discussion

Reviewed in the United States on 3 October 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

The book was compelling. An Iranian woman journalist's perspective on current events in Iran. It gave me a perspective on the last 100 years or so in Iran, although the point of the book was the past 40 years or so. As a result of reading, my perspective on Iran was broadened, something I always appreciate in a book or an article.

The book had a kind of technical style, lots of names and references that I found challenging to follow. My book club enjoyed it and we had a good discussion. This was not the first book we read on Iran.

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Tammy L. Bunch

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read - Seek first to understand then be understood

Reviewed in the United States on 29 March 2026

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Thank you Nazila Fathi for you courageous, reporting and now this book that gives us such a level of understanding of Irans history. Especially in light of our current government. A must read.

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Califfoto

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I've ever read on Iran so far

Reviewed in the United States on 5 March 2016

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This is an objective and in-depth analysis of the contemporary history of Iran. As a native Iranian who has lived abroad for most of my life, my view of Iran has always been biased by the media, and my own experience as a teenager in the early years after the revolution. While recounting her personal story, the author provides a window into the political struggles and personal agendas that have governed the country and regional history over the past 30 years.

For the first time, this book sheds light on how and why Iran has remained unique in the middle of a troublesome region.

Best book I've ever read on Iran so far ... And looking forward to read more from the same author

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edwin k huang

5.0 out of 5 stars Window or mirror to the World and Us

Reviewed in the United States on 12 June 2025

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Well written first person narrative regarding regime change in a country so poorly understood by we Americans.

Especially now with Middle East tensions high and political changes ongoing in the USA one women's story as an Iranian with US ties can allow us to understand more deeply what we face as a people and society in the years ahead

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William Fanjoy

5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone (especially young women) needs to read this!

Reviewed in the United States on 22 December 2021

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This is a riveting real story of a girl growing up in the midst of her country's extremist politics that changed her everyday modern life forever. And the girl becomes a writer/reporter, who beautifully, knowledgably and first-handed tells the story.

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Orchid

5.0 out of 5 stars What a courageous woman!

Reviewed in the United States on 16 February 2015

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While there is the obvious Muslim overtone, I think the more important theme has to do with how women fight for freedom in an ultra-oppressive society. Since she is a journalist, the assault on freedom of speech is not just a Middle East issue over there - but the power dynamics apply to all governments. I was also interested in how clothing could be used as a method of control and to what extent it could be successful. While we in the west may look upon this practice as controlling while our media says otherwise, she confirms how this rule became one focus for oppressing women who were used to dressing like we do in the west. The other take-home message was how it was the small number of fringe extremists who gained power through deceit that took a whole country down. After several thousand years, mankind hasn't evolved much.

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Ehsan

5.0 out of 5 stars Neutral view with right and honest impression

Reviewed in the United States on 3 December 2018

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Being an Iranian lived there in the same age with the author I felt I am reading my own memories. The good point in this book is the fact that it looks to the events in a neutral way.

There is an important period which is missing in this book and that is the period of Akbar Rafsenjany which is detrimental. He was most influential person as well as the person behind the scene in many events .

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Gail Thompson

5.0 out of 5 stars The Lonely War

Reviewed in the United States on 7 July 2016

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An interesting book for anyone interested in the middle east and especially Iran. Very well written. This was a gripping account of Iran after the revolution. Read All the Shahs Men by Gail Rose Thompson to learn about life there before the revolution

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Janos Harrell

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a gripping and informative book about modern Iran ...

Reviewed in the United States on 7 March 2015

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This is a gripping and informative book about modern Iran. It makes clear in harrowing detail how oppressive the Islamic regime is and also what it has done to bring many people into the middle class.

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an803

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a a great about the history of Iran post the revolution

Reviewed in the United States on 2 February 2015

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This is a a great book about the history of Iran post the revolution. Ms. Fathi has done a great job. It is a MUST read if you want to learn about Iran.

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Hemant Kanakia

5.0 out of 5 stars gives a great understanding of modern Iran

Reviewed in the United States on 21 June 2015

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Must read if you want understand the harm that current World powers and Israel are doing to Iran's democratic movement by insisting on tough conditions at nuclear summit.

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Shannon LeClair

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on 11 October 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Excellent! Informative about daily life as well as political situation

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Betty Grissom

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on 10 June 2016

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good

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Carol F.

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on 2 January 2015

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This book was extremely interesting!

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