Šáhinšáh – Kapuściński Ryszard (2017)

Billions of dollars from Iranian oil have long been funneled into the mad arms race and the luxurious life of Shah Reza Pahlavi. The sometimes childishly naive approach of the ruler of this vast and powerful country to governance might even be amusing, were it not for the cruel terror and prisons full of tortured opponents that walked hand in hand with his desire for a rich and strong nation. Ryszard Kapuściński describes with surgical precision how the self-satisfaction of the 'king of kings' led Iran step by step to revolution. For this reason, the book is not just 'about Iran' and 'about the shah,' but primarily about the mechanism of revolution anywhere in the world, its causes, and consequences. Kapuściński draws on experiences from other revolution-torn countries he encountered during his reporting career. The father of the Polish school of reportage has once again found a remarkable narrative key in the book Shahinshah, providing readers not only with knowledge but also with an exceptional literary experience. The book Shahinshah is published in a translation by Dušan Provazník and Helena Stachová. It is the first complete Czech edition.