Kudos to Kapuscinski

I've just finished reading Rzyard Kapuscinski's "Shah of Shahs" and without a question his style is some of the most compelling and enlightening prose I have ever come upon. This is the third book I've read by the Polish-born journalist and it does not fail to engross the reader from cover to cover. Spliced with relevant exerpts from history, Kapuscinski captures the contrasts and contradictions of newly oil-rich Iran during the brief but despotic rule of Shah Mohammed Reza. While very informative Kapusckinski's ballace of style avoids suffocating the reader with facts and thus makes his works both approachable as well as educational. For anyone looking for an introductory text about the events that helped shape present-day Iran the book is invaluable, for those simply seeking an enlightening read, it is a captivating piece of non-fiction.

I also recommend two of his other books: "Imperium" (Russia and the Soviet territories) and "In the Shadow of the Sun" (Africa)