pickThe story of absolute monarch, Shah Naser, the first modern Persian king to visit Europe, his ultimately futile opposition to reform, combining with the interference of the British and Russian colonial empires to begin the rise to political power of the ayatollahs as populist representatives of an oppressed people. As we know from our daily news, none of this has ended well.
Generally engaging, with a couple of drier parts towards the end. 3.5⭐
Somewhat surreal, and also shitty, to be reading about British colonial interference in Afghanistan and Persia, and the Anglo-Persian War of 1852-53 centred around the city of Herat, when the consequences of that ongoing interference is being bloodily played out today ☹
I'm squandering the calories burnt on my morning walk on a rum, coke and Cointreau, but, hey! I put some fruit in, so that's a health drink now, yeah?
Just started The King, a historical novel about the 19th century Shah Naser of Persia. Early feels are good, so my hopes are high for an interesting story of court intrigue and the Great Game played by the colonial powers in the Middle East.
King | 
