Married to an Iranian woman and fluent in Persian, John Newton moved to Iran in 1975 to work for an Iranian publishing company. There he saw the revolution unfold in the chaotic streets of Tehran. It was a time of tumult and uncertainty, wild rumors, food and fuel shortages, strikes, mass demonstrations, martial law, murders and summary executions. Like a moth drawn to a flame, Newton sought out every sight and sound of the revolution around him until, with safety an ever-growing concern, he planned his family's exit. Through these vignettes, Newton describes his life there both before the collapse of the shah and after Khomeini's triumphant return. These stories convey the deep humanity of the Iranian people and their legitimate resentment of foreign interference throughout their history.
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John Newton grew up in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He received a BA in English literature from Williams College and an MA in English literature from Indiana University. Between 1964 and 1979, he spent nearly a decade in Iran, first with the Peace Corps and later with Time Inc., before returning to the U.S. to begin a career as a writer and editor with Time-Life Books. Among his published translations isĀ The School PrincipalĀ by Jalal Al-e Ahmad, published by Bibliotheca Islamica, Inc., 1974. Newton lives in Alexandria, Virginia.
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"An American in Revolutionary IranĀ is not about just any American; it is about John Newton, aĀ Peace Corps volunteer and later a field officer. He has advanced fluency in Persian and is culturallyĀ adept to the extent that he can negotiate the most bureaucratically challenging situations. BeginningĀ with a succinct history of nineteenth and twentieth century Iran, Newton interweaves his personalĀ experiences with the looming revolution. Another quality of the book is the photography. Many ofĀ the photos come from Newton's personal collection and have never before been published.
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Who should read this book? Certainly, anyone with an interest in the Iranian revolution or wanting aĀ firsthand account. It is also a book about the Peace Corps and the influence one well-prepared,Ā sensitive, dedicated person, an outsider to the culture, can have on the people of a society. In thisĀ regard, it should be required reading for those in the diplomatic service as well as future PeaceĀ Corps volunteers. Finally, it is a chance to learn about an extraordinary individual, John Newton. IĀ met John as a Peace Corps volunteer and can truly attest to his greatness." -- Kerry Segal, Ph.D., professor emeritus of English, Saginaw Valley State University
"Following a two-year Peace Corps assignment teaching English at the University of Mashhad, JohnĀ Newton remained in Iran for another three years, driving a Jeep from the rice paddies, forests, andĀ beaches along the Caspian Sea to the barren deserts of Khorasan, supporting volunteers in a varietyĀ of fields, including teaching English, aiding with municipal public works, and engaging in variousĀ agriculture activities. Fluent in Persian and married to an Iranian, he was recruited by Time Inc. inĀ 1975 to help establish a Persian language publishing company in Tehran, sponsored by Queen FarahĀ and financed by the Mining and Development Bank of Iran.
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It is during this period that he observed firsthand the initial stirrings of the revolution, followed byĀ the murders, killings, and massive street demonstrations with millions chanting āDeath to the shahāĀ and āDeath to America.ā During one of these marches, a man rushes up to him, begging him to ātellĀ our story.ā And, in this book, Newton does so in stunning detail. His vivid narrative draws theĀ reader directly into the intense atmosphere of fear and terror, hope and elation, as the shah flees, andĀ Khomeini makes his triumphant return.' -- Joan Gaughan, author ofĀ TheĀ Shuster Mission to Iran
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