Name: Guests of the Ayatollah
ISBN: 9780871139252

Mark Bowden

The First Battle in America's War with Militant Islam

Guests of the Ayatollah

Coleman McCormick

Really enjoyed this, as with all of Mark Bowden's work. An engaging, narrative retelling of the hostage crisis, largely from the perspective of the US diplomats taken hostage and the student invaders of the embassy compound. He also stitches in the plotlines of the Carter administration's handling of the ordeal, and the botched rescue attempt by the then-new Delta Force unit.

A great read to give insight on the early years of modern Islamic extremism movement, and provides good context to the current state of US-Iran relations.

Guests of the Ayatollah The First Battle in America's War with Militant Islam