The Shah and I: The Confidential Diary of Iran's Royal Court, 1968-77

This is a record of life at the Shah's court by the Sha's friend and political confidant, Asadollah Alam. As Prime Minister in 1962, Alam defeated Khomeini's first religious revolt, and was then made Minister of Court, a position of immense power and influence. His diaries record his daily meetings with the Shah, and show that while he never wavered in his loyalty, he was nevertheless critical of the Shah's autocratic rule. Alam is particularly revealing about the Shah's relations with Saddam Hussien, whom he attempted to topple, and his dealings with Nixon and Kissinger, Israeli leaders and the Soviet Union. But the diary covers a range of matters from International diplomacy to court gossip about the Shah's relations with women.