-"Unlike many encyclopedias that attempt to address hundreds of topics in limited detail, this work willingly sacrifices breadth for depth by focusing on fewer topics. These sophisticated, objective articles explore a variety of themes: art, civil society, culture, economy, ethnic groups, foreign relations, government, law, media, people, politics, and women ...Recommended for academic and larger public libraries." —Library Journal

-"Iran Today delivers a fresh perspective into this complex country that has been surrounded in mystery and controversy since the 1978-1979 Islamic revolution, which transformed the country's society and culture and redefined its social life. The encyclopedia provides up-to-date, authoritative information on the contemporary history, politics, economics, society, and culture of one of the most controversial countries of the Middle East. Highly recommended. Upper-level history undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers/faculty." —CHOICE

-"Editors Kamrava (Georgetown University–Qatar) and Dorraj (Texas Christian University) have written a general social encyclopedia of Iranian life after the revolution of 1978. They cover history, politics, society, economics, and culture in articles of three to eight pages. There are biographical articles on public Iranian figures, such as Shirin Ebadi, winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize, and Abolhassan Banisadr, the first president of Iran following the revolution. The tone of the book is balanced in covering important topics in Iranian culture, such as veiling. There are also articles on the many minority groups of Iran, from Kurds to the Qashqa'i, a Turkic-language ethnic group with a historically nomadic culture that lives in southwestern Iran. The editors do not hesitate to discuss the Iranian government's persecution of minorities, particularly the religious minorities such as the Baha'i, Mandaeans, and Jews. It is illegal in Iran for religious minorities to hold government jobs or attend a university of any kind, and the articles reflect the difficult experiences some people face in the conservative religious society created after the revolution. A concise index is helpful in finding topics that may be otherwise difficult to locate, such as the brief discussion of Zoroastrians located in the article on religions. Each article provides a suggested reading list for further information. Overall, the encyclopedia is a comprehensive look at life in Iran today. Because Iran appears in the headlines of American newspapers on a regular basis, this will be a useful text for public and university libraries." —Booklist