John F. Harvey

Historical Dictionary of Iran.. Edited by John H. Lorentz. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow, 1995. xxiv, 325 p. ISBN 0–810–82994–0.

This is a short and useful reference book about Iran. It contains not merely a historical dictionary, but also a list of acronyms, a chronology, a bibliography, and 15 pages of supplementary reference information in five appendices. The book contains no index, however. The volume is part of Scarecrow’s Asian Historical Dictionary series now covering 18 countries. John Lorentz is an American academic with several years of Iranian experience. His current affiliation is with Shawnee State University in Ohio.

The book was written to constitute an overall survey of its subject and apparently to emphasize recent history, as well, with limitations on its coverage. Because of the volume’s brevity, the Iran–Iraq war of the 1980s is treated as if it were the first conflict between the two countries. While the literature of Iran is extensive, especially in Persian, the bibliography lists few books in their Persian editions, presumably because a Western readership would not find them useful. The work is aimed at an American market and often singles out events which connect the two countries. The American emphasis extends to the bibliography, also. Partly because of this emphasis, much attention is given to early American Christian missionary activity, primarily Presbyterian, in Iran.

The dictionary covers not only political and economic history, but also geography, biography, the social sciences, the arts, and literary publications. Most of the dictionary entries describe individuals, organizations, and institutions. The entries — short summaries of the subject — usually lack in specific names and places. They average three to four paragraphs apiece and often contain several cross references, but no source citations. Many see references are used. Few women appear anywhere in the book — or in Iran’s history, for that matter.

There is little to criticize here. One might have wished for more comprehensive, extensive, and detailed coverage, however, with more illustrations, lists, and diagrams, and for more penetrating analysis of the events described. That would have led to a better book. However, it would also have led to a thicker, costlier one, thus a smaller market. As it stands, and with the limitations mentioned, the work is well done.

 About the Reviewer

John F. Harvey is an international consultant based in Nicosia, Cyprus.

© 1996 John F. Harvey.

Citation

Harvey, John F., “ Review of Historical Dictionary of Iran edited by John H. Lorentz,” Third World Libraries, Volume 6, Number 2 (Spring 1996).