Love this book...and I'm not a big fan of (for lack of a better term) "political" books, fictional or not.
First of all, it's an excellent read. REALLY makes you feel like you are in Reza's head and in his actual predicaments...there's some really 'edge of your seat' type moments here. And you absolutely feel the sustained discomfort of his situation...appearing to his family as part of the problem...but secretly, being a huge patriot for the preservation of their way of life. Like someone says here...this is the story of a true hero...risking everything for a cause..everything...with absolutely no foreseeable promise of personal gain or glory.
However, what is great about the book is the story it has to tell...it's hugely eye opening in a lot of ways... quite honestly, it helped me see Iran as a nation of people rather than a nation of religious zealotry. However, although it opened my mind in a lot of ways...it, confirmed my suspicions in others. It so very effectively articulates the age old lesson (often taught, seemingly never learned), that religious fanaticism MUST be keep in check...and the MOST despicable of deeds are usually carried out in the name of religion (one of the most brutal ironies of human existence!).
Any Westerner that thinks these zealots can be reasoned with...and that peace and love will win the day is profoundly delusional ...and should be required to read this book...especially the passages about Evin Prison, the systematic brutal raping of girls to prevent their entry into heaven, etc.....
Anyway...enough of that...this is an exceptional book and if this is an accurate account of what happened...this is one of the most remarkable men of our time.Get more detail about A Time to Betray: The Astonishing Double Life of a CIA Agent Inside the Revolutionary Guards of Iran.
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