The Thousand Families

by Ali Shabani, former court journalist and writer under Mohammad Reza Shah, is a lively and entertaining anecdotal history of the Qajar family, who ruled Iran from 1796 to 1925, as well as a number of their associates.

“ , despite its deceptively populist title, is an excellent work of historical scholarship on a misunderstood period of Iranian and world history. With insights into the sources and a deep understanding of the dynamics of the inner workings of the Qajar court, Ali Shabani has produced a remarkable book whose periodization of Qajar administrative history is an excellent starting point for any study of nineteenth century Iranian history.”—Khodadad Rezakhani, Department of History, Princeton University

“The work of Ali Shabani mixes description with narrative, where powerful families, wealth, and historical personages shape what it means to be a Qajar politician and statesman. It offers public entertainment by reading history through court glamour and family politics—some of the staples of traditional history. is a valuable source for scholars who are interested in exploring the intersection of biography, historical writing, and public entertainment in modern Iran and the way the Qajar era is understood and represented during the mid-twentieth century.”—Rula Jurdi Abisaab, Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University

“This book is a translation of a unique historiography of the Qajar court and its people based on personal diaries, private collections and oral histories. With his deep knowledge of social events and political issues of Qajar era Iran, the author opens new windows onto the social history of modern Iran. Indeed, this translation of such an important book from Persian (Farsi) to English will help scholars have access to such original research and will also help public audiences become familiar with this fascinating period of Iranian history.”—Pedram Khosrow, School of International Studies, Oklahoma University