In 1917, the French poet Guillaume Apollinaire predicted the "death" of books in one or two centuries and their replacement by film and sound. In the early sixties, Marshall McLuhan proclaimed the end of the "Gutenberg Galaxy." Neither of these predictions has yet happened. Nonetheless, the development of computer science and the spread of the Internet have already changed the landscape of the media and affected the fields of book publishing, journalism, cinema, and television. In his new book, Hoveyda, who was involved with cinema and literature for many years, scrutinizes the relationship between the different forms of media and art. Drawing on his varied experience as well as on his knowledge of the arts and media, he explains how "cinema" literally existed before literature or articulate language, and that all other forms of communication stem from this innate capability to think cinematically. Looking at the extraordinary technological developments in the fields of cinema, television, and communications, Hoveyda finds a "hidden purpose" behind them; a kind of "common thread" that illustrates and explains the quest of humans for communication. As far back as one can go, Hoveyda finds that humans were always preoccupied with the question of how to communicate what was going on in their minds. They tried--and found--ways of transmitting to one another the impressions and ideas churning in their heads. Prehistoric cave drawings, hieroglyphs, literature, and canvas paintings were and are part of such attempts. This progression of inventions seems to pursue a linear path toward "externalization" of their people's thoughts and dreams. The pinnacle of this "externalization" will be reachedwhen it becomes "automatic" and foregoes the use of heavy equipment. Bunuel once told the author and his friends that he dreamt of the day when he would sit in a darkened room and project on a wall the film he was concocting in his head. This is exactly the goal of the technological progress we witness. Hoveyda's survey also includes a description of the evolution of modern cinema as he witnessed it; some new and revolutionary remarks about film appreciation and filmmaking; discussion of television and how it differs from cinema; and observations on the impact of media on one another as well as the influence of the more recent technologies on "narration" styles. A provocative account that will be of interest to scholars, researchers, students, and anyone involved with the development of communications.

Twenty-two years after Ayatollah Khomeini's ascent to power in Iran many aspects of his 1979 Islamic revolution remain obscure if not baffling. For instance, in November 1978 an offer was made to him in his Paris exile to return to Iran with international guarantees of freedom of speech and action. He refused and demanded the departure of the Shah. Americans put pressure on the monarch to leave the country. Khomeini arrived in Tehran in early February 1979, and he immediately demanded the return of the Shah and his trial before an Islamic tribunal No one could give a valid explanation of this contradiction in Khomeini's conduct and demands. Many other mysteries in the unfolding of the revolution and the policies of the Islamic republic which replaced the monarchy have gone unexplained up to now. Scholars and experts in the West have offered the usual explanations for the Islamic revolution-corruption, deepening gaps between the rich and the poor, rapid industrialization, sky-rocketing inflation, westernizing policies that offended traditions, lack of democratic institutions, authoritarian rule, and on and on. But such characteristics which exist in other Muslim countries, especially in the Arab world, fail to clairify the particularities of the Iranian revolution.

Indeed, as Ambassador Hoveyda points out, Iran is not an Arab country. It has kept alive its ancient mythological heritage which is not Islamic. It is an Indo-European nation with a recorded history of three thousand years To understand the real causes of the 1979 revolution one must refer to the deep-rooted beliefs of Iranians and to their very rich mythology. One must also take into account the kind of Islam-shiism-Iranians have created and nurtured. In fact, Iran is a powerful example of how mythologies remain alive and can account for the conduct of a whole nation. Hoveyda shows the influence of myths in history-in-the-making. Indeed, he has found in the Iranian revolution many points that can be clarified only by the impact of old mythology and mindsets. He provides a very original explanation of the events that led to the fall of the Shah and the ascent of Khomeini, changing the political and diplomatic situation in the Middle East, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea region. As such it will be of great interest to scholars, students, researchers, and foreign policy makers involved with the Middle East and Islamic fundamentalism.

Militant Islamic fundamentalists blame the ills of their societies on the West and call for the overthrow of local governments and the resumption of Jihad against the Infidels. Ambassador Hoveyda explores the historical and contemporary causes of the current wave of militant Islamic fundamentalism. Despite their terrorist attacks in the West, he also shows why fundamentalists are even more dangerous for Muslim countries that are desperately trying to catch up with the incipient global economy and alleviate their accumulated social and economic problems. If Western colonization and economic domination of the 19th and 20th centuries are to be blamed for the predicament of Muslim countries, Hoveyda points out that Muslims also bear a great responsibility for their situation. He shows how the triumph of fundamentalist interpretations of the Koran in the 12th century triggered the gradual decline of Islamic civilization. He also chronicles the history of militant Islamic movements of the past and present from the Assassins of the late 11th century to Ayatollah Khomeini. Having met his first militant Islamic fundamentalist at the age of four in Syria, where his father was serving as Persian Consul-general, Hoveyda draws upon a lifetime of personal experience as well as scholarship and experiences of others to provide an important insider/outsider examination of a worldwide concern.

Militant Islamic fundamentalists blame the ills of their societies on the West, calling for the overthrow of local governments and the resumption of Jihad against the Infidels. Ambassador Hoveyda explores the historical and contemporary causes of the current wave of militant Islamic fundamentalism. If Western colonization and economic domination of the 19th and 20th centuries are to be blamed for the predicament of Muslim countries, Hoveyda asserts that Muslims also bear a great responsibility for their situation.

This book shows how the triumph of fundamentalist interpretations of the Koran in the 12th century triggered the gradual decline of Islamic civilization and chronicles the history of militant Islamic movements, from the Assassins of the late 11th century to the reign of Ayatollah Khomeini. It shows why, despite their terrorist attacks in the West, fundamentalists are even more dangerous for Muslim countries that are desperately trying to catch up with the global economy to alleviate their accumulated social and economic problems. Hoveyda draws upon a lifetime of experience, as well as scholarship and the experiences of others, to provide an important insider/outsider examination of a worldwide concern.