The land of the Great Sophy

by Roger Stevens

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 041345780X
• ISBN13: 9780413457806
• Release Date: January 1979
• Publisher: Methuen
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Travel Guide to the Persian Empire

This wonderful book was an important asset during my travels in Iran. It is not a travel guide for modern Iran. Rather, it is a guide for those who want to visit the ancient cities and monuments of the Persian Empire. Sir Roger Stevens, former British ambassador to Iran, exhibited excellent scholarship in his coverage of the history, religion, and the art of the Persian Empire. My fondest memories of using his book were during my travels in Khuzistan. Sir Roger Stevens wrote about Sassanian bridges in Khuzistan built under the inspiration of the Roman Empire. Unlike large monuments or ancient cities, the ancient bridges are unlikely to be listed in maps or in guide books. In Dizful, I had to ask several residents until I found someone who knew where to find Shapur's bridge. Sir Roger Stevens' contribution is important, also, in terms of being an inspiration for anyone who is serious about working in embassies or in multinational enterprises. In my travels and work overseas, I observed that the British embassies appeared to be requiring many foreign service workers to master the language of the assigned country and to remain in the assigned country for many years. Unfortunately, many other countries appear to be hiring workers who simply want to see the world and do not want to learn about the languages, histories, and cultures of the assigned countries.