Guests of the Ayatollah

A dramatic account of the Iranian hostage crisis that marked the birth of radical Islam, now in paperback: 'This is history as tragedy, written as a thriller by a master storyteller.' Angus Batey, The Times

In 1979, the Ayatollah Khomeini's followers abducted 66 American citizens and held them hostage for 444 days.

The crisis that followed is a watershed in modern history. Acclaimed author Mark Bowden tells this shocking and unforgettable story through the eyes of the hostages, their Iranian captors and the American special operations soldiers and pilots who tried to end the crisis with one swift, violent strike. Guests of the Ayatollah is the epic account of the first American showdown with Islamic fundamentalism.