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Persia
This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.
324 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1889
About the author
S.G.W. Benjamin
52 booksSamuel Greene Wheeler Benjamin was an American statesman born to missionary parents in Greece.
Benjamin worked as a journalist, author, artist, and diplomat. In 1883, he was appointed as the first American Minister to Persia (modern-day Iran), a post he occupied for two years, leaving in 1885; previously, he had been appointed as the Chargé d'Affaires to Persia but did not proceed to this post. It was he who first drafted the diplomatic code used by the American legation in Persia.
As a journalist, Benjamin served as American art editor for the Magazine of Art and covered the Crimean War with the London Illustrated News. He was also a marine painter and illustrator. Benjamin wrote poetry and books on Persia, Greece, Turkey, and American and European art. In his autobiography, The Life and Adventures of a Free Lance, Benjamin commented on his friendships with artists in New York including William Holbrook Beard, Frederic Edwin Church, Sanford R. Gifford, and Launt Thompson.[5]
Benjamin died in Burlington, Vermont in 1914 and is buried in Lakeview Cemetery.
Benjamin worked as a journalist, author, artist, and diplomat. In 1883, he was appointed as the first American Minister to Persia (modern-day Iran), a post he occupied for two years, leaving in 1885; previously, he had been appointed as the Chargé d'Affaires to Persia but did not proceed to this post. It was he who first drafted the diplomatic code used by the American legation in Persia.
As a journalist, Benjamin served as American art editor for the Magazine of Art and covered the Crimean War with the London Illustrated News. He was also a marine painter and illustrator. Benjamin wrote poetry and books on Persia, Greece, Turkey, and American and European art. In his autobiography, The Life and Adventures of a Free Lance, Benjamin commented on his friendships with artists in New York including William Holbrook Beard, Frederic Edwin Church, Sanford R. Gifford, and Launt Thompson.[5]
Benjamin died in Burlington, Vermont in 1914 and is buried in Lakeview Cemetery.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 9, 2016
ساموئل گرین بنجامین نخستین دیپلمات رسمی کشور ایالات متحدهٔ آمریکا در ایران بود. خاطرات نخستین سفیر آمریکا با عنوان ایران و ایرانیان ترجمهٔ اوانس خان مساعدالسلطنه و ویراسته ذکاءالملک فروغی است
January 20, 2025
How limited was Iranology in 1888 ? My expectations where not high for an era where Lord Curzon's book was a main source of information, but as first American Minister to Persia (1883) Benjamin would at least bring some first-hand knowledge. He does, in glimpses about the terrain and the climate, how it feels to ride on horseback over the plains with the sun burning down.
Yet the first 80 pages are Persian Mythology 101, from brain-eating shoulder snakes to Rustam.
Then conjuncture is kept to an absolute minimum whenever ancient Greek sources cannot be absolutely trusted, and they were trusted at face value a lot more on a Victorian classical education.
the post-Hellenic dynasties suffer more from this approach & the Qajars are rushed through with a great number of magnificently bearded portraits, but without a change of pace one would expect of "contemporary events".
An interesting flavour of historiography from another century, but thankfully we have outgrown it.
Yet the first 80 pages are Persian Mythology 101, from brain-eating shoulder snakes to Rustam.
Then conjuncture is kept to an absolute minimum whenever ancient Greek sources cannot be absolutely trusted, and they were trusted at face value a lot more on a Victorian classical education.
the post-Hellenic dynasties suffer more from this approach & the Qajars are rushed through with a great number of magnificently bearded portraits, but without a change of pace one would expect of "contemporary events".
An interesting flavour of historiography from another century, but thankfully we have outgrown it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews