Photo is mine(sorry my copy is really old)
For today I'd like to review Whirlwind by James Clavell. Funny really is that I was rearranging my bookshelves and saw my really old copy of Whirlwind. With the recent development in Middle East I thought that a review of Whirlwind is timely where Iran is somehow involved in the current political storm in that hotbed of a region. The setting of the book is, of course, in Iran prior to the Ayatollah's coming to power.
Iran is said to have a hand in funding Hamas and Hezbollah which have been reported to have been involved in instigating attacks on Israel, so if ever a war do breaks out(hopefully does not for the love of God), the real war will be between Israel and Iran. The consequences of a war between Israel and Iran is not gonna be contained between them but for sure the whole world will be affected. So let us really pray this unnecessary event doesn't come to pass.
The book mainly focuses on Iran's culture. Clavell is known to be a historical writer with a flair for capturing culture through his storytelling. Whirlwind is the final book in his vaunted Asian Saga Series.
The first book "Taipan" tells about Chinese culture, the book "Shogun" will give you a window to Japanese Samurai culture. The last one, "Whirlwind," shifts to the Middle East, specifically Iran. Actually my favorite is "Shogun" but all are truly engrossing to read.
In light of current events involving Iran, and if you want to know Iranian culture, then Whirlwind is "the" book. It's better if you read all the books including "Noble House" and "Gai-Jin" so you could just complete the story, but you can read "Whirlwind" as a standalone if you're only after knowing about Iran's culture.
Clavell's storytelling is characterized by meticulous research and a talent for weaving together intricate plots and memorable characters. In "Whirlwind," he provides a detailed portrayal of Iran on the brink of revolution, incorporating the point of views of various individuals caught up in the events of the time.
The best thing about Clavell's style is how seamlessly immersive his storytelling is. The story is just an excuse to read along but the real gem is as you read you are slowly developing a feel for the culture. You can actually feel you are there. Clavell may be old school now but I think you'd enjoy his works as you would modern day best-seller authors as I haven't come across anyone yet as immersive with mixing fiction and historical events.
The story is a continuation basically of the Struan's family business from Hong Kong expanding to Iran. As they do business in Iran, that is where Clavell slowly throws in Iranian culture. The plot is really just a sideshow, the real point of the book is to get a grasp of Iranian culture and which Clavell has done wonderfully.
Why I reviewed this is because the book ends with the Ayatollah taking power via a revolution and we can compare now how that revolutionary government has taken the direction of the country.
Thank you for reading. Happy reading.