Zoroastrians

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A little classic - Rated
Boyce's book is a classic study in comparative religion. It is full of insights into the origins of Zoroastrianism, and how it strongly shaped all later religious traditions of the Western world. She shows how much of what Jews, Christians and Muslims commonly consider "fundamental" to their faith is borrowed from the Zoroastrians.

This book impressed me with its excellence - Rated
This book is nothing short of a tour-de-force! In this fascinating book, Professor Emeriti of Iranian Studies (retired), Dr. Mary Boyce (b. 1920) looks at the beliefs and practices of the Zoroastrian faith, as it has evolved from its beginnings through to the late 1970s. Along the way, the reader is treated to an in-depth understanding of Persian and Iranian history, how it affected Zoroastrianism, and how Zoroastrianism affected Persian and Iranian history.

Now, after having poured out such praise on the book, I must admit to its one great weakness. The book was written in the late 1970s, but before the overthrow of the Shah of Iran, and the rise to power of fundamentalist Islam. As such, the book sees the greatest threat to Zoroastrianism in Iran as being an "increase in secularism," rather than the rise of Muslim oppression that it has actually been subjected to.

But, that said, this is a great book on Zoroastrianism, one that really gives you a good understanding of its history (up to the late 1970s) and beliefs and practices. If you really want to understand Zoroastrianism, then I would say that this is the best book to get. This book impressed me with its excellence, and I am quite confidant that it will impress you in the same way. I give this book my highest recommendations!