Books on the Iranian Intermezzo

I apologize if this is the wrong place. I have tried my hardest to look for the proper forum to post this in, however I simply cannot find it. I encourage the moderators to move this post to it's suitable location, that is if you wish.

I would like to ask, where can I find good books on the subject of the Iranian Intermezzo. I find the period to be fascinating not just because of it's impact on Iranian history but also on the Middle East itself. Often, when reading the small snippets of information I have on the various states and polities active in the era, my imagination let's loose and I wonder exactly what would happen if these states ended up surviving and became strong, developed, independent nations with formalized political structures and distinct cultures. I would love to utilize these states potential and play around with the possibly complex and interconnected relationships between the states. The Iranian Intermezzo had so much potential, it could've been a bastion, a foundation for the fledgling nations arisen from the ashes of the Abbasids. Yes, a majority of these Intermezzo states were run by military men self-proclaiming themselves as Shah, Emirs, and Caliphs. However haven't all ancient nations and empires been started by military men, people capable of taking power and maintaining it? Despite it's brutality, military force, outside of cultural and religious influence (which is rare anyways), is by far one of the most effective ways of founding your own nation in the medieval ages.

So I ask of you learned men and women, how could the Buyyids for example, not achieve the stability and development as the Umayyads or Abbasids did at their height? How could the Saffarids and Samanids, based on my own limited knowledge, not decide to fully revive Sasanian customs and administration or potentially, in the case of the Samanids, go back to Zorostrianism as state religion? How could you tell me that the Qaramatians couldn't through sheer luck, prevent the entire Muslim world from wanting to rip their heads off after sacking Mecca (which was a very unlikely event in the first place)?

So I ask those viewing and lurking in this thread, if possible, to give me books, resources, information, anything, I'll eat up anything that has something even remotely related to the Iranian Intermezzo happily. Thank you for help.
 
I don't know much about the subject, but a quick google search lead me to The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. 4: From the Arab Invasion to the Saljuqs Cambridge's history collections are usually good books as introduction to the subject (they tend to skimp some minor but important details) so maybe you can try it.

The price on Amazon is ludicrous though.

EDIT: You can also try Encyclopedia Iranica (iranicaonline.org) for some info, many good English-publishing researchers on Iranian history contribute there.
 
@Monter

Thank you for the information my good friend. I am aware of Encyclopedia Iranica although I'm not sure how extensively it covers the various states of the period (especially regarding the more "Arabian" states present in both the Levant and Arabia. I'll be sure to try to find a cheap volume of The Cambridge History of Iran given that, yes, that price is ludicrous and not possible for my current budget.

Do you happen to know anyone here specialized in the period? They may have more knowledge on resources related to the period than most laymen like you or me.
 
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