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Original Essays | September 23, 2009

Jonathan Lethem: IMG Stops: On Those Things My New Novel Forgot to Be About, Maybe



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My Sister, Guard Your Veil; My Brother, Guard Your Eyes: Uncensored Iranian Voices

by Lila Azam Zanganeh

My Sister, Guard Your Veil; My Brother, Guard Your Eyes: Uncensored Iranian Voices Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

In the first anthology of its kind, Lila Azam Zanganeh argues that although Iran looms large in the American imagination, it is grossly misunderstood—seen either as the third pillar of Bush’s infamous “axis of evil” or as a nation teeming with youths clamoring for revolution.

This collection showcases the real scope and complexity of Iran through the work of a stellar group of contributors—including Azar Nafisi and with original art by Marjane Satrapi. Their collective goal is to counter the many existing cultural and political clichés about Iran. Some of the pieces concern feminism, sexuality, or eroticism under the Islamic Republic; others are unorthodox political testimonies or about race and religion. Almost all these contributors have broken artistic and cultural taboos in their work.

Journalist Reza Aslan, author of No God But God, explains why Iran is not a theocracy but, rather, a “mullahcracy.” Mehrangiz Kar, a lawyer and human rights activist who was jailed in Iran and is currently a fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, argues that the Iranian Revolution actually engendered the birth of feminism in Iran. Journalist Azadeh Moaveni reveals the underground parties and sex culture in Tehran, while Gelareh Asayesh, author of Saffron Sky, writes poignantly on why Iranians are not considered white in America, even though they think they are. Poet and writer Naghmeh Zarbafian expounds on the surreal experience of reading censored books in Iran, while Roya Hakakian, author of Journey from the Land of No: A Girlhood Caught in Revolutionary Iran, recalls the happy days of Iranian Jews. With a sharp, incisive introduction by Lila Azam Zanganeh, this diverse collection will alter what you thought you knew about Iran.

Review:

"This timely little book offers a thoughtful, wide-ranging and captivating introduction to a dynamic country most Americans still regrettably associate with romantic-exotic or religious-fanatical stereotypes. Centering on questions of identity and subjectivity in and outside Iran's Islamic Republic, the 15 prominent indigenous and ex-pat voices showcased in this collection include bestselling authors Azar Nafisi (Reading Lolita in Tehran), Azadeh Moaveni (Lipstick Jihad) and Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis), as well as renowned filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami, Oscar-nominated actress Shoreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand and Fog) and acclaimed visual artist Shirin Neshat. The brief, often breezy essays, reminiscences, reportage and interviews overturn the facile image of Iran as a single, homogenous entity, providing animated discussions of politics, sex, art, women's rights, racism, poetic culture, underground nightlife, Tehran's Jewish community, censorship, economic inequality and cross-cultural (mis)understanding under a regime that is highly oppressive but continually subverted. Arranged and framed with care by editor Zanganeh (and featuring original art by Satrapi), the book's contents resist an overarching, dogmatic point of view, presenting instead an open-ended invitation to dialogue. Readers will find this volume complex but accessible; it reveals the human stories behind the veil of the headlines." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Synopsis:

Famous Iranian writers, artists, and intellectuals challenge Western (mis)perceptions about Iran in this watershed collection.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
mamassan, December 30, 2008 (view all comments by mamassan)
Everyone who lives in the world right now should read this. I tend to think that alot of the books I like would benefit other people to read, but this one is extremely relevant to current international relations. In the West especially, there is a preconceived notion of Iran that deserves to be questioned. Like any preconceived notion, I guess. You owe it to yourself to read this book.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780807004630
Subtitle:
My Brother, Guard Your Eyes: Uncensored Iranian Voices
Author:
Zanganeh, Lila Azam
Other:
Azam-Zanganeh, Lila
Editor:
Azam-Zanganeh, Lila
Author:
Azam-Zanganeh, Lila
Publisher:
Beacon Press (MA)
Location:
Boston
Subject:
General
Subject:
Women
Subject:
Anthropology - Cultural
Subject:
Intellectual life
Subject:
Middle East - Iran
Subject:
Middle East - General
Subject:
Women's Studies - General
Subject:
General Social Science
Subject:
Iran Social conditions.
Subject:
Iran Intellectual life.
Copyright:
Edition Description:
Trade paper
Publication Date:
March 2006
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
132
Dimensions:
8.56x5.58x.36 in. .36 lbs.

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