Books
Feb 8-12, 1999 / Bahman 19-23, 1377
Book of the week
* Novella: Women
without men
Past picks
* Diary: The Priest and the King
* Literature: Daneshvar's
Playhouse
* Epic: The Tragedy
of Sohrab and Rostam
* Fiction: The arrest
of Hoveyda
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Women Without Men
A novella
By Shahrnush Parsipur
The significance of Parsipur's work transcends the realm of literary
activities. Her works were among the first feminist-conscious enunciations
that appeal in the postrevolutionary period in response to limitations
imposed on women by the state ideology... The following stories [reflect]
the role that the rise of feminist-consciousness may play in the course
of cultural change in Iran." -- Introductuon
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The Priest and the King
An Eyewitness Account of the Iranian Revolution
By Desmond Harney
An extraordinary and riveting diary of the events
that led to the Shah's overthrow... Harney conveys superbly the ups and
downs, the rumors and speculations, the paranoia, ... as the old order
was undermind. You can hear the helicopters whirring frightening the impotent.
-- The Sunday Times
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Daneshvar's Playhouse
A Collection of Stories
By Simin Daneshvar
In five intriguing stories, the formal detachment of Daneshvar's prose
reinforces her subtle revelation of repressive features in Iranian society.
. . . These seemingly simple stories disclose a rich culture in a time
of ferment and change, of women in chadors, held in contempt by the men
who control their lives. . . . This volume is a valuable addition to our
knowledge of Persian culture and the political complexities of modern Iran.
-- Publishers Weekly
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The Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam
From the Persian National Epic, the Shahname of Ferdowsi
By Jerome W. Clinton (Translator)
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The Arrest of Hoveyda
Stories of the Iranian Revolution
By Saideh Pakravan
"Besides evoking Iran's unique atmosphere [The Arrest of Hoveyda]... proves that history
can most tellingly be told when the key syllables of the word are taken
as the last two: story... This book is essential for all who want to understand
Iran." -- Peter Avery
"... a remarkable fiction. The author comes to political maturity
in the midst of the absurd and tragic events leading up to the overthrow
of the Pahlavi monarchy, the murder of her father, and the consolidation
of the power of Ayatollah Khomeini." -- Marvin Zonis
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