Arts and Literature

Paris catacombs

Underneath Paris
There is a network of subterranean
Chambers and passages
Extending hundreds of kilometers
From the Roman-era
Near the end of the 18th century
When real estate was scarce
While the cemeteries were full
Some of the quarries
Converted into a mass tomb >>>

Democracy for all?

Paul E. Erdman’s colossal #1 bestseller novel -- The Crash of 79 -- was published in 1976 while the recent fuel crisis was very fresh in Western memories. It was an exciting novel, translating complex world monetary and economical issues into simple language for every reader to understand. Using real life personalities, as well as current affairs of the time, it made its message convincing and even made the false portray depicted by the Western propaganda machinery of the Shah of Iran during the 1970’s, more plausible. Nevertheless this calamitous prophecy written three decades ago has never been more pertinent than today>>>

Oldest oil painting?

Researchers have discovered what is believed to be the first use of oil painting at Bamyan in Afghanistan, (part of Persian Empire at the time of painting) predating European oil painting by some six centuries. After the destruction of the Buddhas, 50 caves were revealed. In 12 of the caves, wall paintings were discovered. In December 2004, Japanese researchers discovered that the wall paintings at Bamyan were actually painted between the fifth and the ninth centuries, rather than the sixth to eighth centuries as previously believed>>>

The Spider Killings (19)

Roxanne was smoking her fifth cigarette of the night, leaning against one of the side doors at the police station, which opened into a narrow side street. With Majid’s whereabouts unknown, she did not feel safe enough at her hotel and had asked Ramin to allow her to hang out with him. The memory of Majid holding her daughter’s photograph threateningly would not have allowed her to go to sleep anyway. Thank god she had been able to reach Manou to take the necessary precautions. He had taken Setareh with him to shomaal, to the popular seaside resort that lay to the north of Tehran, where nobody would know they were>>>

سی و پنجمین سال

سی و پنج سال پیش دولت وقت ایران بعد از یکسری جلسات و صحبتهای اولیه به دکتر احسان یارشاطر استاد آنزمان دانشگاه ماموریت داد تا تدوین و گردآوری دانشنامه کامل و مدونی را در باره ایران شروع کند. کار در ایران شروع شد وتا چهار سال بعد و تا زمان وقوع انقلاب در ایران کار با بودجه دولت ایران ادامه یافت . پس از انقلاب و با قطع شدن بودجه مربوطه مشکلات بزرگی در سرراه تهیه این دانشنامه قرار گرفت . سرانجام کار به بخش ایرانشناسی دانشگاه کلمبیا منتقل شد و بدون کمکهای مالی دو دولت (دولت آمریکا و ایران) و تنها با کمکهای سازمانهای غیرانتفاعی – موسسات پژوهشی و افراد خیر کار تا به امروز ادامه یافت. کاری بزرگ و در عین حال طاقت فرسا که اگر استقامت و پایمردی پرفسور یارشاطر نبود هیچگاه به انجام نمی رسید >>>

«پرسپوليس»، ساتراپی

اما تأثیر مخرب فیلم در نگاه ساتراپی به مردم «عادی» دور و برش نیست؛ بلکه در نگاه گزینشی و مطلق‌گرای او به هر کسی‌ست که «خودی» (یعنی دوست یا فامیل ساتراپی) نیست. مثلا تظاهرکنندگان ضد شاه در زمان انقلاب یا سربازان ایرانی در جنگ عراق، از دید بصری، سراپا سیاه و بی‌صورت‌اند، بدون کوچک‌ترین نقطه‌ی سفید. ولی از این بدتر تصویر کاملا اهریمنی و غیرانسانی‌ست که ساتراپی از هر کسی که به شکلی به حکومت «سیاه» جمهوری اسلامی ربط دارد می‌دهد: آدم‌هایی با حداقل ممکن فضای سفید در فیگورشان، زنانی چادری و اخمو با صور‌ت‌هایی عین همدیگر و مردانی ریشو و اخمو، همه با اسلحه و باز هم همه دقیقا شکل همدیگر. >>>

The Theater of War

Fields of battle throughout history where men had fought and died had culminated in the beautiful sand dunes of the Presidio of San Francisco serving as the theater of war for a group of students from Presidio Hill School, and the young man who had brought them there thought that that must have often been the case - that even the sight of the bay in the distance added to the spirit of battle for its participants, rather than contrasted with it. Each group had probably believed that nature was on its side, and nature hadn't been able to tell anyone that it wasn't on either side, or at the least it was on both sides, but most of all it was on the side of those who had laid down their arms, or had never picked them up in the first place. They were the ones most in need of something on their side anyway>>>

دریای مهر

ای نوازشهای تو دریای مهر
ای سرای سینه ات ماوای مهر
داستانهای توبر بالین من
قصه های رستن و نجوای مهر
نغمه های نیمه شبهایت مرا
خوشترین آرامش و آوای مهر
نکته های نغز جاری بر لبت
پایه های عهد پا بر جای مهر
>>>

سی و پنچ گلوله

شهریور شصت و شش از زندان آزاد شدم . سی و پنچ نفر تیرباران شدند . در کنار اسکله ی سنگی زیر باران قدم زدم . هوای تازه و نم نم باران مرا زنده کرد از هر چه میرایی . قدم زدم . صدای تیر خلاصی در ذهنم راه رفت .باران خیسم کرد .روی سنگ بزرگ ایستادم تا موج آب مرا با خود ببرد .مزه ی شور دریا ، شیرینی رها شدنم را حرام کرد . به سی و پنج تیر ، فکر کردم که فضای صبحگاه ، بارانی محوطه ی اعدام را پر کرد .هر گلوله قیمتی داشت . >>>

Purim

Purim is one of the most Persian of Jewish festivals. The story is essentially about how Haman, the Amalekite vizier (not a Persian), tried to abuse his power to massacre all Jews and how this was thwarted by the courage of the Jewish Queen Esther, the wisdom of his uncle Mordechai and the decree of the King Achashverosh of Persia (usually identified with Xerxes) who commanded that Haman and his offsprings be executed on the same platform they had prepared for Mordechai>>>

نام های عزيز

هزار و يک شب از سنگ های آتش گذشتم
هزار و يک شب از صخره های ذوب شده،
قلعه های سنگ باران
و تازيانه های درد
خواب بودی و جادو، و نمی ديدی
که خورشيد از زخم هايم سر می کشد
>>>

The heart of the matter

In a publishing world where a majority of manuscripts are printed exclusively for the benefit of marketplace, it is uncommon to find the work of a new author in print simply on its own merit and because it was too good to reject. The Septembers of Shiraz is such a book. Not only is it written from the heart, but also the soft touch in Dalia Sofer’s style is a rare gift to readers who crave good literary work. True as it may be that the title could have been more relevant – as noted by several critics – by the time I realized this I was pulled so deeply into the story that I no longer cared. Ironically, the misleading title works to the book’s advantage because I doubt I would have picked it off the shelf if the title were Septembers at Evin, or any other that might have revealed its plot >>>

Cultural relativism

“Have you met our new neighbors?” Bob asked his wife.
“Not yet. They just moved in a couple of days ago. After they settle in we should go and meet them.” She responded.
“Where are they from?” He asked.
“They look Middle Eastern to me. But their two girls were probably born here. They speak perfect English. They were talking to April the other day. They got along well.” She commented. >>>

رستنی رستموار

هلا ای رهسپاران دلیر ساحل جیحون:
مگر در ریشه گردوی این دوران
نشان از تیر آرش نیست؟
مگر در پیکر پیکان
گرامی جان آرش را:
نشان مرز ایرانشهر،
فدای مهر یک پیمان نمی بینید؟
>>>

Whisper of a lover

Seven Valleys of Love, compiled and translated by Sheema Kalbasi, is written with a piercing clarity and a profound intensity of emotion. Her ability to preserve the integrity and poetical sensibility of the work is evident in her mastery of language, editing, and translation. Seven Valleys of Love is a vibrant celebration of extraordinary women’s voices. The colorful and lively verses in this dazzling collection emerge as small, quiet explosions out of the shadows of hopelessness and seek to inspire and restore peace, hope, and harmony in its people >>>

(Delicious) Mixed nutz

Mixed Nutz is a television comedy about a group of kids who feel like they just don’t fit in. Much like our hero Babak, who is shy to tell people he is from Iran, Michael, the redhead feels he is boring and no one wants to be his friend. Two new immigrants include Sanjay, who just came from Mumbai and Adele, a half-American, half-Austrian girl who has traveled the world so much, she doesn’t even know how to make friends. Jae, Briana, Saman, Sousanne and the parents round out the fun cast of a show that is simple in style but has a strong message for people of all ages >>>