bparhami's blog

Brief book review: Mosaddegh from his own words

bparhami — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:19:16 +0000

Ebrahimzadeh, Cyrus, Mosaddiq from His Own Words: Behind the Curtain of Negotiations.

From Iran to Hollwood: Book Review

bparhami — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 04:00:21 +0000

Gow, Christopher, From Iran to Hollywood and Some Places in-Between: Reframing Post-Revolutionary Iranian Cinema, I. B. Tauris, 2011.

Summary: An outsider’s view of domestic and émigré Iranian cinemas, with the thesis that the “new” post-revolutionary Iranian cinema is in fact a continuation of rich filmmaking traditions that were merely interrupted by the Islamic Revolution.

Book Review: Forugh Farrokhzad, Poet of Modern Iran

bparhami — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 09:21:13 +0000

Brookshaw, Dominic P. and Nasrin Rahimieh (eds.), Forugh Farrokhzad, Poet of Modern Iran: Iconic Woman and Feminine Pioneer of New Persian Poetry, I. B. Tauris & Co., 2010.

Souvenir of Ancient Norooz

bparhami — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 02:37:51 +0000

Each year, for more than a decade, I have composed a cheerful or forward-looking poem to commemorate Norooz. Here is my poem for Norooz 1391. As is usually the case for my Norooz poems, the initial letters of the verses spell a message, in this case “Norooz-e baastaani” (“The ancient Norooz”).

Sexual segregation of higher education in Iran

bparhami — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 09:57:56 +0000

Plans for segregating the sexes in Iranian universities seem to be going full-speed ahead (primary and secondary schools are already segregated). Preference for segregation by sex isn't unique to Islam and exists in both Judaism and Christianity, for instance.

Iran, Norooz: A Poem

bparhami — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:23:20 +0000

Each year for more than a decade, I have composed a cheerful poem to celebrate Norooz, along with its gifts of renewal and hope. You can read most of the previous poems on my poetry page:

www.ece.ucsb.edu/~parhami/pers_poetry.htm

Here, I dedicate the 2011 (Norooz 1390) edition to my fellow Iranians.

Shirin Ebadi Is Not the Enemy

bparhami — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 02:33:37 +0000

IRI Openly Admitting Using Hezbollah and Hamas as Agents in Proxy War

bparhami — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 07:33:19 +0000

A few days ago, I came across a YouTube video (also posted on Iranian.com) of a speech by Hassan Abbasi, a political analyst and strategist closely linked to the Islamic regime in Iran. In the 15-minute video clip (which is in Persian), he relates a question asked of him earlier by a university student, who wondered why, with all the poor and needy in Iran, the Islamic regime provides financial support to groups in Lebanon and Gaza.

Cyrus Cylinder Not a Charter of Human Rights

bparhami — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 07:24:24 +0000

The recent lending of the Cyrus cylinder to Iran by the British Museum reignited the debate about the interpretation of its contents. My research based on several online sources has revealed that many accounts of the contents and significance of the the cylinder are incorrect and are attributable to propaganda initiated by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and, more recently, by certain Zoarastrian groups.

Yasmin Crowther's Saffron Kitchen

bparhami — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 09:55:19 +0000

The Saffron Kitchen
A novel by Yasmin Crowther
Audiobook read by Ariana Fraval and Mehr Mansuri
Penguin Audio, 2006.

REVIEW
Yasmin Crowther's debut novel contains a story told from two viewpoints: those of Maryam (voiced by Mehr Mansuri), a first-generation Iranian immigrant to the UK, and Sara (voiced by Ariana Fraval), the daughter born to Maryam and her British husband, Edward.

Sharif Univ. and Its Students Praised

bparhami — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:36:24 +0000

A Newsweek article showers lavish praise on Iran’s Sharif University of Technology and its students.

Iranian Minister Criticizes Free Exchange of Technical Information

bparhami — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:50:18 +0000

Iran’s Minister of Industries and Mines, Aliakbar Mehrabian, has said recently that Iranian scientists are committing a grave mistake to publish their findings in international scientific journals, because this is tantamount to providing free information to world powers, who then turn around and use that information against countries such as Iran. This statement has caused an uproar in the Iranian research community.

Mandela, on compassion, restraint, generosity

bparhami — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:45:26 +0000

Morgan Freeman, playing Nelson Mandela in the movie “Invictus,” in a speech to fellow black South Africans:

Shahriar's Poem for Ferdowsi's Millenary

bparhami — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 08:54:52 +0000

Mohammad-Hossein Shahriar's poems are some of the tenderest and most lyrical among the works of classical Persian poets. Here are selected verses from one of his patriotic poems written for Ferdowsi's Millenary Celebrations in 1934. The verses chosen are not consecutive but appear in the correct order. For the full poem, see the third item at: http://azargoshnasp.net/poems/shahryar_beh_pishgaah.pdf

Many beloved Persian sayings in a single poem by Nezami Ganjavi

bparhami — Sat, 29 May 2010 05:28:26 +0000

Many sayings in the Persian language have their origins in the works of our great classical poets. Still, I find it amazing that a single poem of Nezami Ganjavi contains so many of our beloved Persian sayings. Here are selected verses. I have taken the liberty of making a couple of corrections to the version available on ganjoor.net. http://ganjoor.net/nezami/5ganj/leyli-majnoon/sh9/

Happy Norooz and New Year (Saal-e No Mobaarak)

bparhami — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:57:11 +0000

Each year for the past decade, I have composed a cheerful poem to celebrate Norooz, along with its gifts of renewal and hope. You can read most of the previous poems on my poetry page:

www.ece.ucsb.edu/~parhami/pers_poetry.htm

A response to "Khaaharam Ey Dokhtar-e Iran-Zamin"

bparhami — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:46:57 +0000

Yesterday, I came across a poem, written on a banner in Tehran entitled "My Sister, Oh Daughter of the Land of Iran." (See below) It offered advice to Iranian women about mannerism and proper clothing (style and colors). Above is a response.

خواهرم اي دختر ايران زمين
يک نظر عکس شهيدان را ببين

در خيابان چهره آرايش مکن
از جوانان سلب آسايش مکن

خواهر من اين لباس تنگ چيست