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A review by jooniperd
The Republic of Imagination: America in Three Books by Azar Nafisi
3.0
3.5-stars, really.
i enjoyed this read -- i found nafisi's voice to be great, and her prose is lovely. it's very clear she is a passionate advocate for literature, and believes deeply in the importance and necessity of fiction in our world. i underlined many passages in the book, and will be pondering on many of nafisi's thoughts and ideas for some time to come. i just feel a bit disconnected from some aspects of the book, perhaps because i am not american? while i am certainly clear on nafisi's messages throughout the book, and much of it is universal, i don't feel i can comfortably debate some aspects of it, or that i can just accept some of nafisi's opinions as truths. (i don't doubt her, don't get me wrong. i just wish i had more knowledge myself. so perhaps she, in writing this book, will cause me to learn more? i did, however, spend an awful lot of time wondering which three books could be used for canada.... if this were to become a series. heh.)
saving this link to radio interview nafisi did here in toronto in late-2014; it's awesome: http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2014/11/12/azar-nafisi-fiction-democracy/
suggestion: if you have not read these books, i highly recommend you read them before beginning 'republic of imagination':
* [b:The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn|2956|The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn|Mark Twain|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1405973850s/2956.jpg|1835605], by [a:Mark Twain|1244|Mark Twain|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1322103868p2/1244.jpg]
* [b:Babbitt|1473215|Babbitt|Sinclair Lewis|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1408924226s/1473215.jpg|2772467], by [a:Sinclair Lewis|7330|Sinclair Lewis|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1205204856p2/7330.jpg]
* [b:The Heart is a Lonely Hunter|37380|The Heart is a Lonely Hunter|Carson McCullers|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385265834s/37380.jpg|860196], by [a:Carson McCullers|3506|Carson McCullers|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1335451237p2/3506.jpg]
i have read all three, but it's been so long that i need (want) to go back and reread them. with the publication of nafisi's book, these 4 reads together could make a great american lit. project, if anyone is so inclined. :)
(also, since the afterword features [a:James Baldwin|10427|James Baldwin|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1343346341p2/10427.jpg], a reading of [b:Go Tell It on the Mountain|17143|Go Tell It on the Mountain|James Baldwin|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348424233s/17143.jpg|1027995] ahead of 'republic of imagination' would be great too!)
i enjoyed this read -- i found nafisi's voice to be great, and her prose is lovely. it's very clear she is a passionate advocate for literature, and believes deeply in the importance and necessity of fiction in our world. i underlined many passages in the book, and will be pondering on many of nafisi's thoughts and ideas for some time to come. i just feel a bit disconnected from some aspects of the book, perhaps because i am not american? while i am certainly clear on nafisi's messages throughout the book, and much of it is universal, i don't feel i can comfortably debate some aspects of it, or that i can just accept some of nafisi's opinions as truths. (i don't doubt her, don't get me wrong. i just wish i had more knowledge myself. so perhaps she, in writing this book, will cause me to learn more? i did, however, spend an awful lot of time wondering which three books could be used for canada.... if this were to become a series. heh.)
saving this link to radio interview nafisi did here in toronto in late-2014; it's awesome: http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/2014/11/12/azar-nafisi-fiction-democracy/
suggestion: if you have not read these books, i highly recommend you read them before beginning 'republic of imagination':
* [b:The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn|2956|The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn|Mark Twain|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1405973850s/2956.jpg|1835605], by [a:Mark Twain|1244|Mark Twain|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1322103868p2/1244.jpg]
* [b:Babbitt|1473215|Babbitt|Sinclair Lewis|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1408924226s/1473215.jpg|2772467], by [a:Sinclair Lewis|7330|Sinclair Lewis|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1205204856p2/7330.jpg]
* [b:The Heart is a Lonely Hunter|37380|The Heart is a Lonely Hunter|Carson McCullers|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385265834s/37380.jpg|860196], by [a:Carson McCullers|3506|Carson McCullers|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1335451237p2/3506.jpg]
i have read all three, but it's been so long that i need (want) to go back and reread them. with the publication of nafisi's book, these 4 reads together could make a great american lit. project, if anyone is so inclined. :)
(also, since the afterword features [a:James Baldwin|10427|James Baldwin|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1343346341p2/10427.jpg], a reading of [b:Go Tell It on the Mountain|17143|Go Tell It on the Mountain|James Baldwin|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348424233s/17143.jpg|1027995] ahead of 'republic of imagination' would be great too!)