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ksbooknook 's review for:
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books
by Azar Nafisi
Azar Nafisi taught literature at the University of Tehran in the 70s and 80s, as the Iranian Revolution was happening. This memoir gives special insight into her life and the lives of several female students during these turbulent times.
I don't think I could have read this book at a more poignant time. Yes, I realize Iran and Afghanistan are two very different countries. Yet there are a lot of similarities as well. With the recent move of American troops to pull out of Afghanistan, this book gave me a window into the feelings and mind of the Middle East. I have a very skewed perspective of what has occurred based on what the media presents. It was enlightening to hear from someone who loves Iran, and yet made the decision to leave her beloved country. If you want to know more about what women have faced (and unfortunately continue to face), read this book. The following quote captures some of what women endure in a nutshell, "I wonder if right now, at this moment, I were to turn to the people sitting next to me in this cafe in a country that is not Iran and talk to them about life in Tehran, how they would react. Would they condemn the tortures, the executions and the extreme acts of aggression? I think they would. But what about the acts of transgression on our ordinary lives, like the desire to wear pink socks?" (p. 76). I did think the text was a little dry, so the audio may be a great option (although I've not listened to it, so maybe take it with a grain of salt). Oh, and while reading LOLITA first did slightly enhance my knowledge of the references, I do not think it's actually necessary before reading this book.
CW: abuse, war stories, rape, executions, jail stories
I don't think I could have read this book at a more poignant time. Yes, I realize Iran and Afghanistan are two very different countries. Yet there are a lot of similarities as well. With the recent move of American troops to pull out of Afghanistan, this book gave me a window into the feelings and mind of the Middle East. I have a very skewed perspective of what has occurred based on what the media presents. It was enlightening to hear from someone who loves Iran, and yet made the decision to leave her beloved country. If you want to know more about what women have faced (and unfortunately continue to face), read this book. The following quote captures some of what women endure in a nutshell, "I wonder if right now, at this moment, I were to turn to the people sitting next to me in this cafe in a country that is not Iran and talk to them about life in Tehran, how they would react. Would they condemn the tortures, the executions and the extreme acts of aggression? I think they would. But what about the acts of transgression on our ordinary lives, like the desire to wear pink socks?" (p. 76). I did think the text was a little dry, so the audio may be a great option (although I've not listened to it, so maybe take it with a grain of salt). Oh, and while reading LOLITA first did slightly enhance my knowledge of the references, I do not think it's actually necessary before reading this book.
CW: abuse, war stories, rape, executions, jail stories