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A review by katieg
Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times by Azar Nafisi
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
A great book that combines literary criticism, political commentary, memoir, and history. It encourages dangerous reading the face of totalitarianism and censorship, and how for the individual reading can be validating, liberating, reflective, and even rebellious.
The comparisons Nafisi makes between Iran under Ayatollah Khomeini and the US under Trump are pointed but never generalizing, always leaving room for nuance, yet still recognizing how totalitarianism works as a force to sequester ideas and thus limit freedom.
Nafisi's reading of the texts she highlights here were fantastic, she made some excellent connections between works and authors. I found them to be most rewarding in regard to the works I had already read, and the reading list this book offers makes me excited to revisit some of these letter/essays after I've caught up on some of works she lists here.
The comparisons Nafisi makes between Iran under Ayatollah Khomeini and the US under Trump are pointed but never generalizing, always leaving room for nuance, yet still recognizing how totalitarianism works as a force to sequester ideas and thus limit freedom.
Nafisi's reading of the texts she highlights here were fantastic, she made some excellent connections between works and authors. I found them to be most rewarding in regard to the works I had already read, and the reading list this book offers makes me excited to revisit some of these letter/essays after I've caught up on some of works she lists here.