 [Larger view] | Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books
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 Reading Lolita in Tehran : A Memoir in Books | |
| Nafisi details her experiences in Iran from 1979 to 1997, when she taught English literature in Tehran universities and hosted a private seminar on Western literature for female university students. Born and raised in Iran, the author offers readers a personal account of events in the postrevolutionary period that are often generalized by other writers. She was a witness to compulsory veiling, the "cultural revolution" that closed and purged the universities, the Iraq-Iran war (including missile attacks against Tehran), and the Ayatollah Khomeini's death. Nafisi provides readers with a view of Tehran during these tumultuous two decades and describes the ways that individuals resisted and defied the new regime's restrictive policies concerning both women's and men's behavior and dress. Readers interested in Western literature and the ways that key works could be interpreted by those living in different settings and times will find this book fascinating. Specialists on Iran, the Middle East, and Islam will also find the work unique, controversial, and informative. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Most public and academic collections and levels. | |
 life reflected in literature.......... | |
| Author Azar Nafisi's memoir recounts her life in Tehran during a time of upheaval and oppression, especially she feels of the women. She was a professor of Western Literature and as her world comes under attack she seems to actively retreat into a world of classic literature and it's interpretation and application to the conditions in Tehran. When her professorship is terminated she begins a study group in her home, which is where we are introduced to and get to know a bit about the lives of several young women living under these religious/political restrictions imposed upon the society of Iran. While many are placing their lives directly on the line to try and change the face of Tehran, Nafisi plants the seeds of hope and possibility in the minds of her students in her book group. The classics that they read make interesting "companion reads" to this novel, and while you may have read them in high school or college, it is never too late to read them again. Some of the titles are LOLITA, THE GREAT GATSBY, WASHINGTON SQUARE and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. The familiarity of the reader with these works while not necessary, will add a depth of understanding to the intricacies of this memoir. Nafisi seems to relate nearly every event in her life and the lives of her students as a reflection of some fictional character, which under the circumstance seems to be an unusual coping method. This memoir is an interesting look at the political/ religious upheaval that engulfed Tehran as told through the eyes and thoughts of a woman whose life revolved around the reading and exploration of literature. While the oppression of women in this society seems to be a major focus of the memoir, the fact that having one segment of a society oppressed does in fact oppress every segment and facet of that society is briefly encountered. While,in many instances, the importance of literature seems to be overshadowed by the oppression and brutality of the ruling regime, Nafisi's focus never seems to waver, which at times feels disturbing and yet at the same time hopeful. | |
| Classical Celebration | |
| <br /> Through turmoil, heartbreak and heartache comes the courageous and celebrated life of women. This will be one of the classics that will be handed down through the generations to come. A beautifully written and prolific book for all to read. <br /> Other reads are: Nightmares Echo by Katlyn Stewart,A Paper Life by Tatum O'Neil <br /> |
