Product Description

Until recently, Iranian literature had overwhelmingly been the domain of men. But things have changed. The new hybrid culture of Iranian Americans has given way to a uniquely feminine literary voice. LET ME TELL YOU WHERE I'VE BEEN is an extensive collection of the poetry, fiction, and nonfiction of women whose lives have been shaped by history, exile, and immigration. They represent an emerging multicultural generation of female sensibility and eloquence. You will not find flat predictable images here. Rather, these women write beyond the boundaries of place and instead inhabit a space somewhere between language and literature.

Featuring over one hundred selections (two-thirds of which have never been published before) from over fifty contributors—including such well-known writers as Gelareh Asayesh, Tara Bahrampour, Firoozeh Dumas, and Roya Hakakian—the collection represents a substantial cross section of this unique multicultural community. Divided into six parts, the book’s themes of exile, family, resistance, love, and gender come together in the end. They create a conversation about Iran, Iranian culture, the Persian and English languages and the dual identities of its authors as represented and expressed in the West. Readers can share in the discovery of the wisdom and beauty of these woman and simultaneously witness them harnessing a power that is unmistakably their own.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #642412 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. The diversity of voices represented in this stunning collection of poetry, fiction and nonfiction by women of Iranian descent shatters their narrow image in the U.S. Though none are well known, most of the 53 authors live in the U.S. and 15 have been published in journals if not books. One writes about a woman's relationship with her chador. Another remembers her desire, as a young girl, to distance herself from the "old-world values" espoused by her parents. A woman who sought refuge in Germany conveys the longing she felt to return to her birthplace by detailing a market scene and how the taste of raw walnuts made her feel at home again. Like other émigrés, the women who fled Iran after the 1979 revolution have continued to feel strong ties with their homeland. Many of those now living in the U.S., Canada or the U.K. have grappled with such feelings in an era when cars in the U.S. were emblazoned with bumper stickers reading "Iranians Go Home" and "We Play Cowboys and Iranians." Though many contributions avoid politics, several writers illustrate heartbreaking incidents of stereotyping that reveal the struggle of facing pervasive social suspicion. Touching on universal themes of love and loss, exile and longing, politics and war, this collection derives its cumulative power from its authors' subtle, uniquely female perceptions. (June)
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Review
"A powerful collection . . . offers an intimate understanding of the experience of loss and suffering of women of the Iranian diaspora." -- Salem Press

"With humor, rage, eloquence, and compassion, [gives] voice to what it means for Iranians to live ... in the West today." -- Namak, March 2007

From the Publisher
"Might we present this stunning collection of voices to the U.S. government? Might this be the perfect moment for bridges of language and sensibility--delicious humanity--to define and connect us? Cast aside the grim proclamations of power and threat! Gratitude to Persis Karim for this healing tonic of pomegranate wisdom and pleasure."--Naomi Shihab Nye

"This delightfully diverse group of women assembled in this important and timely anthology offers a panoramic view of [Iran's] complexity and dynamism. Persis Karim ought to be congratulated."--Farzaneh Milani

Customer Reviews

Do Not Miss This Gem!
Persis Karim has embraced a remarkable collection of work by mostly recreational writers and new poets in this book that is significant in a number of aspects. It is a testimony to the incredible spirit of all women, by exploring the journey most of these authors have taken while their immediate surrounding was experiencing significant turmoil and destruction. A voyage that was carried despite significant prejudice and eradication of an assortment of their basic rights. It is also a narrative of the immigration experience, being subjected to intolerance and narrow-mindedness on a different level and yet succeeding despite the odds. These incredible women are telling their story and the story of all of us who experience conflict, affection, separation, contradictions and intolerance, while struggling to maintain a conventional existence. A lesson for all of us in improved comprehension of one-another and recognizing the value of our differences. Highly recommended!

Excellent collection
This book is a wonderful collection of poems and short stories by Iranian women. The variety of authors makes this an interesting collection and it is also enjoyable to read the short biographies of the authors. This is a book you can easily read from cover to cover or pick up and read a few selections at a time from anywhere in the book. This isn't a book only for Iranians, it is for anyone wanting to be immersed in well-told stories and conveyance of emotions and life's happenings.

Fifty-three voices, one song.
Great book. It taught me a lot about contemporary Iranian writers and poets.