Product Description

The truths about Iran—quite different truths from versions put forward by Washington, Tehran, and the media.

Iran thundered onto the world stage in 1979 with an Islamic revolution that shook the world. Today that revolution has gone astray, a popular democracy movement boldly challenges authority, and young Iranians are more interested in moving to America than in chanting "Death to America." Afshin Molavi, born in Iran and fluent in Persian, traveled widely across his homeland, exploring the legacy of the Iranian revolution and probing the soul of Iran, a land with nearly three millennia of often-glorious history. Like a master Persian carpet maker, Molavi weaves together threads of rich historical insight, political analysis, cultural observation, and the daily realities of life in the Islamic republic to produce a colorful, intricate, and mesmerizing narrative. Originally published in hardcover under the title Persian Pilgrimages, this paperback edition is revised, with a new introduction and epilogue.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #73137 in Books
• Published on: 2005-09-26
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Patrick Clawson, Middle East Quarterly
No book compares with [this one] to give a feel for contemporary Iran….Simultaneously engaging and profoundly depressing.

Chris King, Washington Post Book World
Culturally fluent messengers like Molavi are invaluable, now more than ever.

Foreign Affairs
Afshin Molavi provides a brilliant tableau of today's Iran.

Customer Reviews

An Insiders Look into Life in Iran
This book is EXACTLY the book you want to read to get a DIVERSE insiders look into many aspects of life in Iran! The personal interviews that Molavi personally conducts with Iranian citizens on many levels allows the reader to analyze social and psychological driving forces behind Iranians, personally, socially, religiously and politically. The book exemplifies many levels of persuasive elements of Iran's policies and cultures from many angles. From the minds of the average "sheep", to the inner circles of political/religious persuasions, this book covers it ALL, in-depth.

Beyond linear public analysis, this book presents an in-depth observation of diverse driving forces between many religious factions and walks of life, including political and religious disharmony that is destroying Iran's ability to retain strong economic, public and political positions within the rest of the world.

Many interviews that Molavi conducts with various walks of life leads the reader to understand WHY Iran's power politics are seeking to arm or "power" themselves with nuclear weaponry or "energy"...it is evident that, eventually, one side will gain that ability (not necessarily those with current political control), as a MAJOR struggle for power and control becomes evident upon reading "beyond the page." This book offers a serious insider's look into motivational behaviors on many levels!

Also of note is the book's informative coverage of regional, historical, cultural and literary backgrounds that have influenced much of Iran's current and past and present policies and lifestyles, as well as linguistic application of culture and religion.

This book is a WONDERFUL literary representation of lives, cultures and sub-cultures, politics, economics, history and people in Iran! Molavi has a keen eye for information and a caring heart for the people caught between a lack of cohesive government, social and religious policies...Molavi is especially keen in his subtle revelation of the universal struggle between "us and them"...and you thought I meant the US and Iran? No! I mean between government and the PEOPLE!

An Insightful Book
Molavi has written a gem of a book, showing everyday concerns of Iranians beyond the hubbub of international politics. You come away from reading this book seeing Iranians as complex, humane and sophisticated, as well as confused and frustrated.

A Timely Book
Molavi presents a first person and readable account of life inside Iran. The chapter on the presidential election is particularly interesting. A worthwhile read.