Reading "Lolita" in Tehran: A Memoir in Books

by Azar Nafisi | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0375504907 Global Overview for this book
Registered by anabanana of Pasadena, California USA on 3/26/2003
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10 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by anabanana from Pasadena, California USA on Wednesday, March 26, 2003
This is an intense retelling of the author's life in Iran. Azar Nafisi weaves stories about herself and her students and their experiences as women in Iran with the novels they are reading. Truths about their lives are revealed and explored through their studying of works of fiction. The book is not limited to her experiences with the secret class she creates with her students, but spans her approximately 18 years of teaching literature in Iran. While I know basic history about Iran, I was less familiar with some of the facts and events portrayed in the book. I think greater familiarity with the events would be helpful, but is certainly not necessary as the book progresses.

An example of the author's weaving of art and reality: "What we in Iran had in common with Fitzgerald was this dream that became our obsession and took over our reality, this terrible, beautiful dream, impossible in its acualization, for which any amount of violence might be justified or forgiven."

In another passage, a student, asked to describe her image of herself, draws a picture. "It is a simple drawing in black and white, of a naked girl, the white of her body caught in a black bubble. She is crouched in an almost fetal position, hugging one bent knee. Her other leg is stretched out behind her. Her long, straight hair follows the same curved line as the countour of her back, but her face is hidden. The bubble is lifted in the air by a giant bird with long black talons. What interests me is a small detail as opposed to the more obvious imagery of the girl, the bubble and the girl's hand that reaches out of the bubble and holds on to the talon. Her subservient nakedness is dependent on that talon, and she reaches out to it."

This book will be sent to the following bookcrossers (PLEASE NOTE THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE END OF THE LIST. IF THE PERSON AFTER YOU IS IN ANOTHER COUNTRY AND YOU DO NOT WANT TO SHIP INTERNATIONALLY, SEND ME A PM AND I WILL WORK SOMETHING OUT):
Enjoy!! (* indicates those who have made journal entries.)

*SCOUT-FINCH
*JDT
*Amberlee17
tamarabk
*WittyJean
*Cafemundo
*Phillycarol
*mrsordonez
*baronreads
*suca
sejent
kbgoffe
LeighBCD
GirlFromIpanema
Curlita
woodsroy
BlossomU
katayoun (who lives in Tehran)
jamjar
MoJeDenUK
EMA375
anabanana

Journal Entry 2 by SCOUT-FINCH from Sherman Oaks, California USA on Tuesday, April 8, 2003
This book fortuitously (sp?) arrived at the exact time I was staring at the several dozen books on my TBR shelves wondering what's next! Will try to get a jump on it before my son is out for Spring Vacation, and then on to BCer JDT!
Thanks so much, anabanana for organizing this!

Journal Entry 3 by JDT from Pleasanton, California USA on Friday, April 18, 2003
Happy to receive this nice quality HB copy of this new-to-me, thought-provoking memoir.
Looking forward to learning more about the history and culture of Iran - through the eyes/experience of women.
Thanks, anabanana for this book ray!

Journal Entry 4 by JDT from Pleasanton, California USA on Monday, May 12, 2003
Just finished this intense, challenging, and intriguing book. I think impressions will stay with me a long time.
For awhile, the writing style seemed erratic, difficult - moving from novels/authors discussed, to lives of students, life in Iran - as it became more totalitarian and repressive, to personal, professional, political experiences and insights...

But once I decided to just go with it, the style seemed right - reflecting the author's conflicted thoughts, experiences, loyalties. (and I also gave myself permission to skim through some of the unfamiliar literary passages!)

some thoughts I liked:
"But, she added, (a student after 5 years in jail) everyday life does not have fewer horrors than prison." - p.13

"We were all victims of the arbitrary nature of a totalitarian regime that constantly intruded into the most private corners of our lives and imposed its relentless fiction on us. This constant assault, this persistent lack of kindness, was what frightened me most." p. 62

The sum total was powerful and eye-opening - and I really appreciate the chance to read this new-to-me (when I signed on for the bookring) book that now is suddenly on bestseller lists and the focus of several book reviews.
Thanks, anabanana!
Sending on to AmberLee17.

Journal Entry 5 by AmberLee17 from Stockton, California USA on Thursday, May 15, 2003
Looks like a great read. I'll read it as quickly as possible and keep it going...

Journal Entry 6 by AmberLee17 from Stockton, California USA on Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Yow. I thought I journaled this a week ago -- when the site was acting flakey...

I loved this book. Tricky to follow due to it's intricate structure, but very thought provoking. Somewhat embarrassing to realize how much more they know about the American culture vice what I know of their culture. Also how much more in depth they know English and American literature than I do. *blush*

I hated to have this book come to an end. I wanted to know what happened to each of the students after the teacher/author left Iran.

Journal Entry 7 by AmberLee17 from Stockton, California USA on Friday, June 27, 2003
Blush, again. I got flakey and tied up with work and health issues. Now I've been trying to reach the next reader and not getting through. Sorry to be a blockage here.

Journal Entry 8 by WittyJean from Loveland, Colorado USA on Wednesday, July 30, 2003
Upsilamba!!! I received this book from AmberLee17 just after finishing another bookring novel and am ready for the new challenge. After only reading about six chapters, I am hooked. The author's writing style is beautiful, delicate and powerful. I look forward to reading more!

Journal Entry 9 by WittyJean from Loveland, Colorado USA on Tuesday, August 19, 2003
Reading nearly like college lecture notes in some chapters and an intriguing autobiography in others, this dense memoir is fascinating, disturbing and challenging.

As a young girl of six, my best friend who lived across the street, had fled with her family from Iran after the Shah fell. I was introduced early on to a very elementary understanding of the nation's political and religious struggles. This book has helped tie together the early memories I have with a fairly detailed history of the Iranian revolution and current events.

I also have a new appreciation for just how great Western Literature has affected not only the US & Europe, but the rest of the world. This book will not be soon forgotten and I intend to buy a few copies to pass along to friends. Thanks so much to anabanana for sharing. I am really looking forward to reading the journal entries of all those who come after me!

Released on Wednesday, August 20, 2003 at to a fellow bookcrosser in Wilton, Maine USA.

Off to Cafemundo in Maine!

Journal Entry 11 by Cafemundo from Wilton, Maine USA on Friday, August 29, 2003
Received today...Thanks WittyJean!
I will come back to journal soon!

Journal Entry 12 by Cafemundo from Wilton, Maine USA on Saturday, September 20, 2003
This is an enthralling and thought-provoking book. I trully wished it had not ended. I echo the previous journals' thoughts and quotations. This book has such a profound statement on freedom and choices. How wonderful it must have been to be in her classes! I will recommend this to everyone. Azar Nafisi can be heard talking about this book at http://www.npr.org on a Morning Edition segment and also with Terry Gross on Fresh Air. Both interviews add so much to the reading of this book. The Fresh Air interview is 40 minutes but well worth a listen. I can hardly wait for her next book!

♥♥♥ Anabanana - Thank you so very much for sharing this with all of us!

I will send this to Phillycarol next.

Journal Entry 13 by phillycarol from King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania USA on Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Received in the mail yesterday. Thanks!

Journal Entry 14 by phillycarol from King Of Prussia, Pennsylvania USA on Saturday, October 11, 2003
I just couldn't get into this book. I think it requires more time and thought than I had time to give. I didn't get very far into it at all. So insted of holding onto it, I dropped it in the mail to mrsordonez today.

Journal Entry 15 by mrsordonez from Fenton, Missouri USA on Friday, October 17, 2003
Okay, I have to admit that I've gotten bogged down with three bookrings at once. Yikes! They are all non-fiction, so I expect them to go quickly, but please be patient for my journal update once I've finished. I've been looking forward to reading this one for a long time, so I promise I'll be good and update when I'm done. Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this book. (P.S. it is still in great condition!)

Journal Entry 16 by mrsordonez from Fenton, Missouri USA on Sunday, February 1, 2004
Sorry it's taken so long, I had 3-4 bookrings ahead of this one that all arrived at the same time. (See Sex Changes for more details). I plan on speed-reading this one and getting it out real soon. Thanks for your patience!

Journal Entry 17 by mrsordonez from Fenton, Missouri USA on Sunday, February 29, 2004
I've finally finished this book. Sorry it took so long, for those of you still waiting, but it had been such a hot book on my tbr pile, that I just couldn't let the ring skip me. That said, I read the whole book. :) Yay! This has seemed to be quite a challenge for me with the last few non-fiction bookring books I have gotten, just because the author's narrative style was not quite what I desired.

I enjoyed hearing about the girls' lives in Tehran, and about the author's own experiences. I found her diatribes with the magician perplexing (distracting from the main thread of the book), however. I guess the worst part was that I have read no James, no Joyce, and no Austen, let alone Nabokov. I think the closest I have come is seeing the recent remake of Lolita in the theatre. (ugh..) So, I have to admit that I skipped many of the passages that I deemed amounted no more than to literary analysis. And perhaps this is why the whole relationship between the books and the lives of the women in the reading group just didn't correspond at all to each other in my perspective.

Of all the books described that I haven't read, :), however, I think I must have to put Invitation to a Beheading by Nabokov on the wish list.

While I was in possession of the book, there was a little forum thread on the subject Price of Honor by Jan Goodwin, or for a fun, yet scandalous semi(?)-true first-person account, the Princess Trilogy by Jean Sasson.

I'll be getting this book off in the mail soon. I'm glad I read it, it just didn't seem to live up to all the expectations I had for it...

Journal Entry 18 by baronreads from Sugar Grove, Illinois USA on Saturday, March 6, 2004
Received in mail today. It is in line behind one other book ring. We're going out of town in about 10 days, a 12 hour drive, so I'll have plenty of time to read. I'll check in when I'm finished. Thanks!

Journal Entry 19 by baronreads from Sugar Grove, Illinois USA on Saturday, June 19, 2004
Oops! I just found this in a pile of books. I thought I had passed on it and sent it on to the next person. So sorry! I have PMed the next person, but am leaving on vacation tomorrow, so will get it sent out when I return. Thanks all for your patience!

Journal Entry 20 by mrsordonez from Fenton, Missouri USA on Thursday, December 30, 2004
GirlfromIpanema (check spelling in ring entry!) asked me to make a journal entry. She would really like the book, and it seems like baronreads is having trouble because the people between the two have declined, or not responded to pms. GirlFIP requests that you PM your email address, and she will reply with her address in order to recieve the book. :)

Journal Entry 21 by baronreads at -- Controlled Release in Ottawa, Ontario Canada on Sunday, January 9, 2005
Released on Monday, January 10, 2005 at about 12:00:00 PM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at Controlled Release in Ottawa, Ontario Canada.

RELEASE NOTES:

Mailed to fellow BCer Suca as part of Book Ring. Enjoy!

I finally got a PM from Suca, who was next in line, and as she was still interested in the book it is going to her next. I did PM GFI to let her know what was happening. Sorry for the delay!

Journal Entry 22 by Suca from Ottawa, Ontario Canada on Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Just received this in the mail. I'm looking forward to a good read.

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