Description
Beacon Press My Sister, Guard Your Veil; My Brother, Guard Your Eyes by Lila Azam Zanganeh
In the first anthology of its kind Lila Azam Zanganeh argues that although Iran looms large in the American imagination it is grossly misunderstoodseen either as the third pillar of Bushs infamous axis of evil or as a nation teeming with youths clamoring for revolution. This collection showcases the real scope and complexity of Iran through the work of a stellar group of contributorsincluding Azar Nafisi and with original art by Marjane Satrapi. Their collective goal is to counter the many existing cultural and political clichés about Iran. Some of the pieces concern feminism sexuality or eroticism under the Islamic Republic; others are unorthodox political testimonies or about race and religion. Almost all these contributors have broken artistic and cultural taboos in their work. Journalist Reza Aslan author of No God But God explains why Iran is not a theocracy but rather a mullahcracy. Mehrangiz Kar a lawyer and human rights activist who was jailed in Iran and is currently a fellow at Harvards Kennedy School of Government argues that the Iranian Revolution actually engendered the birth of feminism in Iran. Journalist Azadeh Moaveni reveals the underground parties and sex culture in Tehran while Gelareh Asayesh author of Saffron Sky writes poignantly on why Iranians are not considered white in America even though they think they are. Poet and writer Naghmeh Zarbafian expounds on the surreal experience of reading censored books in Iran while Roya Hakakian author of Journey from the Land of No: A Girlhood Caught in Revolutionary Iran recalls the happy days of Iranian Jews. With a sharp incisive introduction by Lila Azam Zanganeh this diverse collection will alter what you thought you knew about Iran. My Sister Guard Your Veil; My Brother Guard Your Eyes aims to corrode fixed ideas and turns cultural and political clichés on their heads . . . Iranians themselves live in a complex and schizophrenic reality at a surreal crossroads between political Islam and satellite television massive national oil revenues and searing social inequalities.From the Introduction by Lila Azam Zanganeh Contributors include: Azar Nafisi author of the bestselling Reading Lolita in Tehran Marjane Satrapi author of Persepolis Shirin Neshat internationally acclaimed visual artist Abbas Kiarostami awardwinning filmmaker of Taste of Cherry Shohreh Aghdashloo Oscar nominee for House of Sand and Fog Azadeh Moaveni author of Lipstick Jihad