I've read many books on Iran but it never came from the perspective of non iranian or foreigner. This book is somewhat interesting. Ive read Shirin Ebadi, Houshang Asadi, Marjane Satrapi, their book is the manifestation of their personal story ; It might involve other people but at the end of the day, they are the star of their own book. Sciolino's approach of writing is simply based on her observation of what's Iran like on the daily basis. She ventured into the country that she had little knowledge of in the name of journalism. She encountered countless of experiences ; some were bitter, some were sweet and some were leaving such depth mark in her own memory. Every chapter that she wrote connected with her experience and ordinary people of Iran. I might re-read this book. What a great book!

The blurb says it the best. Iran is one of the countries I would love to visit one day. A beautiful, multi-cultural, architectural gem where intellectual debate started thousands of years ago, civilization never stopped its constant renaissance, while preserving the ancient and the unique, and where nature has a mystic quality to its diversity. Contrary to popular believe, Iran is an ancient old wine-making country, an art form which never bowed completely to the new theocracy of recent decades. The spirit and vitality of its people never seized to feed the imagination of visitors to this vast and inviting space. Iran is technically and geographically not a middle-eastern country. The original religion prior to Islam is still practiced.

The author uses the journalese style to invite the reader into this wonder world while addressing the political changes, the cultural norms and values and introduce a much different Iran to the outside world than is commonly known. I have read several books about this old land, and this is not one of the most exciting ones, however, it is so in-depth and informative that I tried to stick to it for most of it. Unfortunately it became a tedious read, since it's style makes it difficult to portray in text what a film documentary could have done better. A visual representation will work better in my humble opinion.

The author is a good writer, but the constant neurotic nature of her approach got me down. Some uplifting stories, but most of it is just depressing. She was on the same airplane as the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979 when he returned to Iran from France, covered the Iran-Iraq crises, the revolution, hostage crisis, the 1999 riots, and in a new afterward added the elections of 2005.

So, although the book is already a bit dated, it does provide an informative read, particularly focusing on women's issues in many instances. Azam Taleghani was one of the outstanding women who ran for president just to create a stir and a debate all over the country for women's rights. Iran has very much a gender fault line it its current and complex theocratic setup.

n  Given the harsh treatment of women in much of the Islamic world, it is understandable that Iran’s clerics would seek to rehabilitate their country’s image around the world by celebrating the centrality of their women. Women make up 25 percent of Iran’s labor force and half of the university population. They drive their own cars, buy and sell their own property, and run their own businesses. They keep their own names at marriage. The roots of these rights date from the constitutional movement of the early twentieth century, when women began to demand more rights, and later from the rule of Reza Shah, who expanded education and employment opportunities for women.

Most important, women vote in elections and hold political office. In 1999, when Iran held the first town council elections since the revolution, some Iranians told me that they voted for certain candidates simply because they were women.

...Unlike many other Islamic countries, Iran has an active family planning program, and birth control is widely available. Women are out on the streets early and late; they catch buses and communal taxis to school and work at 6:00 a.m.” and they shop for food at 3:00 a.m. in twenty four-hour supermarkets. In countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, most of these rights are denied to women.n

So I will go for four stars on this one. It is, however, worth the read. I enjoyed the few days I tried to get through it. But I need to move on. Too many books waiting.

Elaine Sciolino is a female New York Times journalist who had the good fortune of being present in Paris with the exiled future leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khomenei. When he seized power from the Shah in the Islamic Revolution of 1979, Sciolino was one of the first Western journalists on the ground and she enjoyed privileged access to the new Iranian clerical elite. Iran is a country so alien to us in the West and the lack of knowledge of this ancient culture that is expressed to us in our news and history books made me drawn to reading this book. It is very well written, with lots of detail and the best part for me was the personalised touch. We hear of a woman with a deep commitment to exposing this 'other' culture. She writes with the eyes of an American female yet is obviously deeply in love with this country's people, if not always the ideals of their government. The ways of life are so strikingly difficult. I was overwhelmed by the seeming oppression that the general population live under. There is a remarkable contrast between public and private life and Sciolino was fortunate enough to be invited into the private spheres that would often elude a typical tourist's quest. The acceptance of senior Imams and clerics and government officials to provide her with sensitive material makes this such a critical read and I found it particularly interesting when her Iranian female friends allowed her into their private spaces, where the public veil of the chador could be lifted. The exploration of various areas of Iran journeyed us from ruins in Persepolis to the rigours of religious life in Qom. There was always an overlook at how the Islamic Revolution was still occurring and the ways that this strict religious governance affects people truly exposes the current national psyche that separates us so much from Iranians in the modern age. 'Death to America', a much-repeated slogan in the Revolution must have meant that it was particularly dangerous for Sciolino to research this book, but she demonstrates that things are changing and in fact most Iranians would love to actually visit America and it is this that makes her as an individual, as fascinating to them as they are to her. I think that for anyone who wishes to understand Iran, in its modern situation, especially with the rhetoric of the current global political climate, that this book is a most essential read.

I hated History in high school. I just assumed I always would, but now I can see what I hated about it. American History was boring--Americans have learned about it all their lives. Government was boring--it was about the American Government. World History was boring because it was told from the American perspective. I read this for my Global Awareness class and found it interesting, fascinating at some parts. As an American I have almost no knowledge of Middle Eastern countries and this book easily lets you see into the private and public lives of Iranians. It gives great historical context and also a great insight into the people of Iran, since Sciolino herself spent nearly twenty years writing about (and visiting) Iran. I particularly enjoyed the chapters about Iranian women. They were surprising and very intimate. A good, informative read.

I studied Farsi in college but have never had an opportunity to visit Iran. I was looking for a book which would give me a sense of what it's like there. This book, which is perhaps a little dated now (although I wouldn't let that stop you from reading it), contains a wealth of information about politics, daily life and religion in Iran. It goes into great detail about political personalities and the struggle between conservatives and reformists. There are also all sorts of great details about what it's like to navigate the country from the immigration desk at the airport to public domains such as hotels, restaurants, taxi cabs and walking on the street as well as private domains such as family homes and gardens.

The author clearly has a lot of affection and respect for Iranian culture, but she pulls no punches when it comes to criticizing the repressive government. It's bad enough that women routinely have to deal with thugs approaching them on the street to instruct them to adjust their scarves to better cover their hair. But the consequences of pushing the boundaries on dress and behavior can sometimes have much more drastic consequences given that there is no real rule of law and that the rules change arbitrarily all the time.

Sciolino wrote this book with 20 years' experience as a journalist covering Iran, so she brought to it the benefit of personal relationships with people in key positions of power in Iran and those close to them. It's fascinating to read about the rise of the reformists in the elections of 1997 and 2000 and their jostling for influence with the conservatives who were and remain determined to maintain a stranglehold on power in the country.

I enjoyed learning more about such colorful characters as former Tehran mayor Gholem-Hosein Karbaschi. He's a guy who knows how to get things done, but there's no doubt he was guilty of at least some of the corruption he was charged with when the conservatives brought him to trial to undermine the reformist agenda. I'm not sure that necessarily makes him a bad guy, though, given that it takes all sorts of creative strategizing to accomplish anything of consequence in that political environment.

Rafsanjani, too, is a multi-dimensional character who can't easily be categorized as either a good guy or a bad guy. But, certainly, Khatami and others of the reformist bent can be placed firmly in the good list in that they have taken on all sorts of personal risks, including prison time, in order to rescue the country from presumably well-meaning individuals who believe that imposing their religion on everyone, no matter what their beliefs are, is the best way to protect the country from outside influences. Others are Abdollah Nouri, a former Khatami cabinet member, Ayatollah Montazeri and both his father and son, and even the Supreme Leader's own brother, Hadi. On the bad-guy list belong those who are determined to do what ever is necessary to protect the status quo no matter who gets hurt or killed as a result.

Other interesting details include the story of Ayatollah Montazeri, chosen early on by Khomeini as his successor, and his subsequent fall from grace due to his public criticisms of repressive practices by the government. Interestingly, he was not jailed for his views as many others have been. Instead, he was allowed to continue to live in his house and to teach students studying to be clerics. Indeed, Shi'ite Islam is all about encouraging a diversity of opinions and allowing everyone to follow the cleric whose opinions most resonate with their own. So it's odd to think that a government led by Shi'ite clerics would be so determined to quash competing points of view by jailing clerics and other members of society the way the Islamic Republic does.

There are many stories about mainstream Iranians and the problems they face in their daily lives. And there are others which describe problems faced by women and minorities in particular. Baha'is in particular face severe challenges because their religion is considered invalid in that it was established after Mohammed, who is believed to have been the seal of the prophets whom no others can follow. Baha'is are required to serve in the army and to pay taxes, but they have no rights and can have their passports or property seized for virtually any reason. But it's bad enough for Jews, who are routinely rounded up and put on trial for spying for Israel or other absurd charges, and Christians, whose schools and churches are, by law, overseen by Muslims though they do not benefit from the large bonyads (foundations) which fund mosques.

I regret that this review is coming across as so negative because there are actually many positive aspects of Iran discussed in the book. The centuries-long tradition of Persian poetry, for example, and beautiful architectural landmarks in places like Shiraz and Esfahan. Cultural events like the Persian New Year, inspired by the Zoroastrian religion native to Iran, are likewise described in detail along with many examples of the constructive ways Iranians go about creating a meaningful life for themselves despite the repressive environment they face.

And, of course, Iran and Islam don't have a monopoly on religious-inspired repression. There was, for example, a story in the book about a female student who was not allowed to take a test at her college because her coat was too short, a story which reminded me of a similar incident which happened at BYU in my hometown of Provo, Utah. That latter incident became famous when the student wrote a letter to the editor of the student newspaper describing the encounter, which resulted from the fact that she was wearing jeans, which weren't allowed at BYU at that time. The solution, she wrote, was to remove her jeans underneath her winter coat in order to gain access into the testing center to take her test. That letter is occasionally republished in the student newspaper along with other memorable letters from across the decades.

In any case, it's clear that Iran will have to change to accommodate the younger generation, who sees no point in social restrictions which have no real benefit to them. And, already in 2000, Sciolino notes that positive change is apparent.

Undoubtedly, the US has undermined Iran over the years. But, in many cases, Iran has brought this on herself. Toward the end of the book, the author points out that our two countries have many goals in common, and she predicts that this will bring us together eventually. Indeed, the democratic tendencies of the Islamic Republic, despite conservative attempts to undermine it, could serve as a model for the rest of the Middle East once they work out more of the kinks. (And God knows that America has enough problems with its own democracy which, likewise, needs major reforms 15 years into the 21st century!)

Finally, I wanted to mention briefly that I read this book side-by-side with Jamie Maslin's _Iranian Rappers and Persian Porn_ and Roger Housden's _Saved By Beauty_. The three books together gave me a combined sense of Iran that I wouldn't have gotten by reading only one or two of them. Housden's is a little more esoteric, focusing on Persian art and philosophy. And Maslin's book was a fun travelogue and a quick read if a little heavy on the details of his partying with mindless hedonists. If you have limited time to devote to reading, I'd go with this book over either of the other two. However, if you're really more interested in a travelogue then an in-depth book about Iranian society, one of those other two books is probably more what you are looking for.

update: Hooman Majd's _The Ayatollah Begs to Differ: The Paradox of Modern Iran_ is an excellent companian volume to this one. If you're not all that interested in a deep look at Iranian society, go with the Maslin travelogue. Otherwise, Majd and Sciolino are the best books I know of on this subject. I am less enamored of Roger Housden's _Saved By Beauty_, mostly because it's very slow and easy to put down. But I'll revisit this review once I've actually finished that book as I want to give it a sporting chance.

Very insightful for a non-Persian reader or for those who live aboard for many years. Yet it needs its 2nd edition following the recent changes.

A woman journalist's take on Iran. Very interesting, she takes you places you never expect.

Ooh, want to read this one, I remember how this period of time affected some of my schoolmates. They, when asked where they were from, would sometimes reply "Persia" rather than Iran due to the fear of reprecussions from classmates. Finding out what was REALLY happening in Iran at the time is intriguing.

This book is a must-read for anyone hoping to understand the current state of Iran.

Well researched, well written and very hard to put down. I learned a LOT but for some reason just cannot keep straight Iran and Iraq...with only one consonant difference no wonder. However if I can remember that one used to be Persia, that helps. Sometimes.

I have developed a fascination with Iran lately, so I found this book to be very interesting and informative. It's nonfiction though so beware that there is a lot of names and dates and history.

Its the feminint version of "La Divina Commedia" (specifically one aspect of it...hope Virgil is okay). I first learned about the Bahai's here: had I lived another life, that's the religion I would've taken, had I the choice to make. I want to worship out of virtue, faith, love; and thus immeasurable mercy and compassion with unparalleled wisdom, mercy, and love should be what is sought in the Divine.

I got fear, shame, regret, envy, and apathy.

Merry Christmas