I have always been interested in Iran, and have had a copy of this book for a long time. It's written by a journalist who has been covering Iran for about 20 years, so it's sort of pieces of history and culture put together. The sad part is that it was written in 2000, when Khatami was still president and the reform movement had a lot of support and internal credibility. Of course that all changed in 2003 when our brilliant president decided that despite the progress and clear political concessions being made, Iran was part of the "Axis of Evil". This caused a lot of popular backlash in Iran, and in 2005 Ahmedinejad was elected. A good complement to this book is the Frontline program "Showdown with Iran". Still, Iran has such a complex and fascinating history and political situation, that the book is well worth reading, even if things have swung back more towards conservatism in recent years.

Lively and intriguing this book gives a 1999 view of Iranian women's fashions and politics around Khatami. As a reader seeking current political information about the new "president" the book gave outdated information. Some tales about the consequences of inconsistent rules and bribes lend interest. The copyright date is 2000.

Wonderful book. I brought this book with me to Iran and read it while on the bus traveling throughout the country.

My first foray into Iran. I enjoyed the casual style and broad coverage. I look forward to learning more.