Neither East Nor West: One Woman's Journey Through the Islamic Republic of Iran
by Christiane Bird
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"Here is the Islamic Republic of Iran today, in all its beauty, ferocity, and contradiction - from the modern bustling capital of Tehran to the medieval holy city of Qom. A fusion of eloquent travelogue, historical inquiry, unforgettable portraits of people, and interviews with Iranians from all walks of life, Neither East nor West is a landmark contribution to both travel writing and cultural studies, as well as a timely illumination of a nation deeply misunderstood by most Westerners." show more "Christiane Bird, who spent several years of her early childhood in Iran, sets out to write a simple safarnameh - the Persian word for travelogue or, literally, travel letter - but soon delivers much more. In describing the sights, sounds, and overall tenor of life in Iran today, she helps to break through the silence that has surrounded the country's culture - as opposed to its politics - for nearly twenty years. Up until the election of Iran's moderate President Khatami in 1997, virtually no Americans were allowed into the Islamic Republic." "Bird presents an unprecedented and riveting glimpse of contemporary Iran. Her travels take her from the sacred pilgrimage site of Mashhad, visited by more than twelve million Shi'ites every year, to the haunting, isolated valley of Alamut, once home to the legendary cult of the Assassins. She visits mosques, public baths, Khomeini's former home, and a Caspian Sea resort, and attends Friday prayer meetings and a horse racing meet. Along the way, she talks to everyone from muleteers to ayatollahs, Kurds to Turkomans, Westernized Iranians to traditional Iranians - many of whom invite her home for dinner or a cup of tea."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved show lessTags
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Member Reviews
I thoroughly enjoyed this journalist's four-month ramble though Iran, where she engaged with Iranians from all strata of society. She got me completely engrossed in the telling, and I thought the book was well-researched.
Mycket intressant reseskildring av Iran av en amerikanska som tillbringade sin barndom i Iran.
May 29, 2006Swedish
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Author Information
11 Works 444 Members
Christiane Bird is the author of "The Jazz & Blues Lover's Guide to the U.S." & a coauthor of "Below the Line: Living Poor in America". A graduate of Yale University & former travel writer for the "Daily News", she lives in New York City. (Bowker Author Biography)
Awards and Honors
Awards
Common Knowledge
- People/Characters
- Ayatollah Khomeini
- Important places
- Iran
- Dedication
- To my parents
- First words
- I am on a bus traveling through the desert between Kerman and Yazd when we pull over to a checkpoint. (Preface)
- Original language
- English
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Statistics
- Members
- 147
- Popularity
- 222,133
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.81)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 2
- ASINs
- 2
