Censoring an iranian love story, by mandanipour politics. W hen a story comes to an iranian writers mind, he or she is doomed to think of two different versions. A love story is contained within it, but solely as a vehicle for the author to write an extended set of stories and personal accounts about life in iran, and particularly the censorship of artistic works. Seamlessly entwining two related narratives, mandanipour unfolds the tale of an iranian writer attempting to pen a love story set in presentday iran. Read censoring an iranian love story by shahriar mandanipour available from rakuten kobo. Censoring an iranian love story by shahriar mandanipour censoring an iranian love story becomes a kunderalike rumination on philosophy and politics that playfully investigates the possibilities and limits of storytelling. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Censoring an iranian love story, a brilliant novel about the frustrating and sometimes perilous situation of the book industry in a country. Shahriar mandanipour is an awardwinning iranian novelist in modern persian literature and is now a wellknown international writer. Censoring an iranian love story censoring an iranian love story audiobook, by shahriar mandanipour. Censoring an iranian love story by zipp, yvonne the.
Censoring an iranian love story opens a revelatory window onto what its like to live, to love, and to be an artist in todays iran. Truly original, censoring an iranian love story is an incredibly imaginative yet always charming love story set in contemporary iran that crackles with wit, verve and social comment. Mandanipour wrote censoring an iranian love story while holding an international writers project fellowship residency at brown university, and is now a visiting scholar at harvard university. Shahriar mandanipours englishlanguage debut is an expansive. Shahriar mandanipour has won numerous awards for his novels, short stories, and nonfiction in. First off, we learn from the narrator, who like the author is named shariar, that to be a writer in iran means not only writing the story you want to write but also having to bowdlerize the story for the ministry of culture. Censoring an iranian love story by shahriar mandanipour about the book from one of iran s most acclaimed and controversial contemporary writers, his first novel to appear in english a dazzlingly inventive work of fiction that opens a revelatory window onto what its like to live, to love, and to be an artist in todays iran. In this beautiful and ambitious novel, mandanipour censoring an iranian love story tells the story of amir yamini, a veteran of the iraniraq war who lost his left arm and much of his memory in. For mandanipour, the censor is a kind of cowriter of the book, and he appears often in this novel. The story as raha namy puts it in the quarterly conversation, censoring an iranian love story is a multilayered story. Michiko kakutani, the new york times a love story that is convincingly, achingly impossible in a place where men and women cannot even look at each other in. Censoring an iranian love story is not simply prohibited by censorship but made by it. From one of irans most acclaimed and controversial contemporary writers.
In an aside about censorship on page 57, as he tries to write dialogue between sara and dara, the narrator. Censoring an iranian love story shows readers the difficulty in having novels published in iran without them being heavily edited first. This new constitution allows the printing and publishing of any and all books and journals and strictly prohibits their censorship and inspection. Jun 01, 2010 censoring an iranian love story is one of the most unusual books i have read recently and is very difficult to classify. Censoring an iranian love story is a book of many stories in multiple layers told in an original and satirical manner. Goodreads members who liked censoring an iranian love stor. Censoring an iranian love story by shahriar mandanipour. In his first novel to appear in english, one of irans most important living fiction writers the guardian shows what. Shahriar mandanipour, censoring an iranian love story tags. The details have been explained, not in legislation of. So when i found censoring an iranian love story, it was like a treasure to me, hoping it would give me an idea about the modernday iran without having to visit.
In 2009, mandanipour published censoring an iranian love story, his first novel to be translated into english. Censoring an iranian love story december 18, 2009 the american debut by shahriar mandanipour is a love story, a mystery and an exploration of the political situation in iran. Jun 30, 2009 censoring an iranian love story by shahriar mandanipour an iranian writer who is currently a visiting scholar at harvard is, at once, a novel about two young iranians trying to conduct a. Censoring an iranian love story by shahriar mandanipour from one of iran s most acclaimed and controversial contemporary writers, his first novel to appear in english a dazzlingly inventive work of fiction that opens a revelatory window onto what its like to live, to love, and to be an artist in todays iran. An iranian author writes a love story about a young couple who must hide from the campaign against social corruption as the writter himself crosses out sections of the manuscript to avoid the same. Censoring an iranian love story is a brilliant novel about the complexities of writing and publishing in iran. Censoring an iranian love story book by shahriar mandanipour. Shahriar mandanipour author of censoring an iranian love. Ostensibly a tale of romance, the book delves deeply into themes of censorship as the author struggles, in the text, with writing a love story that hell be able to get past irans ministry of culture and islamic guidances office of.
The first of mandanipours novels to appear in english follows an ambitious but censored iranian writer as he attempts to write a nobelcaliber. At the beginning of censoring an iranian love story, two tehran. Censoring an iranian love story is a brilliant novel about the complexities of writing and publishing in iran, guardian the absurdities of life in the islamic republic of iran provide frequent moment of hilarity typical of political satires in the tradition of milan kundera. In this beautiful and ambitious novel, mandanipour censoring an iranian love story tells the story of amir yamini, a veteran of the iran iraq war who lost his left arm and much of his memory in. Censoring an iranian love story encyclopaedia iranica. Censoring an iranian love story shahriar mandanipour. He is forced to change his story, characters and dialogue to comply with the restrictions of the ministry of culture and islamic. How does this story and the other legends, myths, tales from iranian cultural history relate to sara and daras narrative. A writer named shahriarthe authors fictional alter egohas struggled for years against the allpowerful censor at the ministry of. Jul 23, 2009 censoring an iranian love story is one of the most unusual books i have read recently and is very difficult to classify. Censoring an iranian love story by shahriar mandanipour book. See more ideas about book cover design, cover and catcher in the rye. The book cover archive, for the appreciation and categorization of excellence in book cover design. At its best, censoring an iranian love story becomes a kunderalike rumination on philosophy and politics that playfully investigates the possibilities and limits of storytelling.
Instead, there are ruminations on art and censorship, traditional and modern literature, the problems. Written by an esteemed iranian author, shahriar mandanipour, censoring an iranian love story is a darkly comic and profoundly touching story that weaves an intricate tale of love between the constraints of contemporary iranian government and the cultural relationships between men and women there. He won the mehregan award for the best iranian childrens novel of 2004. Censoring an iranian love story audiobook listen instantly. Sara falls in love with dara through secret messages hidden in code in the pages of books that have been outlawed, but then something quite extraordinary and unexpected happens. Listen to censoring an iranian love story by shahriar. Censoring an iranian love story by shahriar mandanipour an iranian.
Sara falls in love with dara through secret messages hidden in code in the pages of books that have been outlawed, but then something quite extraordinary and. From one of irans most acclaimed and controversial contemporary writers, his first novel to appear in englisha dazzlingly inventive work of fiction that opens a revelatory window onto what its like to live, to love, and to be an artist in todays iran. At its best, censoring an iranian love story becomes a kunderalike. Reading guide for censoring an iranian love story by. In censoring an iranian love story, a writer also named shahriar mandanipour and the authors alter ego tries to write the story of sara and dara, a young couple in love, and finds himself in a metaphorical burka. Dec 18, 2009 in censoring an iranian love story, a young man falls for and seduces a woman by posing as a bookseller so he can hand her the blind owl, a novel by the beloved but often censored iranian writer.
The first of mandanipours novels to appear in english follows an ambitious but censored iranian writer as he attempts to write a nobelcaliber love story that will pass the censors inspection. In censoring an iranian love story, a young man falls for and seduces a woman by posing as a bookseller so he can hand her the blind owl, a novel by the beloved but often censored iranian. Translated by sara khalili censoring an iranian love story becomes a kunderalike rumination on philosophy and politics that playfully investigates the possibilities and limits of storytelling by michiko kakutani, the new york times. Censoring an iranian love story quotes by shahriar mandanipour. Censoring an iranian love story hardcover book passage. The author, shahriar mandanipour has chosen not to write a love story for the ages, but has instead, written a heartrending story for the moment eventually, this book will stand as an important history lesson. In shahriar mandanipours censoring an iranian love story.
Reading guide for censoring an iranian love story by shahriar mandanipour discussion guide for book clubs. Censoring an iranian love story audiobook by shahriar. Censoring an iranian love story is one of the most unusual books i have read recently and is very difficult to classify. At the books outset we see a young girl, a student named sara. A love story is contained within it, but solely as a vehicle for the author to write an extended set of stories and personal accounts about life in iran, and particularly the censorship. May 05, 2009 censoring an iranian love story by shahriar mandanipour from one of irans most acclaimed and controversial contemporary writers, his first novel to appear in english a dazzlingly inventive work of fiction that opens a revelatory window onto what its like to live, to love, and to be an artist in todays iran. Find books like censoring an iranian love story from the worlds largest community of readers. Shahriar mandanipour, a contemporary and controversial iranian writer, presents his first novel written in english. Laced with surprising humor and irony, at once provocative and deeply moving, censoring an iranian love story takes us unforgettably to the heart of one of the worlds most alluring yet least understood cultures. Censoring an iranian love story paperback the elliott bay. Mandanipour was banned from publishing his work in iran for several years and then moved to the united states in 2006 where he was able to translate his work into english and finally have it published. As a professional writer, narrator shahriar has known his censor, nicknamed pofiry petrovich, for long enough that he can anticipate his objections. Preceding the publication of its persian original by over a decade sweden, 2001, sahe siahpusan by husang golsiri 19382000 was translated by abbas milani as king of the benighted and was first. Perhaps i write stories to show that in life there are moments, emotions, and events that cannot be explained with words.
Since the iranian revolution in 1979, the constitution of the islamic republic of iran states regarding freedom of expression. Needless to say, the course of their true love does not run smoothly. Censoring an iranian love story shahriar mandanipour, author, sara khalili, translator, trans. Aug 14, 2009 saeed kamali dehghan on love and the censor. Censoring an iranian love story book the indianapolis. Censoring an iranian love story, by shahriar mandanipour. It will help to further understanding of the frustrating and sometimes perilous situation of the book industry in a country where is not respected, where writers struggle desperately to publish and can be jailed simply for. May 29, 2009 in censoring an iranian love story, the first novel to be published in english by iranian writer shahriar mandanipour, the first word of the title is the one that should govern a readers.
Discuss the conclusion of the novel, which leaves much to the readers imagination yet in many ways for example, with the return of the hunchback midget feels very fitting. The author, shahriar mandanipour has chosen not to write a love story for the ages, but has instead, written a heartrending story for the moment eventually, this book will stand as an important. Reading guide for censoring an iranian love story by shahriar. Censoring an iranian love story ebook by shahriar mandanipour. In my stories and novels there are men whom i have created with a body and. May 05, 2009 laced with surprising humor and irony, at once provocative and deeply moving, censoring an iranian love story takes us unforgettably to the heart of one of the worlds most alluring yet least understood cultures.
The love story of a girl who has never seen the man who has been in love with her for a year and whom she loves very much. A writer named shahriarthe authors fictional alter egohas struggled for years against the allpowerful censor at the ministry of culture and islamic guidance. Unfortunately, however, our constitution makes no mention of these books and publications being allowed to freely leave the print shop. Censoring an iranian love story by shahriar mandanipour an iranian writer who is currently a visiting scholar at harvard is, at once, a novel about two young iranians trying to conduct a. In censoring an iranian love story, the first novel to be published in english by iranian writer shahriar mandanipour, the first word of the title is the one that should govern a readers. Censoring an iranian love story paperback the elliott. Dara first sees sara in a public library, where she is looking for a copy of the blind owl, a banned novel by the acclaimed iranian writer sadeq. Censoring an iranian love story, a brilliant novel about the frustrating and sometimes perilous situation of the book industry in a country, in which both writer and censor appear as fictional characters, kamali dehghan consists of two separate yet intricately interwoven plots. Michiko kakutani, the new york times a love story that is convincingly, achingly impossible in a place where men and women cannot even look at each other in public. Ostensibly a tale of romance, the book delves deeply into themes of censorship as the author struggles, in the text, with writing a love story that hell be able to get past iran s ministry of culture and islamic guidances office of. The story is told by a fictional narrator who is caught between the undeniable urge to write a love story and the story he is allowed to write in accordance with extreme censorship from the government. In censoring an iranian love story, the first novel to be published in english by iranian writer shahriar mandanipour, the first word of the title is the one that should govern a readers expectations.
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