Jasmine and Stars

by Keshavarz, Fatemeh

• ISBN13: 9780807859575
• ISBN10: 0807859575
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-02-01
• Publisher: Univ of North Carolina Pr

Summary

In a direct, frank, and intimate exploration of Iranian literature and society, scholar, teacher, and poet Fatemeh Keshavarz challenges popular perceptions of Iran as a society bereft of vitality and joy. Her fresh perspective on present day Iran provides a rare insight into this rich but virtually unknown culture alive with artistic expression.Keshavarz introduces readers to two modern Iranian women writers whose strong and articulate voices belie the stereotypical perception of Iranian women as voiceless victims in a country of villains. She follows with a lively critique of the best-sellingReading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books, which epitomizes what Keshavarz calls the "New Orientalist narrative"--marred by stereotype and prejudice more often tied to current geopolitical conflicts than to an understanding of Iran.Blending in firsthand glimpses of her own life--from childhood memories in 1960s Shiraz to her present life as a professor in America--Keshavarz paints a portrait of Iran depicting both cultural depth and intellectual complexity. With a scholar's expertise and a poet's hand, she helps amplify the powerful voices of contemporary Iranians and leads readers toward a deeper understanding of the country's past and present.

Author Biography

Fatemeh Keshavarz is professor of Persian and comparative literature and chair of the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages and Literatures at Washington University in St. Louis

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. ix
Introduction: What Does the Elephant Look Like?	p. 1
The Jasmine, the Stars, and the Grasshoppers	p. 13
The Eternal Forough: The Voice of Our Earthly Rebellion	p. 33
My Uncle the Painter	p. 59
Women without Men: Fireworks of the Imagination	p. 85
The Good, the Missing, and the Faceless: What Is Wrong with Reading Lolita in Tehran	p. 109
Tea with My Father and the Saints	p. 145
Recommended Reading	p. 167
Index	p. 169
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