Citind Lolita în Teheran

Azar Nafisi meets with seven of her students at her home in Tehran. They read Western classics while Iran lives under Islamic rule. Some come from strict homes that keep to old ways. Others have spent time in jail for political reasons. At first, they feel fear and do not trust each other. This keeps them from speaking as they wish. Books help them share their hopes and what has let them down.

They read Jane Austen and F. Scott Fitzgerald. They also read Henry James and Vladimir Nabokov. The women see links between the characters and their own lives. Outside, fundamentalists close places of higher learning and censor the arts. Inside the home, the group has room to think and speak.

The book looks at women’s lives during Iran’s revolution. It shows how reading can help people resist harsh rule. It blends tales of their lives with thoughts on fiction. Silvia Osman translated this edition from English and added notes. It is part of the TOP 10+ series.