Jasmine and Stars: Reading More Than Lolita in Tehran (Islamic Civilization and Muslim Networks)
Fatemeh Keshavarz
1 ratings • 1 reviews
Jasmine and Stars: Reading More Than Lolita in Tehran (Islamic Civilization and Muslim Networks)
Fatemeh Keshavarz
1 ratings • 1 reviews
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 culture alive with artistic expression but virtually unknown to most Americans. 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 recent best-seller Reading Lolita in A Memoir in Books , which epitomizes what Keshavarz calls the "New Orientalist narrative," a view 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.
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This book did what it set out to do: be a candle to enable me to see more of the "elephant" in the dark room. Keshavarz's discussion on Neo Orientalism confirmed what I already sort of knew about modern works portraying entire countries and cultures as backwards/violent/brutal. I was lucky enough to read a few books centered on Iran/Persian culture in the past that did the good thing of avoiding brutal stereotypes and western/savior type characters. So in my mind, I related Persian culture with poetry/tea and philosophical grown ups.
I appreciate that this author didn't just tell her own story, but also did an argument and dissection of a wildly popular work (Reading Lolita in Tehran) so as to arm the reader with the ability to recognize Neo Orientalism in writing. However, the parts I most enjoyed were the author's stories about her kind, curious male and female role models, the importance of poetry and poets to her/her family/her classmates' education, and her anecdotes from working in America and challenging her sometimes misguided colleagues. Giving four stars because 1. Sometimes the criticism of RLT felt like it was line by line, quote by quote, which was less persuasive than it could've been. 2. I'm still a bit in the dark about "how things changed" after the Revolution.
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