Neither East Nor West: One Woman's Journey Through the Islamic Republic of Iran
Sign in to keep track of books you’ve read and want to read.
Fusing travelogue, historical inquiry, and interviews with Iranians from all walks of life, Neither East Nor Westis a landmark contribution to travel writing and to cultural studies, as well as a timely illumination of a nation deeply misunderstood by most Westerners. In describing life in Iran today, Christiane Bird, an American who spent part of her childhood there, breaks the silence that has surrounded Iran's culture — unlike its politics — for nearly twenty years.
Read more
Traveling alone and largely by bus, Bird journeys from the modern, bustling capital of Tehran to the medieval holy city of Qom, from the sacred pilgrimage site of Mashhad — visited by more than twelve million Shi'ites annually — to the 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 prayer meetings and a horse racing meet. Along the way, she talks to muleteers and ayatollahs, Kurds and Turkomans, Westernized and traditional Iranians — many of whom invite her home for a cup of tea.
The result is an astounding, insightful journey into the Islamic Republic of Iran — in all its beauty, ferocity, and contradiction.
Liked Neither East Nor West: One Woman's Journey Through the Islamic Republic of Iran? Here’s where I’d start.
These suit anyone who liked Neither East Nor West: One Woman's Journey Through the Islamic Republic of Iran. Sign in and mark a few books for picks shaped around your own taste.
-
Mirrors of the Unseen: Journeys in Iran Shares Iran, travel, Middle East -
Persian Mirrors: The Elusive Face of Iran Shares Iran, Middle East, nonfiction -
The Soul of Iran: A Nation's Struggle for Freedom Shares Iran, Middle East, nonfiction -
Searching for Hassan: A Journey to the Heart of Iran Shares Iran, Middle East, memoir
