Campus Read 2009

The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Bismarck State College

Has reading The Complete Persepolis sparked your interest in Iran? To learn more about Iran and its history,
culture, politics, and people, here is a sampling of books, eBooks, films, and websites to explore.

A selected, annotated bibliography prepared by Marlene Anderson, Director of Library Services

Most of these resourcesare available at the BSC Library. Check them out!

SELECTED BOOKS BSC LIBRARY NOTES

CALL NUMBER
After the Prophet: the Epic Story of the Shia-Sunni Split in Islam/ Lesley Hazleton. New York: Doubleday, 2009. BP Non-fiction
55 256 p.
In 632, the founder of Islam died without a clearly designated successor, which led to the turmoil that ended in the division .H42
2009
of Muslims into Sunni and Shia. Booklist says this book“… thrillingly and intelligently distills one of the most consequential
trains of events in all history. An absolute gift for world history studies.”
The Age of Orphans: a Novel/ by Lalel Khadivi. New York: Bloomsbury, 2009. PS Fiction
3611 292 p.
The first in a planned trilogy, this novel opens in 1921 when everyone but a young Kurdish boy is killed in an attack by the .H315
A73
shah’s army. The soldiers adopt him as the “orphan Kurd” and he becomes “a plebe in the great army of the shah” -- his
2009
family history erased. Years later, when his company attacks a Kurdish village, the boy remembers his past and realizes “he
is them.” In 2008, author Lalel Khadivi received a Whiting Award, which is given to writers of exceptional talent and
promise in their early career.
Ajdar / written and illustrated by Marjane Satrapi. Spanish ed. France: Nathan Jeunesse, 2002. Children’s Children’s
Collection fiction
A children’s book by the author of Persepolis. Available in French and Spanish editions. PZ 32 p.;
8 Spanish
.S264 language
Adj edition
2006
All the Shah’s Men: an American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror/ Stephen Kinzer. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & DS Non-fiction
Sons, 2003. 318 258 p.
.K49
2003
Kinzer, a New York Times correspondent, recreates the CIA’s 1953 overthrow of the elected leader of Iran, a coup which
brought Mohammad Reza Shah to power. The Shahwas widely viewed as a U.S. puppet and was himself overthrown in the
Islamic revolution of 1979. A 2003 Business Week review said, “…entertaining and sometimes shocking...serves as a useful
reminder that troublesome regimes do not come out of nowhere."
The Ayatollah Begs to Differ: the Paradox of Modern Iran / Hooman Majd. New York: Doubleday, 2008. DS Non-fiction
318.9 256 p.
“The grandson of an eminent ayatollah and the son of an Iranian diplomat, now an American citizen, Hooman Majd is, in a .M35
2009
way, both 100 percent Iranian and 100 percent American, combining an insider’s knowledge of how Iran works with a
remarkable ability to explain its history and its quirks to Western readers … he paints a portrait of a country that is fiercely
proud of its Persian heritage, mystified by its outsider status, and scornful of the idea that the United States can dictate
how it should interact with the community of nations.” – Publisher’s description
The Bathhouse/ Farnoosh Moshiri. Seattle, WA: Black Heron Press, 2001. PS Fiction
3563 182 p.
Winner of the Black Heron Press Award for Social Fiction in 2001, The Bathhouseis based on interviews with Iranian women .O88443
B38
who were imprisoned in the early days of the fundamentalist revolution in Iran. Kirkus Reviews called it “Remarkably
2003
intricate and fascinating … A superb debut.”
Black Parrot, Green Crow: a Collection of Short Fiction / Houshang Golshiri; edited by Heshmat Moayyad. PK Fiction
Washington, D.C.: Mage Publishers, 2003. 6561 244 p.
.G775
A6
Brings together 18 short stories and three poems by Houshang Golshiri (1937-2000), one of the most influential 20th
2003
century writers of Persian prose. His stories and protests against censorship landed him in trouble (including a ban on his
books and imprisonment) with both the Pahlavi regime and the Islamic Republic.
Caspian Rain: a Novel/ Gina B. Nahai. San Francisco: MacAdam Cage, 2007. PS Fiction
3552 298 p.
“Like drops of acid, Gina Nahai’s words burn the pages of this moving novel about the fate of women in pre-revolutionary .A6713
C37
Iran … Beneath the novel’s calm and captivating prose is a powerful testament to Iranian women’s fight against oppression.”
2007
– from Ms. Magazine
Censoring an Iranian Love Story: a Novel/ Shahriar Mandanipour. New York: Knopf, 2009. PK Fiction
6561 295 p.
“Imagine trying to write about romance in a society in which it’s a crime for a woman to walk down the street with a man .M236
C46
who isn’t a relative, and in which government censors scrutinize every line. Shahriar Mandanipour, the struggling Iranian
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author portrayed with mischievous wit and serious intent in this elaborately chambered double-novel by the real-life
Shahriar Mandanipour––a prominent, censored Iranian writer––labors anxiously over the love story of Sara and Dara under
the sharp eyes of Mr. Petrovich, a censor of disturbingly omniscient powers …” -- Donna Seaman, Booklist
Chicken with Plums/ Marjane Satrapi. New York: Knopf/Doubleday, 2009. ML Non-fiction
419 96 p.
From Publishers Weekly: “The question of what makes a life worth living has rarely been posed with as much poignancy and .K495
S313
ambition as it is in Satrapi's dazzling new effort … Here she presents us with the story of her great-uncle Nasser Ali Khan,
2006
one of Iran's most revered musicians, who takes to bed after realizing that he'll never be able to find an instrument to
replace his beloved, broken tar.”
The Complete Persepolis / Marjane Satrapi. 1sted. New York: Pantheon Books, 2007. PN Memoir
6747 341 p.
This one-volume work contains Persepolis (2003) and Persepolis 2 (2004). Using a graphic novel format, The Complete .S245
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Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s story of her childhood and coming of age in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution, her high
2007
school years in Vienna, her homecoming, and her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland.
Confronting Iran: the Failure of American Foreign Policy and the Next Great Crisis in the Middle East/ Ali M. E Non-fiction
Ansari. New York: Basic Books, c2006. 183.8 280 p.
.I55
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From Google Books: “… this book will be essential reading for anyone seeking to understand this explosive region.”
2006
Creation: a Novel/ Gore Vidal. 1sted. New York: Random House, 1981. PS Fiction
3543 510 p.
Step back in time with Gore Vidal’s Creation, a novel that revisits the fifth century B.C. through the eyes of Cyrus Spitama, .I26
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who spent most of his life as Persian ambassador for the great king Darius. Mary Renault of The New York Review of Books
1981
called it “Brilliantly realized … Fertile, vivid, and ingenious … [A] surging river of a book.”
Daneshvar’s Playhouse: a Collection of Stories / Simin Daneshvar. Washington, D.C.: Mage Publishers, 2008. PK Fiction
6561 184 p.
“These stories not only portray, with incomparable perception, humor, and compassion, women from the various strata of .D263
A25
Iranian society, but they also capture the essence of a rich traditional culture undergoing change.” – Mage Publishers 1989

Democracy in Iran: History and the Quest for Liberty/ Ali Gheissari, Vali Nasr. Oxford; New York:Oxford University DS Non-fiction
Press, 2006. 316.6 214 p.
.G47
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Looks at the political history of Iran in the modern era and analyzes the prospects of democracy developing and flourishing
in a Muslim state.
Embroideries/ Marjane Satrapi. New York: Knopf, 2006. PN Non-fiction
6747 144 p.
“… explores the lives of Iranian women young and old. The book begins with Satrapi arriving for afternoon tea at her .S245
E42
grandmother's house. There, her mother, aunt, and their group of friends tell stories about their lives as women, and, more
2005
specifically, the men they've lived with and through.” -- Publishers Weekly
Engaging the Muslim World/ Juan Cole. 1sted. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009. DS Non-fiction
35.74 282 p.
From Google Books: “With clarity and concision, Juan Cole disentangles the key foreign policy issues that America is .U6
C65
grappling with today -- from our dependence on Middle East petroleum to the promotion of Islamophobia by the American
2009
right -- and delivers his informed advice on the best way forward.”
Female Warriors of Allah: Women and the Islamic Revolution/ Minou Reeves. 1sted. New York: Dutton, 1989. HQ Non-fiction
1735.2 218 p.
“Raised in Iran and employed by the government of the Shah, Reeves watched the development of the Iranian revolution .R44
1989
and its displacement of westernized society. She seeks to examine the particular position of women in the reassertion of
fundamentalist Islam, both in religious terms and in light of the political terrorism that became part of it.” -- Library Journal
Forgotten Empire: the World of Ancient Persia / edited by John Curtis and Nigel Tallis;with contributions by Beatrice DS Non-fiction
Andre-Salvini . . . [et al.] Berkeley: University of California Press, c2005. 276 272 p.
.F67
2005
Created in association with the British Museum for an exhibition on the Achaeminids, this beautifully illustrated book traces
the rise and fall of one of the ancient world's largest and richest empires.
Garden of the Brave in War: Recollections of Iran/ Terrence O’Donnell. Washington, D.C.: Mage Publishers, 2003. On order Non-fiction
248 p.
From inside cover: “For ten years in the 1960s and 1970s, Terence O’Donnell, an American, lived in on a farm near Shiraz
in Iran, raising pomegranates, quinces, grapes, chickens, and bees. He made many Iranian friends and shares his
memories of that time in this “masterpiece of national portraiture.” “A work of shimmering beauty and sensitivity, Garden
of the Brave in War will deepen every reader’s understanding of the often elusive country that lies behind the headlines.”
The Gulf War: the Origins and Implications of the Iran-Iraq Conflict / Majid Khadduri. New York: Oxford University DS Non-fiction
Press, 1988. 274.2 236 p.
.I72
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"Unlike other works on the Gulf War, this highly informative book discusses unresolved disputes between Iraq and Kuwait in
1988
their historical contexts, focusing on Iraq's economic and strategic requirements as well as its views and grievances before
the invasion of Kuwait. In doing so the authors manage to express views from the other side and maintain rigorous
objectivity."— Halim Barakat, Research Professor, Georgetown University
Guests of the Ayatollah: the First Battle in America's War with Militant Islam/ Mark Bowden. New York: Atlantic E Non-fiction
Monthly Press, c2006. 183.8 680 p.
.I55
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Chroniclesthe Iran hostage crisis, America's first battle with militant Islam. On November 4, 1979, a group of radical
2006
Islamist students, inspired by the Ayatollah Khomeini, stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran and took 52 Americans hostage,
keepingnearly all of them hostage for 444 days. Bowden tells the story through the eyes of the hostages, the soldiers in a
special forces unit sent to free them, their captors, and the diplomats and Carter administration officials working to end the
crisis.
Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam/ Mark LeVine. 1sted. New York: ML Non-fiction
Three Rivers Press, 2008. 3918 296 p.
.P67
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“We play heavy metal because our lives are heavy metal.”— Reda Zine, a founder of the Moroccan heavy-metal scene.
2008
This book looks at the growing influence of rock, hip-hop, and heavy metal music in the Middle East.
The Heritage of Persia/ Richard Nelson Frye. Cleveland: World Pub. Co., [1963]. DS Non-fiction
275 301 p.
“A solid, readable history of a place and its people …” [Note: 1963 publication date; much has happened since then]. .F7
A History of Modern Iran/ Ervand Abrahamian. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2008. DS Non-fiction
316.3 228 p.
Traces the history of Iran in the 20th century. "Abrahamian ... does an impressive job of recounting the story of the White .A27
2008
Revolution, this last shah's botched attempt at modernization via a series of broad-ranging economic and social reforms in
1963 ... Reading Abrahamian, one gains an acute sense of the potent cocktail of factors that finally led to the regime's Also available as
collapse." -- The Nation an eBook
A History of the Modern Middle East/ William L. Cleveland. 3rded. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2004. DS Non-fiction
62.4 588 p.
A comprehensive look at the history of the Middle East during the last two centuries. .C53
2004
Honeymoon in Tehran: Two Years of Love and Danger in Iran/ Azadeh Moaveni. New York: Random House, 2009. E Non-fiction
184 352 p.
“In 2005, Azadeh Moaveni, longtime Middle East correspondent for Time magazine, returns to Iran to cover the rise of .I5
M624
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. As she documents the firebrand leader's troublesome entry onto the world stage … the
2009
unexpected happens: Azadeh falls in love with a young Iranian man and decides to get married and start a family in Tehran.
Suddenly, she finds herself navigating an altogether different side of Iranian life.” – Publisher’s description

"[A]n excellent choice for readers interested in going beyond the headlines to gain an in-depth understanding of
twenty-first-century Iran." – Booklist
House of Sand and Fog/ Andre Dubus III. New York: Vintage Contemporaries, 2000. PS Fiction
3554 365 p.
This is a great book … you cannot read it (or watch the film version starring Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley) without .U265
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forming strong opinions about right and wrong in this story about an Iranian immigrant and a young woman who both want
2000
the same California house. Brilliantly written, House of Sand and Fog was a National Book Award Finalist in 1999.
In the Walled Gardens: a Novel/ Anahita Firouz. Boston: Little, Brown, 2002. PS Fiction
3606 338 p.
“Firouz's debut novel is set in Iran in 1977, just a couple of years prior to the revolution in 1979. Told from two points of .I76
I5
view -- that of Mahastee, a wealthy young woman, and Reza, the son of an overseer -- the story revolves around the world
2003
of privilege and the revolutionary underground.” -- Booklist
Inside Iran: Women’s Lives/ Jane Mary Howard. Washington, D.C.: Mage Publishers, 2002. HQ Non-fiction
1735.2 256 p.
Former BBC correspondent Jane Howard lived in Iran from 1996 to 2000 and raised her two young children there. Her book .H68
2002
takes us into the lives of ordinary Iranian women and “shows us vividly what life is like in Iran today ... and will probably
surprise many Western readers. . . . Moving and colorful.” -- New York Times Book Review
Iran Awakening: a Memoir of Revolution and Hope/ Shirin Ebadi and Azadeh Moaveni. New York: Random House, DS Non-fiction
2006. [Note: 2007 reprint subtitle is “One Woman’s Journey to Reclaim Her Life and Country.] 318.84 256 p.
.E22
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A memoir from Shirin Ebadi, winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize and an advocate for the oppressed. "Ebadi offers a very
2007
personal account of her life and her fight for human rights in Iran." – Booklist
Iran-Iraq War/ Gary E. McCuen. Hudson, WI: Gary E. McCuen Publications, 1987. DS Non-fiction
318.85 136 p.
Written when the Iran-Iraq war was in its sixth year, this book provides an overview of the war and its origins, Iranian and .M38
1987x
Iraqi perspectives on the conflict, profiles of the two countries, and a review of U.S. policy options.
Iranian Culture: a Persianist View/ Michael C. Hillmann. Lanham, Md.: University Press of America, 1990. DS Non-fiction
266 221 p.
The author lived and worked in Iran for seven years. This book is his “attempt to define that culture for myself and to .H55
1990
reconcile different personal perspectives on Iran.” -- Preface
The Iranian Mojahedin/ Ervand Abrahamian. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989. DS Non-fiction
318.825 307 p.
.A27
“A first-rate study that not only goes far in explaining the key events of the last decade but also implicitly substantiates the 1989
classic Crane Brinton analysis.” -- Bernard Weiss, History: Review of New Books
Journey from the Land of No: a Girlhood Caught in Revolutionary Iran/ Roya Hakakian. New York: Crown, 2005. E Non-fiction
184 256 p.
Like Marjane Satrapi, author of The Complete Persepolis, Roya Hakakian, was a young girl (age 12) when the Islamic .I5
H35
revolution swept through her country in 1979. Journey from the Land of No is Hakakian’s memoir of her early childhood in
2004
pre-revolutionary times and the changes that came with being dominated by religious fanaticism.
King of the Benighted / Manuchehr Irani; translated by Abbas Milani. Washington, D.C.: Mage Publishers, 1990. PK Fiction
6561 120 p.
“First published pseudonymously and mailed out of Iran page by page, King of the Benighted is a firsthand account of the .I64
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hard realities of life under the Islamic Republic.” – Google Books
1995
The Kurds: a People in Search of Their Homeland/ Kevin McKiernan. 1sted. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2006. DS Non-fiction
59 390 p.
This book tells the story of the Kurds, the largest ethnic group in the world without a state of its own. A promise to give the .K86
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Kurdish people a homeland after World War I was never kept. Most of the 25 million Kurds live in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and
2006
Syria. Genocide and repression of Kurdish language and culture has been the norm.
Lipstick Jihad: a Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America and American in Iran/ Azadeh Moaveni. New York: E Non-fiction
PublicAffairs, 2005. 184 260 p.
.I5
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The author starts by describing her teen years …”living with a mother who distained everything American and expected her
2006
child to conform to Iranian female standards.” After college, she worked in Cairo and was there in 1999 when the student
revolution erupted in Tehran. Through her family contacts, she was able to travel easily and was the only American
journalist allowed in Tehran at the time. “Her rose-colored picture of Iran, encouraged for years by her relatives in exile,
soon turned another shade altogether. The Iran she expected existed only in the memories of an earlier generation.” – from
KLIATT
Missing Soluch / Mahmoud Dowlatabadi. Hoboken, NJ: Melville House Pub., 2007. PK Fiction
6561 507 p.
“Perhaps the most important work in modern Iranian literature, this starkly beautiful novel examines the trials of an .D39
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impoverished woman and her children living in a remote village in Iran, after the unexplained disappearance of her
2007
husband, Soluch.” – Publisher’s description
Monsters Are Afraid of the Moon/ [written and illustrated by] Marjane Satrapi; translated by Jill Davis. New York: Children’s Children’s
Bloomsbury USA, 2006. Collection fiction
PZ 32 p.
8
A children’s book from the author of The Complete Persepolis. “Strongly drawn, vividly colored figures with large,
.S264
expressive eyes light up this simple tale of a child who discovers that her solution to a personal problem has wider Mon
consequences.” – from Kirkus Reviews 2006
My Prison, My Home: One Woman’s Story of Captivity in Iran/ Haleh Esfandiari. New York: HarperCollins, 2009. DS Non-fiction
318.84 230 p.
"A masterful memoir...an intimate tale of bravery in the face of ignorance set against the larger tragedy of U.S.-Iran .I84
2009
relations. Esfandiari's story -- timely, suspenseful and artfully told -- will fascinate experts and general readers alike." --
Madeleine K. Albright, U.S. Secretary of State, 1997-2001
My Uncle Napoleon: a Comic Novel / Iraj Pezeshkad;translated by Dick Davis. New York: Modern Library, 2006, c1996. PK Fiction
6561 528 p.
“An uproarious and endearing Iranian novel, first published in Iran over twenty years ago, which became the basis for a .P54
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highly popular television series. The story tells of an unruly extended family, living within and around a walled enclave in
2006
Tehran in the early 1940s …” – from Kirkus Reviews
New Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies / Najmieh Batmanglij. 3rded. TX Non-fiction
Washington, D.C.: Mage Publishers, 2009, c1992. 725.17 440 p.
.B373
1992
More than a collection of Iranian recipes, this is a wonderful way to learn about Persian customs, culture, and art. USA
Today called it“A beautiful introduction to Persian cuisine & culture.”
Paved with Good Intentions: the American Experience and Iran/ Barry Rubin. New York:Oxford University Press, E Non-fiction
1980. 183.8 426 p.
.I55
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Focuses on U.S.-Iranian relations from World War II until the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Rubin shows how the U.S. policies
and the Shah’s reforms both went awry.
A People without a Country: the Kurds and Kurdistan / edited by Gerard Chailand. 1stAmerican ed. New York: Olive DS Non-fiction
Branch Press, 1993. 51 259 p.
.K7
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Details the history of the Kurds. The Library Journal review said, “While there is definite sympathy for the Kurds in this
1993
comprehensive and objective book, there is criticism as well -- this is no propaganda tract. This important book is
recommended …”
The Persian Empire/ Lindsay Allen. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005. DS Non-fiction
281 208 p.
"… traces the rise of the monarchy, its interactions with nascent Europe, and examines Persian imperial legacies to provide .A58
2005
a framework for understanding the land we now know as Iran." -- Middle East Journal
Persian Myths/ Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis. 1stUniversity of Texas Press ed. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1993. BL Non-fiction
2270 80 p.
Myths are traditional tales and storiesof ancient origin. They are important because “they reflect the attitudes of the society .C87
1993
to which they first belonged—attitudes towards the confrontation of good and evil, the actions of the gods, and the exploits
of heroes and fabulous creatures. Myths play a crucial part in Persian culture and our understanding of them is increased
when we consider them within the context of Iranian history.” – from Introduction
The Persian Night: Iran under the Khomeinist Revolution/ Amir Taheri. New York: Encounter Books, 2009. DS Non-fiction
318.825 413 p.
Author Amir Taheri, once the editor of Iran's most influential paper, now lives in exile but remains in touch with insiders. .T34
2009
“In the old days of the Cold War, brave spirits used to write books that came to grips with the ideological monstrosity of the
Soviet Union. They too had no choice but to publish in the West. In the end, they were vindicated. Honor now goes to The
Persian Night for exposing the ideological monstrosity of Iran.” -- David Pryce-Jones, National Review
Persian Painting / text by Basil Gray. [Switzerland]: Bookking International, 1995. ND Non-fiction
980 189 p.
This beautifully illustrated book was first published in 1961 and is considered a standard in the field. Author Basil Gray was .G72
1995
an Islamicist and head of the Oriental Department, British Museum, from 1945 to 1969.
The Persians / Gene R. Garthwaite. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2004. DS Non-fiction
272 311 p.
The Persians"… is not a dry historical narrative but an excellent, rigorous, yet generally accessible overview of Persians in .G27
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history based on the latest scholarship on Iranian society and History. Essential." – Choice
A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year
Pieces of the Game: the Human Drama of Americans Held Hostage in Iran/ Charles W. Scott. Atlanta, GA: E Non-fiction
Peachtree Publishers, 1984. 183.8 407 p.
.I55
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On November 4, 1979, a group of Islamist students and militants took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held 66
1984
American citizens and diplomats hostage. Some were released a short time later, but 52 remained hostage until January
20, 1981. Charles W. Scott was one of those hostages. In this book, he offers an account of his 444 days in captivity and
his relationship with his jailor, a young militant Islamic fundamentalist.
Pomegranate Soup: a Novel/ Marsha Mehran. New York: Random House, 2005. PR Fiction
6113 222 p.
If you liked Chocolat by Joanne Harris or Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel, you will enjoy this book. Google Books .E37
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called Pomegranate Soup “… an infectious novel of magical realism. This richly detailed story, highlighted with delicious
2006
recipes, is a delectable journey into the heart of Persian cooking and Irish living.”
Price of Honor: Muslim Women Lift the Veil of Silence on the Islamic World/ Jan Goodwin. Rev. ed. New York: HQ Non-fiction
Plume, 2003. 1170 351 p.
.G66
2003
“In this astonishing book, the product of four years of living in the Islamic world, journalist Goodwin examines the
movement that is aggressively spreading a fundamentalist version of Islam throughout much of the world. Her interviews
with Muslim women in ten countries both fascinate and disturb …” – Library Journal
Prisoner of Tehran: a Memoir/ Marina Nemat. New York: Free Press, 2007. DS Non-fiction
318.84 306 p.
“Nemat tells of her harrowing experience as a young Iranian girl at the start of the Islamic revolution. In January 1982, the .N46
A3
16-year-old student activist was arrested, jailed in Tehran's infamous Evin prison, tortured and sentenced to death. Ali, one
2007
of her interrogators, intervened moments before her execution … to reduce her sentence to life in prison. The price: she
would convert to Islam (she was Christian) and marry him … Nemat's engaging memoir is rich with complex characters —
loved ones lost on both sides of this bloody conflict … Nemat offers her arresting, heartbreaking story of forgiveness, hope
and enduring love — a voice for the untold scores silenced by Iran's revolution.” – Publishers Weekly
Reading Lolita in Tehran: a Memoir in Books/ Azar Nafisi. 1sted. New York: Random House, 2003. PE Non-fiction
64 347 p.
”An inspired blend of memoir and literary criticism, Reading Lolita in Tehran is a moving testament to the power of art and .N34
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its ability to change and improve people's lives. In 1995, after resigning from her job as a professor at a university in
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Tehran due to repressive policies, Azar Nafisi invited seven of her best female students to attend a weekly study of great
Western literature in her home … The great works encouraged them to strike out against authoritarianism and repression in
their own ways, both large and small …like Lolita [they] tried to escape and to create [their] own little pockets of freedom."
– Amazon.com
Rooftops of Tehran: a Novel/ Mahbod Seraji. New York: New American Library, 2009. PS Fiction
3619 368 p.
"Rooftops of Tehran is a richly rendered first novel about courage, sacrifice, and the bonds of friendship and love … Mahbod .E7356
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Seraji opens the door to the fascinating world of Iran and provides a revealing glimpse into the life and customs of a
2009
country on the verge of a revolution. A captivating read." —Gail Tsukiyama, author of The Street of a Thousand Blossoms
and The Samurai's Garden
Rosewater and Soda Bread: a Novel/ Marsha Mehran. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks, 2008. PR Fiction
6113 272 p.
The story of Marjan, Bahar, and Layla continues in this sequel to Pomegranate Soup. The Orlando Sentinel called it, “A .E37
R67
mouthwatering tale with flavors of Chocolat and Under the Tuscan Sun . . . sinfully sweet and satisfying.”
2008
The Saffron Kitchen / Yasmin Crowther. New York: Viking, 2007. PR Fiction
6103 257 p.
Virginia Woolf said, “Each has his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by heart and his friends can only .R69
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read the title.” Such is the life of Maryam Mazur, an Iranian woman whose past inIran is shut in her.
2006
Savushun: a Novel about Modern Iran / Simin Daneshvar. Washington, D.C.: Mage Publishers, 1990. PK Fiction
6561 320 p.
“Savushun chronicles the life of a Persian family during the Allied occupation of Iran during World War II. It is set in Shiraz, .D263
S213
a town which evokes images of Persepolis and pre-Islamic monuments, the great poets, the shrines, Sufis, and nomadic
2001
tribes within a historical web of the interests, privilege and influence of foreign powers; corruption, incompetence and
arrogance of persons in authority; the paternalistic landowner-peasant relationship; tribalism; and the fear of famine.” --
Publisher’s description
The Septembers of Shiraz / Dalia Sofer. New York: Ecco/Harper Collins, 2007. PS Fiction
3619 340 p.
In this debut novel set after the Iranian revolution in 1979, a Jewish rare gem dealer is arrested and accused of being a .O3797
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spy. He and his family must reconcile with the collapse of everything they have known.
2007
Seven Shades of Memory: Stories of Old Iran/ Terrence O’Donnell. Washington, D.C.: Mage Publishers, 2006. PS Fiction
3565 144 p.
Author Terence O'Donnell lived in Iran from 1957-71 and operated a farm from 1963-70. Seven Shades of Memoryis his .D627
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first collection of short stories. The stories share the theme of cultural collision, either as East meets West, or as members
2006
of different cultures within Iran tentatively interact. – from Google Books
Silk Road Cooking: a Vegetarian Journey / Najmieh Batmanglij. 2nded. Washington, D.C.: Mage Publishers, 2008, TX Non-fiction
c2004. 837 336 p.
.B3385
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The Washington Post called Silk Road Cooking“A jewel of a book – rich in photography as well as recipes.” Filled with
recipes and glorious descriptions of the food traditions and cultures of the countries along the Silk Road, it was named one
of the ten best vegetarian cookbooks of the year by The New York Times.
Soft Weapons: Autobiography in Transit/ Gillian Whitlock. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2006. CT Non-fiction
1866 216 p.
“… a beautifully attentive reading of the `intimate work of self-invention' in the life writings of authors at risk in the war on .W47
2007
terror … politically engaged literary history of the most productive kind." – John Frow, University of Melbourne
Sons and Other Flammable Objects/ Porochista Khakpour. New York: Grove Press, 2007. PS Fiction
3611 389 p.
An intriguing title, don’t you think? “In this first novel, an Iranian-born young man does all he can to escape his heritage, .H32
S65
upbringing and parents, especially his homesick, tyrannical father — and fails, with results sometimes comic and sometimes
2007
poignant.” – from Kirkus Reviews
Stories from Iran: a Chicago Anthology, 1921-1991 / edited by Heshmat Moayyad. 1sted. Washington, D.C.: Mage PK Fiction
Publishers, 1992. 6449 520 p.
.E7
S86
“… this anthology is not only a timely introduction to an unfamiliar literature but offers as well illuminating insights into a
1992
society where the postmodern and pre-Renaissance still uneasily coexist.” – from Kirkus Reviews
Strange Times, My Dear: the PEN Anthology of Contemporary Iranian Literature/ edited by Nahid Mozaffair; poetry PK Literary
editor, Ahmad Karimi Hakkak. 1sted. New York: Arcade Pub., 2005. 6449 anthology
.E1 468 p.
S77
"They smell your breath lest you have said 'I love you.' For many reasons, world audiences have had little opportunity to
2005eb
examine the work of Iranian poets, novelists, essayists and playwrights since the 1979 revolution … It seems remarkable
that these writers have escaped the wrath of the authorities, given their candor. A diverse sampling of contemporary
Iranian letters, and a welcome tool for anyone seeking to understand a complex culture that has long been explained away
as The Enemy.” – Kirkus Reviews
Symphony of the Dead/ Abbas Maroufi. Wiltshire, England: Aflame Books, 2007. PK Fiction
6561 272 p.
.M29
A contemporary version of the Cain and Abel story set in the aftermath of World War II. The story begins as Urhan Urkhani S3613x
sets out to find his brother in a snowstorm. Over the course of the search, the entire history of the family is revealed in four 2007
symphony-like movements. “Told through the rotating viewpoints of the family patriarch and each of his children, the
family's misfortunes become the mirror of a paternalistic and oppressive society that pits brother against brother,
encourages a father to denounce a son and burn his poems, forces a daughter to remain in an unhappy marriage, and
abandons the last child to a mysterious hidden existence.” – Publisher’s description
Tales of Two Cities: a Persian Memoir/ Abbas Milani. Washington, D.C.: Mage Publishers, 2006. DS Non-fiction
318.84 264 p.
“… Abbas Milani richly chronicles his education, politicization, return to Iran, disillusionment and eventual exile. Interwoven .M55
2006
with the brisk narrative is a loving account of the traditional Iran of the author's childhood; a searing memoir of a lost
generation of Iranians torn apart by revolution and exile, a graphic portrait of the author's time in the shah's jail and of his
cellmates, and the mullahs who would soon emerge as the new leaders of the Islamic Republic …” – from Google Books
Things I’ve Been Silent About: Memories /Azar Nafisi. New York: Random House, 2008. PE Non-fiction
64 336 p.
“Azar Nafisi, author of the beloved international bestseller Reading Lolita in Tehran, now gives us a stunning personal story .N34
A3
of growing up in Iran, memories of her life lived in thrall to a powerful and complex mother, against the background of a
2008b
country’s political revolution … Things I’ve Been Silent About is, finally, a deeply personal reflection on women’s choices,
and on how Azar Nafisi found the inspiration for a different kind of life. This unforgettable portrait of a woman, a family, and
a troubled homeland is a stunning book that readers will embrace, a new triumph from an author who is a modern master
of the memoir.” – from Google Books
Touba and the Meaning of Night/ Shahrnush Parsipur. New York: Feminist Press at the City University of New York, PK Fiction
2006. 6561 367 p.
.P247
T8413
“A major literary event, the publication of Touba and the Meaning of Night introduces English-speaking readers to the
2008
masterpiece of a great contemporary Persian writer, renowned in her native Iran and much of Western Europe. This
remarkable epic novel, begun during one of the author's several imprisonments, was published in Iran in 1989 to great
critical acclaim and instant bestseller status -- untilShahrnush Parsipur was again arrested a year later, and all her works
banned by the Islamic Republic. In the character of Touba, Parsipur explores the changing fortunes of Iranian women
through 80 years of turbulent history.” – from Google Books
Twin Pillars to Desert Storm: America’s Flawed Vision in the Middle East from Nixon to Bush/ Howard Teicher and DS Non-fiction
Gayle Radley Teicher. 1sted. New York: William Morrow, 1993. 63.2 418 p.
.U5
T45
“This book combines historical narrative and personal recollections to describe the development of U.S. foreign policy in the
1993
Middle East … Howard Teicher, who served as director for the Middle East and senior director for Political Military Affairs on
President Reagan's National Security Council, has coauthored this highly readable book with his lawyer wife. They discuss
how Nixon's "twin pillars" policy of reliance on Iran and Saudi Arabia ultimately failed after the downfall of the Shah of Iran.
The authors also offer a critical analysis of Reagan-Bush attempts to revitalize this policy by bolstering Saddam Hussein's
Iraq as a hedge against Islamic Iran. The uniqueness of this book lies in Howard Teicher's personal recollections on how
foreign policy decisions were made. His insider's account is valuable for both scholars and informed readers.” – Library
Journal
A World Between: Poems, Short Stories, and Essays by Iranian-Americans/ edited by Persis M. Karim and PS Literary
Mohammed Mehdi Khorrami. 1stpbk. ed. New York: George Braziller, 1999. 508 anthology
.I69 286 p.
W67
“… anthology of writings by Iranian immigrants and first generation Iranian-Americans. Wide-ranging and deeply personal,
1999
these pieces explore the Iranian community's continuing struggle to understand what it means to be Iranian in America.” –
from Google Books
SELECTED EBOOKS (ELECTRONIC BOOKS) – AVAILABLE AT BSC LIBRARY; ACCESS VIA ODIN CATALOG OR VIA BSC LIBRARY NOTES
NETLIBRARY LINK ON DATABASES PAGE (WWW.BISMARCKSTATE.EDU/LIBRARY/DATABASES.ASP) CALL NUMBER
Between Warrior Brother and Veiled Sister: Islamic Fundamentalism and the Politics of Patriarchy in Iran/ HQ Non-fiction
Minoo Moallem. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2005. 1735.2 269 p.
.M62 eBook
2005eb
"Between Warrior Brother and Veiled Sisteris an original and venturesome piece of work. It is daring in its willingness to
test just how far the definition of 'fundamentalism' might be extended in contemporary Iran. It sketches lucidly the
gendered crises of identity that have emerged there in the wake of colonization/Europeanization and decolonization." --
Parama Roy, Associate Professor of English at UC Riverside
Creating an Islamic State: Khomeini and the Making of a New Iran/ Vanessa Martin. 1sted. London; New York: I.B. DS Non-fiction
Tauris; New York: Distributed by Palgrave Macmillan, 2003. 318.84 248 p.
.K48 eBook
M37
An analysis of the ideological roots of an Islamic state as conceived by Khomeini. "Creating an Islamic State ... should be
2003eb
read by all students of comparative and modern history in general." -- Gene R. Garthwaite, Professor of History, Dartmouth
College
Culture and Customs of Iran/ Elton L. Daniel and Ali Akbar Mahdi. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2006. DS Non-fiction
266 231 p.
“This survey of Iran (aimed at students and general readers) covers the contemporary life of the country within a historical .D265 eBook
2006eb
context …” – from Reference & Research Book News
Defying the Iranian Revolution: from a Minister to the Shah to the Leader of Resistance /Manouchehr Ganji. DS Non-fiction
Westport, CT: Praeger, 2002. 318.825 263 p.
.G357 eBook
2002eb
“The author has published extensively about the reality of life under the dictatorship of the mullahs. This work is his opus
magnus on the history of the Iranian revolution, and the gross autocracy that sprang up in its aftermath, paved with lies
and unfulfilled promises.” –- Middle East Journal
The Dynamics of the Iranian Revolution: the Pahlavi’s Triumph and Tragedy/ Jahangir Amuzegar. Albany: State DS Non-fiction
University of New York Press, 1991. 316.32 355 p.
.A48 eBook
1991eb
“Going back to the turn of the century, this book offers a cogent analysis and an objective assessment of the origins and
dimensions of the 1979 Iranian Revolution … This critical examination leaves the reader with a deeper understanding of
Iran's modern history and an appreciation for the interplay of forces currently at work within the Islamic Republic …” -- from
SUNY Press
The History of Iran/ Elton L. Daniel. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2001. DS Non-fiction
272 299 p.
Daniels’ analysis of the forces that have shaped the contemporary history of Iran ... is the most objective yet written in .D36 eBook
2000eb
English ... this book should be considered indispensable; it is concise, readable, and up-to-date.” -- Choice
A History of Modern Iran/ Ervand Abrahamian. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2008. DS Non-fiction
316.3 228 p.
"There are great riches to be found in this brief account of Iran's turbulent modern history. It provides a valuable and .A27 eBook
2008eb
dramatic account of a century of Iranian turmoil, violence, and intrigue. The story also includes a cast of strong-willed and
colorful individuals." -- Middle East Journal
Immortal: a Military History of Iran and Its Armed Forces/ Steven R. Ward. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown On order Non-fiction
University Press, 2009. 380 p.

“Ward, a senior intelligence analyst for the CIA, reminds us that although Iran's armed forces have not fared well in the
past two centuries, they have demonstrated qualities that bear some consideration. Recent history seems to suggest an
active role by a Shia-dominated military that is still struggling to assert its presence in the region. Those studying Iran and
its military will want this.” – Library Journal
Iran: from Religious Dispute to Revolution/ Michael M. J. Fischer. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, [2003]. BP Non-fiction
192.7 314 p.
"This book, the best I have read in a long time, provides us with a key to understanding not only the recent revolution but .I68 eBook
F57
Iranian society.” -- Peter Chelkowski, Asia
2003eb
Iran in the 21st Century: Politics, Economics, and Conflict / edited by Homa Katouzian and Hossein Shahidi. London; HN Non-fiction
New York: Routledge, 2008. 670.2 300 p.
.A8 eBook
K39
“This is a rich and important collection. The scholarship is original and of the highest quality, and the book is a must for
2008eb
anyone seeking to understand Iran’s place in the modern world.” -- Stephanie Cronin, University of Northampton, UK
The Iran-Iraq War: the Politics of Aggression / edited by Farhang Rajaee. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, DS Non-fiction
1993. 318.85 245 p.
.I692 eBook
1993eb
“Before the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, international experts … assessed the nature of Iraqi aggression against
Iran in an international conference in Tehran. Under the pretext of territorial claims, Iraq launched an invasion in 1980 to
contain an expanding revolution in Iran, one that in turn became a conventional war with international dimensions as it
extended to the oil-rich Persian Gulf. For scholars and general readers who seek to unravel some of the complexities in the
Middle East, this collection analyses the causes and consequences of the Iran-Iraq war not only from the standpoint of the
belligerent parties, but also from the perspective of Islamic and international law.” – Publisher’s description
Iran Oil: the New Middle East Challenge to America/ Roger Howard. London; New York: I.B. Tauris; New York: E Non-fiction
Distributed by Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. 183.8 182 p.
.I55 eBook
H69
“… outlines a strategy for dealing with Iran that should be closely read and considered in the corridors of power in
2007eb
Washington D.C." - Ian Jackson, Contemporary Review
Iranian Intellectuals in the 20th Century / Ali Gheissari. 1sted. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1998. DS Non-fiction
266 247 p.
"Gheissari's work is significant in that it marks a recent trend in Iranian studies to examine the concept of self in .G44 eBook
1998eb
conjunction with society and state ... This book is a distinguished piece of scholarship, well and clearly written, scientifically
documented, and theoretically fair and exhaustive." -- Darius Rejali, author of Torture and Modernity: State, Self and
Society in Modern Iran
Iranian Perspectives on the Iran-Iraq War / edited by Farhang Rajaee. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 1997. DS Non-fiction
318.85 368 p.
“… examines the difficult conclusion of the Iran-Iraq War and assesses the impact of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait … looks at .I725 eBook
1997eb
the effects that the war has had on Iran and Iraq, and the effect of UN Resolution 598 in 1988.” – Publisher’s description
The Iranian Revolution/ Brendan January. Minneapolis, MN: Twenty-first Century Books, 2008. DS Non-fiction
318.8 160 p.
“This concise but informative history chronicles how the Iranian Revolution of 1979 transformed Iran from a monarchy to a .J345 eBook
2008eb
Fundamentalist Islamic republic … Accessibly written and attractively designed, the text is complemented throughout with
photographs, maps, and sidebars.” – from Booklist
My Sister, Guard Your Veil; My Brother, Guard Your Eyes: Uncensored Iranian Voices / Lila Azam Zanganeh, editor. DS Non-fiction
Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2006. 266 132 p.
.M92 eBook
2006eb
“This timely little book offers a thoughtful, wide-ranging and captivating introduction to a dynamic country most Americans
still regrettably associate with romantic-exotic or religious-fanatical stereotypes. Centering on questions of identity and
subjectivity in and outside Iran's Islamic Republic, showcases 15 prominent indigenous and ex-pat voices … reveals the
human stories behind the veil of the headlines.” Features original art by Marjane Satrapi, author of The Complete
Persepolis – from Publishers Weekly
Parliamentary Politics in Revolutionary Iran: the Institutionalization of Factional Politics / Bahman Baktiari. JQ Non-fiction
Gainesville: University Press of Florida, c1996. 1787.7 282 p.
.B35 eBook
1996eb
“A study of the Iranian parliament, analyzing the rivalry between competing factions and the political battles that have set
the tone for many key policy developments in Iran.” – Publisher’s description
Pious Passion: the Emergence of Modern Fundamentalism in the United States and Iran/ Martin Riesebrodt. BT Non-fiction
Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993. 82.2 262 p.
.R5413 eBook
1993eb
This unconventional study provides an extraordinary look at religious fundamentalism. Comparing two seemingly disparate
movements -- in the early 20th century United States and 1960s and 1970s Iran -- Riesebrodtexamines why these
movements arose and developed. "A remarkable and most useful book . . . an indispensable source for scholars working in
a wide range of disciplines who may be concerned with religion as a factor in a globalized culture and world system." --
Journal of Religion
Religious Radicalism and Politics in the Middle East / edited by Emmanuel Sivan and MenachemFriedman. Albany, BP Non-fiction
NY: State University of New York Press, 1990. 63 244 p.
.A4 eBook
M537
A collection of essays about the waves of religious extremism that have developed in the Middle East since the 1970s.
1990eb
Resistance to the Shah: Landowners and the Ulama in Iran. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2000. HD Non-fiction
1333 415 p.
“An examination of land policy in Iran under the two Pahlavi shahs from 1925 to 1979. It explores the social and economic .I7 eBook
.M35
consequences of their policies, and their impact on the popular uprisings of 1962-3, which many scholars regard as the
2000eb
beginning of the Islamic Revolution.” – Publisher’s description
Saffron Sky: a Life between Iran and America / Gelareh Asayesh. Boston: Beacon Press, 1999. E Non-fiction
184 222 p.
“This lyrical memoir revisits still-important questions about immigration, race, and cultural assimilation. Aseyesh, a .I5 eBook
A8
journalist at the Miami Herald, emigrated from Iran to the United States as a young girl; now married and a parent, she
1999eb
finds herself mourning the loss of her old self and angry at Americans' anti-Iranian racism. Moving back and forth between
past and present, she chronicles her life as a series of trips to and from Iran as a child who spoke no English, on the eve of
the 1992 Gulf War as a green card-holding adult, and as the parent of a young biracial American citizen, and in doing so,
tells the story of both her family's and Iran's tumultuous recent history. This beautifully written narrative provides a rare,
humanizing glimpse into the politics, culture, and geography of a place about which most Americans know shamefully little.”
-- from Library Journal
SELECTED MEDIA – DVDS & VIDEOS BSC LIBRARY NOTES
CALL NUMBER
The Iranian film industry has a long and rich history. Visit http://www.iranianmovies.com/to find 3000+ DVDs, music CDs,
and more.
Afsaid = Offside / directed by Jafar Panahi. Culver City, CA: Sony Pictures, 2007, c2006. Media DVD
PN 92 min.
Iran is playing Bahrain to determine who will go on to compete for soccer’s World Cup. Officially, soccer is for men only. 1997.2
.A385
Although females are not allowed inside the stadium, it doesn’t stop them from trying to get in. In Persian with English
2007
subtitles.
Bacheha-ye Aseman = Children of Heaven / Miramax Films; written and directed by Majid Majidi. [Los Angeles, CA]: Media DVD
Miramax Home Entertainment; Burbank, CA: Distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment, [1999]. PN 88 min.
1997
.B33
A delightful film about a boy who accidentally loses his sister's shoes and must share his own sneakers with her while
1999
keeping the loss a secret from their parents. The boy enters a foot race, hoping to place third so he can claim the third
place prize -- a new pair of sneakers. In Persian with English subtitles.
Bad ma ra khahad bord =The Wind Will Carry Us / directed by Abbas Kiarostami. New York: New Yorker Video, 2002. BSC Library DVD
does not own 118 min.
“A tale of a man from Teheran who travels … to a remote village of Kurdistan with a film crew. He tells the locals he is there
to do a survey, but as the story progresses, we see that he is there for a completely different purpose: to record a specific
event that may or may not occur.” – Film.com. Winner of the 'CinemAwenire' Award, the FIPRESCI Prize, and the Grand
Special Jury Prize at the 1999 Venice Film Festival. Also nominated for the Golden Lion at the 1999 Venice Film Festival. In
Persian with English subtitles.
Baran / written and directed by Majid Majidi. Burbank, CA: Miramax, 2002, c2001. Media DVD
PN 94 min.
Afghan refugees provide cheap labor at a construction site in Tehran. When one of the Afghan laborers is injured, he 1997.2
.B37
dresses his daughter as a man and sends her in his place. Too weak to do some of the work, the "boy" is given an easier
2002
job, which displaces another worker. What happens when the secret is discovered? In Dari and Persian with English
subtitles.
Beed-e Majnoon = The Willow Tree / a film by Majid Majidi. New York: New Yorker Video, 2005. On Order DVD
96 min.
A blind college professor undergoes experimental surgery and is thrilled to have his sight restored. When he returns to
Iran, he struggles to reconcile reality with the images created in his mind’s eye for years. In Farsi with English subtitles.
Border Café = Transit Cafe (Café Transit) / written and directed by Kambozia Partovi. New York: First Run Features, Media DVD
2007, c2005. PN 105 min.
1997.2
.T736
An Iranian widow and mother with an independent streak flouts tradition by re-opening her late husband's Europe/Asia
2007
border café. She also rejects an obligatory marriage proposal from her brother-in-law. In Turkish and Russian with English
subtitles.
The Cult of the Suicide Bomber / Many Rivers Films; produced and directed by David Batty, Kevin Toolis. New York: Media DVD
Disinformation Co., 2006. HV 96 min.
6431
.C858
“Former CIA agent and terrorism expert Robert Baer tracks the history of suicidebombers from their origin in the Iran-Iraq
2006
war to their growing predominance in the post-9/11 world.” – ODIN catalog description.
Dayereh = The Circle / directed by Jafar Panahi. [Iran]: Jafar Panahi Productions, 2000. BSC Library DVD
does not own 91 min.
“Her only crime was being a woman.” This film paints a portrait of the status of women in fundamentalist Iran. In Persian
with English subtitles. Winner of numerous awards, including the FIPRESCI Prize for Best Feature at the 2000 Venice Film
Festival.
House of Sand and Fog / directed by VadimPerelman. Universal City, CA: Dreamworks Video, 2004, c2003. Media DVD
PN 126 min.
An Iranian-immigrant living in California (Ben Kingsley) works at menial jobs to support his family even though he was once 1997.2
.H662
a high-ranking official in his native country. A bureaucratic snafu leads him to buy a house through a tax auction, but the
2004
original owner (Jennifer Connelly) isn’t ready to give up the claim. Although neither party has broken the law, a difficult
moral dilemma is the result. This film will command your attention. In the words of Richard Schickel of Time, “As
reversible misunderstandings grow into irreversible tragedy, it slowly dawns on you that this is a superior, heartbreaking
film.”
The Iraq War and Its Consequences in the Middle East/ Dan Senor. Dallas, TX: The LeCroy Center for Educational Media DVD
Telecommunications, 2006. DS 60 min.
79.76
.I73
Part of the 2006 NCHC/Phi Theta Kappa Honors Satellite Seminar Series. Explores the impact of the Iraq war on the larger
2006
political and social environment of the Middle East. Specifically discusses the role of Iran and how the fortunes of the
American involvement in Iraq will impact on the larger questions of political leadership in the Islamic world.
Kasi Az Gorbehaye Irani Khabar Nadareh = No One Knows about Persian Cats (AKA Nobody Knows about Persian Cats) / BSC Library Not yet
screenplay by Bahman Ghobadi, Hossein Mortezaeiyan, and Roxana Saberi; directed by Bahman Ghobadi. [France: Mars Films, Anticipated does not own; available;
release December 23, 2009.] will order 106 min.
when/if it
becomes
The screenplay for this film was co-written by North Dakota’s Roxana Saberi. It is a docu-fiction portrait of the underground music scene in available
contemporary Iran and the risk of censorship and jail faced by Iranian musicians. Screened at the Cannes Film Festival in April 2009, it won a
special jury prize in the festival's Un Certain Regard competition. A U.S. distribution deal has not been secured at this
writing, although Mars Films in France plans to release it there on December 23, 2009. The film’s title refers to an Iranian
law that bans dogs and cats from being outdoors. In Persian with English subtitles.
Leila / a film by Dariush Mehrjui. New York: First Run Features, 2000, c1998. Media DVD
PN 129 min.
A film about a dissolving marriage in contemporary Iran. The problem? The wife’s inability to conceive and her mother-in- 1997
.L45
law’s insistence that her son take a second wife who will be able to bear a child. In Persian with English subtitles.
1997
A Moment of Innocence / written, directed, and edited by Mohsen Makhmalbaf. New York: New Yorker Video, 2005. BSC Library DVD
does not own 75 min.
“History and truth are often a matter of perspective as can be seen in this deceptively simple and wry Iranian-French
comedy that begins as an aging police officer enters the Tehran home of real-life filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf. The cop
has come to call in an old debt and have Makhmalbaf put him in a film as the director promised many years ago. Inspired
by the visit, Makhmalbaf decides to make a film about the events that led to his promise to the cop …” – Sandra Brennan,
All Movie Guide. In Farsi with English subtitles.
Mystic Iran: the Unseen World / narrated by Shohreh Aghdashloo; directed by Aryana Farshad. Chicago: Questar, Media DVD
2008. BL 85 min.
2270
.M97
In this documentary, Persian-born Aryana Farshadvisited remote areas of Iran and filmed religious and traditional events
2008
over a period of nine months in 2001. Some of these traditions have never before been captured on film, such as women's
chambers in the great mosque, fire rituals in the temple caves of Zarathustra, and sacred dancers in the mountains of
Kurdistan.
Nema-ye Nazdik = Close-up / directed by Abbas Kiarostami. Chicago: Distributed by Facets, 2002, c1990. Media DVD
PN 90 min.
A quasi-documentary based on the real-life case of Hossein Sabzian, who impersonated noted director Mohsen Makhmalbaf 1997
.N45
in order insinuate himself into a family he met by chance. In Persian with English subtitles.
2001
Pedar = The Father / a film by Majid Majidi. Port Chester, NY: Distributed by Panorama Entertainment, 2006. Media DVD
PN 96 min.
Mehrollahis a 14-year-old boy forced to find a job to support his family after his father dies. He travels to the southern parts 1997
.F38
of Iran, looking for work. Upon his return to his hometown, he notices certain changes in his family. This film was honored
2009
with nine wins and two nominations at various film festivals. In Persian with English subtitles.
Persepolis / 2.4.7 Films; a film by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud. Culver City, CA: Sony Pictures Home Media DVD
Entertainment, [2008], c2007. PN 95 min.
1997.2
.P47
The film adaptation of Persepolis, the coming of age story of a girl growing up in Iran after the Shah is ousted. The film
2008
was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film in 2008. In French, Persian, English, and German with English
subtitles.
Rang-e khoda = The Color of Paradise / directed by Majid Majidi. Culver City, CA: Sony Pictures, 2000, c1999. Media DVD
PN 90 min.
Eight-year-old Mohammed is the blind son of a widower father. He comes to realize that his father is ashamed of him and 1995.5
.C45
considers him a hindrance to his own plans to marry into a prosperous family. In Persian with English subtitles.
C656
2000
Sokout = The Silence / written, directed, and edited by Mohsen Makhmalbaf. [Iran]: MakhmalbafProductions, 1998. BSC Library DVD
does not own 74 min.
Korshid, a blind boy, tunes musical instruments to earn a living. When he takes the bus to and from the workshop, his mother advises him to put
his fingers in his ears so attractive sounds will not attract him and make him lose his way. But the temptation is strong.
In Farsi with English subtitles. Winner of Golden Prize of the Italian Parliament and the Human, Art, and Nature Award at
the Venice Film Festival (1997).
Talaye sorkh = Crimson Gold / written by Abbas Kiarostami; directed by Jafar Panahi. New York: Wellspring, 2004, BSC Library DVD
c2003. does not own 97 min.

“When Hussein finds a receipt for a necklace in a stolen purse, he's flabbergasted by the large sum of money. He knows
that his miniscule salary will never be enough to afford such luxury. What's more, he's sick of the hypocrisy of a social
system that makes people like him (on the lower rungs) feel like an outcast. But all that is about to change -- at least for
one night.”—from Netflix. In Persian with English subtitles.
Ta'm e guilass = Taste of Cherry / a film by Abbas Kiarostami. Toronto, Ontario: Criterion, 1999, c1997. Media DVD
PN 95 min.
Co-winner of the Palme d'Or at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, tells “…the story of the last day in the life of Mister Badii. He 1997
.T34
is going to Teheran, where he wants to find somebody to bury him, after he has killed himself. It is an easy job, just shovel
1999
some earth on him, and besides, it is well paid.” -- fromIMDB.com. In Persian with English subtitles.
SELECTED WEBSITES URL
Art & Culture of Iran http://www.iranchamber.com/index/art_culture.php

The Iran Chamber Society was founded as a non-partisan and non-profit

organization to promote Iranian culture and history. This site is a source of online
information on Iranian/Persian history, art, and culture.
IAAB: Iranian Alliances Across Borders http://iranianalliances.org/?gclid=COObgoLdkZwCFSgYagodERx8eA

IAAB is a non-partisan, non-profit volunteer organization whose mission is to

address issues of the Iranian diaspora community while raising awareness of the
Iranian community, promoting leadership, and connecting Iranians across borders.
Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries & Mines http://en.iccim.ir/index.php

Seeks to contribute to developing Iran’s economic system by promoting the private

sector position; creating an appropriate environment of entrepreneurship and
removing business obstacles; promoting Iranian world position; increasing economic
thought of the society; offering consultative opinions and cooperating in economic
decision-making process of Iran’s bodies; organizing the information reference and
offering consultation in different sections of national and international economy; and
conducting and organizing to establish Iran’s economic activists.
Iran Heritage Foundation http://www.iranheritage.org/

A non-political, UK-registered charity, with the mission to promote and preserve the
history, languages, and cultures of Iran and the Persians.
Iranian Studies Group at MIT http://www.isgmit.org/

ISG promotes a unique analytical approach to long-term issues that are important
to Iranians worldwide, from an independent Iranian perspective, and within a
democratic spirit. ISG aims to create a dynamic network of academics, community
leaders, and interested individuals working on an analytical understanding of
contemporary Iranian issues, regardless of their social, political, or religious beliefs.
Iranian.com – Nothing Is Sacred http://www.iranian.com/main/node

Iranian.com is a community site for the Iranian diaspora -- the Iranian

expatriates who care about their identity, culture, music, history,
politics, literature, and each other, as well as friends and family
living in Iran.
Islamic Republic of Iran – Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance http://mefa.ir/english-fa.html

Official website of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance, which regulates
economic and financial policies of Iran, coordinating organizational affairs,
implementing tax policies, and adjusting and implementing economic cooperation
and joint investment with foreign countries.
Islamic Republic of Iran – Ministry of Foreign Affairs http://www.mfa.gov.ir/cms/cms/Tehran/en/index.html

Official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Islamic Republic of Iran - Presidency http://www.president.ir/en/

Official website of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Islamosphere http://www.islamosphere.com/

Islamosphere is a network of bloggers who are Muslims or who are Islam-friendly

bloggers. Islamosphere allows these Islami-bloggers to network, read others’ blogs,
and showcase their own blogging efforts.
Pars Times: Greater Iran and Beyond http://www.parstimes.com/index.html

A non-profit, non-partisan, and totally independent website mainly for researchers,

scholars and investors. The site aims to provide comprehensive information about
Iran and the Middle East.
Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations http://www.un.int/iran/

PersianIran.com http://www.persianiran.com/#

A site with links to information about Iranian history, tourism, news, music, photos,
and other special interests.
PersianWeb http://www.persianweb.net/

Portal to and directory of the best of Persian and Iranian Internet resources.
World Legal Information Institute – Iran http://www.worldlii.org/catalog/2754.html

WLII provides free, independent and non-profit access to worldwide law. This site
includes links to useful sites about Iran, its government, politics, culture, and
history.
World Statesmen - Iran http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Iran.htm

World Statesmen.org is an online encyclopedia of the leaders of nations and

territories. Its goal is to provide researchers with detailed lists of leaders,
chronologies, flags, national anthems, and maps to give an in-depth portrait of
polities past and present. This part of the site is devoted to Iran.