Persian Nights (William Abrahams Book)
by Diane Johnson
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 82)
Read in August, 2008
This is another in a steady line up of novels that were recommended in appendix form at the end Francine Prose's book on reading and writing, and represents yet another author about whom I had previously heard nothing, but enjoyed. A nominee for Pulitzer Prize for fiction this work follows the travels of an american housewife (of a doctor) to pre-revolutionary Iran, who initially set off with her husband but wouln up alone. The barely alive embers of a cold marriage go out for the protagoni...more
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Ughh... mediocre smut. Never really picks up. Story of a pampered, idiot, upper middle class, bored housewife who somehow ends up affair-ing her way across Iran. Read about half, paged through the rest and then chucked it.
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Read in July, 2008
The cover of this book screams "CHICK LIT", until you realize it was nominated for a Pulitzer in literature. Ms. Johnson is a master at plopping American characters in foreign countries, and showing the similarities and differences between two cultures. The ultimate lesson, I believe, is that nothing is what it seems on the news or on the surface, and you have to get to know people before you can make sweeping judgements. "You can't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in April, 2008
I feel kind of apathetic toward this book; it's interesting to read about pre-revolution Iran, but the characters are difficult to like -- and the only one I was able to warm to gets killed somewhat arbitrarily about 3/4s of the way in, to no real purpose. The writing is interesting, and I guess it says something that I actually finished it, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to anyone.
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Read in January, 2000
recommends it for:
women
Good but not as good as Le Divorce. A little predictable and forced.
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in January, 2007
recommends it for:
No one
I really couldn't stand this book! I thought it was a misogynistic work by what only seems like a super ditzy author. It might be that it was written in 1986, but it just feels like the lead heroine is completely hard to respect and out of an out-dated era. She sort of floats around wondering which man to depend on next. Ick. OK, my rant is done!
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Read in May, 2008
I am not sure why I finished this book. I think I was hoping it would somehow get interesting, but it failed miserably. I had very little connection with the main character and did not find the extramarital affairs or justification of them very appealing. It was a weird book with little plot which dragged on forever!
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Read in January, 2006
Chloe plans to travel with her doctor husband to pre-revolutionary Iran, but her husband was sidelined and she goes alone. Her lack of self knowledge, insight, common sense make her a weak main character and probably what ruined the novel for me.
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I tried getting through this book more than once, but it just didn't hold my attention enough. I was hoping it would get better, but I just couldn't read far enough to find out.
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Read in January, 2004
It was very Slllllllllllllloooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwww read. I could have done without it.
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I loved this - it gives a very realistic portrait of the expatriate experience.
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