This book should definitely not be read unless you are in a safe place, with people you love and trust surrounding you. I think that's the only way I...moreThis book should definitely not be read unless you are in a safe place, with people you love and trust surrounding you. I think that's the only way I got through some of the truly gut-wrenching horrors that Sahembiam illustrates with the case of Soraya M. Nightmares may come otherwise.
Sahembiam begins with an explanation of both his reasoning for writing the book and the methodology behind it - which is necessary for understanding the structure of the story as a whole. Especially when the reader is confronted with details that could not be presented first hand, considering that Soraya is no longer with us and Zahra, her aunt and main eyewitness, is traumatized by what happened. While some may criticize this story as questionable journalism, I think Sahembiam addresses those concerns flat-out, giving his own background and relevant personal information at the outset.
No one should go into this story thinking that impartial parties are stating the facts and just the facts; Sahembiam and Zahra are stating their experiences and, quite frankly, there's no way to escape the impact of tragic circumstances. And yes, there are some blanks filled in.
Sahembiam arrived in the village of Kupeyeh (not its real name) two weeks after Soraya's death. While he certainly wasn't there to witness the event, all of the landmarks and cover-ups would still have been easily pointed out by Zahra.
The format of the book is difficult in the first half. For about the first fifty pages or so, the reader is introduced to all the major players and their backgrounds. By background I mean life story. Some of the information may or may no be relevant - but it boils down to the fact that the bad guys are opportunisitic, mafioso kinda men. But, criminals or not, cruel or not, the men are now in charge in the new regime of Iran (this is 1986).
It's absolute power corrupting absolutely:
"A number of hitherto anonymous and colorless villagers [men] were metamorphosed virtually overnight and began to spread terror throughout the area with thier knives and their slingshots." pg 75
Ghorban-Ali is Soraya's husband and he's fallen in "love" with a new woman (who remains offstage throughout the whole of the book, so I don't know if he ever did remarry after killing his wife or not). He - with the help of his fellow criminal cohorts - sets Soraya up to look like an adultress. He convinces everyone - her father and her sons - and they proceed to stone her. Graphically. This book doesn't shy away from the details of a stoning.
It builds slowly, but when the 'trial' starts, it's worse than watching a car wreck happen in front of you. He shows you the set-up, the reaction of the villagers, and the entire process - from digging the hole to the final stone. No lie: it's horrifying.
Though Sahembiam emphasizes in the introduction that the villagers feel they have done nothing wrong:
"Now barely six month after the event, the villagers - seemingly hardworking and decent folk - appeared to have forgotten their collective crime. After all, stoning had been resurrected and encouraged by the regime of the ayotollahs, and in performing that rite they had only been doing their duty, cleansing their village as hundreds of other villages had been cleansed in years past, 'in the name of God the compassionate, the merciful.'" pg xiii
I understand the arguments that journalism shouldn't be commentary or anecdotal; however, I'm disinclined to say that such stories should be dismissed. After all, The Narrative of Frederick Douglass is not impartial - and it certainly holds a mirror up to all the nastiness, cruelty, and evil that comes with slavery.
While it's no easy read, and it's no Pulitzer Prize winner, I do recommend this story be read - in the hope that one day it'll be a record of a history that's been overcome, and not a documentary of the here and now. (less)
"If there's a better book than this, I haven't written it." ~Stephen Colbert, quoted on the back of American Again: Re-Becoming the Greatness We Never...more"If there's a better book than this, I haven't written it." ~Stephen Colbert, quoted on the back of American Again: Re-Becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't
I think the first book review of the year should set the tone for the rest of the year. And what better way to start the year 2013 than reading and reviewing the book that has everything? In fact, it has so much of everything that I used every single one of my shelves to label it. I'm pretty sure that I'm still short a couple subjects.
Sure, I could've been reading Anna Karenina and learning about Imperial Russia with the rest of my book group instead of learning about the present American stuff I already know. But since my reading goal this year is 100 books - which is like reading everything - I should start my odyssey with the book that has everything. Everything American, that is. Anna Karenina just has affairs and trains and Keira Knightly and other stuff.
Tolstoy's book doesn't have anything that Colbert's book doesn't have.
Anna Karenina has extramarital affairs: America Again has illicit relations between politicians and food.
Anna Karenina has people who hate their jobs: America Again has resume how-tos.
Anna Karenina has 2-D: America Again has 3-D.
Anna Karenina has Siberia: America Again has North Dakota.
Anna Karenina was translated into English: America Again was written in American.
It's probably this last one where Tolstoy has managed to one-up Colbert. America Again has no, count them: none, award winning translators. We're just expected to understand paragraphs like: "But the Real Question is: are America's best days behind us? Of course they are, and always have been. We have the greatest history in the history of History. But never forget, our best days are also ahead of us, and always will be. Because America also has the Greatest Future in the history of the Future. It's our Present that's the problem...and always is be."
I mean, Colbert began two sentences in that paragraph with But. And fragments. You just don't do that. A good translator would've saved him some face-saving. (less)
Loading...
