false 41262337 924044 3488337 0385523343 9780385523349 80 http://www.goodreads.com/images/books/34/337/3488337-m-1255909209.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/images/books/34/337/3488337-s-1255909209.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3488337.The_Ayatollah_Begs_to_Differ_The_Paradox_of_Modern_Iran 3.58 221 Hooman Majd, the son of an Iranian diplomat and the grandson of an ayatollah, grew up in exile, yet he also remained closely attached to his homeland. In THE AYATOLLAH BEGS TO DIFFER, Majd travels throughout Iran to present an eye-opening account of the economic, political, and social forces that lie at its heart -- and to show the paradoxes of the Iranian character that have baffled Americans for thirty years.

Majd looks at Iran as a Muslim country, as a Shiite country and, significantly, as a Persian country. As Shiites marked by an inferiority complex, Iranians are devoted to protecting their rights, a factor Majd suggests has stymied their nuclear negotiations. He also shows the importance of the Persian view of privacy, arguing that the stability of the current regime owes much to the freedom Iranians have to behave as they wish behind "Persian walls." And with great wit, Majd describes the Persian concept of ta'arouf, an exaggerated form of polite self-deprecation that may explain some of Iranian President Ahmadinejad's more bizarre public moments.

Sharing the real faces and voices of Iran, from government officials to cab drivers to upper-class socialites, Majd brings to life a country far different from the one pictured in most American media.

A detailed look at the realities of life in Iran and what it means to be Iranian from a unique perspective - one that is very American and also Persian. Illuminating for anyone trying to understand what it means to be Iranian in the current global atmosphere. The writing style is easy to read with many humorous anecdotes.
]]> 1471099 3.57 224 80 2008 2 0 false Mon Dec 29 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Tue Dec 30 00:14:22 -0800 2008 Tue Dec 30 01:52:42 -0800 2008
Nevertheless, I learned quite a bit, in between cursing his prose.

In describing the locals, in sandals or suits, Majd has the air of an a...more...]]>