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Daniel
(01/17/12)
Sure Dry, But Great For Understading
Although I must admit that this book is rather dry and I missed some journal deadlines for my High School class by nearly a week, it is a great book for gaining valuable insight into the tyranny the people of Iran have had to live through, and delivers a unique story on how the author coped with it by living in her imagination and books. Would not recommend to most people, but this is a book that was worth forcing myself to read to the end.
Jenny
(03/07/11)
Hard and dry reading
I had to read this book for an English class in college and I didn't like it at all. I could never get into the readings or the stories she told. It's just not what I would consider a decently written memoir. We also had to read the Complete Persepolis and that gave me more information about Iran and the revolution in the first 10 pages than what I got out of the entire book of Lolita in Tehran. I would not EVER recommend reading this book.
Jack
(08/27/10)
Terrible
If you want to die of boredom read this book. It takes months to read, and it's so dry and confusing. Seriously it's about a book club. Who would read a book about a book club? This author is a disgrace!
Umanach
(12/08/07)
Reality
These books are not clearly understood by those who did not live in Iran , That was life for many Iranian men and women after revoloution, it was not big deal; people gave their lives for freedom that never made it off the ground. Reading behind closed doors had been a well organized practice for many Iranians even under the Shah. But yes, it is hard to understand for people who have not faced oppression. Let us not forget all the women and men who have done these things but could not bring their voice out.
Tom Berman
(08/11/05)
Awful
This was one of the worst books I have ever read. Nafisi continuously tries to impress the reader of her knowledge of literature. This attmept loses the reader in a meaningless void of names. Her style is wordy and impossible to like.
ern
(02/24/05)
I was extremely surprised when I read of even ONE person who was disappointed with this book (although if someone didn't understand the basis of this novel, I can see how they would be confused). The author's poignant prose actually reads like poetry and is a beautiful illustration of the ravages of war on the human soul. I enjoyed how each experience was tied to the reading of various English authors and how these novels were defined by those steeped in Eastern thought. I most certainly cannot wait to read another of her books and would recommend it to anyone else who loves these types of "cultural" works.
Donna Fricke
(02/19/05)
For the past 2 years, friends kept asking if I'd read Reading Lolita in TehranText, and I kept answering that it was in my stack. Well, I've finally gotten to it and what a treasure it is. Not only does it give what seems to me (I've never been to Iran) a brilliant and loving insight into Iran, but it also gives a brilliant insight into the soul of a teacher, scholar, mentor, friend. Nafisi is an excellent writer, and the structure of the book, a memoir in books, is inspired. I can hardly wait for her next book, and now I too will begin bantering friends with the question "Have you read Reading Lolita in Tehran yet?"Text
Margarita
(01/24/05)
I was very disappointed with a book I hd been so looking forward to reading. Without hving read much Nabacov, I found it impossible to follow the author's train of thought andhad to keep rereading earlier passages to make sense of it. I felt there were far too many passages which were a critique of other authors' writing and not enough of her own which made it impossible for me to engage.