I’m interested in devoting some time learning about Iran (but not in a formal way, like taking courses), so I’m turning to fellow dopers for resources.
Basically anything goes. For instance : excellent websites you happen to know, news sources, Iran-related message boards or chats where I could exchange with Iranians (In English. I do not intend to learn Farsi yet, I’m already two languages late on my program), resources about arts and history (I’ve generally more interest in ancient than modern history, but the latter is welcome too), pictures, or whatever else you could think of.
Books is another matter, because though I could probably order most of them, I’d rather read them in French, in order not to add an hurdle, and I know from experience that many history books (for instance) published in the USA have never been translated in French. However, I won’t discard book recommendations out of hand, either.
The story of Scheherazade, legendary Persian queen, from which we get Ali Baba, Aladdin, Sinbad, and more in the 1001 Nights.
The frame tale goes that every day Shahryar (Persian: شهريار or “king”) would marry a new virgin, and every day he would send yesterday’s wife to be beheaded. This was done in anger, having found out that his first wife was betraying him. He had killed three thousand such women by the time he was introduced to Scheherazade, the vizier’s daughter.
<snip>
*The King lay awake and listened with awe to Scheherazade’s first story and asked for another, but Scheherazade said there was not time as dawn was breaking, and regretfully so, as the next story was even more exciting.
And so the King kept Scheherazade alive as he eagerly anticipated each new story, until, one thousand and one adventurous nights, and three sons later, the King had not only been entertained but wisely educated in morality and kindness by Scheherazade who became his Queen.*
The musical setting by Rimsky-Korsakov is great as well. Sample:
Trailer for a pretty good movie version (that I found for $5):
Speaking of fairy tales, I recommend Shahnameh (perhaps you could get a translation in French?). It contains one of my favorite fairy tales, Rostem & Sohrab.
Sorry to recomend a book, but All the Shah’s Men by Stephen Kinzer is a very good and very short history of the successful attempt by the United States to oust the democratically elected government of Iran and install the Shah. Understanding this event is an important part of understanding modern Iran.
The book is a memoir of the experience of the author who returned to Iran during the revolution (1978-1981) and lived and taught in the Islamic Republic of Iran until her departure in 1997. It narrates her teaching at the University of Tehran after 1979, her refusal to submit to the rule to wear the veil and her subsequent expulsion from the university, life during the Iran-Iraq war, her return to teaching at the University of Allameh Tabatabei (1981), her resignation (1987), the formation of her book club (1995-97), and her decision to emigrate. Events are interlaced with the stories of book club members consisting of seven of her female students, who met weekly at Nafisi’s house to discuss controversial works of Western literature[2] and are interpreted through the books they read.
Rick Steves (the guy who does the European travel shows on PBS) just did a show called Rick Steves’ Iran. I watched it last week & it was pretty darn interesting.
You may want to check your local listings to see if it will air on your local affiliate.
Sadly I’m all about the books and my French sucks :). Just in case…
Ancient Persia by Josef Wieshofer, translated by Azizeh Azodi ( English edition 1996, 2001 by I.B. Taurus & Co Ltd ) is a nice overview of pre-Islamic Persia from the Achaemenids through the Sasanians. It was originally published in German, if that helps :D.
Next chronologically you could try The Golden Age of Persia: The Arabs in the East by Richard N. Frye ( 1975, 2000 by Phoenix Press ) which takes you from the end of the Sasanians ( Arab conquest ) more or less to the Seljuqs ( 11th century ). It’s an older book, but Frye is one of the big names of Iranian historigraphy and he has other, older more expansive books on Iran as well, probably all of which are worth reading.
From there you can hit David Morgan’s brief survey history Medieval Persia, 1040-1797 ( 1988, Longman Group Limited ). As per the title it starts where Frye leaves off and takes us to the rise of the modern Qajar dynasty ( 1796-1925 ). Very concise and can be crticized for it. But really it is a very useful volume and Morgan is good at cramming as much info in as one possibly can in the pages alloted ( he’s better known for his very decent, if now starting to date slightly, volume on the Mongols ).
Another short one then to round out the survey - Qajar Iran and the Rise of Reza Khan, 1796-1925 by Nikki Keddie ( 1999, Mazda Publishers ). Again pretty much self-explanatory, Reza Khan of course being the founder of the Pahlavi dynasty which ruled until the revolution. Keddie is another big name in Iranian historigraphy, particularly known for…
Modern Iran: Roots and Results of Revolution ( 2003, Yale University ). This is a partial re-write of her earlier Roots of Revolution: An Interpretive History of Modern Iran ( 1981, Yale University ). Either is worth having. A modern classic and THE book on the Iranian Revolution. If any of these I’ve listed made into translation to French, I’d bet on this one. But no guarantees ;).
I like tales, and I’ve read large parts of the 1001 nights. I heard that those tales originated in Persia, and I’m not sure about how they evolved and have been translated. Thanks for the links.
I’ve heard of this book, and read that it was still highly popular in Iran. I had forgotten about it. Thanks, I suppose it should be available in French, and I’ll certainly seek it.
I take good note of this one too, even though it might not be the first one I’ll read. I might need something more general first.
Thanks. I’m not too hot on novels, though, and also not very confident that it would provide an accurate description of its setting.
I hoped you would chime in. Thank you for providing a list that would cover all the history of Iran. That would be perfect if I can find them in French. I’m not sure I’ll try to read them all in English because IME absorbing history books about a country when you don’t have already the basis well in mind requires some effort (Wondering every other page : “Who’s this guy, again? The king? The rebel leader? The philosopher from 200 century ago who inspired the reforms? The general? And what is the place they’re fighting over, anyway?”) and even though I can read most things in English, it doesn’t help.
I’ll go to my book store with the list, anyway, and see what they can get me and in which language. Thanks for the recommendations.
Unfortunately, not even this one has been translated, apparently. I’m going to ask for references on Franco-Iranian forums (but at first glance, I’m unconvinced I will get good advices for serious reference books) and check random books in libraries. Failing that, I guess I’ll have to order those you listed in English.
I had more luck with the Shahnameh. It was unavailable in French, but a new edition has been published this week, by a smallish Franco-Iranian bookstore/association/editor. My usual bookstore has been nice enough to advise me to buy it directly from them and ask them for other references about Iran, and to give me their address and phone number on the phone while I was typing this message. I love my bookstore.
Unfortunately, not even this one has been translated, apparently. I’m going to ask for references on Franco-Iranian forums (but at first glance, I’m unconvinced I will get good advices for serious reference books) and check random books in libraries. Failing that, I guess I’ll have to order those you listed in English.