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When the shah of Iran was deposed in the late 1970s after 2,000 years of continuous government by shahs, it marked the beginning of a new era in everyday Iranian life as well as in politics. Since 1960 the Spanish author Briongos has made numerous pilgrimages to Iran. Her chief discovery is the Iranian belief in and practice of ketman, a traditional philosophy that allows its adherents to publicly renounce their innermost beliefs while remaining loyal to those beliefs anyway. This belief allows Iranians to ward off the dictatorial rule of their government, which is nothing if not harsh in its policies in the current era of the ayatollahs. In addition, Briongos, as a woman, is able to penetrate what is probably the most mysterious aspect of Muslim society the role of women, which has changed significantly since the Islamic revolution. Briongos' original Spanish prose has been translated by Chris Andrews, who does an admirable job making this complex people come alive, with vivid descriptions of accepted practices.
ISBN: 0864427956
Author: Ana M. Briongos, Chris Andrews (Translator)
Category: Travel
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