City Travel Guides > Books > Iran

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.Lonely Planet Iran (Country Guide)
City Travel Guides > Books > Iran
by: Andrew Burke

July 15, 2008
Great to refresh my memory of a visit some 35 years ago in preparation for a re-visit later this year
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.The Road to Oxiana
City Travel Guides > Books > Iran
by: Robert Byron

May 18, 2007
Byron had an hysterical knack for seeing right into the souls of the various persons he met on his journeys...it didn't matter who the person was or of what ethnic group or nationality - none were spared the naked opinions of Mr. Byron, and the result is perhaps one of the best books I have read in the last decade. The serious looks at the peoples and places of a part of the world that remains today mysterious and troubled are enlightening when seen in the historical flow. Byron was interested in a type of Islamic architecture that through his writing became known to the West and I hope more appreciated in the lands he traveled.

I urge you to read this book. My copy is a small edition brought out by a now defunct publisher back ... Read More:
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.Inside Iran
City Travel Guides > Books > Iran
by: Mark Edward Harris

July 02, 2008
The breadth and scope of text and photos are remarkable. The sights are memorable, the insights unforgetable.
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.Neither East Nor West: One Woman's Journey Through the Islamic Republic of Iran
City Travel Guides > Books > Iran
by: Christiane Bird

February 05, 2002
I picked up this book by accident, and have had a very hard time putting it down. Bird's eloquent descriptions of the places she visited leave stunningly vivid imagery in my head, and her conversations with everyday Iranian's are very interesting, seem honest, and gives non-Iranian readers a much needed glimpse into life inside the Islamic Republic. Bird herself brings up the excellent point that no matter how many people one speaks with, a concrete reality about life Iran (or any place for that matter) really does not exist. Instead reality is a patchwork of many many different opinions from many many different people.

However excellent the above point is, Bird seems to go somewhat against her own words by inserting an overly judgmental ... Read More:
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.The Silk Roads, 2nd: includes routes through Syria, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and China (Silk Roads: A Route & Planning Guide)
City Travel Guides > Books > Iran
by: Paul Wilson

May 01, 2007
I picked up this book by accident, and have had a very hard time putting it down. Bird's eloquent descriptions of the places she visited leave stunningly vivid imagery in my head, and her conversations with everyday Iranian's are very interesting, seem honest, and gives non-Iranian readers a much needed glimpse into life inside the Islamic Republic. Bird herself brings up the excellent point that no matter how many people one speaks with, a concrete reality about life Iran (or any place for that matter) really does not exist. Instead reality is a patchwork of many many different opinions from many many different people.

However excellent the above point is, Bird seems to go somewhat against her own words by inserting an overly judgmental ... Read More:
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.From a Persian Tea House: Travels in Old Iran
City Travel Guides > Books > Iran
by: Michael Carroll

October 30, 2007
"From a Persian Tea House" is an elegantly written account of traveling in Iran when the Shah was still in power. Michael Carroll weaves humorous anecdotes, rich descriptions, and powerful dialogue to provide a look at Iranian society and culture in the 1950s. My favorite part of the book would have to be the opening scene at the beginning of the first chapter. He describes the tea house in the morning, with the sunlight playing on the ancient stones, the sleepy-eyed men sipping tea, and the stillness of the new day. To give you an idea of how intriguing this book is, I started looking for plane tickets to Iran as soon as I finished it! Sadly, the Iran described here is a much different place today.
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.Searching for Hassan: A Journey to the Heart of Iran
City Travel Guides > Books > Iran
by: Terence Ward

March 04, 2003
Goes to show how pro-west the Iranian people can be and it is surprising. The story of an American family who go back to find their servants and maid during their stay in Iran in early 1970s and late 60s is a fascinating read even today where political hostility blur the amazing relation that the people of Iran and America have held through the past few decades. Americans are extremely nice people and Iranians are quite like them: hospitable and welcoming. This book is recommended, especially to those who want to know whats going on inside of the country.
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.Honeymoon in Purdah: An Iranian Journey
City Travel Guides > Books > Iran
by: Alison Wearing

December 07, 2001
Traveling to Iran with her roommate Ian in the guise of a couple on their honeymoon, Canadian writer Alison Wearing paints a touching and often humorous portrait of a country frequently misunderstood by the West. Although she touches lightly on the country's history, geography, and religion, this is first and foremost a book about her encounters with the Iranian people, whose hospitality and generosity are stunning from a Western point of view. It seems that she can barely step outside without being welcomed into a stranger's home and lavished with food and kindness.

Some of Wearing's experiences show the painful history and religious fervor with which Westerners are so familiar. She witnesses the grim Ashura procession marking the martyrdom of Shiites' revered ... Read More:
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.Persian Pilgrimages: Journeys Across Iran
City Travel Guides > Books > Iran
by: Afshin Molavi

2002-10
It is very rare that you can find such an informative, well-balanced book on Iran. Afshin Molavi's book (the same book is also confusingly titled as "Soul of Iran" in paperback) is an excellent history, travelogue, diary, and collection of dialogues and anecdotes with and about Iranians. This is a rare book that I feel truly gives a fair and balanced presentation of the country and its people. This is neither a repudiation of Islam/glorification of the Shah as most books about Iran seem to be, nor is it a panegyric for Khomeini or justification for the revolution. This book gives us a good introductory history of Iran, Persian poetry, and Islam, and includes informative dialogues and anecdotes about Iran that shows their relevance today. If you have any interest in Iran, the ... Read More:
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.Mirrors of the Unseen: Journeys in Iran
City Travel Guides > Books > Iran
by: Jason Elliot

October 03, 2006
No cosmopolitan musings about the relative merits of multiple swank laden hotels and resorts. No pointless stereotypical dwellings on the geo-politics of Saddam Hussein vs Khomeini. No histrionic rubbish about Thermopylae. Not a dull moment in the whole book.

This book truly made me re-think the way I view my heritage as a kid of Iranian descent. All the dull crud my parents and grandparents mentioned suddenly emerged from the pages of Mr Elliot's book, burnished anew to a dazzling sheen. I cannot recommend this book more highly for its insight into Iranian culture and the Persian civilisation(s) on which it's built.

Truly a timely and poetic read:)
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