Shahrokh Ahkami-Persian Heritage #54
Shahzad Kavoossi Farzad (2008)
When one reads a good poem, you will usually find out that the author comes from a family well versed in the arts. In this collection of poems this continues to be true. Most Iranians, let alone poets, grow up reading the works of the great Hafez, Khyayyam, Ferdowsi…. not just as part of a curriculum, but as part of their culture. In this collection of poems by one author the reader will feel the intense passion for poetry and a passion for life in Iran. The poems clearly reflect a natural catharsis of excellence!
RUMI, Say Nothing
Iraj Anvar & Anne Twitty
(2008 Morning Light Press)
This book of Rumi poems is not just another Rumi collection. In the translating and gathering of these specific bodies of verses the author’s had a specific intention. They are not just poems to read and recite. They are poems meant to take you away to another world and into the mind and soul of Rumi and then take the verse and apply it to everyday life. As with all poems of the great Iranian poets the beauty of the poem is often lost in the translation. This translation deviates very little from the native tongue making the poems continue their intention as initially written.
Paradise Lost: Persia From Above
George Gerster
(Phadon press 2009)
Unique and emotional are the best words to describe this collection of photographs. As you thumb through the pages and view the archaeological sites you are chilled by the greatness of Persia and the beauty it continues to hold. From the mountains to the cities, the images hold you captive and hunger for a visit.
Understanding the US-Iran Crisis, A Primer
Phyllis Bennis
(2209 Olive Branch Press)
This tiny handout gives a quick but concise analysis of the United States and Iran, past, present and future. It is basically the opinion of the author who is a fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC and the Transnational Institute in Amsterdam. The book was published at the end of the Bush presidency and therefore is extensive in its research of the Bush’s administration tactics of the last ten years. As most have said the book is invaluable for anyone who is interested in preventing yet.
Grass, Untold Story
Bahman Maghsoudlou
Mazda Pub 2009
In this book, film scholar and critic, Bahman Maghsoudlou takes a good look into the making of the silent film Grass, that was first introduced back in the early 1920’s. For many, the film was held dear and near to their hearts. It has been remade a number of times, each version catching an additional aspect of its wonderment. The details he uses in his recount of the film, both as an antique and remake, are sure to spark the desire of the reader to experience the film in all its forms. Grass is based on the adventures of three individuals during World War I, a reporter, Army pilot and Army cameraman, who were witnesses to the migration of the nomadic Iranian tribes.
The pages are intense perceptions of the devotion of these individuals to their cause and each other and an educational resource for the filmmaker and historians.
The Wit and Wisdom of Three Words,
A bilingual Collection of Popular, Persian, Judaic and Western Proverbs & Expressions
Dr. Homayoon Aram
(2009 Ibex publishers)
If one memorizes the words of the book and understands their true meaning, life would be different as we know it. This book containing proverbs and expressions we have grown up with takes one additional step. They are translated so one not only learns or refreshes their recollection of the proverb, but can also compare its impact in translation. I am often fascinated by what makes one write or publish certain books. Too often I am not moved to continue to turn the pages and reach the back cover. In this case I was pleasantly surprised that once I began to read the proverbs and expression I thirst for what was on the next page. It is perfect book to drink with your morning coffee or end the day by a fire!