Azadeh Moaveni was an American reporter covering the rise of Ahmadinejad in Tehran when the unexpected happened: she met her soul-mate, fell in love, and became pregnant. Facing an uncertain future, she continued to publish increasingly sensitive reports on Iran, while hiding her pregnancy from the religious authorities until she could marry. Shortly after giving birth, a government source, known mysteriously as Mr. X, told her that she was the subject of an investigation and would soon be arrested and sent to the notorious Evin prison. As it became evident that she was being spied on, Moaveni feared for her safety and that of her young family, and in 2007, she fled the country she had hoped to help through her journalism. This is a powerful and poignant story about a young woman facing her future in a very dangerous place.
About the Author :
Azadeh Moaveni was born in California to Iranian parents. She is one of the few American correspondents who have been permitted to work continuously in Iran since 1999. She is the author of Lipstick Jihad and the coauthor of Iran Awakening and is currently a contributing writer for Time magazine.
Carrington MacDuffie is a voice actor and recording artist who has narrated over two hundred audiobooks, received numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards, and has been a frequent finalist for the Audie Award, including for her original audiobook, Many Things Invisible. Alongside her narration work, she has released a new album of original songs, Only an Angel.
Review :
"A story of coming-of-age in two cultures with a keen eye and a measured tone."
-- "Publishers Weekly"
"An indelible portrait of the author's family and a highly personal take on Iran's social and political evolution."
-- "Michiko Kakutani, New York Times"
"For Moaveni, born and raised in California, Iranis both an intimate and a stranger, a familiar motherland and an alienating theocracy...Yet it isn't only the contradictions of a child of exiles sorting out her identity crisis that makes this book worthwhile. It's the seductive contradictions of the motherland itself."
-- "New York Times Book Review"
"MacDuffie conveys Moaveni's real pleasure in the country of her ancestors as well as her frustration with political events...MacDuffie creates distinctions among the many voices through tonal changes rather than accent and dialect variations. Young and old, men and women, friendly and menacing, the characters materialize in our imaginations. Unfamiliar words and names flow easily, and Macduffie's fluid reading makes this an engaging and informative look at modern Iran."
-- "Booklist (audio review)"
"Moaveni describes her daily battles as a journalist in chilling detail...her keen eye for detail and her astute observations make for exhilarating reading."
-- "Washington Post Book World"
"Sharp and written with ferociously brilliant reporting...Azadeh Moaveni's nuanced perspective on her ancestors' homeland is without peer."
-- "Gary Shteyngart, author of Absurdistan"
"This perfect blend of political commentary and social observation is an excellent choice for readers interested in going beyond the headlines to gain an in-depth understanding of twenty-first-century Iran."
-- "Booklist"
"A rare, rich glimpse inside a closed society."
-- "Kirkus Reviews "
