This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. The prose is stunning: every page shimmers with exquisite and insightful descriptions of art, This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. The prose is stunning: every page shimmers with exquisite and insightful descriptions of art, architecture, gardens, history and poetry. The book also features many wonderful anecdotes about encounters with ordinary people, sometimes amusing, sometimes unexpectedly tender. Though the author at times comes across as arrogant and presumptuous, it's clear that he has a genuine love of Iran and he goes to great lengths to explore the culture and represent all the many experiences and variations of life that he encounters.
I'm deducting a star for unnecessary exotification/sexualisation of Iranian women and one really sexist passage that angered me. Of course, being a male, the author was restricted mostly to interactions with other men. Which is fine. But now I want to read a companion book written by a female traveller because I feel like there's a whole world missing from this book. For me Iranian women were the true mirrors of the unseen in this book....more
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