Hooman Majd Libri

Offering a dramatic perspective on Iran's complex political culture and global ambitions, the book provides an insider's view of the aftermath of the 2009 presidential elections. Drawing from privileged access to the Iranian power elite, it presents a nuanced analysis of the country's policies and their implications for world peace. The author warns Western observers about the challenges of fostering democracy in Iran, emphasizing the need for careful consideration of the region's fraught political landscape.

The 'problem' of Iran continues to climb the political and news agendas. Here, Hooman Majd returns to live in the country of his birth to discover what's really going on.

Iran is a country with global ambitions, an elaborate political culture, and enormous implications for world peace. How can its diversity of political positions resolve itself? This title shows that, despite the violence of the 2009 elections, the ideal of an Iranian republic is still alive.

Hooman Majd, acclaimed journalist and New York-residing grandson of an Ayatollah, has a unique perspective on his Iranian homeland. In this vivid, warm and humorous insider's account, he opens our eyes to an Iran that few people see, meeting opium-smoking clerics, women cab drivers and sartorially challenged presidential officials, among others. Revealing a country where both t-shirt wearing teenagers and religious martyrs express pride in their Persian origins, that is deeply religious yet highly cosmopolitan, authoritarian yet reformist, this is the one book you should read to understand Iran and Iranians today.

The narrative unfolds as Hooman Majd returns to Iran with his family, marking his first extended stay since childhood. Blending personal anecdotes with political commentary, he offers a unique perspective on life in Iran during a tumultuous year for its politics. As the son of a diplomat and grandson of an ayatollah, Majd navigates the complexities of his homeland while exploring the cultural and political landscape shaped by decades of tension with the United States. The memoir provides an intimate look at a country often misunderstood.