num_pages: 325
description: In the fall of 1978, during the Islamic revolution in Iran, Shabnam is seven years old watching and trying to make sense of constant changes. Her uncle and his American wife leave Iran for the United States in fear for her life after she is threatened by Islamic fundamentalists. Her mother, estranged from her father, stays behind and without her brother’s support -now in America-, she returns to a bad marriage. The revolution brings new changes. They must wear Hijab outside and live a secret life inside. The war with Iraq starts and fear of missile attacks drags them in and out of Tehran. Her Marxist father burns his books to avoid arrest and possible execution. As a teenager, Shabnam is apprehended by the regime’s guardians for wearing nail polish or walking with a boy. With dreams of becoming an independent and free woman, she aims for college but land in marriage as a way to free herself from the parents' discipline and the regime’s watch. Life doesn’t wait and she moves forward through trial and error, ever seeking independence. She is determined but life throws rocks.My Persian Paradox: Memories of an Iranian Girl is a tale of resilience facing oppression and dictatorship along with fighting with narrow traditional and restrictive cultural rules. This memoir is a journey of self-discovery, mother-daughter relationship obstacles, forbidden love, and the universal desire for freedom.www.mypersianparadox.com
language: English
title: My Persian Paradox: Memories of an Iranian Girl
publisher: Shabnam Curtis