Persian Postcards: Iran After Khomeni

Reed's light-footed journalism runs circles around the ponderous television crews of media giants. Visiting Iran repeatedly on a simple quest for understanding, he interviews every sort of person he can - angry unemployed men, film makers, dissident theologians, self-righteous officials, scientists, reflective young women. The product is a respectful, street-smart, entertaining tour of Iran in the post-war, post-revolution 90's. Here's a sample postcard: "Why the sudden uproar when I climb into the bus? Why are voices shrilling in protest, hands reaching out to jab my shoulder, fingers pointing at chador-clad heads? Why are the expressions on the passengers' faces wavering between indignation and amusement? Strange. The faces are all women's. Slowly, what has happened penetrates my consciousness: obsessed with escaping the omnipresent press of humanity, I have boarded the less crowded women's section. Forbidden zone. Males keep out. Sorry. O so sorry. With mumbled apologies I back out the door and rush chastened to the fore-compartment. No seats here. Nothing but a mass of male bodies crushed up against one another like bruised tangerines in a crate. The women are seated at the back, gazing imperturbably, primly now, out the windows. I catch a man's eye. His expression is one of resignation mixed with sympathy, as if to say: `This is Iran'." (p. 143)

Of course, Iran is a volatile land and, even as I write, the state of the land is in flux. After my visit to Iran in 1997, this was one of the few accounts of Iran which truly reiterated and elaborated on the thoughts I had of this Islamic Republic. Insightful, fascinating, and realistic-this book doesn't get the attention it deserves.