Subjects:  1. Asia - Southwest    2. Description And Travel    3. Elliot, Jason    4. Essays & Travelogues    5. Iran    6. Travel    7. Travel - General    8. Travel / Essays & Travelogues   

Reviews (2)

Excellent Resource
Gorgeous photos.Fabulous information.It's a shame we can't visit this architecturally historic country.

An absolute "must-read" for any male or female visitor to Iran
Patricia Baker is a lecturer, writer and tour leader specializing in Islamic are and having traveled to Iran over 16 times since her first visit in 1971. She draws from his considerable experience and expertise in Iran: The Bradt Travel Guide to provide the tourist, student, or businessman with guidance on cultural awareness, religious sensitivity, and absolute do's and don'ts as well as a region-by-region guideline to getting around in different areas of Iran with black-and-white maps to follow. An absolute "must-read" for any male or female visitor to Iran, as familiarity with rules and customs could spare one from an unhappy detention; for example, the Iranian prohibition against cards, gambling and backgammon extends to such things as fuzzy car dice, woman must not walk unescorted at night or they will be presumed prostitutes, and no visitor should eat, drink, or smoke during the daylight hours of the Ramadan religious holidays regardless of their personal faith, else the repercussions to themselves and their sponsors will be severe. Yet Iran: The Bradt Travel Guide is far more than a list of proscriptions and warnings; it is also a tour of the cultural and historical wonders of Iran, a glimpse into the recent transformations of the society, and an in-depth guide of where to go and what to experience. Now in an updated second edition, Iran: The Bradt Travel Guide is a "must-have" for visitors who want not only to see the sights of this proud nation, but to understand its character as much as possible.
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Subjects:  1. Middle East - General    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Iran    5. Travel & holiday guides    6. Travel / Middle East / General   

Reviews (3)

2004 Edition
There have been some rumors concerning a previous edition. I have just been to Iran (in September 2006). The 2004 edition is as witty and informative as any Loney Planet book. When compared with two German books for travelers it is a notch above the others. I haven't found any insensitive orbelittling remarks only the usual sarcasm, just as the description of Ahvaz: "Unremitting Iraqi bombing during the Iran-Iraq War didn't beautify it and subsequent redevelopment has faild to offer much inspiration." Some telephone numbers and addresses are however outdated.

I totally agree with the first reviewer(LJ Brouwer ?)
I totally agree with the first person who reviewed the update of the LP Iran. The first edition, written by David St-Vincent was a real masterpiece (not exaggerating there !), but the following updates were made by someone who obviously did not know much about the country and didn't even like it. It was a disaster. It's great that LP has finally commissioned a worthwhile update, getting rid of the not-so-worthy author whose name I will not mention here.

A welcome replacement for the previous edition.
These are some excerpts from the new edition from the section entitled 'The National Psyche':
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Subjects:  1. Middle East - General    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Iran    5. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (33)

When in Iran, "expect to suffer from excessive hospitality"
Amazon's "Better Together" recommender worked well here:I read "Searching for Hassan" after reading Firoozeh Dumas' charming memoir "Funny in Farsi."Terence Ward's "Hassan" is a compelling read, especially the chapter "Appointment in Tudeshk" which thrillingly recounts the Ward family's reunion with the Ghasemi family after 29 years apart.I'll sheepishly tell you that I skimmed some of Mr. Ward's erudite sidebars about certain long-ago aspects of Persian history and focused on his more recent accountings of the days of the Shah, the transition to theocratic rule and life since the revolution.But the recounting of the trip itself is pure magic, as are Mr. Ward's remembrances of Hassan and Fatimeh Ghasemi.You can clearly see why these two inspired such devotion from the Ward family.
Appreciation Works Wonders
The best feature of this story is the author's sense of appreciation. Returning to the land of his childhood after 30 years, Ward is filled with appreciation for all places, characters and canundrums he meets. Where suspicion commonly reigns between Americans and Iranians, Ward's infectious appreciation opens door after door -- to enjoyment, insight and friendship.

An extraordinary work of art
This book was given to me by my daughter as a present last Norouz.I wanted to read it when I had enough time and could concentrate on the details of this journey to Iran.My husband and I decided to go on a short vacation last week and I took the book with me.I read it once and started to read it again. I have been away from Iran for the past 20 years and miss it so very much. This book made me cry and made me laugh.I followed the family's steps in Isfahan, Shiraz and Yazd. I could touch the land, smell the flowers at the Hafizieh and taste Hassan's rice with saffron.Immigration to Canada has taught me a painful lesson. I found out that not many people knew who Iranians are, what their language is, are they Arabs?I volunteered for many different organizations hoping to be recognized as an Iranian human being. It did not take me very far, so I joined the Iranian Canadian Cultural Assiciation and worked very hard to introduce Iran and the Iranian culture over the last 5 years. It has been amazing, now everyone knows about the Chaharshanbe souri celebration on the last Tuesday of the Persian year and 10,000 people attended our festival in the park this year.Norouz is celebrated every year with many dignitaries in attendance; and we arrange different lectures by scholars from around the world.I am grateful that Terence Ward has written this book, and introduced our culture in detail with his heart. Coming from someone like him will make a world of difference for us, making the hard work we have to undertake to introduce our culture so much easier.We thank Terence for this extraordinary work of art and his passionate portrait of my homeland! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Iran    3. Middle East - Iran    4. Personal Memoirs    5. Social life and customs    6. Travel    7. Travelers    8. Ward, Terence    9. Biography & Autobiography / General    10. Journeys   

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Reviews (16)

Almost Amusing... Fails to Delivers
'In the Rose Garden of the Martyrs' is more or less enjoyable to read, but not quite as advertised. It is definitely a personal account which adds much flavor to the book but tends to be choppy and seems to lack any real purpose.
Are we talking about the same Iran?
The book is so biased. It gave me this impression that the author closes his eyes to all aspects of Iranian culture and sees only what he wants to see: miserable, uneducated people possessing unrealistic ideas. This false attitude gives him some self satisfaction of being an European, which I believe makes his book intolerable.
Good.
I received the book in a decent amount of time and it was in perfect condition. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1971-    2. 20th century    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. De Bellaigue, Christopher,    7. Description and travel    8. Iran    9. Middle East - General    10. Middle East - Iran    11. Political    12. Social life and customs    13. Travel    14. Biography & Autobiography / Political    15. Bargain   

Editorial Review

Twenty years after the Iranian revolution, most westerners still imagine Iran to be a warren of anti-American rhetoric, terrorism, and fanatical repression, especially of women. Not surprisingly, only an unusual woman would choose to travel there, and Alison Wearing is certainly that. "I refused to believe that such a place of unalloyed evil truly existed," she writes. "I like to look for saints where there are said to be demons."Since it is the only country the world traveler could not imagine going to alone, she takes her fussy, gay roommate Ian, along with a fake wedding certificate and a story that they're on their honeymoon. Then she dons a black cloak, scarf, and chador (the full body covering required by Shiite Islam) for a five-month journey from the Caspian Sea (breaking into the Shah's ramshackle summer palace) to the holy city of Qom (and Khomeini's shrine) to a hidden Zoroastrian prayer site (where she faints from heat stroke).From the moment she steps into the country, she's surrounded by Iranians touched by her eagerness to learn about their country. There is the housewife who challenges her to a game of Ping-Pong in her long robe and scarf, offering food to her guests in between killer serves, and the Anglican minister who is "wholly enthralled by the art of living." There is the couple who spirit her away to a mountain oasis when she complains of the heat (leaving a message for Ian, "Mister Canada, we take your wife. We make her cold"), and the mother who tries to marry off her doctor son, joking that Wearing can't leave "not without my doctor" (a reference to the American film Read more

Reviews (48)

First book our club all agreed on
In almost 3 years of gathering, this was the first book our book club universally loved.Some loved it because it is a travelogue, some because of the suspense, some because of the humor, and others because it is an inside glimpse into another culture.I have purchased this book and recommended it to many people.It is a very enjoyable read.

Very One-sided
This is a book written in the typical voice of a westerner who knows nothing about Iran except what they have heard in stories and on TV and what they have imagined Iran to be--based on what they know of the Arab world (which is completely different from anything Iranian.)She presents a very one-sided view of Iran, never mentioning how Iran has the highest level of literacy among Middle Eastern nations, not to mention the highest level of educated women, and never having lived through the Iranian revolution, she gives herself the right to call the former Shah a heartless king who didn't have to think twice about giving the order to open fire on demonstrators during the revolution.She seemed bent on presenting a "simpleton" image of Iranians who are just hungry for anything western. Had Miss Wearing taken the time to educate herself about the history of the revolution of Iran, not to mention the rich ancient history of Iran and it's people, maybe this book would have been a bit more interesting, and a bit less like she is just laughing at the people who have opened their homes and hearts to a complete stranger.
I never read travel books...
... however, as a required reading for a class I am currently enrolled in, I am extremely glad that my instructor chose Honeymoon in Purdah! Wearing promises and delivers beyond the expectations outlined on the back of the book/jackets.
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Subjects:  1. 1967-    2. 20th century    3. Description and travel    4. Essays & Travelogues    5. General    6. Iran    7. Journeys    8. Middle East - Iran    9. Social life and customs    10. Travel    11. Travel - General    12. Wearing, Alison,    13. Travel / General   

Subjects:  1. Iran    2. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Reviews (2)

General assumptions will lead to wrong conclusions.
V.S Naipaul should have stuck with writing fiction because his transition to non-fiction based on selected observations of Islamic practices based on some "Muslim countries" is appauling.
An Observer's Travelogue for Seekers
This book was part of my set of books I read while on a quest to understand Islam and Islamic peoples. The set includes Karen Armstrong's Islam, the Barron's Islam, Huston Smith's The World's Religions, The Essential Koran, and the Koran itself (translated, of course). Armed with a topical understanding of Islam, I began reading V. S. Naipal's Among the Believers. Wow. This is the book to understand some of the religious and political attitudes of people in Islamic countries. There are surprises and there are cases where Naipal establishes just what are the "balances".
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Subjects:  1. Travel    2. Indonesia    3. Iran    4. Islamic countries    5. Islamic studies    6. Malaysia    7. Pakistan    8. Travel writing   

Subjects:  1. Huyser, Robert E    2. Iran    3. Journeys    4. Travel   

Editorial Review

The recent opening of Iran has been met by the curiosity of a number of writers wanting to understand and illuminate a country that has been shrouded by a lack of access--and by prejudice--for three decades. Read more

Reviews (18)

A Bit P.C. But Fascinating Nonetheless
This was a very interesting travelogue but it's a bit longwinded and the author is a little too accomodating of Iran's questionable cultural and political practices.The book really gets going after about 200 pages, when the author leaves Tehran and the endless rounds of visiting mosques, religious shrines, martyres' shrines, historic mullahs' homes, etc., all the while being forced to trudge around with entire Iranian extended families.When they say "family" is important in Iran be advised that family does not mean the nuclear family but mom, dad, grandpa, grandma, sons, daughters, daughers/sons-in-law, cousins, babies, family friends, etc. I would have gone crazy having to endure the entourages that accompanied the author on even the most mundane jaunts. The author seems to take it all in stride, which is my biggest complaint with the book as a whole.There's an awful lot to question about the current political and social structure of Iran but the author treads very delicately in this area.In fact, she appears almost seduced by Iranian propaganda as she is constantly finding the bright side to controversial practices and is always quick to muse about all the ills of western civilization.She raises controversial issues, but pretty much lets the people she meets off the hook by not pushing for real explanations and not pointing out both factual inconsistencies and fallacies in their logic.I realize this wasn't a political book, but the Iranians the author meets have no qualms about voicing their opinions of America and the West and I believe the author is a little too accomodating.

An honest and personal account
I've read several personal-point-of-view books about Iran recently, and I have a lot of respect for this one.I rate it as an honest book because Ms. Bird is very clear about her personal standards, background and feelings and where they come from.She doesn't pretend to be objective; she's giving one person's perspective.In particular, she includes her own reactions even when she knows that readers will find them unsympathetic.How much more can you ask? ok, not bad
I am Persian and I found this book to be very informative, although it's not an easy read. It could use a considerable amount of editing and I found a lot of the things she said to be somewhat inaccurate. Other times it's as if it goes on rambling. She mentions over and over again how little farsi she knows and how the Iranians know even less english, so I found that while writing her conversations, she probably had to improvise a lot and I wonder if she really understood what people were trying to tell her. Overall, it's not a bad book. I did learn some more stuff about my own culture, but I think her frame of mind is still very "American"- you know what I mean. She wrote several times about how frustrated and irritated she would get with some of the culture clashes there, but if you are going to do something like this, you just have to accept things the way they are- thus not becoming frustrated or irritated. I was surprised that she travelled alone for parts of it. I'm Iranian, and even I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that.Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Bird, Christiane    3. Description and travel    4. Essays & Travelogues    5. Iran    6. Middle East - General    7. Murder - General    8. Social life and customs    9. Travel    10. Travel - General    11. Places & peoples: general interest    12. Travel / Middle East / General    13. Travel writing   

Subjects:  1. 1926-    2. 20th Century Description And Travel    3. Asia - General    4. Asia - Southwest    5. Description and travel    6. Iran    7. Journeys    8. Qanats    9. Smith, Anthony,    10. Travel    11. Travel - General    12. Smith, Anthony    13. Travel writing   

Subjects:  1. Antiquities    2. Asia, Central    3. Description and travel    4. Geology    5. Iran    6. Physical geography    7. Sistan (Iran)   

Reviews (8)

danziger's travels
This is the most exciting travel book I have ever read

simply smashing
While visiting England earlier this year, my English friend recommended, among many other travel narratives, this book, and I didn't put it down until I finished it.Even in the water closet I was riveted with thisenthralling adventure.It's stories like these that keep me travelling.

Authentic or not, I liked it.
This was a great read. I have an Iranian friend who expressed serious doubts as to the authenticity of Danziger's one-night stand with his Iranian hostess, as well as his other improbable adventures. Butfabrication or not, I liked the book a lot. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Afghanistan    5. China    6. Iran    7. Travel writing    8. Turkey   

Reviews (28)

when a royalist writes about his lost treasure
In my opinion there are two Iranians.The Iran represented by the thieves and the scoundrels who supported the Dictatorhomosexual Shah of Iran and who took off right after he was disposed of his power by the brave students. This group held so much power in Iran and stole the wealth of the hard working Iranians. Europe and America was their play ground.While Iran had so much natural resourced, this barbaric savage group, controlled everything.The poorwere left uneducated andtheir child mortality rate was one of highest in the world. Shah lived in palaces where toilets and showers were solid Gold. While the majority of Iranian went hungry and destitute.
Americans Need To Read Molavi
Afshin Molavi is one of the best authors writing about today's Iran.
Fascinating book on modern Iran
This is another of these travel books where the author (typically a journalist, in this case an Iranian-American who writes for the Washington Post) goes to a country, travels around, meets and interviews people, and tells you about them, and their country. In this case, the author spent two years in his native country of Iran, making a series of pilgrimages to various shrines that commemorate religious leaders, fallen soldiers, and so forth. He talks with everyone from the guy who sells fruit in a stall in Tehran to computer engineers who wish to emigrate to veterans of Iran's war with Iraq. In between he gives you brief histories of the various regions and personalities that people Iran's history.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Description and travel    3. Essays & Travelogues    4. International Relations - General    5. Iran    6. Middle East - General    7. Middle East - Iran    8. Molavi, Afshin    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Politics and government    11. Politics/International Relations    12. Social life and customs    13. Travel    14. Journeys    15. Places & peoples: general interest    16. Travel writing   

Reviews (1)

Great guide book!
This guide book may lack the extensive lists of hotels and restaurants that Lonely Planet guides have, but for someone who is curious about travelling to Persia, this is a great idea.There are some nice photos, information on how to get there, and a good amount of cultural notes.While some of the material is probably outdated, its a great book for those who are interested in Iran. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - Southwest    2. Europe - Eastern    3. Guidebooks    4. Iran    5. Middle East - General    6. Travel    7. Travel - Foreign    8. Eastern Europe    9. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Iran    2. Iraq    3. Kuwait    4. Maps, charts & atlases    5. Travel / road maps & atlases    6. United Arab Emirates   

Subjects:  1. Middle East - General    2. Middle East - Iran    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Iran    6. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Maps    2. Iran    3. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Editorial Review

First published in 1934, Freya Stark's classic tale of her travels through Persia has been reprinted once again and is just as much a gem now as when first published. At the age of 37, Stark shocked her fellow Brits by moving to Baghdad, befriending the locals, studying Arabic and the Koran, and then setting out on expeditions to remote and uncharted areas of the Islamic world by foot, donkey, camel, and car. With her fascination for secret Islamic societies, she resolved to travel to the former home of the Cult of the Assassins and locate an ancient fortress described by Marco Polo. (The founder of the cult inspired his recruits to murder through the use of hashish, hence their name Read more

Reviews (4)

Dull, Perhaps, But Groundbreaking
I agree with much of what is said in the reviews below: Stark's travelogues aren't to be read in bed if you have any intention of keeping your eyes open for more than a dozen pages or so. Her writing is clear and concise, but not scintillating by any means.What's of interest in this book is less the style of writing and more the travels themselves. Here was a single woman in the 1930s traveling in an area of the world virtually unknown to Westerners, making the radical choices, for instance, to study the Koran and live with the locals. She was a true radical of her own time who dared to tread places that Marco Polo didn't even approach, despite his (in)famous claims to the contrary.
Surprisingly dull
This book was disappointing, especially considering that some call it a classic. Wonderful Travel Story
Like jeffergray, I wish there were maps and would agree that the title was somewhat misleading.At times, I found myself confused by some of the historical references since they were cursory and seemed to assume a good knowledge of the history of the Middle East.Perhaps I need to go back to school...Read more

Subjects:  1. Assassins (Ismailites)    2. Description And Travel    3. General    4. Iran    5. Middle East - Iran    6. Stark, Freya    7. Travel    8. Travel - Foreign