by Azar Nafisi
First published 2004
Every Thursday, a bold teacher named Azar Nafisi secretly gathers seven of her female students in Tehran to read banned Western literature. As morality squads raid the city and fundamentalists seize universities, the girls risk removing their veils to discuss Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Vladimir Nabokov. Their personal stories intertwine with the novels, revealing a celebration of the liberating power of art in the face of tyranny. At its heart, this is a story of resilience, as the students find solace and freedom through their literary discussions.
Genres: biography, literary-fiction, contemporary, academic
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, resilience
Setting: Iran
Period: 1979-1997
384 pages · Paperback · Random House Trade Paperbacks