May 2009: Reading Lolita in Tehran

"Reading Lolita in Tehran" by Azar Nafisi

Reading Lolita in Tehran, "a memoir in books," is an inspiring account of an insatiable desire for intellectual freedom in Iran before, during and after the 1979 revolution that brought Ayatollah Khomeini to power and began a period of fervent anti-Americanism in the country. The eight years of the Iran-Iraq war also are vividly recounted. — Stephen J. Lyons, USA Today

Jerilyn: Too much detail for not enough story.

Jen S.: Pedantic, boring and missed the mark.

Amanda: Insufferable. I need a story, not an English Lit. lecture.

Barb: Time would be better spent re-reading 'Lolita', in Dallas.

Kasey: If I had not been confined to a hospital bed I would not have read the whole book.

Trisha: If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything all, but I did only read the first 155 pages.

Aday: I couldn't get past page 10.

Holly: I couldn't get past page 8.

Becca: Ummmm...Twilight was awesome???!!