Things I kept silent about - Azar Nafisi

The first thing that catches our attention is that her perspective does not present anything new about Iran today, just as the author herself states in the first pages of the book: "I don't mean for this book to be a political or social commentary, or a useful life story." I would like to tell the story of a family that unfolds against the backdrop of a turbulent era in Iran's political and cultural history... From here, the book primarily derives from her personal memory. Perhaps this is the essence of what the author aims for, as she finds that she does not want to write a book that tells us things about Iran, nor does she have any inclination to politicize things; rather, all she aims for is that we read her as a writer. So, we are faced with a large picture, in these memories. A personal painting, heavily tinged with a romantic tone, if I may say, reminding us of the spirit of Anna Karenina, especially the first sentence of the book: "Most men deceive their wives to have lovers. As for my father, he deceived my mother to enjoy a happy family life." A meaningful sentence from the beginning, indicating the style the author adopts in her talk about her family, and through this biography, we must pass through a country that is no longer what it used to be. Perhaps the importance of the book lies in this point, when we try to compare two eras and two atmospheres, especially since talking about family news with all its "deviations" is not a favored thing in Iranian culture, as is said.