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Muslims and Muslim Cultures--Comments by Sara Farizan
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From: Elsa Marston <elsa.marston_at_gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 11:44:41 -0400
[Dear CCBC list people-- Apologies for the delay in sending Sara's comments to you! The problem was mainly due to technological ineptitude on my part, and possibly a few crossed wires. I wish we could have gotten her message to you a lot sooner. Sorry, Sara-- Elsa]
[From Elsa] Unless someone else wants to, I'll start off the discussion of Sara's novel with the most obvious question: How did you do it, Sara? Given that Iran is, for Americans and for a variety of reasons, pretty much a closed society, and given that the story presents intimate views not only of private middle-class life but undercurrents of society that must be fairly well hidden, the challenges of researching must have been formidable. But every detail seems to ring of authenticity, in my view.
How did you manage? (Thank you!)
I had been to Iran a few times when I was younger, but when I began writing If You Could Be Mine, I knew I had to go back to see what was happening circa 2011. There is actually a makeshift embassy in D.C. for an Iranian passport/visa and my parents helped me with that. I traveled with family when I went back and spoke to people of different backgrounds religious/secular/students etc. and while I didn't always ask questions directly about what I wanted to know, I just got to know people. What was important to them, what they liked to do for fun, issues they were having with everyday life. And also a lot of my misconceptions, as usual, were cleared up. It helped that I understood Farsi and can speak, but with a very American accent. Almost everyone knew I was visiting from the West. I think it was my wide eyed look when trying to cross the street or when visiting religious sites and wearing a full-length chador I waddled like a burrito. And Iranians, from my view, have no quarrel with American people or with foreigners. If anything they are very hospitable and warm. I think the main issue has always been between countries governments and not people. And people have very private lives that are different than public lives, I think thats true anywhere, but especially in Iran. People are going to continue to live even when there are rules that make that incredibly difficult.
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Received on Mon 01 Sep 2014 10:44:59 AM CDT
Date: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 11:44:41 -0400
[Dear CCBC list people-- Apologies for the delay in sending Sara's comments to you! The problem was mainly due to technological ineptitude on my part, and possibly a few crossed wires. I wish we could have gotten her message to you a lot sooner. Sorry, Sara-- Elsa]
[From Elsa] Unless someone else wants to, I'll start off the discussion of Sara's novel with the most obvious question: How did you do it, Sara? Given that Iran is, for Americans and for a variety of reasons, pretty much a closed society, and given that the story presents intimate views not only of private middle-class life but undercurrents of society that must be fairly well hidden, the challenges of researching must have been formidable. But every detail seems to ring of authenticity, in my view.
How did you manage? (Thank you!)
I had been to Iran a few times when I was younger, but when I began writing If You Could Be Mine, I knew I had to go back to see what was happening circa 2011. There is actually a makeshift embassy in D.C. for an Iranian passport/visa and my parents helped me with that. I traveled with family when I went back and spoke to people of different backgrounds religious/secular/students etc. and while I didn't always ask questions directly about what I wanted to know, I just got to know people. What was important to them, what they liked to do for fun, issues they were having with everyday life. And also a lot of my misconceptions, as usual, were cleared up. It helped that I understood Farsi and can speak, but with a very American accent. Almost everyone knew I was visiting from the West. I think it was my wide eyed look when trying to cross the street or when visiting religious sites and wearing a full-length chador I waddled like a burrito. And Iranians, from my view, have no quarrel with American people or with foreigners. If anything they are very hospitable and warm. I think the main issue has always been between countries governments and not people. And people have very private lives that are different than public lives, I think thats true anywhere, but especially in Iran. People are going to continue to live even when there are rules that make that incredibly difficult.
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Received on Mon 01 Sep 2014 10:44:59 AM CDT
