HONEYMOON IN TEHRAN

Cover of Honeymoon in Tehran, written by Azadeh Moaveni

Both a love story and a reporter’s first draft of history, Honeymoon in Tehran is a stirring, trenchant and deeply personal chronicle of two years in the maelstrom of Iranian life.

In 2005, Azadeh Moaveni, longtime Middle East correspondent for Time magazine, returned to Iran to cover the rise of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. As she documents the firebrand leader’s troublesome entry onto the world stage, Moaveni richly portrays a society too often caricatured as the heartland of militant Islam. Mingling with underground musicians, race car drivers, young radicals and scholars, she explores the cultural identity crisis and class frustration that pits Iran’s next generation against the Islamic system. Honeymoon in Tehran is a story about a young woman’s tenuous life in a country she had hoped she could change.

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Reviews for Honeymoon in Tehran

“This perfect blend of political commentary and social observation is an excellent choice for readers interested in going beyond the headlines to gain an in-depth understanding of twenty-first-century Iran.” –Booklist

“A rare, rich glimpse inside a closed society.”–Kirkus Reviews

“A story of coming-of-age in two cultures [written] with a keen eye and a measured tone.”–Publishers Weekly

“Sharp and written with ferociously brilliant reporting, Honeymoon in Tehran, Azadeh Moaveni’s nuanced perspective on her ancestors’ homeland, is without peer.”
–Gary Shteyngart, author of Absurdistan

"Honeymoon in Tehran is a timely, well-written, and intimate exploration of the soul of Iran. With an eye for detail and a feel for her subject matter, Moaveni has brought to life a country that is at once immensely important to the West and deeply misunderstood. Honest, perceptive, and nuanced, this tale of love and anguish in the Islamic Republic is brimming with poignant political insights. This book will enchant and educate.”–Vali Nasr, author of The Shia Revival: How Conflicts Within Islam Will Shape the Future

“At a time when Iranian journalists were jailed and their newspapers regularly shut down, Time magazine correspondent Azadeh Moaveni managed to give voice to the Iranian psyche. Fearlessly, Moaveni pushed the limits of her Iranian government minder and refused to be intimidated. Her stories revealed the internal turmoil felt by many Iranians decades after the revolution. Honeymoon in Tehran is a powerful and compelling read that gives a face to the voices of discourse in Iran, voices that still long for a lawful society.”–Davar Ardalan, senior producer at NPR News and author of My Name Is Iran