Watch out! Take care of Rats… and others

Posted on September 10, 2014 in Persian Books

is the story of a group of timeless and placeless villagers who are attacked by rats. The army of rats chew out the orchards and plantations and destroy everything on their way. Their population is so huge that no matter how many of them are killed by humans they won’t surrender. As the story says, even a mountain of mousetrap cannot defeat them.

Tired of and fed up with the rats’ attack, people come together to discuss the disaster. The chief of the village suggests asking the cats who were the biggest enemy of rats to help them in this dispute. People convene another meeting to recruit the biggest and the most powerful army of cats.

Everything goes well at the beginning. The cats deliver hundred dead rats every day at the village center. Gradually, the number of delivered rats shrinks. When people go to the commander of the cat army to ask the reason, the commander says: we cannot limit ourselves to just eating rats. We need meat, milk, chicken and some bread in our diet.

Having no other option, the villagers agree to provide meat, milk, chicken and bread for the cats. Despite their new agreement, the number of delivered rats still declines day by day.

The villagers who are desperate by this point decide to investigate the problem by sending a secret agent to where the cats spend their time. Surprisingly, they find out that a huge feast goes one every night outside the village. The cats eat the meat, milk, chicken and bread the villagers provide for them and the rats on the other side eat from villagers’ supply of wheat.

Angry and astonished, the villagers go to the head of the village chief to tell him of the deal with the cats and rats when they astonishingly find out about another deal: the commander of cats delivers meat, milk, chicken and bread to the village chief…

What If The Snowmen Don’t Melt? …

Posted on August 27, 2014 in Persian Books

Sold: Germany

Sold: Korea

“Book of the Month” Selected by German Academy for Children’s Literature, May 2013

“I’m happy and honored that the present book has become a window through which I can interact with my young friends in Switzerland and can greet every single one of them whose love and kindness is not encircled by boarders.”

In a small town, the kids try to build the biggest snowman that any one has ever seen!

After they finally finish the job, they invite their families and friends to come and see the biggest snowman that they have built.

The next day when people wake up, they find out that they all should be at the service of this big creature and obey whatever he demands…

Then when it comes the time for spring to enter the town and the Sun to shine, the snowman resists …

Nim Man Boogh (Half Man Horn)

Posted on August 27, 2014 in Persian Books

Bologna 2012 Selected Artwork

Selected Book at White Ravens 2012

Selected Book at 16th Children & Young Adults Festival Tehran 2012

The Official Representative of one of the neighboring countries which was ruled by the King of Iran, came to the king to pay his annual taxes. He said I’ve a few questions which if you give me the answers, I’ll be assured that you have a dominant culture in the region. The King called for his Ministers to gather at the Royal Palace and consult with each other and find the answers.

The Ministers couldn’t find any answers, therefore they ran away from the Palace because they were afraid of the King’s punishment.

On their way they met a villager named “Half Man Horn”, they were amazed to hear this strange name, the villager explained that: “My name was Mansoor. I took the “Man” out of my name “Man- Soor” and called myself “Half Man” because I am very humble and down to earth. Then I took the last part of my name “Man-Soor”; “Soor” which means trumpet and put “horn” instead. Finally, I put” half man” and “Horn” together and as result, my name became “Half Man Horn.” The ministers thought that he seems very clever and they decided to took him to the Palace to answer the questions….

12 Short Stories

Posted on August 26, 2014 in Persian Books

Twelve Stories or Angels Have no Stories Lady is a collection of short stories selected among more than forty stories written by Seyyed Ali Shojaie during the last couple of years. Portrayed in an urban setting, the stories investigates human relations in any scale or of any sort trying to depict flaws of human relation through depiction of ordinary and gray people that can be found around us. The characters in these stories are usually simple-hearted people who easily make mistakes and knowingly or unknowingly embitter the sweetness of their lives. Twelve Stories just portrays the lives of people and avoids any sort of judgment in the narration process. The tales present a new perspective through looking from a different angle that juxtapose with people’s untold resolutions. They sometimes attempt to reshape and re-evaluate the laws of the universe. The relationship between husbands and wives, two friends, parents and children, or a group of friends provides the narratives with the platform for the author to manifest his critical view of the society that he thinks is thirsty for morality more than anything else in the world. Twelve stories is a warning for the unsightly reflection of a society that suffers from immorality.

20 Short Stories

Posted on August 26, 2014 in Persian Books

This book is a collection of short stories written in a clear and concise style by an author with a strong commitment to his society.

By using a thematic approach, he deals with the adolescent emotional and psychological world (their worries, e. g. loneliness, longing, joys, sorrows, moments of mourning, etc.) with great sensitivity.

He is able to conquer the complexes of modern youth through lyrical emotionality, and convey the belief that real quest takes place within one’s self. Intense dense, atmospheric panorama, leads the reader to an exact and empathetic view of the figures, their lives and feelings.

Another Tempest is on its Way

Posted on August 26, 2014 in Persian Books

6th Edition, Sold Over 17000 Copies

The story begins when Zinat, a well-known dancer and prostitute, meets the man she has been expecting to see. This takes place finally after about ten years. But though she knows haji Amin from the past and is prepared to meet him, haji Amin is absolutely stunned in the very first few moments of their visit. Some of the major events are revealed through the letters written between two of the major characters, Kamran and Zinat, and the characterization and the incidents are depicted in this manner within the intertwined plot of the novel. Haji Amin is Kamran’s father and has lost trace of his only son since years ago and all his efforts for finding him or even getting any news about him has been in vain all through. How could he ever imagine that Zinat, the young dancer and prostitute he knew in old days and has now indeed transformed in all aspects, has saved his wandering and so-called insane son and supported him just as his real mother and been in touch with Kamran until the very last moment of his life?! There is a lot to say and ask about the ten years which has seen many changes, but how can haji Amin understand and compensate for the lost years, in addition to his misbehavior towards his son and family. It is too late or has Zinat somehow filled in this gap for him?! And is there any chance that haji Amin could see his son at least just once more? Zinat knows how to speak and keeps him waiting while all through haji Amin finds a rare and exceptional opportunity to think about himself and what he has done with his life…

Another Tempest is on its Way is Seyyed Mehdi Shojaee’s latest novel. This story faced a high variety of different and controversial criticisms and acclaims. The novel shows how the author has enriched his talents in story-telling for creating suspense and a different atmosphere.

Scorching Plains

Posted on August 26, 2014 in Persian Books

Scorching Plain is the latest historical novel by Sadegh Karamyar. The story that dates back to the time when the British discovered oil in Khuzestan, southern part of Iran.

In this story the author transforms a less-viewed aspect of Iran’s contemporary history into a novel that keeps the readers riveted as it progresses.

The novel, sets in Khuzestan in the early 1800s, details the prevailing atmosphere of the time, the lifestyle of regional people of Arab origin and the tribal relations.

However, the most important part of the novel focuses on the role the British played there as well as on why they would not or could not set the stage for the secession of the region from Iran as was the case elsewhere.

Scorching Plains is not the first historical novel penned by Sadegh Karamyar who seems to have spent a lot of time researching the subject. After all, putting the lifestyle of regional people, their beliefs and personalities under the microscope from a distance is next to impossible.

The Spoil

Posted on August 26, 2014 in Persian Books

The US invasion of Iraq and its correlation with the war, Iraq waged against Iran is the main theme of this successful novel by Sadegh Kramyar. It focuses on the relationship between Aslan; an Iranian man and a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war who is opposed to the US, and his son Peyman who disagrees with his own father and supports the US –led invasion of Iraq.

The story is set in 2002 and 2003 and it focuses on Aslan’s family. Aslan was among Iranian soldiers who put up a fight against Saddam’s army to shield the Iranian city of Khorramshahr from invading forces.

He lost his daughter during the invasion. Twenty years on, he sees images of a woman on TV-during the US-led invasion of Iraq and thinks that she is the daughter he lost two decades earlier.

He travels to Iraq, which is now under occupation, in search of his lost daughter, locates her, and tries to bring her back home.

The approach of The Spoil, which is set in the thick of war and also features efforts by Aslan to save an American servicewoman involved in a serious road accident, is so humanly in nature that makes it an ideal read not just for the Iranians but people all over the world.

Fellow Travellers

Posted on August 26, 2014 in Persian Books

“Fellow-Travellers” is the story of people who appear to be gradually becoming part of history while their generation is about to be wiped out. People who have not succumbed to requirements of the time such as opportunism and attainment to mass production at the expense of losing quality and … attempting to retain their correct ideological and existential approaches although these may not be welcomed by others in their heavy and obstinate loneliness – traditional human beings who are not ready to accept all manifestations of modernity in submissive way and surrender to it unquestionably.

Jalal and his family are the last farmers breeding bees in a mountainous region in the ranges of Sabalan (North West of Iran) producing honey in traditional forms, but time has changed. Smaller producers should be assimilated into the heart of the bigger ones or else subject to destruction and constant threats.

Meantime, new manifestations of civilization in the frame of telecommunication masts and mobile receivers have found their way into remote villages and their waves will trigger confusion and death of bees.

In such conditions, the wolf of confusion has attacked the village and has launched an enormous massacre and ruining the entire capital of a family in their worst financial conditions. They suffer very acute consequences, having been left abandoned in the plains and mountains along with a bell, a bell whose threatening voice is always being heard in the course of the story.

Family of Jalal who are under pressure by other producers migrate into the beautiful pass or gorge of Heiran in order to reach the syrup of mountain flowers and to prevent the death of bees (that has involved them only because others have settled the problem by using sugar), but the rival like a wandering wolf chases them in an attempt to eliminate and annihilate them. The story narrates this confrontation and highlights the life of subsidiary human being who rushes to the help of each of them. Finally, family of Jalal with the help of their attar friends succeeds in arresting a man who constantly worked to sabotage their living conditions. What will happen next…?

“Fellow-Traveller” is a story in admiration of nature that is doomed to destruction.

Democracy or DemoCrazy

Posted on August 26, 2014 in Persian Books

Seyyed Mehdi Shojaie’s political satire, Democracy or DemoCrazy was written between the years 2002 and 2007. The book managed to receive the publishing permit from the ministry of Culture in the year 2008, but as a result of the unstable political situation at that time, the author voluntarily suspended the release of the book. The book was finally released 5 years later in 2013.

What follows are the title of some of the fourteen chapters of the book: “Those Who See More, Will Steal More; The King Lives in the Same Neighbourhood as God; Robbery is Bad Except For Sublime Purposes; Ruining is Prerequisite of Development; Having Enemies is Very Fruitful, if You lack One, Make One; etc.”

The following sections are excerpts of the speeches DemoCrazy gives to the government authorities hoping to teach the principals of governing an estate in a sarcastic and satirical language. Among this sections are:

1. All the people are sheep and we are the shepherd. Be careful, the biggest mistake in governing is valuing people. I want to make it clear, that if you value people more than sheep you can never have power over them later.

2. Always keep this important fact in mind that the people, I mean all of them, are thief, liar and manipulative unless proven wrong. However, many stupid people think it’s just the opposite and the principle of the presumption of innocence is valid…