Monthly Archive: January 2009

The censor is crushing us

The censorship by the “Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance” of Iran is crushing us. Today is the inauguration day of Obama, the first African American President of the United States of America. Exactly 40 years ago, in 1968, a man who had this dream was assasinated because he believed that this dream was possible. 45 years ago, before the...

The story of eternal revolving, a review on the Princess of the Land of Eternity

The author [of the Princess of the Land of Eternity] knows how to write a good story, he chooses the words wisely, he puts the scenes together with utmost preci-sion, he introduces the characters skillfully, he uses appropriate suspense and all the tools for hooking up the reader to read every page. This novel is a strong, and beautiful story…...

So, what to you read after all?!

It seems somehow strange that despite all these problems, Iranian publishing industry is relatively large. There are over 8000 publishers registered, from which about 1200 publishers publish more than 10 titles a year. Every year, according to the reports published by Iran’s Book House (www.ketab.net), more than 18000 new titles enter the market, which consists mainly of bookstores (about 1500...

Censorship: You don’t deserve to be published!

Coming from a nation which is proud to have produced one of the most ancient books in history (Avesta by the Persian prophet Zarathustra), and coming from a religious background where god swears By the pen and whatever they record[1], it is naturally hard to believe that our government is one of the few States left in the modern world...

Copyright: what are they talking about?

Every time in Frankfurt, I see people anxious, running from one appointment to another, eager to do their business, to find a place in the publishing world that is bravely resisting against the danger of extinction. “What are they hurrying to do?” was my first impression the first time I went to Frankfurt, and it didn’t take me long to...

Facing the Gap: What are you doing here?

A hand shakes me. I open my eyes wearily. It is our lovely flight attendant of the gigantic Lufthansa plane. “We are preparing to land sir,” she says, “please return the back of your seat to the upright position, and fasten your seatbelt.” I try to move clumsily. “Sir, would you like a drink before we land?” While drinking my...

Iranian Authors: is there a new voice being created?

Although translation plays an important role in Iranian book market, the local authors are very significant among the Persian readership. Contemporary classics such as Sadeq Hedayat (although completely forbidden since the Ahmadinezhad administration), Mahmood Dolatabadi, Sadeq Choobak, Hooshang Golshiri and the others are read with huge popularity among Iranians. The new generation of Iranian authors, not widely translated yet, are...

about me, and the diaries of an Iranian editor and writer

I am Arash Hejazi, a novel writer, translator, editor, from Iran. To know about me, you can check my profile at the official website of Caravan Books Publishing House, the publishing house which I am its chief editor. Being an editor in Iran, has its own challenges and pecularities, quite another world, comparing it with the life of authors, editors...