Review of An American in ... Tehran
Posted: 24 Sep 2023, 12:02
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "An American in ... Tehran" by Marianne Lauren.]
Marianne Lauren is the author of An American in ... Tehran. Marianne is one of three children born to her parents. Like her mother, Ava, she has an independent mindset. She has learned various skills, such as singing, acting, and painting, from her mother. Her father's liberal upbringing and her mother's pearls of wisdom have helped shape her free-spirited nature, enabling her to stand up for herself, love and care for her family, and live life to the fullest. Although she was born in a hospital near Hollywood with aspirations of becoming a performer, she decided to change her path due to the love and promise she saw in Amir.
In 1979, after the revolution had ended, the author traveled to Tehran because Amir had proposed marriage and assured her that Iran was now safe. After being apart for eight months, she was excited to finally reunite with Amir, meet his family, and begin their life together. The book consists of 47 chapters, detailing every encounter from the day she arrived at the airport. The chapters explore her impression of Amir in Iran as compared to the Amir she knew in the States. Additionally, she shares insights into the daily lives of women in Iran and what Amir and his family expected of her. While she patiently and bravely deals with the typical challenges of marriage, she also has to navigate differences in lifestyle, eating habits, social norms, language barriers, and cultural and religious discrepancies.
Iran was just out of a revolution and on the cusp of new beginnings. The unrest caused by the revolution affected both public and private behavior, exacerbating her problems. While still considering various aspects of her situation, Marianne learned of a potentially terrible event that could occur in Iran. Follow her story to discover how things turned out. Did she connect with Amir's family? Could Amir and Marianne maintain their marriage? How did they navigate cultural and religious differences? And did Marianne ultimately choose to stay in Iran after hearing the news?
I appreciated the author's straightforward yet potent writing approach. It aids in highlighting every emotion she experiences. The reader will easily relate to her and empathize with her. It can be challenging to settle into a marriage. Religion cannot be a barrier to loving and caring for one another. I am impressed by the author's skillful and persuasive articulation of these issues. For instance, the connection she created with all the people she met is heartwarming. I appreciate how she defends herself in various circumstances. By upholding the values she was raised with, she demonstrated that there are some things she will not compromise on.
She never gave up and did everything she could to learn, accept, adjust, and still enjoy herself. She made new friends, traveled to new places, and learned the what, why, and how of things as she went along, forging strong bonds in the process. I love that her experiences were not the only part of the story. The author stayed in touch with all the people who helped her, and she gave a brief account of their life journeys. Many lessons can be learned, such as showing respect and concern for other people and their faiths, advocating for oneself, maintaining integrity, and ultimately not giving up. She detailed various incidents with flashbacks of how they might be handled back in the States or by her mother, which I found especially compelling. It improves the reader's perspective on the same circumstance.
I noticed a couple of errors in the book, but they were minor and didn't take away from the overall quality. Therefore, I don't think the book deserves a lower rating. The editors did an excellent job, and I have no complaints about the book. For these reasons, I give it a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars.
With a few mentions that are sexual in nature and profanity, this non-fiction memoir, I am afraid, will have to be restricted to mature adults. This book will provide valuable insights to those struggling souls who may have crossed national, cultural, or religious boundaries with the belief that they have found love. It will surely assist in weighing and assessing situations with an objective mind, which is rather challenging in matters of love and family.
******
An American in ... Tehran
View: on Bookshelves
Marianne Lauren is the author of An American in ... Tehran. Marianne is one of three children born to her parents. Like her mother, Ava, she has an independent mindset. She has learned various skills, such as singing, acting, and painting, from her mother. Her father's liberal upbringing and her mother's pearls of wisdom have helped shape her free-spirited nature, enabling her to stand up for herself, love and care for her family, and live life to the fullest. Although she was born in a hospital near Hollywood with aspirations of becoming a performer, she decided to change her path due to the love and promise she saw in Amir.
In 1979, after the revolution had ended, the author traveled to Tehran because Amir had proposed marriage and assured her that Iran was now safe. After being apart for eight months, she was excited to finally reunite with Amir, meet his family, and begin their life together. The book consists of 47 chapters, detailing every encounter from the day she arrived at the airport. The chapters explore her impression of Amir in Iran as compared to the Amir she knew in the States. Additionally, she shares insights into the daily lives of women in Iran and what Amir and his family expected of her. While she patiently and bravely deals with the typical challenges of marriage, she also has to navigate differences in lifestyle, eating habits, social norms, language barriers, and cultural and religious discrepancies.
Iran was just out of a revolution and on the cusp of new beginnings. The unrest caused by the revolution affected both public and private behavior, exacerbating her problems. While still considering various aspects of her situation, Marianne learned of a potentially terrible event that could occur in Iran. Follow her story to discover how things turned out. Did she connect with Amir's family? Could Amir and Marianne maintain their marriage? How did they navigate cultural and religious differences? And did Marianne ultimately choose to stay in Iran after hearing the news?
I appreciated the author's straightforward yet potent writing approach. It aids in highlighting every emotion she experiences. The reader will easily relate to her and empathize with her. It can be challenging to settle into a marriage. Religion cannot be a barrier to loving and caring for one another. I am impressed by the author's skillful and persuasive articulation of these issues. For instance, the connection she created with all the people she met is heartwarming. I appreciate how she defends herself in various circumstances. By upholding the values she was raised with, she demonstrated that there are some things she will not compromise on.
She never gave up and did everything she could to learn, accept, adjust, and still enjoy herself. She made new friends, traveled to new places, and learned the what, why, and how of things as she went along, forging strong bonds in the process. I love that her experiences were not the only part of the story. The author stayed in touch with all the people who helped her, and she gave a brief account of their life journeys. Many lessons can be learned, such as showing respect and concern for other people and their faiths, advocating for oneself, maintaining integrity, and ultimately not giving up. She detailed various incidents with flashbacks of how they might be handled back in the States or by her mother, which I found especially compelling. It improves the reader's perspective on the same circumstance.
I noticed a couple of errors in the book, but they were minor and didn't take away from the overall quality. Therefore, I don't think the book deserves a lower rating. The editors did an excellent job, and I have no complaints about the book. For these reasons, I give it a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars.
With a few mentions that are sexual in nature and profanity, this non-fiction memoir, I am afraid, will have to be restricted to mature adults. This book will provide valuable insights to those struggling souls who may have crossed national, cultural, or religious boundaries with the belief that they have found love. It will surely assist in weighing and assessing situations with an objective mind, which is rather challenging in matters of love and family.
******
An American in ... Tehran
View: on Bookshelves
