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This is a discussion topic for the September 2024 Book of the Month, "Odyssey of High Hopes: A Memoir of Adversity and Triumph by Cyrus A. Ansary.

Were you surprised by the stories about Iran in this book?

I enjoyed the story of Persia when he was a child. Throughout his book, he noted the progress and the decline of Iran over the years of his life. It was interesting to read about his thoughts about Iran's history.

I thought the book made sense from a cultural perspective. Things like his mother and father not meeting until their wedding day. The father seeking permission to marry his mother etc. And reading his descriptions on rural Iran in comparison to a more urban environment of Tehran.

While I think I would have been surprised by the stories a few years back, I have come to realize that there are highly different levels of culture around the world, and I percieved the stories in Iran as a look into another world, instead of it being a huge surprise. As someone who doesn't know a lot about Iran, I liked learning about the history and Persia's perception about the country's change over time.

I was very surprised by some of the background information related to the Shah, the white revolution and the granting of women's freedom to vote and women's rights more broadly. It's quite surprising that, despite accomplishing such a major step forward in freedoms, that the Shah was still opposed and ultimately removed from power. But then further, I thought it was interesting that the Soviet Union had such influence over Iran in the author's early years. It makes me wonder, despite the breakup of the Soviet Union, how Iran may still be influenced by those historical parties, today. And the chapter describing the assassination attempt of the Shah in 1949 was quite interesting.

Although I had some knowledge of the history of Iran, it was interesting to learn about it from someone who lived there.

The Shah's progressive reforms, like the White Revolution and granting women's voting rights, faced strong opposition from religious conservatives and leftists, leading to his downfall in 1979. Despite Soviet influence in early 20th-century Iran, Russia continues to play a role in Iran's geopolitics today. The 1949 assassination attempt on the Shah also contributed to his later authoritarian measures, which ultimately fueled the revolution.

I enjoyed the author stories about Iran history, government, and the people and their everyday life. Most of this was not surprising. The hardship the people endured in the beginning of the book was surprising, along with the educational restrictions.

I was touched by his writing about his childhood in Persia. As the story went on when he was in the USA, he compared the growth of progress to his birth country. He was saddened as the country progressed and then was overcome by bad people that ended progress. It was sad to read about his family fleeing because of that happening.

I was touched by his writing about his childhood in Persia. As the story went on when he was in the USA, he compared the growth of progress to his birth country. He was saddened as the country progressed and then was overcome by bad people that ended progress. It was sad to read about his family fleeing because of that happening.

I was quite surprised by the stories about Iran in the Odyssey of High Hopes. The vivid depictions of life in Iran, particularly during times of political and social upheaval, gave me a much deeper understanding of the country’s complex history. The book offered perspectives that I hadn't encountered before, highlighting the resilience and courage of those who lived through these turbulent times.

I've always been interested in countries of the Middle East. I didn't know much about Iran until I read this book. It's really beautiful to learn more about the culture shock and I learned to appreciate other people's culture.

The book seemed to carry some deep meaning from the beginning so I was expecting something about war periods. It was an interesting passage.

My knowledge of Iran's history was minimal and mostly negative, so I was surprised to learn about some of the positive aspects of the country when it was Persia. Reading the historical parts helps me to better understand the current unrest.

No, I was not surprise about the stories about Iran.