By Hooman MajdThe Ministry of Guidance Invites You to Not Stay: An American Fam (2013-11-20) [Hardcover] by Hooman Majd

By Hooman MajdThe Ministry of Guidance Invites You to Not Stay: An American Fam (2013-11-20) [Hardcover] Reviews

• 
  Bonniecco cco

  This is a gossipy depiction of one year living in Tehran. The family isMajd, his wife Kerri, and their infant son. Majd is well connected to former government officials, and had a multitude of family in Iran. The time is 2011. I bought this book some years ago, and was not drawn to it, but decided to finish it now. I found the description of life as a prosperous to rich family in the big city interesting, but I'm not sure it would hold the attention of others who have never lived in Iran. I was a Peace Corps volunteer there 50 years ago. The writer's experience seemed quite limited. He goes to fancy parties which would be utterly unaffordable to most people. He makes connections with ambassadors and their assistants. From time to time he writes about the Iranian character and the state of politics. I think he was more accurate on the second subject. Sweeping generalizations on a national character did not impress me. The comments on when and how the government might change are not current. He would not have guessed that women and the young would be so fierce in their opposition to forced hijab as has been the case in the past year. Choose this if you try to read anything and everything about modern Iran, otherwise skip it.