Island of Bewilderment

Simin Daneshvar (1921-2012) was an Iranian author, translator, and professor of art history at Tehran University. She is the author of Savushun: A Novel About Modern Iran, widely considered the first modern Persian language novel written by a woman. Pouneh Shabani-Jadidi is instructional professor of Persian at the University of Chicago. She is the author of several books and co-translator of Hafez in Love: A Novel. Patricia J. Higgins is University Distinguished Service Professor of anthropology. She is the co-translator of Hafez in Love: A Novel.

A fascinating picture of those times and the tensions--political, social, and personal--in the air, and Daneshvar draws several of the characters (not least the drawer and painter Hasti) very well.-- "The Complete Review" This novel is remarkable in its portrayal of a society at the cusp of revolution.-- "Asian Review of Books" An immersive...look at a young woman exploring the bounds of her independence in 1970s Iran. Daneshvar (1921-2012) crafts in Hasti a well-rounded character trying to untangle her identity in a time of political upheaval.-- "Publishers Weekly" Daneshvar's novel is a brilliant exploration of feminism in a country steeped in patriarchy but poised for change. This English translation is a compelling read that should bring long overdue worldwide recognition and appreciation for Daneshvar's groundbreaking novel.-- "Marjan Kamali, author of The Stationery Shop" Regarded by critics and readers as the most distinguished grand lady of Persian fiction, Simin Daneshvar, as Wallace Stegner observed, belongs not merely to Iran, but to the world.-- "M. R. Ghanoonparvar, professor emeritus of Persian and comparative literature, University of Texas at Austin" Simin Daneshvar is perhaps the most successful Iranian novelist....Island of Bewilderment is a welcome addition to the repertoire of modern Iranian literature now available in English. -- "Franklin Lewis, University of Chicago"