196 Books: Iran

 Jewels of Allah by Nina Ansary

Here we have Iran:

And here we have the summary:

The popular narrative about women's lives in Iran over the last forty years goes something like this:

"During the Pahlavi Monarchy, women were on an upward trajectory. In a nation on the cusp of modernity, women actively participated. They were given the right to vote and free to be in public without veils. They wore miniskirts on university campuses. Then came the Islamic Revolution in 1979, with Ayatollah Khomeini at the helm. The burgeoning freedoms for women were extinguished. The veil was required and institutions were segregated by gender. The Islamic Republic had thus achieved its goal of resurrecting the image of the traditional Muslim woman."

The problem with popular narratives is that, despite their convenient half-truths, the real story is more complicated, unexpected, and less tidy.

Inspired by author Nina Ansary's scholarly journey, Jewels of Allah is a provocative roller coaster ride that shatters the stereotypical assumptions and the often misunderstood story of women in Iran today. Highlighting many courageous female leaders and advocates throughout Iran's history, the book illuminates the unanticipated consequences of the Islamic Revolution and the unexpected twists and turns leading to a full-blown feminist movement within a post-revolutionary patriarchal society.

This is another one that I knew would take a while to read because it's essentially a research paper turned book. But I thought it was important, not only to get the history, but especially with the protests going on in Iran today, as well as the fight for women's rights across the world. And let me say, although I had to push myself through it sometimes, it was so worth it. 

I of course see some parallels with what's happening in the US today with the question of reproductive rights. Here's one similarity: "a majority of traditional religious women, and even some educated women who had benefitted from changes under the Shah, supported Ayatollah Khomeini and were a contributing factor in the 1979 collapse of the Pahlavi monarchy." Let me explain: when the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, it took away federal protection for abortion. In some states this means it goes to a vote, in others the governor made a decision. In some states, this means prosecution for miscarriages, the ability to turn in (and even get a reward at times) a woman getting an abortion and anyone helping her, women being denied medications because they can be considered abortion causing, and even a ban on birth control. Having had 3 miscarriages and recently been put on one of those "abortion causing" medications, I find all of this horrific. But there are women that support it. Even women my age. It's...well I wish I had some big argument or revelation but I just find it very sad. 

Here's another example: "Most of the Pahlavi-era changes affecting women were not embraced or accepted by the majority of females from traditional backgrounds. Their families were vehemently opposed to the new standards, finding them offensive and in conflict with cultural mores. Thus, wives, sisters, and daughters were prohibited from partaking of the new freedoms." Of course, this is much more extreme than what's happening in the US. But in comments on something I put on Facebook in support of a reproductive rights proposal in my area, two friends were more concerned about parental rights and young women getting help from others than the impact on the girl or why she might feel the need to seek help elsewhere. Ugh, sorry, I'm all worked up on this topic lately. I'll try to keep the focus on the book. 

Here's another universal one: religion. "While some would label it heresy, many traditional Muslim women are posing a radically earnest question: Could a reinterpretation of passages in the Koran that are used to justify the inferior position of women be a means to women's emancipation?" Religious texts are interesting because they've been translated and interpreted many times, and people can find any number of interpretations in every passage. So maybe it's time to take another look and stop hating on women so much. 

What's also interesting is Ansary talks about ancient Persia and how much more highly regarded women were. They were political and military leaders, and had maternity leave and equal pay. It's crazy now that so many people think women can't be good leaders or run a country, when you look far back in history and that's exactly what they did. 

And here are some passages that just infuriated me. I'll try to keep the spicy comments to a minimum. 

"There was an overall social stigma attached to women receiving an education, as the general belief among clerical leaders was that education for girls was not only against Islamic teaching but a threat to society as well. Many also believed that women did not have the capacity to become educated because their brains were incapable of retaining knowledge."

"1. Woman is a being who, similar to a child, must be educated by a man. 2. Salvation of woman is conditional upon her absolute obedience to her husband. 3. The duty of a woman at home is provision of conditions that are conducive to her husband's tranquility. 4. The aim of matrimony consists of gratification of the husband's sexual desires. 5. Woman must at all times be abashed, except in bed. 6. Woman must not speak during meals."

"The reason for excluding women is that God has not given them the capacity for taking part in politics and electing the representation of this nation. [They are] the weaker sex, and do not have the same power of judgment that men have." 

Sooo...which is it? Either women are stupid and need to be treated like children, or are dangerous and need to be handled. How can it be both?

There's also a lot of discussion of school. At one point schools were desegregated gender-wise, and a lot of traditional families wouldn't send their girls to school. It was thought that girls would get better access and educational opportunities if they were in school with boys, but it turned out the majority of the attention was still given to boys and it further lowered the girls' self esteem, as well as keeping those traditional girls out of the classroom altogether. 

But, there is a bright spot. Women (and some men) are still fighting. "The following statements in the 2008 documentary Generation Tehran indicate that 'despite restrictions in every aspect of their lives, Iranian youth exhibit progressive aspirations': -Our freedom should neither violate the rights of others, nor should it be confined to boundaries that limit us from improving ourselves. -Over here only your thoughts are allowed to be free. -You will never be able to successfully define people by a piece of land." 

"Through their advocacy, commitment, and sacrifice, countless Iranian women (and men) continue to demonstrate why religion must evolve--and dispense with its absolutist tendencies--if it is to exemplify moral validity."

Ansary ends the book by highlighting incredible Iranian women who have made an impact over the years. I'll leave you with this quote from Laleh Pourkarim that I found absolutely beautiful: "Just because it is black in the dark, doesn't mean there is no color."

196 Books: Indonesia

The Rainbow Troops by Andrea Hirata

Indonesia is made up of a bunch of islands:

 

The summary is made up of a bunch of words:

Ikal is one of the ten students of the Muhamaddiyah School, the oldest and poorest school in the Indonesian tin-mining island of Belitong. Like him, his classmates are from the most downtrodden families in the region. But the school has two weapons—its teacher Bu Mus, a slight fifteen-year-old girl with burning courage and a passion for education, and Lintang, the boy genius who inspires his classmates to dream and fight their destiny. Soon the island’s underdogs become its champions. Incredibly moving and full of hope, The Rainbow Troops swept Indonesia off its feet, selling over five million copies and becoming the highest-selling book in its history. It will sweep you away too.

I finished my last book in MAY? Where the fuck did the time go? 

Anyway. This is one of those books that shows you just how different it is in very poor countries. I was also thinking that it took place a very long time ago, but it was only published in 2005 so there goes that theory. Whoa. The author was born in 1967, so this would have taken place around the 70s/80s. Definitely changes my thought on it. (And shows how little research I do on my books. I could be so much better at this). But let's get into it with the perfect starter:

"Imagine the worst possible problems for an elementary school classroom: a roof with leaks so large that students see planes flying in the sky and have to hold umbrellas while studying on rainy days; a cement floor continuously decomposing into sand; strong winds that shake the students' souls with the fear of their school collapsing; and students who want to enter the class but first have to usher goats out of the room. We experienced all of this." Now can you imagine kids in first world countries dealing with even one of these problems? They just wouldn't do it. (And no, I'm not talking about "kids these days!" I'm also thinking of when I was a child and I don't believe I would have braved all that for school.) But here's how he felt about it: "There was a beauty in this poor school, a beauty that I wouldn't trade for a thousand luxurious schools."

But, as we can expect with so many colonized countries, not everybody lived that way: "We, the natives of Belitong, were like a pack of starving rats in the middle of a barn full of rice." Tin mines were found, and of course the colonizers got to digging. Indonesia was independent by the time Andrea Hirata was born, but we all know that doesn't mean they just clear out and leave the natives to themselves. So the Dutch continued to prosper and the locals continued to slave in manual labor. At one point it's believed the school needs to be destroyed for tin mining, but the teachers and students keep pushing and end up saving the school. "And though our efforts would surely fail, our pioneering had opened people's eyes, showing them that a corporation, even a state-owned one, couldn't treat people however it wished." Uh, can we get some of that over here in the US? Be real cool if our country wasn't run by corporations. Also, of course, that really didn't change anything for the folks at the school: "The experience taught me something important about poverty: it is a commodity. PN canceled its tin plundering plans for our school, but that didn't make us any less poor." And this very unfortunate situation: "A genius, a native of the richest island in Indonesia, had to leave school because of poverty." 

I feel like each new book/country/perspective gives me a new appreciation for this project. I'm so glad to learn about different cultures, countries, people, time, and history, but you find so many similarities too. (Of course. Duh.) But here we are in 2022, let's just estimate about 50 years later--50 YEARS--and things aren't that much different. The rich keep stomping on the poor and keeping them down. Everywhere. Of course it's worse in some places than in others, but that situation is universal. And I guess it always has been. But why? Yeah, I like money too, but I also don't want to earn that money by pushing others into (or farther into) poverty. So you get these Bezos-Musk-Zuckerberg types but...why? How is it better, in their minds, to buy an island or a super-duper-yacht, or go to space for 30 seconds instead of helping people? Build libraries, clinics, wings of schools in poor areas; donate books, food, clothing, scholarships, flat out money; advocate for universal healthcare, climate and environmental protections, protections for the rights of minorities. Now, I know it's easy for me to say they should do all this stuff when I'm not actually doing a whole lot of it myself. But I do try. 

Whoa, got a little carried away there for a bit! I shall step down from my soapbox now. But guys--and I know I don't have a lot of readers but who cares--let's all decide to just try to be nice. Help out where we can, take small steps to help the environment or a downtrodden animal or person. Let's all just do something good. 

196 Books: India

 A Free Man: A True Story of Life & Death in Delhi by Aman Sethi

India is another one I think we're all pretty familiar with:

And our summary:

Mohammed Ashraf studied biology, became a butcher, a tailor, and an electrician’s apprentice; now he is a homeless day laborer in the heart of old Delhi. How did he end up this way? In an astonishing debut, Aman Sethi brings him and his indelible group of friends to life through their adventures and misfortunes in the Old Delhi Railway Station, the harrowing wards of a tuberculosis hospital, an illegal bar made of cardboard and plywood, and into Beggars Court and back onto the streets.

In a time of global economic strain, this is an unforgettable evocation of persistence in the face of poverty in one of the world’s largest cities. Sethi recounts Ashraf’s surprising life story with wit, candor, and verve, and A Free Man becomes a moving story of the many ways a man can be free.

Let me start by saying this book was published in 2013. Less than 10 years ago. I kept having to remind myself of this fact because so many aspects of this did not seem like a modern story. 

Most of the book is just kind of disjointed stories about Ashraf (with anecdotes about the rest of the friend group thrown in). Even though it didn't really follow a chronological timeline, the random stories didn't bother me. This was kind of a story of how the "other half" (except the very poor kind, not the very wealthy kind) live. And it's kind of amazing. There are so many things you see or hear about and think "I could never do that" or "I'd never survive," but people's resiliency is pretty astonishing. 

So, because the stories were a little disjointed, my thoughts will be too. Although...they probably are most of the time. Oh well, here we go!

"'Yes, an LLP--Likh Lowda Padh Patthar. And when they ask you what you are, answer loudly and proudly. Chances are they will neer know what it means.' What it means, literally is Write Penis Read Stone--Ashrafspeak for someone who is completely illiterate." This just cracked me up. I wish I had this kind of quick thinking and wit. 

"Without a beedi the alcohol stays in the stomach; with a beedi, the heat makes it vaporize and enter the brain. Or was it the other way around--did alcohol make beedis enter the brain? But in either case, beedis were bad for the brain, and alcohol was good for the heart." So the Google is telling me a beedi is just a hand-rolled cigarette, but I really got the impression in the book that it was marijuana. Either way, I think they may have the whole thing wrong. 

"A dancing adventurer, with my heart for a treasure chest and my penis for a gun." There's absolutely nothing I can add to this sentence. It's beautiful and weird.

"As a result, every interview is a bit like playing a word association game. Kalyani to sex to Bombay whorehouse to slapping." This made me giggle because I can absolutely relate. I've lost count of the amount of times I've had to apologize and tell people, "I have this horrible habit of assuming everyone followed the train of thought in my head." 

But here were a couple of very sobering passages:

"The most incredible scheme was told to me by Guddu, a young man of twenty-two, who ended up in Bara Tooti when his first dream ended in disappointment. 'What did you want to do?' I asked. 'I wanted to sell my kidney.'" ... "For you, all this is research: a boy tries to sell his kidney, you write it down in your notebook. A man goes crazy somewhere between Delhi and Bombay, you store it in your recorder. But for other people, this is life." And this is one of the parts where I had to remind myself that this book is less than 10 years old. There are people living today who are so desperate they're willing to sell an organ. 

And then we get to the tuberculosis part. Living in the US, it's hard to think of people across the world still getting this disease. I mean they don't even bother with the vaccine anymore here because it's so uncommon. The author describes a 10 minute, packed, silent bus ride to the TB hospital; highlighting the silence: "Conversations might go beyond discussing the rising price of dal to more uncomfortable places: places where the man with a raw open would covered with a somewhat clean cloth discovers he is sitting next to the lady with a fungal skin infection, and the boy burning with fever leans against the man who might have leprosy." Granted, you never completely know you're safe from someone else's disease or illness, but I can't imagine the terror of that 10 minute ride. 

Sethi describes the TB hospital and the treatment the patients get: turn your face away from the patient, stay a good distance away, don't stay long, wear a mask. It has to be so depressing. But he also told the beautiful story of a barber who goes to the hospital every day to shave the patients. And he looks them in the eye and talks to them and gives them some comfort. 

One thing I really liked was that Sethi had intended to write a book about this slum area of Delhi, but he ended up almost being Ashraf's guardian or savior. When things were going badly, Ashraf called Aman. They spent so much time together and developed a close friendship. In recounts of their conversations, they always called each other "bhai," which means brother. They continued their friendship over the years. Finally, I came across what I really hoped would be the last line (and it was): "The past is done, Aman bhai. In future we will only talk about the future."

What a beautiful thought. 

196 Books BONUS: Greenland

 Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II by Mitchell Zuckoff

Greenland is kinda hard to miss:

And the summary:

On November 5, 1942, a US cargo plane slammed into the Greenland Ice Cap. Four days later, the B-17 assigned to the search-and-rescue mission became lost in a blinding storm and also crashed. Miraculously, all nine men on board survived, and the US military launched a daring rescue operation. But after picking up one man, the Grumman Duck amphibious plane flew into a severe storm and vanished.

Frozen in Time tells the story of these crashes and the fate of the survivors, bringing vividly to life their battle to endure 148 days of the brutal Arctic winter, until an expedition headed by famed Arctic explorer Bernt Balchen brought them to safety. Mitchell Zuckoff takes the reader deep into the most hostile environment on earth, through hurricane-force winds, vicious blizzards, and subzero temperatures.

Moving forward to today, he recounts the efforts of the Coast Guard and North South Polar Inc. – led by indefatigable dreamer Lou Sapienza – who worked for years to solve the mystery of the Duck’s last flight and recover the remains of its crew.

A breathtaking blend of mystery and adventure Mitchell Zuckoff's Frozen in Time: An Epic Story of Survival and a Modern Quest for Lost Heroes of World War II is also a poignant reminder of the sacrifices of our military personnel and a tribute to the everyday heroism of the US Coast Guard.

Alright, I know Greenland is technically part of Denmark, but it's so big I decided it deserved its own book. I got really exciting, thinking this would take me on an epic journey. Well, it took me on many...interesting...journeys. 

I did highlight passages and such, but I don't feel like going through it that way. But if you don't want spoilers, you probably shouldn't read this post. 

SO. It's WWII, and there are some outposts on Greenland. Location wise it's smart, mother nature wise it isn't. One plane crashes, because they're in the middle of ice and glacier land. Naturally they want to rescue these guys. So, so, so many times. To summarize, they sent multiple planes and dog sleds and motorsleds and make many attempts. But they seem to have forgotten THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF ICE AND GLACIER LAND. So most of the attempts don't go well. There are other crashes and deaths in the attempted rescue. Seriously, if it wasn't lives on the line it would have been a comedy of errors.

This sounds bad, but it reminded me of the classic trolley problem. Obviously they wanted to save the pilots, but there kept being more crashes and lives lost and resources used. In the middle of WWII. And I just wondered what lengths they were willing to go to with all the odds stacked against them, and the need for those men, planes, and supplies to be used for the war. 

THEN. In the 2010s, this guy decides he wants to go on an expedition to find the first crashed plane and the dead bodies. He ropes in the author of the book and maxes out Mitchell's credit cards. At one point he asks Mitchell if he'll put his house up against a loan for this. What the actual fuck?! HE AGREED. The loan didn't end up going through, but holy hell. There's no way I would agree to that. 

So they go on their expedition and of course nothing works out. Until they're being pulled out of Greenland because of terrible weather. And then they miraculously find plane parts under the ice. 

And that's the end of the book. SO UNSATISFYING. I don't have any complaints about how the book was written, it was very well written. Really just the story was kind of a mess. The moral of the story is you shouldn't fuck with mother nature. 

196 Books: Iceland

 Woman at 1,000 Degrees by Hallgrimur Helgason

Iceland is pretty obvious:

Here's the summary:

Eighty-year old Herra Björnsson lies alone in her garage waiting to die. Oh, she has two weeks left, maybe three - she has booked her cremation appointment, at a blistering 1,000 degrees, so it won't be long. But until then she has her cigarettes, her laptop, a World War II grenade, and her memories to sustain her.

One of the most original narrators in literary history, Herra takes readers with her on a dazzling ride of a novel as she reflects - in a voice by turns darkly funny, poignant and always, always smart - on the mishaps, tragedies and turns of luck that shaped her life. And with a bawdy, uncompromising spirit, she has survived it all. As hilarious as it is heartbreaking, Hallgrímur Helgason tells the deeply moving story of a woman swept up by the forces of history.

Well this is a new low. I took like 4 months. For a while in there I was working so many hours that I just didn't have the energy to give to much else. Plus holidays and blah blah blah. Every once in a while I think about the people who have seen so much history in their lives. Soldier's grandpa passed away this past fall, and he was 99. The amount of technological advances alone would be staggering. Especially at that time period with world wars and the rapid growth of travel, communication, and entertainment. Of course this was fiction but I think a lot of the WWII literature focuses on those fighting and forgets about the kids growing up in that atmosphere. Alright, on to the quotes. 

"We spend our entire lives trying to put something away for old age, but then old age arrives with no dreams of luxury beyond the ambition of being able to pee lying down." This meant a lot to me. I've been feeling extra wanderlusty with the pandemic, I feel like there's so much I'm missing out on. My mom always likes to tell me that I can do all that traveling after I retire, but I don't want to wait. There's no guarantee that I'll live that long, or be healthy enough to do all that I want. So go out there and carpe that diem (but still keep with those covid precautions). 

"Nothing in this world isn't allowed, in my opinion." One of my favorite sayings Soldier repeats is "You can do anything once." You see the lightbulb go off every time he says it to someone new. The first instinct is to say it's not true, but then you realize that technically it is. Makes me giggle seeing that illumination every time. 

The main character in the story is the granddaughter of Iceland's first president, and she talks about the inauguration day (June 17, 1944). I found it really odd that the country decided to start a new republic during a full on world war, but I guess it worked out for them. 

"From that day on, I made it a rule: I dismissed my men by calling them a cab. 'Your cab is here' became my favorite line." This amount of no fucks given just cracked me up. 

"I feel that the history of mankind is nothing more than a rattlesnake biting its own tail, an endless cycle of absurd events that have virtually nothing to do with LIFE but are just one colossal monument to male madness, which the women of all times have had to endure." THANK YOU. They want you to believe that women are crazy and irrational but I present this as Exhibit A. 

"Dad: '...when a new world is being built, nationality is of no importance. Ideals know no borders.' Mom: 'But borders know ideals when the ideals start running over them with tanks.'" Another good take on wars and colonialism. If your brand of governing is so great, why do you have to force others to bend to your will?

"War makes us all happy, because no one is given a choice. In peacetime, people become unhappy because they have to choose and reject. All wars therefore stem from man's insatiable longing for happiness. There are few things that men fear more than peace on earth." I don't necessarily agree with this one, what with war profits and the hunger for power, but I like the perspective. "Man prefers to be a passenger on the great wheel of destiny, rather than determine its course. Least of all does he want to assume responsibility for that destiny, which is why he worships those who do." I think most people are caught up between wanting to think we have charge over our own lives, and wanting to believe there's a higher power that's controlling things to a certain degree. A nice blend of freedom but also having another entity to blame when things go wrong. 

"'Yes. Women have such a rough time. Just be a person. Not a woman.'" Yes please. 

"Oblivious to man, nature just followed its course. And strange to see flowers and bombs erupt in the same field." I love seeing it when nature takes back over. It's a powerful reminder that we're no match. 

"The most pernicious specimens in any society are always the so-called uneducated intellectuals: the mediocre minds and phony-schooled workplace preachers with artistic ambitions gone sour, or the megalomaniac dwarfs who inflate their egos with bullshit." HMMM THIS DEFINITELY DOESN'T BRING ANYONE TO MIND. 

"No other city I know has produced such an obscene number of snobs as Paris." Agreed. And most people don't like that, but it's one of the reasons I loved Paris. Honestly. 

"Love is measured in degrees, not minutes." I get the idea here, that you can fall in love quickly or slowly, but I think it can also be measured in special moments. I remember one evening looking over at Soldier and consciously trying to remember the moment and how much love I felt for him. I started keeping a journal of those moments so I can look back on them and remember those special times. I recommend it. 

"It is particularly beautiful to see blood color the snow. The red color devours the white until it loses its heat. Then it turns black." I can see how this would be very off-putting, but I can absolutely imagine how that would be morbidly beautiful. Stark contrasts. 

"Yes, of course, 50 million lives had been lost. Or was it 70? What's 20 million between friends? Yes, that's 160 Icelands." Does anyone actually have any idea how many people were killed in WWII? I could probably look it up, but I'm not, but I'm also guessing the answer is no. But putting it in this perspective blows my mind: I physically can't imagine 50 million of anything. Then you throw in that it's 160 of an entire country? Just so tragic and unnecessary. 

"For men the war was over, but for us women it was only just beginning." I know this is fiction, but I've also read about it in non-fiction books about WWII and I just have to ask...what in the actual fuck is wrong with people? Women being rescued and then brutally raped. People beaten or shot because their murderer wanted a watch they were wearing. No mercy for anyone. 

Last one, and this is just me being bitchy. There was an essay at the end of the book, because this was based on a real woman (I don't know how much is factual, because I couldn't get past the first sentence)... 

"Being a novelist is a bit like being a doctor, a journalist, or a firefighter. At work or not, you always have to be ready." Sooo...I really love books. But I'm pretty sure you can't compare authors and doctors. 

I know I really highlighted all the WWII stuff, and there was a lot more to the story, but that part just fascinated me. What about the children thrown into a war they didn't ask for and had nothing to do with? Too often decisions are made in regards to children, or that will affect them, with no actual thought of what it will do to them. And here's me gently stepping off of my soapbox.