Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
Click for full-size.
The Ayatollah Begs to Differ: The Paradox of Modern Iran
by Majd, Hooman
- New
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- New/New
- ISBN 10
- 0385523343
- ISBN 13
- 9780385523349
- Seller
-
Charlotte Hall, Maryland, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
New York, N.Y., USA: Doubleday, 2008. 1st Edition . Hardcover. New/New. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. First Edition stated, with correct number line sequence, no writing, marks, underlining, or bookplates. No remainder marks. Spine is tight and crisp. Boards are flat and true and the corners are square. Dust jacket is not price-clipped. This collectible, " NEW" condition first edition/first printing copy is protected with a polyester archival dust jacket cover. Beautiful collectible copy. GIFT QUALITY
Synopsis
A revealing look at Iran by an American journalist with an insider's access behind Persian wallsThe grandson of an eminent ayatollah and the son of an Iranian diplomat, now an American citizen, Hooman Majd is, in a way, both 100 percent Iranian and 100 percent American, combining an insider's knowledge of how Iran works with a remarkable ability to explain its history and its quirks to Western readers. In The Ayatollah Begs to Differ, he paints a portrait of a country that is fiercely proud of its Persian heritage, mystified by its outsider status, and scornful of the idea that the United States can dictate how it should interact with the community of nations.With wit, style, and an unusual ability to get past the typical sound bite on Iran, Majd reveals the paradoxes inherent in the Iranian character which have baffled Americans for more than thirty years. Meeting with sartorially challenged government officials in the presidential palace; smoking opium with an addicted cleric, his family, and friends; drinking fine whiskey at parties in fashionable North Tehran; and gingerly self-flagellating in a celebration of Ashura, Majd takes readers on a rare tour of Iran and shares insights shaped by his complex heritage. He considers Iran as a Muslim country, as a Shiite country, and, perhaps above all, as a Persian one. Majd shows that as Shiites marked by an inferiority complex, and Persians marked by a superiority complex, Iranians are fiercely devoted to protecting their rights, a factor that has contributed to their intransigence over their nuclear programs. He points to the importance of the Persian view of privacy, arguing that the stability of the current regime owes much to the freedom Iranians have to behave as they wish behind "Persian walls." And with wry affection, Majd describes the Persian concept of ta'arouf, an exaggerated form of polite self-deprecation that may explain some of Iranian President Ahmadinejad's more bizarre public moments. With unforgettable portraits of Iranians, from government figures to women cab drivers to reform-minded Ayatollahs, Majd brings to life a country that is deeply religious yet highly cosmopolitan, authoritarian yet with democratic and reformist traditions--an Iran that is a more nuanced nemesis to the United States than it is typically portrayed to be.
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- rarefirstscom
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 003828
- Title
- The Ayatollah Begs to Differ: The Paradox of Modern Iran
- Author
- Majd, Hooman
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- New
- Jacket Condition
- New
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- 1st Edition
- ISBN 10
- 0385523343
- ISBN 13
- 9780385523349
- Publisher
- Doubleday
- Place of Publication
- New York, N.Y., USA
- Date Published
- 2008
- Size
- 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾
Terms of Sale
rarefirstscom
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
rarefirstscom
Biblio member since 2013
Charlotte Hall, Maryland
About rarefirstscom
RAREFIRSTS.COM specializes in affordable quality first editions/first printings of both classic and contemporary literature. Our pricing is very competitive and our quality will exceed your expectations. We help build great literature collections for both individuals and institutions. Our stock of both classic and contemporary literature is too large to list all titles...so query us if you don't see what you need or want. If its not in inventory, we generally can obtain a quality copy very quickly for you...and at a reasonable price. Our founder is a former journalist and newspaper publisher who, in his second career, retired after 31 years at the Library of Congress where he was an administrator of a national library service for individuals who are blind or physically handicapped. RAREFIRSTS.COM offers quality literature with professional integrity at very reasonable prices.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Remainder
- Book(s) which are sold at a very deep discount to alleviate publisher overstock. Often, though not always, they have a remainder...
- Crisp
- A term often used to indicate a book's new-like condition. Indicates that the hinges are not loosened. A book described as crisp...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Number Line
- A series of numbers appearing on the copyright page of a book, where the lowest number generally indicates the printing of that...
- Tight
- Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.
Frequently asked questions
This Book’s Categories
How to properly store your collection
Don't let a few small mistakes erode the value of your growing book collection. Review these tips to help preserve the beauty of your books!
How to identify a rare book
There are several important points to keep in mind when trying to determine if a book can be considered "rare". Read here to learn more.Learn how to determine if a book is rare
