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Searching for Hassan: A Journey to the Heart of Iran :: 1400032237
Description
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The unique culture of Iran and the sweep of its history are revealed in this evocative travelogue of an American family searching for a lost friend in the country of their youth.
Growing up in Tehran in the 1960s, Terence Ward and his brothers were watched over by Hassan, the family’s cook, housekeeper, and cultural guide. After an absence of forty years, Ward embarked on a pilgrimage with his family in search of Hassan. Taking us across the landscape of Iran, he plumbs its unimaginably rich past, explores its deep conflicts with its Arab neighbors, and anticipates the new “Great Game” now being played out in central Asia. Insightful, informative, and moving, Searching for Hassan enhances our understanding of the Middle East with the story of a family who came to love and admire Iran through their deep affection for its people.Editorial Descriptions are usually submitted by the manufacturers, publishers and authors. Contact us if you are one of them, and wish to change the above description. |
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Author: Guest
Searching for Hassan is a beautiful historical, sociopolitical and personal journey through the Iranian landscape, and from a neutral vantage point no less. Terence Ward's writing is brilliant, well researched and a pleasure to read.
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Author: Guest
As an American growing up in Iran during the 60's and 70's it was as though I was reading my own biography. I could not believe that Terence had captured so many of my own memories on paper. There were many times while reading the book that I teared up.
Thank you for such a wonderful book. I loved every minute of it and hope Mr. Ward has more stories to tell in the future!
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Author: Guest
How is it that mom, dad and their 4 grown sons, living in different parts of the country and world, can all get together, leave their jobs and homes and go to Iran on vacation? All at the same time! To me, that was a stretch too good to be true but made the story better. Money for this adventure was not an object either. The story was good, the purpose was clear, but the Hassan story could have been told in a third the pages. The bulk of the book is Iranian history and geography, which was very well done but could have been a separate travel book. The bond with the servants was touching and the memories touching.
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Author: Guest
Amazon's "Better Together" recommender worked well here: I read "Searching for Hassan" after reading Firoozeh Dumas' charming memoir "Funny in Farsi." Terence Ward's "Hassan" is a compelling read, especially the chapter "Appointment in Tudeshk" which thrillingly recounts the Ward family's reunion with the Ghasemi family after 29 years apart. I'll sheepishly tell you that I skimmed some of Mr. Ward's erudite sidebars about certain long-ago aspects of Persian history and focused on his more recent accountings of the days of the Shah, the transition to theocratic rule and life since the revolution. But the recounting of the trip itself is pure magic, as are Mr. Ward's remembrances of Hassan and Fatimeh Ghasemi. You can clearly see why these two inspired such devotion from the Ward family.
A couple of quick observations:
1. The Iranian people - as a whole - are incredible hosts. As the author notes at one point: "Expect to suffer from excessive hospitality." Never have a people been so misrepresented in the mainstream press.
2. Conventional wisdom to the contrary, the Ward family feels that the Iranian people - as a whole - have faired better under theocratic rule than under the Shah (the poverty witnessed by the author's parents pre-Revolution appears - under observation - to be not as widespread or abject). Again, this is their observation and opinion.
3. You get a sense of the lost opportunity of the reformers. The Wards' trip comes on the heels of the election of the then-Prime Minister Khatami, and the sense of promise is palpable throughout the country. Not without reason, thanks to his good looks, stylishness and Western manners (fluent in English and German, for example), Khatami is described as "our country's JFK." Looking back at this now in 2006 with the reform movement clearly set back in the last election, one can't help but be disheartened. I'm sure the author feels the same way.
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Author: Guest
The best feature of this story is the author's sense of appreciation. Returning to the land of his childhood after 30 years, Ward is filled with appreciation for all places, characters and canundrums he meets. Where suspicion commonly reigns between Americans and Iranians, Ward's infectious appreciation opens door after door -- to enjoyment, insight and friendship.
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