Books from Iran

Before Shaherazade became the legendary storyteller who captivated a king for a thousand and one nights, she was a young woman whose words set an empire ablaze. In twelfth-century Persia, Shaherazade discovers a dangerous secret about the king’s wife, Fataneh. When she reveals the truth, the king’s fury unleashes a wave of executions, as he begins marrying and beheading a new bride each night. Haunted by the consequences of her actions, Shaherazade volunteers to become his next wife, determined to stop the bloodshed. Armed with her intelligence, political instincts, and extraordinary gift for storytelling, she begins weaving tales that keep the king listening until dawn. But survival demands more than captivating stories: as courtly intrigues intensify and the Crusades threaten the region, Shaherazade must navigate a world of shifting alliances, dangerous desires, and ruthless power. Reimagining one of literature’s most enduring legends, Every Rising Sun celebrates the power of storytelling, the resilience of women, and the courage to challenge a fate that seems inevitable.

Set in nineteenth-century Persia, The Woman Who Read Too Much reimagines the life of Táhirih Qurratu’l-Ayn, a celebrated poet, scholar and religious revolutionary who challenged the conventions of her time. Known as the poetess of Qazvin, Táhirih unsettles the ruling establishment through her intellect, her writings and her defiance of religious orthodoxy. In a society where women’s education and independence are tightly restricted, her ability to read, think and speak openly becomes both a source of inspiration and a perceived threat to those in power. Nakhjavani tells Táhirih’s story through the perspectives of four women: the Shah’s mother, the mayor’s wife, the Shah’s sister and Táhirih’s daughter. Their contrasting accounts reveal how power, fear, loyalty and rumour shape the telling of history. Blending historical events with imaginative storytelling, the novel explores the price of intellectual freedom and the courage required to challenge entrenched authority.