STRANGE TIMES, MY DEAR The PEN Anthology of Contemporary Iranian Literature

Anthologies are an excellent way to learn about a genre or region that is unfamiliar to the reader. Peter Ganim is an experienced narrator, and his dexterity is evident in the introduction to this unique anthology of contemporary Iranian writers. With an ironic tone he suggests the situations these writers face, including struggles with the authorities of the censorship bureau. Ganim's range is demonstrated in the diversity of characters, dialogue, and narrative he depicts in both the short stories and poetry. A change in pitch and inflection distinguishes an older character from a younger one and the narrative from the thoughts of individual characters. M.R. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2013]