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Marina Nemat

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Born

in Tehran, Iran

Website

http://www.marinanemat.com

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marinanemat

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March 2011

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Marina Nemat was born in 1965 in Tehran, Iran. After the Islamic Revolution of 1979, she was arrested at the age of sixteen and spent more than two years in Evin, a political prison in Tehran, where she was tortured and came very close to execution. She came to Canada in 1991 and has called it home ever since. Her memoir of her life in Iran, Prisoner of Tehran, was published in Canada by Penguin Canada in April 2007, has been published in 28 other countries, and has been an international bestseller. MacLean’s Magazine has called it “…one of the finest (memoirs) ever written by a Canadian.” Prisoner of Tehran has been short listed for many literary awards, including the Young Minds Award in the UK and the Borders Original Voices Award in the ...more

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Your book really inspired me to learn more about Iran and politics in general. You've had a sort of bad experience with Islam, and you've talked about that in your book. Ayaan Ali Hirsi has also had a bad experience with Islam, but she's seen very negatively by the international Muslim community, unlike you. I have my own reasons for why that's the case, but have you ever thought about why?

Marina Nemat Hi Muhammad,

Thanks for your question. Because Stalin killed millions of people, we can't decide that Russians are bad people, and because Hitler was a…moreHi Muhammad,

Thanks for your question. Because Stalin killed millions of people, we can't decide that Russians are bad people, and because Hitler was a monster, we cannot conclude that most Germans are the same. In the Middle Ages, in the name of Christ, who told us to love our neighbour like ourselves, atrocities were committed, but this doesn't mean that all Christians are bad. Religions and ideologies can be used and misused by a few to gain power over many. I have many Muslim friends and they are wonderful, peace loving people. The men who tortured me were Muslim, but I'm mature enough not to hold this against Islam. Hatred, anger, and fear blind logic, and I choose not to let them hold me captive. I hope this answers your question!(less)

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as a muslim i apologize for all your sufferings that you were forced to go through and i do appreciate ur patience and wisdom i really suffered with you in every single moment in your life i know apologize wouldn't mean anything compared to ur sufferings if i could chose a story to be the wisdom of my life am sure that its going to be yours am glad to say that ur the most powerful and smartest woman ive known?

Marina Nemat Dear Mohammad: There's absolutely no need to apologize as a Muslim. I have many many wonderful Muslim friends. They are good people. To me, Muslims ar…moreDear Mohammad: There's absolutely no need to apologize as a Muslim. I have many many wonderful Muslim friends. They are good people. To me, Muslims are like any other peoples; in any faith, there are good and bad individuals, and it's wrong to blame all for the crimes of a few. I'm neither powerful nor smart. In Evin prison, I experienced some of the most terrible things that human beings can do to other human being, but my friends and cellmates showed me the beauty of the human spirit that can shine in the darkest of places. Be well. May peace be with you.(less)

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Marina Nemat’s books

Average rating: 4.2 · 15,008 ratings · 1,695 reviews · 13 distinct works • Similar authors

	Prisoner of Tehran 4.21 avg rating — 14,498 ratings — published 2007 — 54 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	After Tehran: A Life Reclaimed 3.70 avg rating — 374 ratings — published 2010 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Marina Nemat's Memoirs 4.32 avg rating — 63 ratings — published 2012	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Prisoner of Tehran: One Woman's Story of Survival Inside an Iranian Prison 4.67 avg rating — 15 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Prisoner of Tehran: One Woman's Story of Survival Inside a Torture Jail 4.33 avg rating — 3 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Tehranile Thatavukari it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ihr werdet mich nicht besiegen: Eine Christin kämpft gegen die Schrecken des iranischen Terrorregimes really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Tehranile Thadavukari 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	I Ask Not For My Life 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	ZALJUBLJENI SNOVI 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Prisoner of Tehran

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“تمنيت لو كان العالم مكاناً بسيطاً كل الناس فيه اما أخيار أو أشرار.”
― Marina Nemat, Prisoner of Tehran

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“سوف تقدرينه عندما تكبرين. عندما تكونين بحاجة للبكاء دون أن يعلم أحد أنك تبكين، يمكنك تقطيع البصل.”
― Marina Nemat, Prisoner of Tehran

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“Why doesn't anyone ask me anything about the last two years?" I asked her.
"The answer is very simple. We're afraid to ask because we're afraid of knowing... Maybe if we don't talk about it, and maybe if we pretend it never happened, it will be forgotten.”
― Marina Nemat, After Tehran: A Life Reclaimed

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