Searching for Hassan: A Journey to the Heart of Iran

by Terence Ward

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.

Genres: Iran, Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel, Middle East, Asia, Biography

332 pages, Paperback

First published January 16, 2002

Reviews

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was 3 1/2 my family moved to Iran. It is the first place that I have real memories of. I still remember the smell of the bazaar, the sound of the music and the feel of the heat. I remember jumping over fires on Nowruz, riding my bike to the main road to see the Shah drive by, and playing in the ruins of Persepolis. In 1979 we were evacuated, and my world changed. The dust and the heat of Iran worked their way into my heart and I will forever love the country and the people who live there.

Terence Ward was also raised in Iran. His family left long before the revolution but they never forgot Hassan, their cook. Decades later they decided to return to Iran to find Hassan and his family. Terry's memories of his happy childhood are sprinkled in among the family's recent experiences in post-revolution Iran. The result is part travel guide, part history book and part love letter to a beautiful and magical country.

I could not put this book down. If you love Iran as I do, this is a must read. If you want to know more about the country and the Iranian people, this is a must read.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been to Iran. Twice. That seems to surprise people. Maybe not as much as when they learn I've also been to Libya, but still pretty surprised.

I'd go again in a heartbeat (but maybe not until this Covid-19 crisis is way past). My most recent trip was in 2006 and it was on an organised tour that lasted 2 weeks and took in many of the absolutely astonishing places and attraction that this pariah state has to offer. When I got home, I put 'Searching for Hassan' on my Amazon wishlist, bought a second-hand copy a few years later and then didn't get around to reading it. Seeing an updated version available as an Audiobook through my library's free audiobook service, I snapped it up.

Terry Ward, his three brothers and his parents lived in Iran back in the 1970s. His dad was something in oil - as indeed, most ex-pat workers would have been at that time. The Ward family lived in Tehran but saw relatively little of the country. Their cook and general factotum was a chap called Hassan and he, along with his wife Fatimeh, became very much part of the Ward family. Two decades after the family had to leave Iran, the boys - who are now men with children of their own - and their parents decide to take a trip to Iran to see all the things they missed back when they lived there, and to try to find Hassan and his family.

They went in 1998, at one of the relatively relaxed points of post-Revolutionary Iran. Hope was high that President Khatami would introduce a lot of changes to reduce the excesses of the Khomeini era, and somehow the family found a way to get visas for a visit. Roughly half the book is a travelogue - you can be forgiven for wondering when they'll actually START searching for Hassan as they trot around the attractions of the pre-Islamic and pre-Revolutionary eras. As somebody who has been to most of the places they visited, I absolutely recognised the authenticity of Ward's observations. I also very much appreciated that he didn't simply rehash old tour-guides as some other, lesser travel books I've read recently do. He captures the essence of the place and the fabulously curious and friendly people.

I have to be fair and say that the response to their tourist activities may not be the same if you've not been to Iran. I totally accept that not everybody will love the descriptions.

The second half of the book is about finding Hassan and reforming the most wonderful relationships with him and his family. I saw a review that described this book as one of the few 'happy ending' books about Iran and it really is a very happy story. The search was rather less complicated than the title might suggest, but the outcome was fantastic.

As the audiobook was only released this year, it includes a lot of material and updates that weren't in the original paperback that I have. Some of the updates are fascinating. As the kind of person who always wonders "But what happened next?" when the credits roll at the end of the film, I wanted to know and was happy to hear about follow-up visits. Having found Hassan and his family, the Wards were not about to lose them again. I also found it fascinating when we learn that Hassan's story has prompted lots of travellers to go searching for him themselves after reading Ward's book. It's absolutely delightful.

For everybody who ever thought that Iran is a gloomy country full of serious people living under strict control and restrictions and on standby to have another war at any moment, this book is recommended reading though you'll need to open your mind first. For those who've been to Iran, it's a great way to remind yourself of just how fabulous a place it is and for those who want to go, it's an inspiration.

[Benjamin Farr · Rating 2 out of 5]

An American-centric account of a family holiday to Iran and the reunion between a former housekeeper and an expatriate family. The book wouldn't have been so bad had it not been for the excessive use of adjective-laden language and the author's continual self-praise of himself and family.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

There aren't many stories about Americans and Iranians with happy endings. This book is about one of those exceptions.

Terence Ward and his family lived for ten years in Iran. Their experiences included some of the best and worst that expatriats went through, though it is clear through the telling of the story of the family's return to Iran to search for the Iranian family who became such an important part of theirs that Ward's parents sheltered them from the worst and took steps to expand the boundaries of the best. But this book is about so much more than returning to search for Hassan. Though that story is heart-warming and brought tears to my eyes, the subtitle conveys the more important journey.

Ward invites the reader to understand why his family would choose to return to Iran 29 years after they left, in order to find the man who served as their cook, gardener, and storyteller to the children. He shares the particular history of Iran as well as the misunderstood role Iran/Persia played in world history as he describes the near magical locations the family visits along the way: Shiraz, Pasargadae, Persepolis, Isfahan, Yazd, Qom, and ends at the near completely changed Tehran they once knew.

I, too, lived in Iran for several years, later than when the Wards lived there. Without guides such as the Ward's parents and Hassan, for too long I let the unpleasant experiences color my impressions of the place. Not long ago, two of my colleagues from my Iran days returned as tourists, much as the Ward family did. Their most striking impression mirrored much of what Terence Ward describes in this book: where the Iranian and US governments continue to sow discontent between then, the Iranian people showed only hospitality and welcome.

I wish I had a Hassan to return to Iran in search of.

[Anne Slater · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terence Ward is a magician: he combines family history, a family quest, political and religious history of Iran, deep look into Islam and its manifestations (with comments that really help me understand the difference between the Sunnis and the Shia), and a long look at Zoroastrianism and its role in Judaism and Christianity.

It is all woven together with acute observations of how a family that spent many years in Iran, leaving in 1969, was received when they returned; their interactions with the Iranian (and other)people they encountered and were searching for. Ward also shows us the gentle, loving, open-hearted and morally upright philosophy with which his parents raised their children, and how that shaped the 4 brothers, and impacted (especially) the people they were searching for, but actually all the people they encountered in their travels in 1998.

At the denouement, I cried, and turned the pages back so I could read it again.
On a lighter note, I discovered the Hassan's recipe for tagid, the crusty bottom part of Iranian baked rice (it's super good).

[Wes F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating & very well-written book about a family who used to live in Tehran, Iran--back in the days of the Shah. Terence & his brothers attended the Community School and their father directed plays at the Iran-American Society. They never forgot about their house helper, Hassan, and his family, and on a whim in 1998 or so, decide to go to Iran to try to locate him. Ward does an excellent job of weaving in historical & cultural background into the story of their adventure, as it unfolds. From Shiraz, they head north, taking in Persepolis, Pasargade (King Cyrus' tomb), Yazd, Esfahan, and Qom--as well as the small town where they remember Hassan telling them he was originally from. Great story all-around. Read on my Kindle.

The spirit of the book is well captured by author Gelareh Asayesh in the Washington Post: “The trip back to Iran proves to be a new beginning in the saga of the Wards and Ghasemis. Something very unusual happened in that Persian garden many years ago: the family of an American Christian oil company executive and the family of an Iranian Muslim cook became one. And if they were able to bridge the great divide, perhaps there is hope for us all.”

[padme · Rating 3 out of 5]

با این خانواده می توان ایران رو از زاویه جدیدی دید. البته برای من داستانش کشش زیادی نداشت و هر چند وقت یه بار می رفتم به صورت پراکنده چند صفحه می خوندم. پیشنهادم اینکه به صورت سفرنامه خونده بشه مثلا اگر میخواین برین اصفهان فصل های مربوط به اصفهان رو قبلش بخونید. همراه با داستان اطلاعات عمومی جدیدی هم میده که بد نیست به عنوان یه ایرانی بدونیم.

[Brian Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 conundrums he meets. Where suspicion commonly reigns between Americans and Iranians, Ward's infectious appreciation opens door after door to enjoyment, insight, and friendship.

[Shirley A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunningly beautiful

This culture is one of immense importance in art, poetry, and all facets of human civilization as well as the more commonly grasped areas of politics and oil economics. This beautiful book illuminates this for the reader through the framework of a family returning to Iran in a search to reconnect with the cook and friend who had served in their home earlier. Having lived in Azerbaijan for a time I developed a keen interest in this part of the world and this book captures the beauty and strength of its people on a personal scale to which almost everyone can relate. Not to be missed is all the material that comes after narrative proper. Invaluable both in insight as well as specific references.

[Behrooz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book. Very touching. Especially for thousands of people like me who were born in Iran and left for education and never returned. It's been 46 years since I was last in Iran. And I miss her desparately. And I don't have a good word to say about the religious politicians there. So few, have ruined the lives of so many in the name of religion. Now, they cannot bring themselves to reform as they have too much to lose. So the struggle continues and so little time left for me to visit my wonderful country.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

So at first I thought this book was just going to a memoir/travel book documenting a families return to Iran after living there three decades before and the search for a family friend, but it has a bit of Near Eastern/Iranian history and religion in it as well. It is a fascinating read and I love learning about the history of a region that I'm traveling to, either in person or through a good book such as this one. Fabulous book, I highly recommend it.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not an easy read, another one that feels like a college reading assignment, my book club is getting a bit heavy lately. But I actually enjoyed it and learned so much. It was a big long tour of Iran with a rambling history lesson mixed in throughout. But the characters (real people) were great and what a place and history it is! I doubt I will remember many of the facts, but I caught a glimpse of the unique culture of Iran.

[Assal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terence Ward is one of the many reasons why Iranians love Americans so much. Every Iranian family has had a "Hassan" to depend on, whose mere name invokes nostalgic feelings longsince passed. It was heartwarming to follow Mr. Ward on his journey to the country he had known as a child to find the friend he remembered. If only more stories like this about Iran could be written...

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

A marvelous non-fiction book for those westerners (like me) who understand so little about Iran and its history. A wonderful exploration of the country, its people, and its pain. I particularly loved its discussion of Hafez and the great ancient city of Persepolis.

[Renate Purcifull · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, wonderful book! It was fascinating reading about a country that I knew little of but always thought the people must be wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed the geographical descriptions, too. What a trip and so difficult but in the end very rewarding.

[Shirin · Rating 2 out of 5]

حس می کنم ترجمه تحریف زیادی داشت، وگرنه یه خارجی هیچ وقت اینجوری در مورد یه سری مسائل تعریف و تمجید نمیکنه.
متوجهید که؟

[Patsy B. Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not the Iran you may think

This is a revealing look at an Iran we never hear about. There’s a lot to learn from this true story. I hope that we will evolve enough to learn from this experience.

[Najme Khadem · Rating 4 out of 5]

روایت یک آمریکایی از سفرش به ایران به همراه خانواده اش برای یافتن "حسن" آشپز سابقشان در دوران پیش از انقلاب و دهه شصت میلادی.
کتاب به همان شکلی که از خاطرات سفر می گوید روایت روزها و سالهای گذشته شده بر ایران و روان جمعی مان رو یادآوری میکند. امیدواری ها، حسرت ها، شکوه ها و غم هایمان. تداعی توامان و شیرین شهرزاد و ملانصرالدین و کوروش و غزل های حافظ در کنار بدبیاری ها و خودکامگی ها و سختی ها و دشمنی ها و رنج هایمان؛ کتاب را سخت جذاب کرده و در زمره بهترین سفرنامه ها قرار داده است.

[Mina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd call the book a "hard" read for the average reader, not because the language is difficult, but because it is such a rich piece of work that you simply can not rush through it. So rich, in fact, that you have to absorb bits at a time and let it sink in. This is a gorgeous recollection by Terence Ward and is about him and his 3 brothers and parents, as they return to Iran during a time when it was not so safe for travelling foreigners, to rediscover a part of their childhood and past. The Wards have not been back to Iran since the 1960's and this adventure takes place around about 1998. The Ward family travels to desinations near and far and the prose that Ward uses to describe the terrain and people, and to also weave their past back into the story is nothing short of breathtaking. He is truly a gifted writer with a special talent for capturing moments and people and experiences, managing to flawlessly translate them into colorful prose. Searching for Hassan comes to fruition towards the end of the book, and is a beautiful story in and of itself. But I highly reccommend this book as a informative source on culture and history.

[Aubrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

On the bright side, this book had moments that were engaging, insightful, or enlightening, but only moments. For example, I loved learning about the origin of the Sunni/Shia divide. I enjoyed the glimpses into Iranian history and culture and now have a better understanding of how much I *don't* know.

However, in general, I found the story and history difficult to follow. All the places, names, and history were so unfamiliar that it was difficult to digest in this format (without maps, time lines, photos, etc...).

I also resented the generally anti-American sentiment throughout. It was often blatant, obnoxious and offensive. While Ward is entitled to his opinion, it made me wonder who his intended audience was. If he is writing to an American audience, his American readers might feel put off by his blanket statements describing them "arrogant, smug, narrow-minded, and naive." (pg 152)

So, I didn't finish it. I read just past the photos in the middle. I'm sure there are plenty of better books to widen my understanding of Iran.

[James Klagge · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of a family's trip to Iran in 1998 to try to find a family who had worked for them for several years in the 1960s in Teheran. In the course of the story we learn a lot about Iranian geography, history and culture. Spoiler alert: they do find their family. The story is well-told and the Iranians are sympathetically presented.
What resonated with me was the notion of searching out and reconnecting with a time/place from the past. After working and living in Appalachian Eastern Kentucky for 3 summers, I returned with my kids for a short visit 15 years later. After having studied at UCLA for 7 years and living nearby, I returned for a visit for the first time 17 years later. And with the assistance of friends in Brno, my kids and I searched out 3rd cousins in the Czech Republic who my parents and grandparents had last seen 23 years earlier. While each of these experiences were different in various ways from the book's story, they each had elements that were similar.

[Katya · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very romantic view on Iran. Author`s nostalgic memories of his childhood in Iran doesn`t let him describe Iran, its culture and people objectively. I would also say that his knowledge of Iran and Farsi (as far as I could see in the book) is quite shallow and based on what he heard from Iranians (which should never be considered as truth).
Ward is trying to show that Iran is not so isolated from the rest of the world and its people know Western culture pretty well, but maybe he would change his mind if he talked not only to Majid Majidi and Tehran intellectuals, but also to ordinary people.
What really surprised is he hates the Shah and speaks in favor of the Islamic revolution, which is very different from what foreigners usually think about Iran.

[Niharika Rane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terence Ward does a wonderful job of telling the common man's story. He effectively combines pre-Islamic history, Islam history, and Revolutionary history with the story of his family and their quest for their close friend. Not only was I able to learn about religious and political conflicts, I was also introduced to many life lessons: such as the importance of friendship. Ward also brings a twist to the cliché, don't judge a book by its cove!

[Deana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story of an American man who travels back to Iran looking for his family friend. Hassan was a little bit of everything to their family, and through the years became a part of their family. When they moved away from Iran after the fall of the Shah, they always wondered what came of Hassan and his family, so in 1998 he and his family went back to find him.

[Lynda Murphy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love reading books that give an insight on different cultures. This book however was an insufferably boring read. The flowery language used made it difficult to focus on the story. Looks like I'll be getting my knowledge on this culture from a different source. I never give up on a book but this came close.

[Mostafa Rahbar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book that portrays Iranians in a true light.

[Anjum Haz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The past is a country from which we all have emigrated.

—SALMAN RUSHDIE, IMAGINARY HOMELANDS

This was one of the first recommendations Barbara made to me. I explored Iran through books, read Kader Abdolah, Marjane Satrapi and resisted myself from reading this because of my habit to leave a good book to cherish later. This time I unraveled my long kept treasure and I did cherish every moment of my reading.

The author, Terry, is making a journey across Iran, where he spent his childhood, to find Hassan—a long lost friend, and re-discover the country. Through the cultural hub of the country, Shiraz, where Hafez and Saadi were born, their jeep crosses Pasargadae, where Cyrus the Great lies, and reaches Persepolis’s ancient ruin. The American caravan of four brothers and their parents reach Yazd, the great desert, they see the country’s Zoroastrian past’s remnants. The caravan leaves for Isfahan, the turquoise city of Iran, the city with rivers and bridges rivalling Florence of Italy. Leaving behind the famous carpets of Isfahan and its bazar, their jeep runs parallel the Elburz mountain range, and stops at Tehran, their once home.

Terry, Rich, Kevin, Chris—the four brothers and their parents Pat and Donna lived in Tehran for years, before the boys went to college. Hassan and Fatimeh were their second family in Tehran. The brothers completed their studies, became professional in their lives, and started their own families. A longing for home—Iran, and the long-lost friendship grew inside the family. So the journey begins.

In this journey from Shiraj to Tehran, we meet Iran’s rich traditions, Nowruj, their food, people’s hospitality, historical cross-roads, the many different cultural and religious sects who call Iran home—Parsis, Armenian Christians, Jews etc. We sneak-peak at the shark-toothed Elburz mountains through the jeep window. We pay respect to the tomb of Cyrus, we get struck in deep cultural, historical conversations.

Blended with poetic verses of Hafez and Saadi and Rumi, reading this book has been an ultimate experience for me that touched the traveller and the reader inside me. I felt I am the tenth passenger in their jeep, getting on the bumpy roads, feeling the heat, the dust, and lost in a cultural conversation with Terry's family and the tour guide Akbar…

I have tons of highlights from the book, many of them poetic to melt me with one read, to make me wanna visit Iran in a heartbeat. Will wrap my review with this quote, which seemed most meaningful to me today in this book’s context…

Out beyond the ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.

—RUMI

[Bahman Bahman · Rating 3 out of 5]

جایی دور، در تخیلات خود می‌دانستم که شاهزاده‌ای، عاشق برزگری شجاع شده و یا شاهزاده دیگری با ملوانی جوان به دنبال سرنوشت خود فرار کرده. امید، حسن به ما می‌گفت که «همیشه باید به آینده امیدوار بود.»

کسانی که برای خانواده ما کار می‌کردند فقط حسن و فاطمه نبودند بلکه مادر فاطمه، خورشید، که معمولاً از دو بچه فاطمه، علی و مهدی، نگهداری می‌کرد، و برادر حسن، محمد که اخیراً از ارتش اخراج شده بود، زیرا جیپ ارتشی را چپ کرده بود نیز اضافه شده بودند. محمد چون کار دیگری نداشت، راننده خانواده ما شده بود. ما معمولاً در صندلی عقب می‌نشستیم، و او با رانندگان اتومبیل‌های دیگر و عابران سر و کله می‌زد. ما هم مجبور می‌شدیم خودمان را محکم نگه داریم که در صورت ترمزهای ناگهانی راننده، به شیشه جلو اصابت نکنیم! یک بار، حسن از مادرم خواست که به جای برادرش محمد، به اداره پلیس مراجعه کند، زیرا کاشف به عمل آمده که اتومبیل ما یک تخلف رانندگی داشته و حسن هم، بحق، می‌ترسید که اگر برادرش به پلیس مراجعه کند، گواهی‌نامه خود را از دست بدهد.

حسن با روشی آرام و توأم با شوخ‌طبعی، به نحوی شایسته، زندگی همه ما را اداره می‌کرد. با اینکه حسن رسماً اداره‌کننده امور خانواده ما بود، ولی برای ما خیلی بیشتر از آن بود. او مانند «ویرجیل» همیشه راهنمای ما بود. از بازارهای تاریک گرفته تا یاد دادن آداب و رسوم محلی، با عشق و علاقه‌ای که برای درک فرهنگ او لازم بود و کار ما را آسان می‌کرد.

او قسمت مهمی از زندگی ما شده بود. تصورات و تخیلات ما را می‌ساخت و دنیای ما را وسیع‌تر می‌کرد. حسن جثه‌ای نه چندان بلندقد، اما قوی و عضلانی داشت. چهره آرام و سبیل‌های مشکی و جالب او از حکمت عامیانه و دانایی طنزآمیزش حکایت می‌کرد.

با نبودن تلویزیون در آن زمان، او قصه‌های مضحک و عجیب و غریب ملانصرالدین را برای ما تعریف می‌کرد که در آنها مسائل پیچیده زندگی و راه‌حل‌های زیرکانه و در عین حال خنده‌آور ارائه می‌شد. در چشمان او همیشه جرقه‌ای برق می‌زد.

ما همیشه انتظار می‌کشیدیم که حسن ما را برای دیدن نوازندگان دوره‌گرد و حاجی فیروز خبر کند. حاجی فیروز، دلقکی بود که صورت خود را سیاه می‌کرد و درست قبل از فرا رسیدن سال نو، هنگام برگزاری جشن‌ها و مبادله هدایا، رقص‌کنان، مقابل درب خانه‌ها ظاهر می‌شد.

[Todd Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the author’s search for a beloved family friend that was a deep part of their family when he was a boy.

Terence Ward grew up in Tehran in Iran in the 1960s watched over by Hassan, the family’s cook, housekeeper, and cultural guide.

Then they left the country before the fall of the Shah of Iran in 1979 and the turmoil and changes that followed.

The next chance they had to return to Iran to see about their close family friend was thirty years later in the 1990s.

You follow his journey back to Iran, a quixotic pilgrimage with his family in search of him with only a few clues of where he might be, but with a determination to find him.

Crossing Iran Ward explores modern and Iran and the county he remembers.

I learned a lot about Iran from this book. The complicated relationship it has with the outside world and the people who live there.

It is an excellent book for anybody who wants to gain a better understanding of Iran and its people and not what we’ve seen from the television and leaders.

It was a fascinating read.

[Gayle Slagle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Searching for Hassan: A journey to the Heart of Iran by Terence Ward is both an informative and interesting book. The book is infused with the history and heritage of Iran, but the heart of the book tells the story of the Ward family and the influence that this country had on them. Living in Iran in the 1960's with his parents and his three brothers, Ward grew to love both the country and its people. The family forms a deep bond with Hassan, the man who serves as their cook, but who also educates the sons on the culture and history of Iran and instills in them a love of the country that remains into adulthood. Years after the family has returned to the U.S. they decide to return to Iran and find Hassan and his family. What follows is a story that creates a personal connection to the people of Iran; the connection between the Ward family and Hassan's family is an inspirational story of an American family that loves and admires Iran, its people, and its culture. It will leave you with an better understanding of Iran and more importantly, its people.