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Република на въображението
Преди повече от десет години Азар Нафизи разпалва въображението на милиони читатели по цял свят с мемоара си Да четеш Лолита в Техеран – обяснение в любов към силата на литературата на фона на Революцията, цензурата и екзекуциите по улиците на Иран. Сега, избягала от ужаса и създала живот за семейството си в Америка, Нафизи продължава своята история – поклон пред жизненоважната необходимост от художествената литература в едно демократично общество.
Когато по време на конференция скептичен читател заявява пред Нафизи, че за хората от „Първия свят“ литературата няма такова значение, както за студентките ? от онези дни в Иран, в отговор тя отправя своето предизвикателство към света. Република на въображението поставя под съмнение думите на тези, които казват, че художествената измислица няма на какво да ни научи. ОтХъкълбери Фин, чак до Сърцето е самотен ловец истина и фикция се преплитат, а Нафизи ни кани на пътешествие из своята Република – място, където злодеи са конформизмът и посредствеността, а за паспорт служат отвореният ум и жаждата за въображение.
Независимо дали във време на война, или във време на мир, нуждата от книгите и тяхната „Република“ е еднаква навсякъде по света.
Когато по време на конференция скептичен читател заявява пред Нафизи, че за хората от „Първия свят“ литературата няма такова значение, както за студентките ? от онези дни в Иран, в отговор тя отправя своето предизвикателство към света. Република на въображението поставя под съмнение думите на тези, които казват, че художествената измислица няма на какво да ни научи. ОтХъкълбери Фин, чак до Сърцето е самотен ловец истина и фикция се преплитат, а Нафизи ни кани на пътешествие из своята Република – място, където злодеи са конформизмът и посредствеността, а за паспорт служат отвореният ум и жаждата за въображение.
Независимо дали във време на война, или във време на мир, нуждата от книгите и тяхната „Република“ е еднаква навсякъде по света.
340 pages, Paperback
First published August 28, 2014
199 people are currently reading
5669 people want to read
About the author
Azar Nafisi
20 books2,734 followersAzar Nafisi (Persian: آذر نفیسی) is an Iranian American writer and scholar of English literature whose work explores the political and imaginative power of books. Born in Tehran, she grew up in a family deeply engaged in public life. Her father served as mayor of the city in the early 1960s, while her mother was among the first women elected to the National Consultative Assembly. As a teenager, she left Iran to study in England and later Switzerland, eventually completing her university education in the United States. She earned a doctorate in English and American literature from the University of Oklahoma before returning to Iran shortly before the 1979 Revolution.
Nafisi began teaching at the University of Tehran, but her refusal to comply with mandatory veiling laws led to her expulsion in 1981. After a period of political and cultural uncertainty, she resumed teaching at Allameh Tabataba’i University. Her relationship with the institution remained fraught, and by the mid 1990s she had distanced herself from formal academic life. From 1995 to 1997, she held weekly literary discussions in her home for a group of female students, creating an intimate space where they read and interpreted novels considered unwelcome by the authorities. These meetings became the foundation for her most influential book, Reading Lolita in Tehran, a memoir that intertwines literature, personal reflection, and the lived realities of women in post-revolutionary Iran.
Nafisi moved to the United States in 1997 and later became a citizen. Her subsequent work continued to explore the role of books in shaping identity, imagination, and civic life. She has written widely for major newspapers and literary outlets and has held academic and public-intellectual roles at Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University, and Oxford. Her books include Things I’ve Been Silent About, The Republic of Imagination, That Other World: Nabokov and the Puzzle of Exile, and Read Dangerously, each extending her conviction that literature offers a unique form of moral and imaginative resistance.
Her writing has received significant critical acclaim, earning awards for both literary merit and intellectual courage. In 2024, Reading Lolita in Tehran was adapted for film with Golshifteh Farahani portraying Nafisi. Throughout her career, she has spoken and written about the intersections of culture, authoritarianism, and personal freedom, insisting on the enduring relevance of literature in societies confronting political pressure. Her work continues to spark debate, admiration, and reflection across a wide international readership.
Nafisi began teaching at the University of Tehran, but her refusal to comply with mandatory veiling laws led to her expulsion in 1981. After a period of political and cultural uncertainty, she resumed teaching at Allameh Tabataba’i University. Her relationship with the institution remained fraught, and by the mid 1990s she had distanced herself from formal academic life. From 1995 to 1997, she held weekly literary discussions in her home for a group of female students, creating an intimate space where they read and interpreted novels considered unwelcome by the authorities. These meetings became the foundation for her most influential book, Reading Lolita in Tehran, a memoir that intertwines literature, personal reflection, and the lived realities of women in post-revolutionary Iran.
Nafisi moved to the United States in 1997 and later became a citizen. Her subsequent work continued to explore the role of books in shaping identity, imagination, and civic life. She has written widely for major newspapers and literary outlets and has held academic and public-intellectual roles at Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University, and Oxford. Her books include Things I’ve Been Silent About, The Republic of Imagination, That Other World: Nabokov and the Puzzle of Exile, and Read Dangerously, each extending her conviction that literature offers a unique form of moral and imaginative resistance.
Her writing has received significant critical acclaim, earning awards for both literary merit and intellectual courage. In 2024, Reading Lolita in Tehran was adapted for film with Golshifteh Farahani portraying Nafisi. Throughout her career, she has spoken and written about the intersections of culture, authoritarianism, and personal freedom, insisting on the enduring relevance of literature in societies confronting political pressure. Her work continues to spark debate, admiration, and reflection across a wide international readership.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 315 reviews
September 12, 2019
العمى يأتي بأشكال كافّة. يبدو أننا نشعر أنه عبر قوة الإرادة الصرف (المتحدة بالتكنولوجيا) يُمكننا أن نعيش في نعيمٍ سرمدي، رافضين الهرم والشيخوخة، متفادين الوجع والمعاناة، دافنين أنفسنا في كتب الاعتماد على النفس، وكتب (كيف يمكنك أن..) التي تعزز الوهم بالاحتمال السرمدي، وتجعلنا نعتقد، على الرغم من جميع الأدلة التي تشير إلى العكس، أن السعادة قاب قوسين منا لو أننا فقط بذلنا مجهودًا أقوى وثابرنا أكثر، وأن الأمان سيكون من نصيبنا إذا ما اتبعنا، ببساطة، هذه الخطوات الخمس. - آذر نفيسي.
شكرًا آذر، أنا مدينة لكِ بالكثير، وفي انتظار أن يتسنى لي شكرك وجهًا لوجه.
شكرًا آذر، أنا مدينة لكِ بالكثير، وفي انتظار أن يتسنى لي شكرك وجهًا لوجه.
June 2, 2024
Чудесна книга за силата на въображението и необходимостта от четящи хора и хубави книги във всяко едно общество! Азар Нафизи е иранка, която от дълги години живее и преподава в САЩ, като познава в дълбочина американската литература. Американското общество е най-развитото в световен мащаб, но то също се нуждае от преоткриване и осъзнаване на своите стойностни книжни произведения.
Авторката разсъждава върху различни книги, които са й направили силно впечатление през годините, цитира много писатели, а и разказва интересни неща от своя живот. Размислите за "Приключенията на Хъкълбери Фин" заемат централно място в романът на Нафизи, тъй като книгата на Марк Твен е фундаментална за американската литература, но далеч не става дума само за нея... „Република на въображението“ е истинско съкровище за всеки запален читател и вдъхновява още повече любов към книгите...
Авторката разсъждава върху различни книги, които са й направили силно впечатление през годините, цитира много писатели, а и разказва интересни неща от своя живот. Размислите за "Приключенията на Хъкълбери Фин" заемат централно място в романът на Нафизи, тъй като книгата на Марк Твен е фундаментална за американската литература, но далеч не става дума само за нея... „Република на въображението“ е истинско съкровище за всеки запален читател и вдъхновява още повече любов към книгите...
September 15, 2016
في البداية شكر مُستحق للعزيز (خالد لطفي) صاحب مكتبة تنمية الرائعة على هذا الترشيح الجميل ..
كنت في مكتبة تنمية وترددت عندما طالعت اسم المؤلفة التي لم أكن قد قرأت بعد عملها الأشهر (أن تقرأ لوليتا في طهران) .. والذي استقر في مكتبتي منذ سنوات، ولكن بدعم من ا. خالد ابتعته ولا أدري لماذا بدأت به الآن! :-)
الكتاب هو مزيج من تأريخ شخصي لحياة الكاتبة بين إيران وأمريكا ، وبين تاريخ أمريكا نفسها من خلال ثلاثة أعمال أدبية مختلفة ، كان أشهر هذه الأعمال (هيكلبري فين) لمارك توين ، ثم رواية (بابيت) لسنكلير لويس ، وأخيراً (القلب صياد وحيد) ل كارسون مكولرز ..
أكثر أجزاء الكتاب متعة كان الجزء الأول فالثاني فالثالث - على الترتيب - ليس لمعرفتي برواية هيكلبري فين ولكن بقدر ما كانت طريقة السرد مشوقة .. علاقة الكاتبة بصديقة طفولتها فرح وقصة هروبها من إيران وحتى مرضها .. حواراتها مع آذر عن كل شئ في الماضي والحاضر كان شديد الدفء .. بعد ذلك شعرت أن طريقة السرد ذاتها اختلفت في الجزئين الآخريين .. غلب عليهما النقد الأدبي الجاف ، وحتى قصتها مع صديقتها جوانا في الجزء الثالث كان أقرب إلى البرود عن الدفء السابق مع فرح .. وبعض القصص الأخرى المفتعلة..
الكتاب لا يتحدث فقط عن هذه المؤلفات الأمريكية الثلاثة بل تستعرض نفيسي فيه العديد من المؤلفات الشهيرة في تاريخ الأدب ، كان أشبه بمونولوجاً طويلاً في حب الأدب والكتب ..
أفضل لحظاتي التي عشتها خارج مصر كانت خلال زيارتي القصيرة لسان فرانسيسكو وجزء وادي السيليكون حيث شركات الانترنت والتكنولوچيا هناك .. وعلى الرغم من اختلاف الأماكن ، فقد استعدت ذكريات هذه الزيارة اللطيفة مع قراءتي لهذا الكتاب واتفقت في أشياء كثيرة مع رأي الكاتبة عن أمريكا .. بلاد الخيال والتقدم والحرية!
October 31, 2014
Every once in a while a book comes along that not only makes you think, but challenges you in ways you were not expecting. This would be one of those books.
Azar Nafisi has the unique advantage of viewing this country and its attitude toward art and literature from the outside. Originally from Iran, she has become an American citizen (in her words because she found herself grumbling about America so she knew she was an American). But it is her heritage that gives her a different understanding of the meaning of fiction and how this country views it.
Using four writers, which she had narrowed from a list of twenty-four, Nafisi shows us how fiction is not only necessary but vital to the health of this nation. She makes the point that imagination, defined as free thinking, is nurtured by fiction and without it a society will suffer and stagnate. Beginning with Mark Twain, then Sinclair Lewis, followed by Carson McCullers, and ending with James Baldwin, Nafisi reinforces the idea that literature is as important to one’s education as science and technology.
Nafisi knows what it means to live in a country where imagination is stifled, books are banned, and people are imprisoned or killed for simply seeking an education. This book challenges all of us to make sure literature and art do not disappear and to actively promote both in our schools and in our communities.
Her ideas can be summed into one question she asks in the book. “Why do tyrants understand the dangers of a democratic imagination more than our policy makers appreciate its necessity?” While I agree with almost all of what she says, the only negative aspect to the book is that she injects her opinions with a heavy hand. Having said that, I also admire her passion which brings the book to life.
What I was not expecting, was my reaction to her vast knowledge of literature. I am an avid reader but as Nafisi referred to author after author to make her point, most of whom I have not read, I questioned just what have I been reading. My reading time has been spent with King, Koontz, Child, Kellerman, and Connelly to name a few, but little if nothing of Baldwin, Lewis, Fitzgerald, Hemingway or Tocqueville. This book has inspired me to get back to reading literature, not just fiction. I am not giving up on the others, they are too much fun to read, but I am expanding what I read.
This is a must read, and gets a solid four star review.
Azar Nafisi has the unique advantage of viewing this country and its attitude toward art and literature from the outside. Originally from Iran, she has become an American citizen (in her words because she found herself grumbling about America so she knew she was an American). But it is her heritage that gives her a different understanding of the meaning of fiction and how this country views it.
Using four writers, which she had narrowed from a list of twenty-four, Nafisi shows us how fiction is not only necessary but vital to the health of this nation. She makes the point that imagination, defined as free thinking, is nurtured by fiction and without it a society will suffer and stagnate. Beginning with Mark Twain, then Sinclair Lewis, followed by Carson McCullers, and ending with James Baldwin, Nafisi reinforces the idea that literature is as important to one’s education as science and technology.
Nafisi knows what it means to live in a country where imagination is stifled, books are banned, and people are imprisoned or killed for simply seeking an education. This book challenges all of us to make sure literature and art do not disappear and to actively promote both in our schools and in our communities.
Her ideas can be summed into one question she asks in the book. “Why do tyrants understand the dangers of a democratic imagination more than our policy makers appreciate its necessity?” While I agree with almost all of what she says, the only negative aspect to the book is that she injects her opinions with a heavy hand. Having said that, I also admire her passion which brings the book to life.
What I was not expecting, was my reaction to her vast knowledge of literature. I am an avid reader but as Nafisi referred to author after author to make her point, most of whom I have not read, I questioned just what have I been reading. My reading time has been spent with King, Koontz, Child, Kellerman, and Connelly to name a few, but little if nothing of Baldwin, Lewis, Fitzgerald, Hemingway or Tocqueville. This book has inspired me to get back to reading literature, not just fiction. I am not giving up on the others, they are too much fun to read, but I am expanding what I read.
This is a must read, and gets a solid four star review.
October 11, 2014
Nafisi chose three books that, to her, represent America's zeitgeist. Part One is about The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. She alternates her analysis of the book and how it reflects American spirit and sense of freedom is counterbalanced by the story of her old friend who was a radical in post revolution Iran and recently died after a long battle with cancer. This is the strongest and most moving part of the book on many levels. Part two considers Babbit by Sinclair Lewis,consumerism, and the Common Core--strange, but compatible bedfellows in Nafisi's hands. Part Three's novel is Carson McCullers' The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and deals with Southern fiction, how the landscape influences Southern writers, and the idea of isolation in American culture. I read the ARC, so I will be looking forward to Nafisi's afterward on James Baldwin who she spoke enthusiastically of at the American Library Association Conference.
December 20, 2014
I loved Reading Lolita in Tehran, and this is just as powerful. Nafizi writes of Literature Militant with the power to change lives--to horrify, terrify, and mobilize--as she blends 3 quintessential American titles (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Babbitt, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter) with anecdotes from her own life in Iran and then in the US. She writes the best kind of literary criticism, rich in examples, expansive, and eye-opening. Her polished prose is passionate and convincing, and the book is almost evangelistic in tone. She bemoans the neglect of literature in schools and is particularly hard on the Common Core with its decided emphasis on nonfiction subjects. Thoughtful and engaging literary criticism and memoir.
August 23, 2014
Wow!! What an eloquent read! I wasn't sure I would care for this book but I couldn't have been more wrong! Very well written!! Thank you Azar Nafisi & Goodreads for this Advanced Proof!! Can't wait to suggest to my book club!
January 17, 2015
3.5-stars, really.
i enjoyed this read -- i found nafisi's voice to be great, and her prose is lovely. it's very clear she is a passionate advocate for literature, and believes deeply in the importance and necessity of fiction in our world. i underlined many passages in the book, and will be pondering on many of nafisi's thoughts and ideas for some time to come. i just feel a bit disconnected from some aspects of the book, perhaps because i am not american? while i am certainly clear on nafisi's messages throughout the book, and much of it is universal, i don't feel i can comfortably debate some aspects of it, or that i can just accept some of nafisi's opinions as truths. (i don't doubt her, don't get me wrong. i just wish i had more knowledge myself. so perhaps she, in writing this book, will cause me to learn more? i did, however, spend an awful lot of time wondering which three books could be used for canada.... if this were to become a series. heh.)
saving this link to radio interview nafisi did here in toronto in late-2014; it's awesome: http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/...
suggestion: if you have not read these books, i highly recommend you read them before beginning 'republic of imagination':
* The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
* Babbitt, by Sinclair Lewis
* The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, by Carson McCullers
i have read all three, but it's been so long that i need (want) to go back and reread them. with the publication of nafisi's book, these 4 reads together could make a great american lit. project, if anyone is so inclined. :)
(also, since the afterword features James Baldwin, a reading of Go Tell It on the Mountain ahead of 'republic of imagination' would be great too!)
i enjoyed this read -- i found nafisi's voice to be great, and her prose is lovely. it's very clear she is a passionate advocate for literature, and believes deeply in the importance and necessity of fiction in our world. i underlined many passages in the book, and will be pondering on many of nafisi's thoughts and ideas for some time to come. i just feel a bit disconnected from some aspects of the book, perhaps because i am not american? while i am certainly clear on nafisi's messages throughout the book, and much of it is universal, i don't feel i can comfortably debate some aspects of it, or that i can just accept some of nafisi's opinions as truths. (i don't doubt her, don't get me wrong. i just wish i had more knowledge myself. so perhaps she, in writing this book, will cause me to learn more? i did, however, spend an awful lot of time wondering which three books could be used for canada.... if this were to become a series. heh.)
saving this link to radio interview nafisi did here in toronto in late-2014; it's awesome: http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/episode/...
suggestion: if you have not read these books, i highly recommend you read them before beginning 'republic of imagination':
* The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
* Babbitt, by Sinclair Lewis
* The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, by Carson McCullers
i have read all three, but it's been so long that i need (want) to go back and reread them. with the publication of nafisi's book, these 4 reads together could make a great american lit. project, if anyone is so inclined. :)
(also, since the afterword features James Baldwin, a reading of Go Tell It on the Mountain ahead of 'republic of imagination' would be great too!)
August 5, 2020
Прекрасна и вдъхновяваща книга за литературата, четенето и вярата в думите и въображението. Нескромно заявявам, че завиждам силно на тази жена, която вижда отвъд думите и умее да живее с текстовете толкова живо, ярко, красиво. Като човек, живял винаги с книгите и силното въображение, аз също първа бих развяла знамето на тази република, чието верую е, че литературата все още има и ще продължи да има значение и смисъл в живота на човека. Докосна ме не само като читател, но и като човек, свързан силно с "ония науки, които вече не са важни". Изкуството, книгите и въображението са важни. Тази книга говори за това защо са такива.
November 2, 2014
Not what I was expecting which explains the single star. It seems more like a college term paper than a book. I could not get past that and put it down about half way through the Huck Finn section. I am very disappointed since I have been looking forward to reading it since this past summer. Not my thing in spite of the hype and anticipation.
October 21, 2014
It was a very well written book of literary criticism and it inspired me to read the writer's very well known book Reading Lolita in Tehran. However, in reading the Republic of the Imagination, it helped that I had read within the last ten years two of the books Ms. Nafisi reviewed, Huckleberry Finn and Babbitt; in addition I liked both of these books. I found it harder to read the section where Ms. Nafisi examines The Heart is a Lonely Hunter which I have not read. However, this book did make me want to read it.
It is a book for English majors and people who enjoy reading about literary fiction; it is not a book for fiction nonbelievers. I was a little disappointed that the book was not a call to arms about the joys and importance of fiction which I do think is under attack now. However, perhaps that goes beyond the scope of the book.
It is a book for English majors and people who enjoy reading about literary fiction; it is not a book for fiction nonbelievers. I was a little disappointed that the book was not a call to arms about the joys and importance of fiction which I do think is under attack now. However, perhaps that goes beyond the scope of the book.
April 11, 2016
جمهورية الخيال
تقرأ آذار نفيسي تجاربها في الحياة من خلال كتبها المفضلة، هكذا فعلت في (أن تقرأ لوليتا في طهران) عندما استعرضت تجربتها وتجربة طالباتها مع القمع في طهران ما بعد الثورة، وها هي تحاول قراءة وفهم أمريكا بما أنها صارت مواطنة أمريكية من خلال ثلاثة كتب تعبر عن روح أمريكا كما ترى نفيسي وهي هكلبري فن لمارك توين، وبابت لسنكلير لويس، والقلب صياد متوحد لكارمن مكولرز.
تقرأ آذار نفيسي تجاربها في الحياة من خلال كتبها المفضلة، هكذا فعلت في (أن تقرأ لوليتا في طهران) عندما استعرضت تجربتها وتجربة طالباتها مع القمع في طهران ما بعد الثورة، وها هي تحاول قراءة وفهم أمريكا بما أنها صارت مواطنة أمريكية من خلال ثلاثة كتب تعبر عن روح أمريكا كما ترى نفيسي وهي هكلبري فن لمارك توين، وبابت لسنكلير لويس، والقلب صياد متوحد لكارمن مكولرز.
November 19, 2014
Azar Nafisi's passion for books and reading are intimately connected to her life as a citizen, a teacher, and a writer.
In writing this book --it was Azar's desire to connect readers all over the world in a meaningful dialogue. AWESOME IDEA!!! I see this book as a opening for conversation.
Stories need to be refreshed and retold in every generation. We do this through conversation, often with with "intimate strangers" (as Azar likes to call us). I love that phrase! "Intimate Strangers:". Readers connect on Goodreads as intimate strangers.
Thoughts that ran through my head while reading "The Republic of Imagination:
...I enjoyed it and was moved by Azar's friendship with Farah.
...Azar repeated herself a little too much in the beginning while sharing her development of this book.
...This book is part memoir: (Azar's life in America & Tehran). She also packs in tons of information about American literary history, (The three main stories plus others), information about American authors, American history, politics, world history and world politics. MUCH to DISCUSS about any one of these topics.
...At a private dinner, Azar spent time with Ian McEwan. I found it interesting that she said --they didn't talk about writing. (as in too personal for two authors to come together to speak about their writing).
I've attended many author events and book festivals --I've listened to panels of authors share together about their writing style. I'm not so sure its too personal for 'all' authors to have this conversation. I find them 'all' so interesting,and different! (I'm a pure-READER). How writers do what they do --I've no idea. Yet --I'm thankful for these FICTION stories. I agree with the importance of "STANDING for FICTION" as Azar. Worth fighting for!
...The one thing missing for me is the IN PERSON CONVERSATION. This book does not feel complete without it.
...If Azar were teaching an adult extension class at a local University I'd sign up! This is a book which reads fast --but could be read slow over months: in Azar's class!!! Where do I register?
In writing this book --it was Azar's desire to connect readers all over the world in a meaningful dialogue. AWESOME IDEA!!! I see this book as a opening for conversation.
Stories need to be refreshed and retold in every generation. We do this through conversation, often with with "intimate strangers" (as Azar likes to call us). I love that phrase! "Intimate Strangers:". Readers connect on Goodreads as intimate strangers.
Thoughts that ran through my head while reading "The Republic of Imagination:
...I enjoyed it and was moved by Azar's friendship with Farah.
...Azar repeated herself a little too much in the beginning while sharing her development of this book.
...This book is part memoir: (Azar's life in America & Tehran). She also packs in tons of information about American literary history, (The three main stories plus others), information about American authors, American history, politics, world history and world politics. MUCH to DISCUSS about any one of these topics.
...At a private dinner, Azar spent time with Ian McEwan. I found it interesting that she said --they didn't talk about writing. (as in too personal for two authors to come together to speak about their writing).
I've attended many author events and book festivals --I've listened to panels of authors share together about their writing style. I'm not so sure its too personal for 'all' authors to have this conversation. I find them 'all' so interesting,and different! (I'm a pure-READER). How writers do what they do --I've no idea. Yet --I'm thankful for these FICTION stories. I agree with the importance of "STANDING for FICTION" as Azar. Worth fighting for!
...The one thing missing for me is the IN PERSON CONVERSATION. This book does not feel complete without it.
...If Azar were teaching an adult extension class at a local University I'd sign up! This is a book which reads fast --but could be read slow over months: in Azar's class!!! Where do I register?
August 9, 2023
Азар Нафизи е позната на българския читател като автор на "Да четеш Лолита в Техеран". Бях дълбоко впечатлена от ерудидицията и тънката чувствителност на Нафизи, потомствен преподавател, писател и ценител на красивото, жена с огромна вътрешна сила и достойнство, която имаше куража да говори за тиранията в родната си страна през призмата на литературата. Анализите на ключови американски романи са не само задълбочени и нестандартни, но и в тях дотолкова е преплетен животът на конкретни жени в Иран, че между тези персонажи и литературните герои почти няма граница.
"Република на въображението" е инспирирана основно от американската действителност. Нафизи е завършила Американска литература в САЩ и след като и е забранено да првподава в родния си Иран, в който се завръща, тя е принудена окончателно да емигрира в Америка.Травмите, нанесени от тоталитарния режим не са заздравели, паралелите между действителността в Иран и новата и родина са неизбежни. И все пак в тази своя книга Нафизи говори основно за Американската мечта, за американска литература, за образа на аутсайдера, на самотника в нея. В по-широк план книгата е апел към съхраняването на една "република на въображението", една действителност, в която изкуството, литературата ще съхранят соковете на живота. Нафизи говори за литературата с необикновена страст, вярва, че литературата притежава огромна мощ да преобразава.
Тя започва с Марк Твен и основният герой, който я интересува, е Хъкълбери Фин. Всички ние сме чели изказването на Хемингуей, че Американската литература започва с Хъкълбери Фин. Става дума не за онзи Хъкълбери, който познаваме от орязаната детска версия, а за оригиналния роман на Твен, за преждевременно помъдрялото дете, ненавиждащо несправедливостта и конформизма. То се отказва от богатството и всички съмнителни стойности на цивилизацията, за да се отправи само на Запад към земи, където белият човек още не е стъпвал. Хъкълбери Фин е самотна фигура, дете, което не желае да има нищо общо със света на Том Сойер, бунтар, особняк. Той е органично същество и нищо и никой не може да го поквари. Звучи чудесно, но говорим за самотно и тъжно дете! След Хък Фин Нафизи прави плавен преход към Карсън Маккълърс и "Сърцето е самотен ловец" и "Балада за тъжната кръчма". Анализите и са брилянтни и ни разкриват много не само за южняшката действителност, но и за самотата на доста хора в съвременния свят. "Бабит" от Синклер Люис представя друг образ на самотник, прагматичен, материален човек, който се е изолирал от самия себе си. Книгата завършва с Джеймс Болдуин и неговия ярък, неконформистки глас. Нафизи маркира и някои образи на Фокнър, Харпър Лий, Юдора Уелти и Селинджър.
Препоръчвам тази книга на всички, изкушени от литературата! Все пак не мога да не спомена, че "Да четеш Лолита в Техеран" ми хареса много повече! Динамизмът в живота на младите иранки, които Нафизи обучаваше в дома си, тук липсва.
September 3, 2014
I received a free copy of this book as part of the Goodreads First Reads program in return for an honest review.
I have to admit, I've only read one of the books Azar Nafisi discusses here, and that was many years ago. My impressions of Huck Finn diverge from Nafisi's analysis, and I think I should revisit the book at some time. In fact, now I'm interested in reading Babbit and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter as well. At the same time, these books aren't the point of The Republic of the Imagination.
The book presents itself as an exploration of the American character through it's literature, but it functions as a much more personal exploration. At it's heart, the book is about what it means for Ms. Nafisi to be an American, as discussed through her relation to books, and her relationships with others as expressed through books.
This breaks down a bit in the middle section, where she takes on the American education system and issues with Common Core standards (without ever really acknowledging the central issue which Common Core is trying to address - the desire for a simple metric of education so that we can determine what works and what doesn't). She briefly acknowledges that the Common Core follows in the footsteps of No Child Left Behind, and is a product of the Race to the Top program. Although I mostly agree with her, I really wanted a chance to get her to acknowledge where the bad ideas come from, and that there were some good motives behind it.
The first and third sections were much more personal aspects of her life, and so less likely to invite that sort of discussion. Each book was tied up in memories of people who are now gone from her life, and were connected to the book in her mind because of their discussions of the books as much as by their relationships tho the themes of the books.
This book, more than any I've read recently, made me wish I had a good book club. It's meant to be engaged with and discussed more than simply read.
I have to admit, I've only read one of the books Azar Nafisi discusses here, and that was many years ago. My impressions of Huck Finn diverge from Nafisi's analysis, and I think I should revisit the book at some time. In fact, now I'm interested in reading Babbit and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter as well. At the same time, these books aren't the point of The Republic of the Imagination.
The book presents itself as an exploration of the American character through it's literature, but it functions as a much more personal exploration. At it's heart, the book is about what it means for Ms. Nafisi to be an American, as discussed through her relation to books, and her relationships with others as expressed through books.
This breaks down a bit in the middle section, where she takes on the American education system and issues with Common Core standards (without ever really acknowledging the central issue which Common Core is trying to address - the desire for a simple metric of education so that we can determine what works and what doesn't). She briefly acknowledges that the Common Core follows in the footsteps of No Child Left Behind, and is a product of the Race to the Top program. Although I mostly agree with her, I really wanted a chance to get her to acknowledge where the bad ideas come from, and that there were some good motives behind it.
The first and third sections were much more personal aspects of her life, and so less likely to invite that sort of discussion. Each book was tied up in memories of people who are now gone from her life, and were connected to the book in her mind because of their discussions of the books as much as by their relationships tho the themes of the books.
This book, more than any I've read recently, made me wish I had a good book club. It's meant to be engaged with and discussed more than simply read.
Read
September 9, 2019Азар Нафизи - "Република на въображението", изд. "Сиела" 2018, прев. Ваня Томова
Днес си тръгнах от "Република на въображението".
Отлагах дълго прочитането на тази книга. За някои книги човек трябва да е готов - било то емоционално, психически, или дори - понеже "Република на въображението" се "крепи" основно върху три книги -чисто литературно. Аз не бях готова по всички "точки" - най-малкото защото не съм чела голяма част от книгите, които се споменават. Но изведнъж реших, че моментът е дошъл. А освен това преди време четох другата книга на авторката - "Да четеш "Лолита" в Техеран" и тя наистина ме впечатли. Така че започнах.
Две неща искам да кажа, преди да продължа нататък. Първо, не съветвам никого, който е чел първата кн��га и сега посяга към тази, да прави сравнения между двете. Да, свързваща нишка между тях има - и това, разбира се, са книгите, т. е., фактът, че и в двете се говори за книги. Но в двете това се прави по два съвсем различни - за мен - начина. Докато в първата обсъждането на книги е онова тайно, конспиративно действие, чието разкриване може да доведе до катастрофални последици, и в това обсъждане виждаме поне донякъде възгледите на няколко млади ирански жени, тук писането за книги сякаш има друга цел. Тук написаното "звучи" повече като лекция по литература, но - поне така го почувствах аз - и като опит на авторката да изясни за себе си темите и проблемите, повдигнати в трите романа, с които основно се занимава в тази книга.И още - докато в първата книга центърът бяха литературните произведения, тук има много повече - да, има литература, но също и политика и история. При това - история не само от онази, която се учи /или премълчава, или изопачава/ в училище. Да, има история на двете страни - Иран и САЩ, - но има също така и много лична, семейна, родова история. Лично за мен бяха много интересни моментите, в които Нафизи пише за семейството си, за двата рода и най-вече за отношенията с баща си. Защото може би е възможно някой да тръгне по пътя на книгите и литературата, или на изкуството въобще, без да е имал досег с тях в семейната си среда, но определено е по-вероятно това да се случи, когато основата бъде положена още в детството, по един или друг начин. А тук тази основа определено я има.
Второто, което искам да кажа, е че от много време не ми се беше случвало още в първите страници на една книга да започна да попадам на неща, които искам да запомня и отбележа. Още четях уводните страници, когато започнах да бележа с бели листчета това, което исках да запомня.Още онази първа страница, в която се споменават ксерографираните книги - вие знаете ли такива истории? Защото аз - да. И помня книги, които се намираха полулегално и томове от по триста и повече страници се четяха за по една вечер, за да се предадат на следващия чакащ. Оттук обаче няма как да не се прокрадне мисълта: "Не мислиш ли, че литературата и книгите бяха толкова важни в Иран, защото там имаше много репресии? и не мислиш ли, че в едно демократично общество няма толкова належаща нужда от тях?" Бих поразсъждавала върху тази мисъл, и по-специално върху думите "належаща нужда". За да има "належаща нужда" от каквото и де е - било то книга или нещо друго, - то трябва да е животоспасяващо, нещо "от първа необходимост". А за да се гледа по този начин на една книга, тя трябва да е "прозорец" към нещо чуждо и непознато за даденото общество, нещо, за което това общество няма как иначе да научи, освен чрез книгите.
Харесаха ми разсъжденията за кризата в Америка. Защото те може да са изказани по адрес на Америка, но мисля, че същото може да се каже и за други страни, включително за България. Кризата е - освен всичко друго - и духовна. И може би няма да се съгласите с мен, но за мен тя е поне толкова страшна, колкото онази, другата, икономическата.
Друго, което ме впечатли - всъщност, за пореден път - е разглеждането на въображението като заплаха. На въображението, и оттам - на различните видове изкуство - музика, литература, изобразително изкуство. Защото една забранена книга може да породи опасни мисли, една картина може да роди "еретични" мисли, една песен може - и то по-лесно и по-бързо от другите две форми - да предизвика мисли за бунт. Литературата е "основна потребност, начин да си възвърнат идентичността, която държавата им е конфискувала", но музиката е още по-силна - тя може да разкаже историята на един народ дори още по-достъпно и разбираемо /и запомнящо се/, отколкото литературата -и да породи още по-опасни мисли.
Но - и не знам защо ми трябваше толкова време да го осъзная - има и нещо по-страшно от постоянните ограничения. И това е агресивната, натрапчива реклама. Рекламира се всичко - от шоколад до лекарства, от дрехи до - едва ли не - "нов живот по поръчка". И тогава идва моментът на осъзнаване, че понякога изобилието може да е нещо вредно, че трябва да спрем, преди някой да е започнал да диктува и мечтите ни.
Хареса ми идеята за литературното изследване като издирване на съкровище, като разплитане на кълбо от нишки. Понякога, четейки, се опитвам да правя точно това - и се радвам на всяка неочаквана нишка.
Бях потресена, когато прочетох за премахването - или намаляването - на броя на часовете по литература, музика или рисуване в американските училища. Защото това автоматично включва идеята, че те са "ненужни", "безполезни", "непрактични". И съм напълно съгласна, че: "Ако нашите деца не са научени как да мислят критично, не може обяснението да е в това, че главите им са натъпкани с поезия и история. Съвсем не може"... и така нататък, до края на абзаца, с обяснения от рода на "натоварени учители с ниска заплати", "липсата на държавни средства за образование", "липсата на дисциплина или уважението към учителите; обяснението е в културата, която е твърдо увлечена в парите, успеха, забавленията..." Да ви звучи познато?
Хареса ми твърдението, че всички писатели трябва да поемат рискове. Рискове като този да засегнат "деликатна" тема, да пишат по въпроси, по които никой не е писал преди. И то по начин, който да е достатъчно искрен и ясен. Да кажат това, което смятат, че имат - и трябва - да кажат, независимо от последиците.
Засегнат е и въпросът за "политическата коректност" - която за мен в много случаи е просто преименуване, наложено от прекомерна деликатност. И често звучи просто нелепо - особено когато става дума за подмяна на думи в произведения, писани преди 50, 60 и повече години. Защото те са написани с речника на тогавашното време, тогавашната култура, тогавашната историческа обстановка. Подмяната на "неудобните" думи днес би означавала подмяна на духа на произведенията.
Може би се увлякох малко, но Нафизи също говори за тези неща под една или друга форма. Аз просто добавих и моите разсъждения.
И накрая - не бих искала да използвам за книги като тази или като "Да четеш "Лолита" в Техеран" думи от рода на "хареса ми" или "не ми хареса", защото в тях има твърде много реални факти.Нека го кажа така: и двете книги ме впечатлиха, но по различен начин. И двете книги ме накараха да се замисля - и отново да благодаря, че имам свободата да чета каквото поискам. Тази ме накара да осъзная пропуските си по отношение на американската литература. И определено ще потърся някои от споменатите книги.
Радвам се, че имах достъп до тази "Република на въображението".
Днес си тръгнах от "Република на въображението".
Отлагах дълго прочитането на тази книга. За някои книги човек трябва да е готов - било то емоционално, психически, или дори - понеже "Република на въображението" се "крепи" основно върху три книги -чисто литературно. Аз не бях готова по всички "точки" - най-малкото защото не съм чела голяма част от книгите, които се споменават. Но изведнъж реших, че моментът е дошъл. А освен това преди време четох другата книга на авторката - "Да четеш "Лолита" в Техеран" и тя наистина ме впечатли. Така че започнах.
Две неща искам да кажа, преди да продължа нататък. Първо, не съветвам никого, който е чел първата кн��га и сега посяга към тази, да прави сравнения между двете. Да, свързваща нишка между тях има - и това, разбира се, са книгите, т. е., фактът, че и в двете се говори за книги. Но в двете това се прави по два съвсем различни - за мен - начина. Докато в първата обсъждането на книги е онова тайно, конспиративно действие, чието разкриване може да доведе до катастрофални последици, и в това обсъждане виждаме поне донякъде възгледите на няколко млади ирански жени, тук писането за книги сякаш има друга цел. Тук написаното "звучи" повече като лекция по литература, но - поне така го почувствах аз - и като опит на авторката да изясни за себе си темите и проблемите, повдигнати в трите романа, с които основно се занимава в тази книга.И още - докато в първата книга центърът бяха литературните произведения, тук има много повече - да, има литература, но също и политика и история. При това - история не само от онази, която се учи /или премълчава, или изопачава/ в училище. Да, има история на двете страни - Иран и САЩ, - но има също така и много лична, семейна, родова история. Лично за мен бяха много интересни моментите, в които Нафизи пише за семейството си, за двата рода и най-вече за отношенията с баща си. Защото може би е възможно някой да тръгне по пътя на книгите и литературата, или на изкуството въобще, без да е имал досег с тях в семейната си среда, но определено е по-вероятно това да се случи, когато основата бъде положена още в детството, по един или друг начин. А тук тази основа определено я има.
Второто, което искам да кажа, е че от много време не ми се беше случвало още в първите страници на една книга да започна да попадам на неща, които искам да запомня и отбележа. Още четях уводните страници, когато започнах да бележа с бели листчета това, което исках да запомня.Още онази първа страница, в която се споменават ксерографираните книги - вие знаете ли такива истории? Защото аз - да. И помня книги, които се намираха полулегално и томове от по триста и повече страници се четяха за по една вечер, за да се предадат на следващия чакащ. Оттук обаче няма как да не се прокрадне мисълта: "Не мислиш ли, че литературата и книгите бяха толкова важни в Иран, защото там имаше много репресии? и не мислиш ли, че в едно демократично общество няма толкова належаща нужда от тях?" Бих поразсъждавала върху тази мисъл, и по-специално върху думите "належаща нужда". За да има "належаща нужда" от каквото и де е - било то книга или нещо друго, - то трябва да е животоспасяващо, нещо "от първа необходимост". А за да се гледа по този начин на една книга, тя трябва да е "прозорец" към нещо чуждо и непознато за даденото общество, нещо, за което това общество няма как иначе да научи, освен чрез книгите.
Харесаха ми разсъжденията за кризата в Америка. Защото те може да са изказани по адрес на Америка, но мисля, че същото може да се каже и за други страни, включително за България. Кризата е - освен всичко друго - и духовна. И може би няма да се съгласите с мен, но за мен тя е поне толкова страшна, колкото онази, другата, икономическата.
Друго, което ме впечатли - всъщност, за пореден път - е разглеждането на въображението като заплаха. На въображението, и оттам - на различните видове изкуство - музика, литература, изобразително изкуство. Защото една забранена книга може да породи опасни мисли, една картина може да роди "еретични" мисли, една песен може - и то по-лесно и по-бързо от другите две форми - да предизвика мисли за бунт. Литературата е "основна потребност, начин да си възвърнат идентичността, която държавата им е конфискувала", но музиката е още по-силна - тя може да разкаже историята на един народ дори още по-достъпно и разбираемо /и запомнящо се/, отколкото литературата -и да породи още по-опасни мисли.
Но - и не знам защо ми трябваше толкова време да го осъзная - има и нещо по-страшно от постоянните ограничения. И това е агресивната, натрапчива реклама. Рекламира се всичко - от шоколад до лекарства, от дрехи до - едва ли не - "нов живот по поръчка". И тогава идва моментът на осъзнаване, че понякога изобилието може да е нещо вредно, че трябва да спрем, преди някой да е започнал да диктува и мечтите ни.
Хареса ми идеята за литературното изследване като издирване на съкровище, като разплитане на кълбо от нишки. Понякога, четейки, се опитвам да правя точно това - и се радвам на всяка неочаквана нишка.
Бях потресена, когато прочетох за премахването - или намаляването - на броя на часовете по литература, музика или рисуване в американските училища. Защото това автоматично включва идеята, че те са "ненужни", "безполезни", "непрактични". И съм напълно съгласна, че: "Ако нашите деца не са научени как да мислят критично, не може обяснението да е в това, че главите им са натъпкани с поезия и история. Съвсем не може"... и така нататък, до края на абзаца, с обяснения от рода на "натоварени учители с ниска заплати", "липсата на държавни средства за образование", "липсата на дисциплина или уважението към учителите; обяснението е в културата, която е твърдо увлечена в парите, успеха, забавленията..." Да ви звучи познато?
Хареса ми твърдението, че всички писатели трябва да поемат рискове. Рискове като този да засегнат "деликатна" тема, да пишат по въпроси, по които никой не е писал преди. И то по начин, който да е достатъчно искрен и ясен. Да кажат това, което смятат, че имат - и трябва - да кажат, независимо от последиците.
Засегнат е и въпросът за "политическата коректност" - която за мен в много случаи е просто преименуване, наложено от прекомерна деликатност. И често звучи просто нелепо - особено когато става дума за подмяна на думи в произведения, писани преди 50, 60 и повече години. Защото те са написани с речника на тогавашното време, тогавашната култура, тогавашната историческа обстановка. Подмяната на "неудобните" думи днес би означавала подмяна на духа на произведенията.
Може би се увлякох малко, но Нафизи също говори за тези неща под една или друга форма. Аз просто добавих и моите разсъждения.
И накрая - не бих искала да използвам за книги като тази или като "Да четеш "Лолита" в Техеран" думи от рода на "хареса ми" или "не ми хареса", защото в тях има твърде много реални факти.Нека го кажа така: и двете книги ме впечатлиха, но по различен начин. И двете книги ме накараха да се замисля - и отново да благодаря, че имам свободата да чета каквото поискам. Тази ме накара да осъзная пропуските си по отношение на американската литература. И определено ще потърся някои от споменатите книги.
Радвам се, че имах достъп до тази "Република на въображението".
October 28, 2014
The Republic of Imagination, loaded with excellent quotes, reads as part memoir, but mainly as academic discussion, on the ideas which define this place inside our heads in which reading fiction helps us to grow. Nafisi’s Republic is a place of imagination where we can create independent thoughts, where we learn to have empathy from reading, and where reading fiction helps to cultivate inner thought, and in turn makes us better citizens of the world.
Yes, books are important. Without them, we remain small, inside ourselves, without a deeper way of connecting to the human experience, and life. Nafisi has written a beautiful book on the power and importance of fiction.
More at my recommendation on my blog: http://www.jenniferlynking.com/2014/1...
Yes, books are important. Without them, we remain small, inside ourselves, without a deeper way of connecting to the human experience, and life. Nafisi has written a beautiful book on the power and importance of fiction.
More at my recommendation on my blog: http://www.jenniferlynking.com/2014/1...
March 8, 2017
Of the three books Nafisi discusses that--for her--define America I had really only read one of them (Huck Finn) and, at least for me, felt that there are a lot more books that would define America. Shrug. I mostly enjoyed the section about Huck Finn, but the rest were super "meh" to me. I also realized that my love of non-fiction instead of novels made this book even more mediocre for me. I just...I don't relate to these fictional characters the way she does, so hundreds of pages about them is not engaging for me, it feels like she's talking about people I don't know at a party and it gets pretty boring pretty fast.
October 27, 2015
I loved this book as much as "Reading Lolita..." Nafisi makes a uniquely personal yet connected journey through America via a series of great American novels and authors in search of what makes America such a powerful metaphor for freedom. She also faces up to the growing illiberalism of literary studies students who wish to re-write culture and history through censorious attitudes such as 'trigger warnings' on books. She is someone I definitely look up to for strength, wisdom, a re-kindled love for literature and moral courage.
May 26, 2014
Nafisi argues for more reading - especially fiction to maintain empathetic, engaged citizens. I couldn't agree more. She also opened my eyes to the Common Core curriculum - let's just say, not a good plan.
September 9, 2015
Azar Nafisi, born and raised in Iran, wrote the best-selling Reading Lolita in Tehran. Her new book is The Republic of Imagination: A Life in Books. It deserves to be as widely read as Reading Lolita.
Nafisi, born in 1955, has a doctorate in English literature from the University of Oklahoma (Norman), and taught English literature for 18 years in Iran. She and her family left Iran after the revolution, and she is now a fellow at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. She became an American citizen in 2008.
Because she is (was?) an outsider, she brings a interesting perspective to American literature and culture. She makes connections/associations that someone born in the culture is liable to miss, but that are obvious once someone like Nafisi points them out. For example, "I have often wondered whether there is a correlation between the growing lack of respect for ideas and the imagination and the growing gap between rich and poor in America, reflected not just in the gulf between the salaries of CEOs and their employees but also in the high cost of education, the incredible divide between private and public schools that makes all fine speeches by our policy makers—most of whom send their children to private schools anyway, just as they enjoy the benefits and perks of their jobs as servants of the people—all the more insidious and insincere."
In The Republic of Imagination, Nafisi discusses three novels The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Babbitt, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, and the works of James Baldwin. Throughout, she connects the books to her own life—the best friend who, pregnant, had to escape from Iran by horseback, the art history student who argued for a Southern consciousness, and more. Her comments and insights are thoughtful and thought-provoking. She argues, for example, that Tom Sawyer is the real villain in Huckleberry Finn. She also points out that "In fiction, every treachery and setback appears to serve some end: the characters learn and grow and come into their own. In life, it is not always clear that the hijacking of our plans is quite so provident or benign." She wonders about the effort to sanitize, to make our books (our patrimony) inoffensive . . . and discusses Twain's use of the n-word (which is so toxic I'm not going to risk spelling it out).
In her discussion of Babbitt, she points out that Sinclair Lewis's genius "was in capturing the spirit of modern advertising when it had not yet come to dominate the American landscape and define the soul of the nation." George Babbitt is a prime example of consumerus americanus, one who is "both attracted to the joys of freedom and frightened by its perils, for freedom does have many perils," and the best way to confront these threats "is not to avoid being free but to cultivate independence of thought . . . "
And while it is tempting to continue picking nuggets from this fascinating book, I am going to stop with one more: "Time and again, I have wondered if our current assault on literature, which so many like to think of as useless and irrelevant, is not a reflection of the desire to remove from the equation anything that it painful or distasteful to us, anything that does not fit our norms or make life easy and fall within our sphere of power and control. In one sense, to deny literature is to deny pain and the dilemma that is called life."
If you have never read Huckleberry Finn, Babbitt, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, or James Baldwin, The Republic of Imagination is a useful introduction to the authors and the works. If you have read them, Nafisi's insights and observations are likely to send you back to read them once again—as they did me.
Nafisi, born in 1955, has a doctorate in English literature from the University of Oklahoma (Norman), and taught English literature for 18 years in Iran. She and her family left Iran after the revolution, and she is now a fellow at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. She became an American citizen in 2008.
Because she is (was?) an outsider, she brings a interesting perspective to American literature and culture. She makes connections/associations that someone born in the culture is liable to miss, but that are obvious once someone like Nafisi points them out. For example, "I have often wondered whether there is a correlation between the growing lack of respect for ideas and the imagination and the growing gap between rich and poor in America, reflected not just in the gulf between the salaries of CEOs and their employees but also in the high cost of education, the incredible divide between private and public schools that makes all fine speeches by our policy makers—most of whom send their children to private schools anyway, just as they enjoy the benefits and perks of their jobs as servants of the people—all the more insidious and insincere."
In The Republic of Imagination, Nafisi discusses three novels The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Babbitt, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, and the works of James Baldwin. Throughout, she connects the books to her own life—the best friend who, pregnant, had to escape from Iran by horseback, the art history student who argued for a Southern consciousness, and more. Her comments and insights are thoughtful and thought-provoking. She argues, for example, that Tom Sawyer is the real villain in Huckleberry Finn. She also points out that "In fiction, every treachery and setback appears to serve some end: the characters learn and grow and come into their own. In life, it is not always clear that the hijacking of our plans is quite so provident or benign." She wonders about the effort to sanitize, to make our books (our patrimony) inoffensive . . . and discusses Twain's use of the n-word (which is so toxic I'm not going to risk spelling it out).
In her discussion of Babbitt, she points out that Sinclair Lewis's genius "was in capturing the spirit of modern advertising when it had not yet come to dominate the American landscape and define the soul of the nation." George Babbitt is a prime example of consumerus americanus, one who is "both attracted to the joys of freedom and frightened by its perils, for freedom does have many perils," and the best way to confront these threats "is not to avoid being free but to cultivate independence of thought . . . "
And while it is tempting to continue picking nuggets from this fascinating book, I am going to stop with one more: "Time and again, I have wondered if our current assault on literature, which so many like to think of as useless and irrelevant, is not a reflection of the desire to remove from the equation anything that it painful or distasteful to us, anything that does not fit our norms or make life easy and fall within our sphere of power and control. In one sense, to deny literature is to deny pain and the dilemma that is called life."
If you have never read Huckleberry Finn, Babbitt, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, or James Baldwin, The Republic of Imagination is a useful introduction to the authors and the works. If you have read them, Nafisi's insights and observations are likely to send you back to read them once again—as they did me.
August 28, 2015
What a treat to be inside the mind of Azar Nafisi! This book by the author of Reading Lolita in Tehran is woven around close readings of three books, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Babbitt, and The Heart is a Lonely Hunters, plus an epilog about the writings of James Baldwin. Nafisi tells us that she began thinking about this book when she was finishing Reading Lolita, originally calling it, “Becoming an American", discussing 24 novels! While the number of novels narrowed, the scope of the book did not: this is an ambitious and provocative read, full of ideas. My sister Julie loaned me her copy, and it took me a while to get into it. The introduction about why fiction is important seemed unnecessarily long, but before long—during her discussion of the Common Core reading list-- I began to think, “Well, I can see why Julie was interested in this.” I am so glad I stuck with it. Nafisi is an intelligent reader with a fascinating point of view. The book is interwoven with stories of her student days at the University of Oklahoma, where she both cultivated her literary ear and participated in student protest movements, and informed by her ambivalent feelings and loyalties to her two homes, Iran and the United States. In the Mark Twain chapter she tells of her childhood friend, Farah, an activist in the movement to remove the Shah, who, after she returned to Iran, found her politics out of step with the new regime; her husband was executed, and she herself was forced to flee over the mountains to Turkey. The remarkable discussion of Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn develops through the conversation between Azar and Farah, a discussion that underlines the significance of Huck’s resistance to the conventional morality of “sivilized society.” Part II, “Babbitt” was a surprise and a delight. A good friend of mine recently reread all of Sinclair Lewis, and I’d heard an earful on a long car trip we made together, so he wasn’t altogether unknown to me. (Plus Main Street marked me for life when I read it as a young girl growing up in a small town, and I love the film version of Elmer Gantry.) Nafisi offers a sympathetic understanding of Sinclair Lewis, and Babbitt offers her another angle for her discussion of conventional morality in the context of the American soul and society. Moving from the conformist to the nonconformist, the third section of the book takes up the other theme that Huckleberry Finn introduces, that of race, through looking at Carson McCuller’s The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. McCuller’s novel about a group of solitary misfits is southern novel, and an American story. The epilogue on James Baldwin does not provide a tidy finish, but then the questions she raises are ongoing and resist tidy answers. It is full of great quotes and enticing insights that made me want to read all of Baldwin. Who could complain about such riches? Nafisi’s passion for reading is contagious!
Bonus: Illustrations are by the incomparable Peter Sis (The Conference of the Birds (2011)!
Bonus: Illustrations are by the incomparable Peter Sis (The Conference of the Birds (2011)!
November 2, 2014
I cannot think of another author I've read who defines the role of fiction in our culture as beautifully and profoundly as Iranian Professor and Writer Azar Nafisi has. Her 10-26-14 story in the Mpls Star Tribune is an anthem for fiction writers everywhere who regularly are subject to hearing fiction will never be as great as non-fiction. I have long believed it is superior in the ways she states; "it's the moral guardian of the American dream and nonfiction always compliments fiction not the other way around." The Republic of Imagination is part an exploration of her life and her analysis of three pieces of literature. It's clear Nafisi is highly perceptive when it comes to the human condition. Most of us have read at least one of the novels she explores; but it's her insistence that imagination is the foundation for greatness on many levels which is exhilarating and necessary . I now have a clear, inspired directive when others ask why I'm bothering to write fiction as I know exactly how to respond. Thank you! Nafisi will be St. Paul, MN on 11-5-14 as part of her book promotion.
January 15, 2016
Highly highly recommend....the first section. I loved her analysis and perspective on differences of learning and approach to literature between two very different countries/societies. All the Huck Finn chapters were fascinating as she deals with the ideas of freedom and individuality as contrasted between American and Iranian students. The sections after that had flashes of insight but were much less compelling and tended to ramble. I would give 5 stars to the first section and probably 3 to the others.
February 21, 2015
Azar Nafisi is a beautiful teacher of literature and, in my mind, an honorary librarian with an uncanny ability to make her audience fall in love with the books she loves. This time, she discusses Mark Twain, L. Frank Baum, Sinclair Lewis, Carson McCullers, and James Baldwin, but essentially she talks about the universal human experience as conveyed through literature and storytelling. For book listeners, I would recommend the audiobook version of the book eloquently and leisurely narrated by Mozhan Marno.
December 22, 2019
تتناول آذر نفيسي في هذا الكتاب ثلاثة كتب أمريكية، تتحدث عن قصة كل كتاب وعن حياة كاتبه وعن أثر هذا الكتاب وسر عظمته - إن صح لنا قول ذلك - ومن خلال ذلك التناول تبدأ في صياغة أفكارها ومناقشتها وأيضاً بربطها بسيرتها الذاتية وذكرياتها .
لعل أكثر ما يزعج في كتابها خصوصاً لمن لم يقرأ الكتب التي تتحدث عنها مثلي ، هو بعض الأطروحات التي تناقش الكتاب بعين متخصصة تحتاج التركيز والانتباه ، لكن هذا لا يمنع من أن الكتاب قد حفزني لقراءة عدد من الكتب الواردة في فصوله .
هو الكتاب الثالث الذي اقرأه لآذر نفيسي ، وفي كل مرة أجد أن مشكلتي مع كتبها تكمن في لغتها الجافة ، ولا أعلم حتى الآن هل المشكلة في لغة الكاتبة أم في الترجمة ؟!
خاصة ً وأن الكتب الثلاثة يختلف مترجموها !!
لعل أكثر ما يزعج في كتابها خصوصاً لمن لم يقرأ الكتب التي تتحدث عنها مثلي ، هو بعض الأطروحات التي تناقش الكتاب بعين متخصصة تحتاج التركيز والانتباه ، لكن هذا لا يمنع من أن الكتاب قد حفزني لقراءة عدد من الكتب الواردة في فصوله .
هو الكتاب الثالث الذي اقرأه لآذر نفيسي ، وفي كل مرة أجد أن مشكلتي مع كتبها تكمن في لغتها الجافة ، ولا أعلم حتى الآن هل المشكلة في لغة الكاتبة أم في الترجمة ؟!
خاصة ً وأن الكتب الثلاثة يختلف مترجموها !!
August 6, 2025
EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK.
This is a brilliant, master-class-in-literature level piece of writing about what it means to be an American, what it means to be human, and so much more. I remember nothing about Reading Lolita in Tehran, though I read and discussed it with my book group. This is also a book group pick but _so_ much deeper.
Nafisi brings an outsider's eyes and experiences to her analysis of American literature and does so in ways that feel powerful and authentic. She helps the reader appreciate the complexities and contradictions that are foundational to this country and its history and culture. I’m in jaw dropping awe of her. Listened to parts of the book twice. Read part of it. Will be going back to revisit it for many years.
Oh, look what immigrants can do for us!
This is a brilliant, master-class-in-literature level piece of writing about what it means to be an American, what it means to be human, and so much more. I remember nothing about Reading Lolita in Tehran, though I read and discussed it with my book group. This is also a book group pick but _so_ much deeper.
Nafisi brings an outsider's eyes and experiences to her analysis of American literature and does so in ways that feel powerful and authentic. She helps the reader appreciate the complexities and contradictions that are foundational to this country and its history and culture. I’m in jaw dropping awe of her. Listened to parts of the book twice. Read part of it. Will be going back to revisit it for many years.
Oh, look what immigrants can do for us!
August 12, 2022
Азар Нафизи е иранка, напуснала страната си заради терора , религиозните и идеологически войни там . Избрала за нов дом Америка, тя престава да бъде емигрант не когато полага клетва за вярност в емиграционната служба на САЩ , а в момента , в който престава да гледа на мястото с очите на екскурзиант или гост за кратко. Тя става американски гражданин когато започва да задава въпроси - Защо това е така ? Не може ли да е по друг начин? Мога ли аз да го променя?
Като професор по английска литература нейните търсения са насочени към играта между литературата и реалността - доколко книгите рисуват живота и дали на действителността й пука как е представена в книгите.
" Република на Въображението " е мястото, където духът намира мястото си и мечтите / независимо дали американска, иранска или мечтата на остров Борнео / не са заплашени от осакатяване . Мечтите трябва да спрат оттеглянето на гражданите от публичния живот за сметка на засищането на личните интереси.
" Република на Въображението " не е роман. Но в него има герои - всички , които сме срещали в книгите на Луис Карол, Марк Твен, Хемингуей , Фенимор Купър и Чандлър... Тези герои вече са пораснали заедно с нас. Техните идеи са с��анали наши идеи или изобщо не ги допускаме в живота си . Но Хък Фин , Том Сойер , Джим , Алиса , Омар Литъл , Марлоу все още се скитат от едно място на друго, за да търсят правилната мечта .
Харесвам Азар Нафизи! Тя осъзнава , че всяка страна трябва да бъде " основана на благородната мечта , че всеки е свободен да преследва щастие , каквото и да е то . Но щастието и свободата не винаги вървят ръка за ръка ." Трябва да осъзнаем , че от всеки гражданин зависи тази свобода да не бъде ограничена тихомълком , постепенно и целенасочено. Защото в един момент щастието ни ще бъде сведено " до допълнителен десерт , случайна прегръдка и дрямка през уикенда " , както Мардж напомня на Хоумър в " Семейство Симпсън ".
Като професор по английска литература нейните търсения са насочени към играта между литературата и реалността - доколко книгите рисуват живота и дали на действителността й пука как е представена в книгите.
" Република на Въображението " е мястото, където духът намира мястото си и мечтите / независимо дали американска, иранска или мечтата на остров Борнео / не са заплашени от осакатяване . Мечтите трябва да спрат оттеглянето на гражданите от публичния живот за сметка на засищането на личните интереси.
" Република на Въображението " не е роман. Но в него има герои - всички , които сме срещали в книгите на Луис Карол, Марк Твен, Хемингуей , Фенимор Купър и Чандлър... Тези герои вече са пораснали заедно с нас. Техните идеи са с��анали наши идеи или изобщо не ги допускаме в живота си . Но Хък Фин , Том Сойер , Джим , Алиса , Омар Литъл , Марлоу все още се скитат от едно място на друго, за да търсят правилната мечта .
Харесвам Азар Нафизи! Тя осъзнава , че всяка страна трябва да бъде " основана на благородната мечта , че всеки е свободен да преследва щастие , каквото и да е то . Но щастието и свободата не винаги вървят ръка за ръка ." Трябва да осъзнаем , че от всеки гражданин зависи тази свобода да не бъде ограничена тихомълком , постепенно и целенасочено. Защото в един момент щастието ни ще бъде сведено " до допълнителен десерт , случайна прегръдка и дрямка през уикенда " , както Мардж напомня на Хоумър в " Семейство Симпсън ".
December 29, 2016
I didn't love this book the way I loved Reading Lolita in Tehran, but I did love the questions Nafisi raised in it: What is America? What characteristics best illustrate the American people? What books best define us?
Of the three books Nafisi chose as most distinctly American, one was a likely choice: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The other two were a bit more surprising: Babbitt and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. While I think Nafisi made a good case for the books she chose, I can't help thinking that what a person believes defines America depends heavily on the individual's way of looking at the world. I would like to think that Americans are more than lonely, isolated (The Heart is a Lonely Hunter), shallow, money-grubbing (Babbitt), racist, hypocrites (Huckleberry Finn). Perhaps instead of Huck Finn we could choose To Kill a Mockingbird, which is just as honest in its portrayal of depravity but doesn't deny the potential for dignity, self-sacrifice, and justice which also define the American people.
In any case, I think it would be most delightful to spend an afternoon with Azar Nafisi drinking coffee and discussing books. Since that is unlikely to happen, reading her books is the next best thing.
Of the three books Nafisi chose as most distinctly American, one was a likely choice: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The other two were a bit more surprising: Babbitt and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. While I think Nafisi made a good case for the books she chose, I can't help thinking that what a person believes defines America depends heavily on the individual's way of looking at the world. I would like to think that Americans are more than lonely, isolated (The Heart is a Lonely Hunter), shallow, money-grubbing (Babbitt), racist, hypocrites (Huckleberry Finn). Perhaps instead of Huck Finn we could choose To Kill a Mockingbird, which is just as honest in its portrayal of depravity but doesn't deny the potential for dignity, self-sacrifice, and justice which also define the American people.
In any case, I think it would be most delightful to spend an afternoon with Azar Nafisi drinking coffee and discussing books. Since that is unlikely to happen, reading her books is the next best thing.
November 20, 2014
I loved Reading Lolita in Tehran and was quite looking forward to this read. While I can't remember the last time I didn't finish a book, I am throwing in the towel about 80 pages in. My ranking of this book is largely based on my expectation from having reading Reading Lolita in Tehran, where I felt that I learned so much about Iran, the author and her students, and that the discussion of books complemented and enhanced those stories beautifully. This book, to poach from another GoodReads reviewer, feels much more like reading a college essay. While the introduction had me curious to learn more about the "Republic of Imagination," I haven't gained any insights into this as of yet and feel bogged down by the elongated analysis of Huckleberry Finn, which doesn't seem to be complementing the rest of the book. It feels as though the author wanted to write a treatise on Huckleberry Finn but for some reason felt compelled to try and fit it into her previous book model.
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