In Iran, 6
This is a continuation of the series, “10 Days in Iran,” on our 12-person tour with The Nation magazine. Previous notes have discussed the urban density of Tehran and our visit to the carpet museum; the world-historical importance of Iran and its influence on our world today; Shi’ism’s rule and its contradictions, including contestatory art; … read more »
The journey continues
My resolutions for the new year include continuations of projects begun last year or many years before. From last year: reviews of books read in 2018 but as yet unreviewed, and completion of my promised series of reports on our ten-day tour of Iran, last September. From earlier: Completion of my novel The Bookbinder Improved … read more »
Homo Phantasiosus
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari My rating: 4 of 5 stars Very enjoyable history of humanity, cleverly written and very comprehensive. At times I felt that I was reading “World History for Dummies,” because with such a broad scope, a lot of the coverage is almost inevitably superficial. You will … read more »
In Iran — unexpected art
This is a continuation of the series, “10 Days in Iran,” on our 12-person tour with The Nation magazine. For the earlier notes, click on “Previous” at the bottom of this page or go to Day 1 here. Before continuing our travels (from Kashan we’ll be heading to Isfahan), here’s a note on a magnificent … read more »
In Iran, 5: Weaving a culture
This is a continuation of the series, “10 Days in Iran,” on our 12-person tour with The Nation magazine. For the earlier notes, click on “Previous” at the bottom of this page or go to Day 1 here. On Monday, September 10, we arrived at the modest but quite comfortable Manoucherie Hotel in Kashan … read more »