The Blindfold Horse: Memories of a Persian Childhood

by Shusha Guppy

Book Overview

Long before the momentous Iranian Revolution of 1979, which placed the country under strict religious rule, Shusha Guppy grew up in a Persia delicately balanced between traditional Islamic society and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1850434018
• ISBN13: 9781850434016
• Release Date: August 2004
• Publisher: Tauris Parke Paperbacks
• Length: 246 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Paradise Lost

Growing up in Iran during the 1950s is made to sound idyllic, even though author Shusha Guppy lived in a rapidly changing world. I picked up this book after reading Nafisi's brilliant memoir about life in Iran after the Shah, called "Reading Lolita in Tehran." I was curious about Iranian life during Reza Shah's reign, and according to this author it was darn near perfect. At least, if you had money. Shusha's family wasn't rich by American standards: their summer home was a tent and they had no car. Her father was a very religious man and a respected poet, and was greatly honored by his contemporaries. It might surprise some of us who tend to lump all mullahs into one unflattering category, that he sent his daughter to be educated at a series of private schools. She grew up to become a singer and songwriter, and the multi-lingual London editor of "The Paris Review." That alone tells me she received a far better education than most of us here in America. Shusha Guppy is also a gifted story-teller. The decades before the Iranian revolution of 1979 still required obedience and docility from women, and the author is a keen observer of the crippling effect this had on some of her sex. That's why I don't quite understand why she blames women for refusing to give up their veils, and eventually playing into the hands of reactionary mullahs. Despite this slight sour note, this book reads like the tales of a modern Scheherazade, who regales us with matchmaking bathhouse attendants and philandering mullahs, strict teachers and loving fathers, and of course, the blindfold horse treading round and round in a cloud of yellow turmeric and dreaming of paradise. Paradise is a Persian childhood as remembered by this author.

Colorful and vivid!

Until I read this book, I virtually knew nothing about what the life is really like in Iran, even though I've read a few books from the country. The author starts with her family's origin, so to speak, by telling stories of her great-great-grand father who became Haji, and goes down the generations to her own time. Through anecdotes and episodes, she tells of bazaar, social life of different social status people, old remedies for certain sicknesses, how they educated their children, how they treat girls differently from boys, what it is like to be a servant, what roles mullahs play in politics and religion, how some tried to westernize the country and how others opposed, what it was like in the first movie theatres, how they tried to cool themselves during the summer heat, etc, etc.As you read, the life in Iran becomes very vivid and alive in your heart, as if you yourself grew up with the author, and you start understanding the Persian people and the way they are in very positive ways.She mentions about religions and politics, as her family has always been one of the powerful and well-respected families which played important roles in religions and politics of the country. 1979 revolution was certainly a bitter experience for many Iranian people. She definitely regrets about it also. But she talks about it rather objectively which allows the reader to see the situation with positive attitude.Some of the anecdotes are hilarious, unimaginable to some of us. You will find out what they use to treat laringitis and bronchitis, their best remedy which outworks any of the western medicine, or who is the best bone fixer when you broke your bone, or what it is like to be married at age 12.Very very colorful book. You will find a lot of things you have never imagined, and you will gain a lot of knowledge and love for Iranian people. Recommend you 100%!

SO GLAD IT IS BACK IN PRINT

I am so glad to see this book back in print. I bought this book for my daughters, my mother and many of my friends, and I had given out my copy to another friend. The author is so honest in telling her story. I have been looking for the sequel to this story and I will appreciate any information on other books this author has.

The Blindfold Horse : Memories of a Persian Childhood

Absoutely wonderful. Witty, deep, clear imagery, captivating language. Historically accurate with utmost sincerity and absolutely no political/cultural biases.You will experience Ms. Guppy's life while reading this book, and will miss her when finished reading it. The sweet memory of this book stays for years.