To See and See Again: A Life in Iran and America

by Tara Bahrampour

Book Overview

A compelling and intimate exploration of the complexity of a bicultural immigrant experience, To See and See Again traces three generations of an Iranian (and Iranian-American) family undergoing a century of change--from the author's grandfather, a feudal lord with two wives; to her father, a freespirited architect who marries an American pop singer; to Bahrampour herself, who grows up balanced precariously between two cultures and comes of age watching...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0520223543
• ISBN13: 9780520223547
• Release Date: August 2000
• Publisher: University of California Press
• Length: 357 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Loved every word of it

If you're living in a Western country and like to learn about foreign cultures then get this book immediately! The half-Iranian half-American author knows both the Eastern and the Western world so she knows exactly how to write about her homeland and make us understand its rich culture. This is a book full of interesting details, it's like a rich panorama which shows us the life of different classes of society in Iran from the poor to the rich, and it's also a family saga of three generations with a grandfather who is a rich man with two wives living in the old-fashioned way, a father who is married to an American, and the author and her siblings who are between two worlds. Lovely story. Thank you Tara.

A wonderful book---has created a quest for knowledge in me

I haven't read a book for a long time that opened up so many worlds to me as this one did. It made me want to read much more about Iran. Like many Americans, before reading this account of a life lived between Iran and America, I knew little about life in Iran, and even less about the life of women there. I had no idea what a rich and fascinating culture it was. The author writes so well---and one thing I really liked was the balance between this being a book about her and her life and about the culture in general. Some books become like an excuse for self-analysis, and others like a disguised history book, but this one hit just the right balance. I hope I will read more some day by this talented writer.

to see and see again

when i began dating an iranian man, i began a quest for any knowledge, information, even photographs that might clue me into this passionate and complex culture. taraneh bahrampour does a beautiful job weaving her dissonance AND love with both the american AND iranian cultures. i couldn't put the book down because of the constant 'aha' moments that let me in, if only briefly, to the subtlties, the oddities, the beauty, the symbolism of these two worlds. thank you.

Excellent book for parents & bi-cultural children to read

Offers a unique insight to what life is like for a bi-cultural child. I can relate very much to Tara's life as I am a parent (the American one) of two Iranian/American children. Also a wonderful opportunity to learn about customs, new words and phrases by all. I hope she writes another book very soon.

Excellent, even for those who don't know about the culture

I have no personal connections to Iranian culture but I was absolutely enthralled in this book. Bahrampour's vivid descriptions remind you of your own childhood. The book is written for those who don't know a whole lot about the culture, and she does an excellent job of making you feel as though the culture is your own. This book made me want to visit Iran and learn even more about the culture.