I am Cyrus: The story of the real Prince of Persia
http://garnetpublishing.co.uk/book/i-am-cyrus
This stunning novel brings to life the enthralling world of Cyrus the Great, the leader of Ancient Persia – the world’s first great empire – and the life and times of Cyrus himself, a magnificent leader whose passion won the hearts of his subjects and of two extraordinary women – the wildly beautiful warrior Roshan and the exquisite Cassadane. Cyrus’s vision, extraordinarily ahead of its time, of a society where religious tolerance could and should prevail inspired the foundation of his fabulous empire, yet he was ruthless in his conquests, as Ancient Lydia and the fabled city of Babylon – the richest city in the world – fell to him. The book features an emotional love story, as well as riveting battle scenes, and is written with an energy and passion that infuse every page. I am Cyrus brings the ancient history of Iran alive as few other novels do, and is full of action, passion, comedy, tragedy and inspiration, and its theme that true co-operation between people is only won through tolerance, is profoundly relevant to our own times. I am Cyrus is a story that has been close to the critically acclaimed director, Alexander Jovy‘s heart for many years, he recalls his father telling him about ancient Persia (today's Iran) and the mysteries it holds. As Alex says: ‘I was fascinated even then how such an early civilization could have achieved so much and be so unknown to our modern world.’
Transit Tehran: Young Iran and Its Inspirations
Like other international cities, Tehran is filled with the religious, the irreligious and the indifferent. However, for a capital much in the news, its secrets are well-guarded – parties where the kids let rip; falling in love with someone whose face is never seen; random breath-testing of pedestrians for alcohol; religious acceptance of transsexuals; needle exchanges in public parks; and martyrdom demonstrations.
In Transit Tehran, city-insiders, rappers, artists, writers and photojournalists provide essays and picture stories to bring the city to life. Contributors include Newsha Tavakolian, named Best Young Photographer of 2006 by National Geographic, Abbas Kowsari, Javad Montazeri and Omid Salehi, who have continued to document the social transformation of their country in the face of mass closures of newspapers and magazines by the government.
Things are never what they seem in the art of Sadegh Tirafkan, the new feminist journalism of Asieh Amini, and the romance Shi’a-style by new fiction talent Alireza Mahmoodi-Iranmehr. Above all, Transit Tehran celebrates the country’s long tradition of artistic and cultural resistance that has influenced young Iranians, noticeably in the work of veteran editor and journalist Masoud Behnoud, photojournalist Kaveh Golestan, premier satirist and illustrator Ardeshir Mohassess, and photographer Mohsen Rastani.
