A Year amongst the Persians: Impressions as to the life, character, and thought of the people of Persia, received during twelve months' residence in that country in the years 1887-8 [Paperback]

Edward Granville Browne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 28, 2001

This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1893 edition by Adam and Charles Black, London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 610 pages
• Publisher: Adamant Media Corporation (November 28, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402193777
• ISBN-13: 978-1402193774
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,193,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Unfortunate, February 13, 2012

By 

A. Nasser "NA" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Year amongst the Persians: Impressions as to the life, character, and thought of the people of Persia, received during twelve months' residence in that country in the years 1887-8 (Paperback)

It is unfortunate that majority of analysts refer to more than a century old documents and do not have a clear understanding of Iran and the rest of the region. Probably The Iranians: Persia, Islam and the Soul of a Nation by Sandra McKay could help them to have a better view of todays Middle East. Being at an academic environment and working at a think tank does not make anyone an expert. Thank you.

4.0 out of 5 stars A year mostly, it seems, amongst oppressed Persian religious minorities., September 13, 2011

By 

chainlink (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Year amongst the Persians: Impressions as to the life, character, and thought of the people of Persia, received during twelve months' residence in that country in the years 1887-8 (Paperback)

One thing that strikes the reader is the oddly archaic diction, not so much of Browne's narrative itself, but of his recreations/translations into English of conversations held in Persian--there's that Orientalizing quasi-Biblical cadence that one finds in older translations of Eastern religious and literary texts that now seems somewhat ridiculous, if you don't anesthetize your internal kitsch/camp detector beforehand. I suspect some of this must be a more or less accurate reflection of ancient traditions of Persian floweriness of speech that were inseparable from norms of politeness and hospitality, but I wonder if some of it is just a matter of Persia, back then, somehow just _having_ to be represented in this tone. Since it's become plain "Iran," this necessity has disappeared.

The book starts pleasantly enough--Browne establishes a likable and trust-inspiring persona early on--but its first half is a not extremely memorable travel log of his slow muletrip through the country. In the second half, though, it becomes something else and something more, as Browne stays put for longer periods of time and is able to draw portraits of recurring characters and communities.

I had assumed that, given his predisposition, admitted early on, in favor of Turkish and Persian culture (his boyhood experience with the traditional pedagogy for acquiring ancient Greek was traumatic, it seems) Browne also had some especial sympathy for Islam. This, it turns out, is quite wide of the mark: what appeals to him about Persia is the classical poetry of Hafiz, Saadi, and Omar Khayyám and the traditions they and their like left behind, ranging from hedonistic materialism to undogmatic mysticism. In the mainstream Shi'ism of the Persian present he has little interest, finding it conducive to fanaticism and cruel intolerance.

The best, most personal parts of his narrative are towards the end, where, having finally established trusting relationships with oppressed (and hence very secretive) religious minorities, he probes sympathetically for an understanding of their histories and beliefs. We come to know and like representative freethinkers, Zoroastrians, and especially Babis and Bahais--indeed, Browne's working out the story of the persecutions, martyrdoms and subsequent intra-faith doctrinal squabbles of this religion is probably the center of gravity of his book. It never turns into dry exposition, however: as he pries into this variety of beliefs he is simultaneously falling into an opium addiction that, it turns out, he shares with many or most of those whose company he most enjoys. An opium high, it turns out, may be the context in which the essential mysticism of tradition Persian culture best reaches fruition.

5.0 out of 5 stars An anomoly: an Anglo Persophile in the 19th century, July 17, 2011

By 

Brian H. Appleton "persophile" (San Jose, Ca USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: A Year amongst the Persians: Impressions as to the life, character, and thought of the people of Persia, received during twelve months' residence in that country in the years 1887-8 (Paperback)

I was amazed to discover Edward G Browne. Somehow I had never run across him before and I am very greatful to Elibron Classics for reprinting his memoires. He was a renegade who wanted to join the Ottoman army originally as a young man and learned Turkish fluently. He insisted on learning Persian at a time when the British were almost universally despised in Iran for inequitably exploiting the oil and at a time when serving in the British diplomatic corp in India was thought to be of much greater prestige. Edward G Browne reached a level of understanding of Persian culture and traditions that few foreigners especially in his day ever did. His love for Persia and Persians is evident and he was well loved by Persians in return. I found the travelogue extremely interesting from several standpoints: one of which was to compare the Persia of his day to Iran of this century and what customs have remained in tact like hospitality towards guests and travellers and what has changed. He was deeply familiar and appreciative of the generosity of Persian friendship and honor. The other subject I found of great interest was his discriptions of how people travelled in those days, how caravans were procured and organized and provisioned for and what the caravanserais and inns were like. He is masterful at describing the different personalities of his Persian friends, hosts and hired hands. It is a truely fascinating and loving account which I highly recommend to anyone interested in Persian history and culture and I think many Iranian readers would find it extremely interesting as well. It was particularly magical to hear him describing places that I had been to in Tehran and other towns and villages in Iran, landmarks and mosques and catching the nuances of what had changed or hadn't. All in all he presents Persians in a very positive and unprejudiced light which is refreshing to know that someone in 1878 dared to be different. I am reminded of the great explorer and polyglot Richard Burton who also went native, became a Sufi and was possibly the first non Moslem European to go to Mecca disguised as a Persian. Edward G Browne's book is a refreshing departure from the propoganda and anti Iranian and anti Islamic diet we are fed by Western media.