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Tales from the Zirzameen

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A wisper. Sometimes the most interesting information is told in a wisper. To get the full story one must block out all of the outside noise.

Mr. Appleton does this very well in his latest book, "Tales from the Zirzameen". His honest and direct approach shares many personal moments in Iran - both before and after the revolution.

Not only will the reader learn and about the changes that have occurred in Iran but also the influence on the author as well. For me the biggest surprise how my perceptions of this country and its people changed after finishing Mr. Appleton's book.

The Iranian Revolution is best understood through the eyes of the men and women who experienced it. Brian Appleton's new book, "Tales from the Zirzameen" is an intriguing tale that places the reader in the middle of Iran's most tumultuous period since the Kermit Roosevelt-planned coup of 1953. An American expat working for Bell Helicopter, Appleton had a thankless, yet fascinating job: he ensured the bodies of Bell workers who died while on assignment were transferred home efficiently; he was sent to douse cold water on drunken co-workers; and he welcomed new Bell employees sent to Iran from the U.S. A fixer extraordinaire, Appleton did his job well.

Appleton's social orbit was widely confined to the upper strata of Iranian society, which provides captivating reading for the well-informed Iran observer. Vividly illustrating the famously unlimited extents of Iranian hospitality, Appleton shares interesting anecdotes of life alongside famous movie directors, actors, and politicians.

Throughout the book it is obvious Appleton and his co-workers didn't pick up on the underlying negative Iranian sentiments towards the Shah's government - and by extension, the United States. As Appleton himself laments, he and his friends lived a plush, comfortable Western existence in the midst of a nation besieged by pent-up resentment.

The most appealing chapters of the book deal with the revolution itself. Taken hostage by revolutionaries, Appleton reveals the extraordinary courage of those who saved him. His sequential exposition and analysis of the days before, during, and after the coup are very informative and illuminating. Ducking bullets and braving checkpoints, Appleton exposes a world few have ever encountered.

Although "Tales of the Zirzameen" suffers through some structural and grammatical challenges, it is well worth buying. Few books do as good a job at spelling out the fear and uncertainty of those average individuals who suffered through Khomeini's coup. Those interested in the current political relationship between the current Iranian regime and The West will find it to be an especially interesting historical document.

Brian Appleton's work is reflective of his open-hearted approach to the Iranian culture and people in general. The many years he lived in Iran crystalized his ability to discern social issues and appreciate the essential beauty and talent of Persian art and artists."

Brian Appleton'e Tales From the Zirzameen, is a lovely personal account of his life in Iran before and during the Iranian Revolution and his enduring love for the country and it's people.

His journey gives the reader a totally different point of view on Iran. Brian's tale is at times touching, at times trying, but always enjoyable.

Great current and "vintage" photographs make the book complete. An enjoyable read.

Tales from the Zirzameen is a must read for all Iranian-Americans and a fun read for everyone else. It recounts the context within which the Islamic revolution of 1979 unfolded and the drastic changes it brought about. The book is fun to read and it flows very nicely.

Amidst all the negative sentiments for Iran, it is so refreshing to see Brian Appleton's fascination and love for the Iranian culture and society. I hope many Americans will read Tales from the Zirzameen to acquire a different viewpoint through which they can get to know the generosity and compassion of the Iranian people.

I thank Brian Appleton (aka Rasool Ariadust) for his great contribution to the improvement of American-Iranian relations.

I share with the author a love of Rome and a love of Iran, and it came as no surprise that the most tangible component of this book is the love Iran inspires in the author for the intangibles in our lives. Non-material experiences that bond us to each other, that result in us "loving" a place, are abound in this book. Both Italy and Iran, are places that catapult you to cultures where something beyond the day to day materialism of life sustains the people. How much you make, what job you have, what car you drive - all factor in - but there's always some other undercurrent of human experience that you feel but can't touch. A trip to the Persian Kingdom takes you for a magic ride, from the moment you land, and it clearly had this effect on Brian Appleton. Mostly, you don't really even know what's happening. You're simply sitting on perhaps even the same carpet you might be sitting on in the West - but before you know it, it's lifting and hovering, and taking you for a ride to places long lost in our collective human memory.

The book's 12 chapters outline 12 different "rides" the author had, predominantly in the pre-Revolutionary Iran of 1960s and 1970s. The decadence and excesses I personally remember as a child, oozes through many of the chapters - and ends up in the Revolution of 1979 by the end of the book. My only reservation was that I didn't learn much of Iran's history, it's poets, it's profound architecture via these chapters, that take you from party to party. That actually is what happens in Iran, the culture is very social - but I was hoping the author would venture on a couple of roads less traveled, every now and again. But what captivated me, was that even so, despite the events themselves being rather less profound, the author never fails to grasp and express the profundity of the humanity that seeps through even the most frivolous of experiences in Iran.

Finally, and to re-iterate, it doesn't surprise me that as a lover of Rome, the author would be so enticed by Iran. Often from among my friends, the Italians are the most enamored of the Persian culture. In "Tales from the Zirzamin", we witness Iran leaving an indelible mark on the life of an ordinary 20 something-year-old American, doing mostly what 20- something year-olds do, while finding himself catapulted into the magic kingdom.

It was a fantastic feeling to open to the pages of "Tales from the Zirazameen" and become more aquainted with my home land more than i have ever been before.
Through the eyes of the writer I was able to see all that I had seen as a young girl and all that I had not seen but had heard about at the dinner table.
It is wonderful to be proud of being an Iranian. This book, Brian Appleton gave me the chance to feel what that proud from the core feels like.
I commend and honor the words that give life to a culture that has been bashed for the past 30 years.
Thank you Brian

Mr. Appleton was able to share his experiences as a young man who traveled in Iran. It is a wonderful collection of stories that shows his perspective on people, events and outcomes while there. He does not overwhelm his reader when describes places and customs of that country. I enjoyed reading the book and found it truthful, entertaining, sad and happy at the same time. Thank you, Mr. Appleton! Tales from the Zirzameen

I received a complimentary copy of tales from the zirzameen as a member of the dorrance publishing book review team.visit [...] to learn how can you become a member of the book review team
This book is really a gem for readers who dont know the real iran and real irani people.not what is told by the media.This beautifully portrays the great culture and landscapes of a country representing one of the oldest civilizations.whether the beautiful mosques of isfahan,cool beauty of shomal,suburbs of tehran it is amazing that how much enriched this country is with the natural beauty,art and superb architecture.I agree with the writer that this land of leila and majnoon,saadi,shirazi and firdausi is a true wilderness in heartland and author has written the book in such a way as if you are travelling not only in irani lands but also in its history

An exquisite voyage of a masterful writer into the world's most enigmatic wonderland... A land far too often perceived by the Westerners as complex & conflicting! If we look closely though, we'll discover a culture more "misunderstood" than "conflicted"! I personally view Iran as an arched bridge where - upon the apex - `ancient tradition' meets & marries `ultra modern'! Perhaps, therein lies the mystery...a culture within a culture, each defiantly self-preserved; yet magically intertwined!

The West calls it a "Closed & Isolated" nation; when in reality, Iran is home to one of the most adaptive, most progressive & most hospitable people in the world, who are known to invite a complete stranger for dinner at their homes; particularly an American visitor... as you will find in these sweet "Tales from the zirzameen"...

The author's skilled pen - transformed into a Flying Carpet - takes you along a "Frontier" few Americans have traveled before. He takes you deep into a `Milky Way Galaxy' made up of many shining stars interspersed among a myriad of faint & colorless ones... Hurt by some, befriended by some, and embraced by most; yet he keeps focusing on their common humanity...

This colorful tale of one man's personal journey interwoven with an ancient country's political, cultural and religious trajectory - spanning decades - is an absolute must-read for anyone adventurous enough to explore the little known pre-revolutionary Iran and perhaps then use their own discoveries to enlighten the others; particularly the astonishingly uninformed Media moguls of the West...

I thank Brian H. Appleton for his efforts in waging peace between the two nations, for his contribution to the Persian-American relations and for a terrific book...