A Mirror Garden: A Memoir (Hardcover)

~ Monir Farmanfarmaian (Author), Zara Houshmand (Author)
Key Phrases: coffeehouse paintings, mirror mosaics, New York, Uncle Dervish, Hajji Ostad (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this meandering memoir, an Iranian artist from a prominent family shares memories of her posh, wide-ranging life, from the early years under the Qajar shahs to post-revolutionary Iran. Born to a family of wealthy merchant politicians in 1924 in the thriving city of Qazvin, the author attended the first school for girls in her hometown. The family moved to Tehran in 1932 when her father was elected to parliament, and there she enjoyed a privileged life ushered in by the modernization regime of Reza Shah, before various foreign powers invaded the country during World War II. A gifted artist with family connections, she moved to New York to study at Parsons, and her exotic sense of color and design secured her work at Bonwit Teller, an exclusive New York City department store. An early marriage crumbled, but Shahroudy married a second time in 1957 into a high-ranking Iranian family, the Farmanfarmaians. She was then in a position to become an art connoisseur and collector, especially of Iranian folk art such as coffeehouse paintings and mirror mosaics. While her memoir lacks focus, she (along with Iranian-American writer Houshmand) nicely captures a bygone epoch in a very likable voice.
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From The New Yorker

Born in Iran (then still Persia) in 1924, Farmanfarmaian grew up in a large mercantile family whose holdings included vast pistachio orchards outside the ancient city of Qazvin. Her graceful memoir maps an intrepid trajectory: a talent for drawing took her, as a young woman, to New York, where she landed a job as a fashion illustrator for Bonwit Teller, married badly, and entered the art world. A second marriage, to an Iranian aristocrat, brought her back to Iran, where she became an internationally recognized artist. She also set out to discover, collect, and, when necessary, repatriate Persian antiquities and folk art, though almost her entire collection was confiscated when the Shah fell.
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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Knopf (June 12, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307266133
• ISBN-13: 978-0307266132
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #887,767 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spirited woman, Iranian artist, July 16, 2007

By	EThacher "literary lady" (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This is a beautifully written biography capturing the life of an Iranian woman artist as she grows in confidence, from her childhood in Iran in the 20s, to her globe-hopping success today. The book captures the wonder of a child experiencing the colors and smells of her environment in Qazvin and picks ups pace as she moves to New York (crossing the Pacific during WWII). It describes her return to Iran and growth as an artist as she discovers, collects and preserves traditional arts, all the while evolving as an artist herself. For those familiar with "Reading Lolita in Tehran" by A Nafisi, the juxtaposition of the life of an adventurous and exceptional woman during the Shah's era is in striking contrast to that of Nafisi. Illustrations and photographs are sprinkled through the book - my favorite is of the giant nudes painted in a swimming pool. They give the reader wonderful examples of the influences on the artist and of her own art. The book fascinates as it provides a unique view into Iran before and after the revolution, from the perspective of a spirited and unorthodox woman finding her way in a unique society and emerging into her own as an artistic force.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inside Iran - a personal story breaks down barriers, February 24, 2008

By	Turtle (California Coast) - See all my reviews

I chose this book because my knowledge of this part of the world is so limited. Although I consider myself to be fairly enlightened and not influenced by stereotypes, I realized about 10 pages in that I hadn't conceived of the richness of a woman's life in Iran. Monir's life is a personal, cultural, political, artistic journey in which she rejects self pity and creates and sustains beauty around her. Very inspiring.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book!, December 27, 2007

By	M. Jalili (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Such a beautiful story. I could not put it down until finished.
Although I've never been to Iran, I feel as though I have now. The imagery in this book is wonderful, as is the writing. Thank you Ms. Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian and Ms. Houshmand for sharing this with us.