Iran Awakening: One Woman's Journey to Reclaim Her Life and Country (Paperback)

by Shirin Ebadi (Author), Azadeh Moaveni (Author)
Key Phrases: Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khomeini, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"The safety and freedom of citizens in democracies is irretrievably bound with the safety and freedom of people like Shirin Ebadi who are fighting to reassert the best achievements of mankind: universal human rights. One of the staunchest advocates for human rights in her country and beyond, Ms. Ebadi, herself a devout Muslim, represents hope for many in Muslim societies that Islam and democracy are indeed compatible."
—Azar Nafisi

"This is the riveting story of an amazing and very brave woman living through some quite turbulent times. And she emerges with head unbowed."
—Archbishop Desmond Tutu


From the Hardcover edition.

Product Description
The moving, inspiring memoir of one of the great women of our times, Shirin Ebadi, winner of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize and advocate for the oppressed, whose spirit has remained strong in the face of political persecution and despite the challenges she has faced raising a family while pursuing her work.

Best known in this country as the lawyer working tirelessly on behalf of Canadian photojournalist, Zara Kazemi – raped, tortured and murdered in Iran – Dr. Ebadi offers us a vivid picture of the struggles of one woman against the system. The book movingly chronicles her childhood in a loving, untraditional family, her upbringing before the Revolution in 1979 that toppled the Shah, her marriage and her religious faith, as well as her life as a mother and lawyer battling an oppressive regime in the courts while bringing up her girls at home.

Outspoken, controversial, Shirin Ebadi is one of the most fascinating women today. She rose quickly to become the first female judge in the country; but when the religious authorities declared women unfit to serve as judges she was demoted to clerk in the courtroom she had once presided over. She eventually fought her way back as a human rights lawyer, defending women and children in politically charged cases that most lawyers were afraid to represent. She has been arrested and been the target of assassination, but through it all has spoken out with quiet bravery on behalf of the victims of injustice and discrimination and become a powerful voice for change, almost universally embraced as a hero.

Her memoir is a gripping story – a must-read for anyone interested in Zara Kazemi’s case, in the life of a remarkable woman, or in understanding the political and religious upheaval in our world.


From the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks (April 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812975286
• ISBN-13: 978-0812975284
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #30,226 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #12 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Islam > Women in Islam
  #86 in	Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Political

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a great read, August 30, 2007

By	J. Wayland Eheart (east central Illinois) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ms. Ebadi crafts a compelling autobiography that draws the reader in like a novel. She brings us into the center of her experiences without crowing or being sanctimonious. In telling her own story, she also manages, in a fairly short book to present what I think is an objective history of Iran starting just prior to the 1953 coup and ending at the present.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book you might ever read, September 23, 2007

By	P. Saunders (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is the best and the most honest version of the modern history of my country from the eyes of a brave educated woman who is not afraid to fight for what every one else is afraid to whisper. In her memoir, she does not leave out any detail of the atmosphere governing Iran. Living in the circumstances she describes in the book, I genuinely respect her for who she is. She is an icon every woman can look up to and That is why she is a Nobel prize winner. She has a story telling gift, making the book absolutely attractive and easy to follow. This book is a must read; she risked her life writing it and it needs audience: Iranian women and children need Shirin Ebadi and people who think like her. This is an outstanding book, unforgettable.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent and honest if horrifying picture of today's Iran., October 19, 2007

By	Monika Lange "book basketcase" (Redwood City, CA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

An excellent and honest if horrifying picture of today's Iran. I found Ms. Ebadi's book as fascinating as Hillary Clinton's. An extremely smart and brave woman, Ms. Ebadi clearly loves her country and is ready to sacrifice her life for Iran. I was happy to read about the few improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens as well as changes in women's education in the Islamic republic, but it pained me to read about the human rights violations, the killings, and the tortures used by the mullahs on their own people. I spent 7 years in Iran before, during and after the revolution and left when Iraq threatened to bobmb Tehran. I loved Iran, its ancient history, beautiful poetry, and lovely countryside. But most of all I loved its friendly, hospitable, and talented people and to read that the nation's suffering wasn't over was very hard for me. However, it made me happy and proud to know that Iran, once more, produced a gem, and this time it was a woman, who despite the terror of the Islamic republic was
able to make her voice heard in the world and received a Nobel price!