Honeymoon in Tehran

Two Years of Love and Danger in Iran

By: Azadeh Moaveni

Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie

Azadeh Moaveni was an American reporter in Tehran in 2005 covering the rise of Ahmadinejad when the unexpected happened - she met her soul mate, fell in love, and became pregnant. Facing an uncertain future and hiding her pregnancy from the religious authorities until she could marry, Moaveni was spied upon; her phone, tapped. Shortly after giving birth, she leaned that she would was soon to be arrested and sent to the notorious Evin prison.

This is a powerful, poignant, often funny, but ultimately harrowing, story about a young woman facing her future in a very dangerous place.

©2009 Azadeh Moaveni (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[A] story of coming-of-age in two cultures, [written] with a keen eye and a measured tone." (Publishers Weekly)
"This perfect blend of political commentary and social observation is an excellent choice for readers interested in going beyond the headlines to gain an in-depth understanding of twenty-first-century Iran." (Booklist)
"A rare, rich glimpse inside a closed society." (Kirkus Reviews)

I wish the narrator was actually Iranian

What did you like best about Honeymoon in Tehran? What did you like least?

Most of pronunciations were wrong and the I did not like the narrator's reading.

Brisk, Informative, and Entertaining

I highly recommend Honeymoon in Terhan to anyone with an interest in current Iranian politics and/or the story of a fascinating woman.
It is less about love than about negotiating a modern relationship in a country whose government is attempting to will the nation and its people back in time.
The author rarely slides into self-congratulation or pity (as can happen in memoirs) so, when it does occur, these instances stand out.
The narrator's voice is pleasant, and her Arab and Persian pronounciations are spot-on. My only issue is that all of the men sound exactly the same. All told, it is a small complaint for a book that is perfect for a long car ride or for working out at the gym,

The narrator is not right for this book.

This is my first review and I haven't even finished the book yet, but I am so annoyed by this reader that I almost feel like abandoning the book. I wish they could have found a reader that would not botch the pronunciation of the words, her intonation is just wrong for the voices of Iranians.

Well witten, Average Narration

As someone who grow up in Iran, I relate to the story. It provides details & perspective for someone who has not seen the country.
It would be nice if the narrator could pronunce the Persian phrases correctly. Despite her efforts, the pronunciation of Persian phrases are either not correct or sound awkward.

An Interesting but not Compelling Book

I downloaded this book without knowing a thing about it or the author. It is well written and the author has the advantage of being Iranian-American. Although the story is not particularly compelling, and it is never "gripping," it is nevertheless an insightful glimpse into contemporary Iran and what it is like to live under a theocracy. If you are not interested in contemporary Iran, however, this book will probably not hold your interest.

Perfect for people who want to understand

Perfect for people who want to understand the complexities and dualities that make-up Iran. The situation is not one that can be grasped easily by the Western mind. For example, Iran still practices brutal forms of the death penalty for sex outside of marriage, homosexuality, and laws force women to cover their hair when in public. On the other end of the spectrum, up to 70% of college graduates are women, something few western countries can boast about, and married couples can take government sponsored classes that teach romance, foreplay, and the importance of keeping both members sexually satisfied in order to maintain a healthy marriage.

The author has been criticized for focusing mainly on the educated and surprisingly progressive Iranian middle class (a fairly large part of the population) in the big city, and not getting into too much detail into the lives of the very poor, village life, and the extremely religious.

What people need to understand is that Iran is so damned complex, that each segment would require a book or series on its own. If you're only going to read one book on Iran and would like to get a look into the Iranian mind (or a good part of it), this is highly recommended. It's also a good start if you intend to read several books on the topic.

What a history lesson!

I enjoy reading about middle east politics and the controversy that often revolves around Islam. There is no better way to learn than through the eyes of someone who lives it.

Azadeh Moaveni is a Time magazine correspondent from California who moves to Tehran to report from there. She is Iranian, as is her boyfriend and later husband. Being a woman in Iran has put road blocks, as well as fear into her job. The Iranian intelligence has even assigned Mr. X to make sure her reporting is acceptable to the government as he tries to keep her in line using scare tactics and threats.

This book is fairly current and explains the rise of Iranian President Ahmadinejad to power and what that meant for the Iranian people. I always read or heard news clips about how he wants to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, or about how he is building nuclear weapons. What this book taught me was hardships and struggles he continues to put his own people through.

This book is more about the politics, culture and religion in the region, and less about Azadeh's "honeymoon" or love life. It explains why her relationship with her family and career are in jeopardy by doing her work in Tehran rather than outside of Iran. She is a brave woman who has made life choices based on the politics of the country, and of how Ahmadinejad has oppressed the Iranian woman. The picture she paints is almost like the woman are all prisoners in their own country.

Now for the narrator. I would have rather read this book. I found myself wishing it was over. Although the content delivered, the narrator did not. A monotone voice with no emotion or acting at all. It started to grate on my nerves. It might as well have been one of those computer voices reading to you. I gave this book 3 stars instead of 4 because of the narrator.

Loved it!

It was nice to hear a fun, thoughtful, and balanced view about life in Iran. It was like hearing about Iran from a friend who loves Iran. It was interesting to realize some sentiments living under President Ahmadinejad rang true even in our lives in the US today. We have more in common than we think when we understand others. This book helps us bridge that gap.

Highly recommend this!

This is a well-written book detailing the daily life of an American-Iranian young reporter in Tehran. Azadeh Moaveni's writing is direct, captivating and insightful! She weaves her encounters as a reporter into the story of meeting and marrying her husband. In the process, she takes the reader with her to the streets of Tehran and provides an intimate and fascinating view of life before and after Ahmadinejad in Iran. The audio performer was good, however, she grossly mispronounced Persian names and words! I would assume that checking with an native speaker should be a prerequisite!

Thank God I am an American

I loved this book. I felt like I got to know how the Iranian people live day to day under an Islamic State. We are definitely spoiled here in the US. Ms. Moaveni took you full circle from being an American-Iranian ... to loving the country of her ancestors and then realizing she couldn't live there and raise a child unaffected by the radical Islamic life. Poignant and witty - you can almost feel her terror when she describes how she was threatened by Mr X and might go to prison.....