Women without Men: February International Book Club's pick
- Anika Horn
- Jan 24
- 2 min read
(This blog post was written by the co-host of this month's international book club, Ali Hosseini).
Shahrnush Parsipour is an Iranian writer now living in the US. When Women Without Men was written in 1977, no publisher was willing to publish it. After her novel, Touba and the Mining of the Night, was well received, Women Without Men was published in 1989. Before pressure groups and security agents could ban it, the book sold out and became unavailable. Shortly afterward, the author was arrested.
Nothing like this book had ever been published in Iran. It was later translated into English and many other languages and remains hugely influential. In 2009, it was adapted into a film by Shirin Neshat, an Iranian photographer, visual artist, and filmmaker living in New York City. After Parsipour was released from jail following five years of imprisonment, she left Iran, mentally and physically in poor condition.
Women Without Men is known for its poetic imagery and the compelling, unforgettable characters Parsipour creates. It is a short but powerful novel that blends realism with magical and surreal elements to explore the inner lives of Iranian women in the mid-20th century. The story follows five women of different ages and backgrounds whose lives intersect in a garden in Karaj, on the outskirts of Tehran. Each woman struggles, in her own way, against social constraints, emotional trauma, and the cultural and religious taboos imposed on women.
Rather than being a plot-driven in a traditional sense, the novel unfolds as a layered series of interlinked episodes, each almost able to stand on its own. The characters and their relationships often feel surreal and mythical, shaped by fantasy and symbolism. The five women find their way to a garden that becomes a refuge from the harshness of the outside world, a politically charged, male dominated society. The garden is a temporary sanctuary where transformation becomes possible, after which each character embarks on her own individual journey.
I look forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts about this remarkable book.
Learn more about our co-host, Ali Hosseini, and his books:
Other titles by Shahrnush Parsipour
Other well-known Iranian women writers:
Comments