Artist Alireza FaniAlireza Fani is an artist obsessed with arrangement of visual elements in his artworks in order to create an exact delusion: aesthetics of fashion photography combined with the precision of landscape photography in creating photos of pretty women who are indifferent to the camera or the primitive environment surrounding them: they are as much models as the bones and fishes in his works. They are there to speak of those, whose lives, like fishes outside water, have been spent in isolation from the environment yet under its influence, those who have carried and protected in silence a different life under their thin overcoats. The photos remain silent to illustrate mere agony.

SuspensionIt might be said that a major source of misery is men's ability to communicate everything apart from agony. It is considered sadistic and discourteous of course to elaborate on your extensive agony. The wretched who comply with the fortunate's code of conduct perfectly understand misery.

Cemetery of Dreams (Emerald Book Co. 2010, $14.95), by S. Mostofi

Reviewed by Jordan Elgrably

A novel set in Iran circa 1979-1980: your purchase benefits in part LCC (click image to buy)Like a marriage, Americans have had a long and often difficult relationship with Iran. It began in 1856 when Nassereddin Shah Qajar sent Persia's first ambassador to Washington, and reached its nadir on November 4, 1979, when Islamic students under the magnetic sway of the Ayatollah Khomeini took over the American Embassy in Tehran, where they held 52 hostages for 444 days (Iran's current leader, Ahmadinejad, was said to have been among the captors). Between these historic poles, a CIA and MI5-assisted coup ousted Iran's democratically-elected Mohammad Mosaddegh from power in 1953, and propped up U.S.-friendly Shah Reza Pahlavi for the next 25 years. It was meddling from the West that stoked the fires of discontent among many Iranians, particularly among those students who came to study in Europe and the United States every year, and who would return to participate in what was at first a student-led revolt against Pahlavi's puppet regime.

"The extraordinary Sussan Deyhim, a computer age coloratura, has conquered unimagined realms." —Los Angeles Times

"Sussan Deyhim creates thrilling music that sounds in the ear long after you have left the show."
—New York Times

Sussan Deyhim's Panoramic: a unique performance
This Persian composer, vocalist and performance artist will take you on a magical journey to an entirely new musical experience. Sussan Deyhim transports audiences with her profoundly moving fusion of traditional orchestrations, Western vocal technique and the mysticism of Middle Eastern music. Guest appearance by Mohsen Namjoo and Ardeshir Farah.

Purchase tickets for Sussan Deyhim's Panoramic online and receive a special discount. First choose your seats, then select "20% Discount" on the drop down menu in your shopping cart to receive 20% off. This promotion may not be applied to previously purchased tickets. For more information, call our box office at 310.434.3200 (Mon-Fri, noon-6pm). 20% discount link

Visit the Sussan Deyhim site.

Hafez: the mystic poetThe poems of Hafez have a beautiful and musical quality, which also embody a great spontaneity. In a myriad of poetic ways, he expresses the spiritual experiences of a mystic, in love with his Beloved. Like other Sufi poets, Hafez weaves themes of ambiguity into his poems. Often he will use secular images such as wine, drunkenness and human love, however these are just symbols for the divine experiences which Hafez is alluding to. 

You're still a bud, yet hundreds of nightingales surround you.

Your Lover's Beloved: 51 Ghazals in English translation
Hafez is Iran's most beloved, most highly revered, and most frequently quoted lyric poet. He was born in Shiraz circa 1320 and died around 1390. Not much is known about his life except the most general facts. Son of a merchant, Hafez was well educated, married, and had a son. After his talent for poetry became apparent, Hafez became the court poet for most of the rulers of Shiraz during his lifetime.

Hafez in artIn Iran Hafez is known by the following name, Khajeh Shams ad-Din Mohammad Hafez-e Shirazi. The word Khajeh is a term of respect which is awarded to someone who embodies wisdom and learning. Shams ad-Din literally means "sun of religion" and was also a descriptive phrase signifying his expertise in the Qu'ran. Mohammad is Hafez's given name. The term "Hafez" is an honorary title given to someone who has memorized the entire Qu'ran. Hence, Hafez's pen name is derived from his knowledge about the Qu'ran. The Shirazi at the end of the name alerts the reader to the poet's hometown. Hafez is believed to have spent most of his life in Shiraz, except for one or two incidents when he was exiled.

Let Me Tell You Where I've Been: anthology of Iranian American women writers

The first anthology of writing by women of the Iranian diaspora, Let Me Tell You Where I've Been features over one hundred selections of poetry, fiction and nonfiction from over fifty contributors. This anthology explores through literature the influences of history, revolution, war, exile, and immigration.

We present to you two poets from this wonderful collection, Esther Kamkar and Katayoon Zandvakili.

—Sholeh Wolpé

Submissions to the Levantine Review are accepted year round.

Poetry: submit to poetryeditor-at-levantinecenter.org. Include your bio and a picture. We will contact you if your poem is selected for publication.

Books and anthologies: Mail a copy to Editor, Levantine Review, 5998 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90035-2657. We will contact you if your book or anthology is selected to be featured.

Veiled women strolling in Barcelona: (AFP)In the West, the veil has now gone beyond a cliché symbol into a catalyst for policymaking. Whereas new dress code laws claim they aren't specifically targeting religion, banning face coverings directly affects the choice to wear certain traditional Muslim attire such as the niqab or burka. Consequently, issues of free speech, freedom of religion, public safety, and current events are all colliding with stereotypes and Islamaphobia in a cocktail for rabble-rousing debate on how religion should be dealt with in the public sphere, and more specifically, how Eastern cultural traditions should be dealt with in Western democratic societies.