Book Talk: Persian Cypress and the Blooms of Modernity
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"Persian Cypress and the Blooms of Modernity" is Dr. Mandana Zandian's narrative of revisiting a collection of Dr. Abbas Milani's works, with a central theme of Modernity. It is presented in the form of a conversation with the author and has been edited accordingly.
Modernity is an ongoing process without a clear beginning or end. The closer we come to the inception of this journey in our studies, the more we encounter thinkers whose thoughts, words, and works have shaped concepts that were later defined and labeled as elements of modernity. The book's aim is to revisit some of these elements, which are referred to as "the blooms of modernity" in Dr. Abbas Milani's works.
Talk is in Persian.
“Some people say that Iran is only a cultural-linguistic concept and is not attached to any land or geographical region. Others say that only in Iranian soil can one remain Iranian, be truly connected to its core, and endeavor to preserve its culture and history. I consider both opinions to be anchored in reality. I think it is possible to live in Iran, and yet bear little affinity to it and play no role in its preservation. One can live abroad and help promote Iranian culture and language. In my opinion, the homeland is a place where both its culture and its soil are not only embedded in human existence, but also rooted and permanent inside of you.” ~Abbas Milani
Mandana Zandian graduated from Shahid Beheshti Medical School in 1997. She worked as a researcher at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles for 20 years, specializing in research on aggressive forms of advanced cancers.
Dr. Zandian is also a published poet, author, and journalist, actively collaborating with "Rahavard" quarterly journal. Her books include: Omid o Azadi (Hope and Liberty, Los Angeles, 2012) on the life and works of Iraj Gorgin; Baz-khani-e Dah Shab (The Ten-Nights Revisited, Los Angeles, 2014); Ehsan Yarshater in Conversation with Mandana Zandian (Los Angeles, 2016); She also edited Yaddashtha (Diaries, Washington DC, 2021), a collection of notes written between 1986-2012 for the journals "Irannameh" and "Iranshenasi" by Dr. Ehsan Yarshater. Dr. Zandian's most recent collection of poems is titled Seda-ye Saye-haye Ham Boodim (Our Voice Echoed the Shadows of All, Los Angeles, 2019).
Dr. Zandian is also the host and producer of a podcast on Persian Literature titled "A Window of Freedom." Her latest book is titled Persian Cypress and the Booms of Modernity, in Conversation with Abbas Milani (Los Angeles, 2023).
Talk will be in Persian. If you need a disability-related accommodation for this event, please contact us at iranianstudies [at] stanford.edu (iranianstudies[at]stanford[dot]edu). Requests should be made by October 3, 2023.