Persian Heritage Month
In March, Persian Heritage Month is celebrated and coincides with Nowruz, one of the most significant celebrations within Persian culture. Nowruz, also known as the Persian New Year, marks the beginning of spring. Nowruz translates to “New Day” and includes traditions like setting up the Haft-Seen table with seven symbolic items starting with the letter “S”, visiting family and friends to exchange well-wishes and gifts, enjoying traditional meals, and partaking in community festivities. Nowruz is a time of celebration for many Persian communities worldwide.
*Approximately 6,000–10,000 Iranian Americans reside in the city of Chicago, while up to 30,000 reside in the Chicago metropolitan area. Some of this population is Iranian Assyrian. (Source: Encyclopedia of Chicago) As per the United States Census Bureau 2020, the Iranian American population is 476,242. The Estimated population of Iranian Americans in the United States as of 2024 is 0.5 million. (Source: Census.gov)*
- Association of the Friends of Persian Culture In 1991, The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States, established the Association of Persian Culture and Literature, with the goal of promoting Persian arts and culture. Later, this entity was named “Association of the Friends of Persian Culture.”
- Chicago Works: Maryam Taghavi (Museum of Contemporary Art Exhibit - Dec. 20, 2023-Jul. 14, 2024) For the next iteration of its Chicago Works series, the MCA presents the first solo museum exhibition of artist Maryam Taghavi (b. Tehran, Iran; based in Chicago, IL). Taghavi’s practice insists on positionality: where one stands determines what—and how—one sees. For the past several years, her work with talismans, calligraphy, and the Islamic occult has coalesced into a series of sculptures and paintings that strive to signify the unseen. In her MCA exhibition, Taghavi creates new works that expand her interest in perception by interrogating the space between the illusive vanishing point of the horizon and the immutability of distance.
- Farhang Foundation Farhang Foundation is a member-supported, non-religious, non-political, not-for-profit organization established in 2008 to celebrate and promote Iranian art and culture for the benefit of the community-at-large.
- IAWF (Iranian American Women Foundation) IAWF And You! The mission of the Iranian American Women Foundation is to provide a platform for empowerment and networking among Iranian American women and to provide mentorship to younger generations of Iranians locally and globally.
- Iranian American Medical Association The IAMA organization is established for charitable and educational purposes, for assisting students in the field of medicine financially and for providing healthcare assistance to needy Iranians. To achieve the above goals all Iranians and Iranian descents in the medical field in the US should unite and at the same time support each other and have a powerful voice.
- Iranian American Medical Association (IAMA) @ LUC The Iranian American Medical Association (IAMA) at Stritch aims to provide a safe and supportive networking space for Iranian-American medical students, medical professionals and others interested in the Iranian culture. Through partnership with the parent organization (IAMA), IAMA at Stritch will aim to provide educational support, cultural support and advising regarding admission to highly competitive residency programs. In addition, students are supported and encouraged to attend educational seminars and conferences that are held by IAMA throughout the United States.
- Iranian Art at the Oriental Institute Museum of the University of Chicago Designs by Sue Richert, text by Carl H. Kraeling This catalogue presents a selection of ancient Iranian objects from the Iranian Hall of the Oriental Institute Museum. These fine examples of ancient Iranian art and craftsmanship cover a period of some four thousand years of history, ending with the overthrow of the Achaemenid monarchy by Alexander the Great in 331 BC.
- The Robert and Deborah Aliber Persian Gallery (UChicago) The Robert and Deborah Aliber Persian Gallery welcomes you to trace the development of cultures of ancient Iran while gazing upon a colossal bull head from Persepolis, a dynastic center of the Achaemenid Empire that stretched from Egypt to Pakistan. Highlights include painted ceramics from Chogha Mish and Tall-i-Bakun; limestone sculpture from Persepolis; a collection of Persian gold jewelry; and coins and ceramics from the early Islamic period.
Folksongs from the Mountains of Iran by
In Iran, folksongs are part of folklore and offer an intimate portrait of a vanishing era. They are also 'the voice' of ordinary people, providing a medium to express emotions, opinions and concerns. This book is based on folksongs collected over a 50-year period among the Boir Ahmad tribal people in the Zagros Mountains of West Iran. Erika Friedl has recorded, transcribed and translated more than 600 lyrics from a Lur community, and her analysis of the folksongs provides an intimate portrait of local people's attitudes, attachments, fears and desires. From songs of love, sex and mourning, to lyrics discussing beauty, infatuation and the community's violent tribal history, Friedl's solid understanding of the cultural background, lifestyle and worldview of these people lets her add ethnographic details that illuminate the deep meaning of the texts. In this way, Friedl goes far beyond a translation of words: she sheds light on a culture where beliefs, critical evaluation of circumstances and philosophical tenets are shown to be integral to each song's message.Based on fieldwork that began in 1965, Erika Friedl's research on the folklore in Boir Ahmad represents the best-documented modern folklore compendium on an Iranian tribe. This new book will be important for future generations of scholars, including ethnographers, Iranists, linguists, ethnomusicologists and those researching Persian literature and cultures of the Middle East.
Call Number: M1820 .F75 2018ISBN: 9781788310178Publication Date: 2017-12-11
The mirror of my heart : a thousand years of Persian poetry by women by
The Mirror of My Heart is a unique and captivating collection introduced and translated by Dick Davis, an acclaimed scholar and translator of Persian literature as well as a gifted poet in his own right. In his introduction he provides fascinating background detail on Persian poetry written by women through the ages, including common themes and motifs and a brief overview of Iranian history showing how women poets have been affected by the changing dynasties. From Rabe'eh in the tenth century to Fatemeh Ekhtesari in the twenty-first, each of the eighty-four poets in this volume is introduced in a short biographical note, while explanatory notes give further insight into the poems themselves.
Call Number: PK6449.E5 M57 2019ISBN: 1949445054Publication Date: 2019
The Oasis of Now by
Sohrab Sepehri (1928-1980) is one of the major Iranian poets of the 20th century. His verses are often-recited in public gatherings and lines from them were used as slogans by protesters in 2009. A painter, wood-worker, and poet, Sepehri wrote these poems after journeys through Japan, China, and India, where he was exposed to various cultural arts and spiritual disciplines.
Call Number: OnlineISBN: 1938160231Publication Date: 2013-10-14
Pilgrim Bell by
Kaveh Akbar's exquisite, highly anticipated follow-up to Calling a Wolf a Wolf With formal virtuosity and ruthless precision, Kaveh Akbar's second collection takes its readers on a spiritual journey of disavowal, fiercely attendant to the presence of divinity where artifacts of self and belonging have been shed. How does one recover from addiction without destroying the self-as-addict? And if living justly in a nation that would see them erased is, too, a kind of self-destruction, what does one do with the body's question, "what now shall I repair?" Here, Akbar responds with prayer as an act of devotion to dissonance--the infinite void of a loved one's absence, the indulgence of austerity, making a life as a Muslim in an Islamophobic nation--teasing the sacred out of silence and stillness. Richly crafted and generous, Pilgrim Bell's linguistic rigor is tuned to the register of this moment and any moment. As the swinging soul crashes into its limits, against the atrocities of the American empire, and through a profoundly human capacity for cruelty and grace, these brilliant poems dare to exist in the empty space where song lives--resonant, revelatory, and holy.
Call Number: PS3601.K37 A6 2021ISBN: 9781644450598Publication Date: 2021-08-03
The poems of Shemseddin Mohammed Hafiz of Shiraz by
The poems of Shemseddin Mohammed Hafiz of Shiraz / now first completely done into English verse from the Persian, in accordance with the original forms, with a biographical and critical introduction, by John Payne
Call Number: OnlinePublication Date: 1901
A Story of Conquest and Adventure by
The Large Farāmarznāme (Farāmarznāme-ye bozorg), a poem from the Persian epic cycle dated to the late eleventh century, is hereby published for the first time in an English translation, in prose. The story tells how Farāmarz, a son of the famous Shāhnāme hero Rostam, conquers several provinces of India, before setting off on an extensive voyage over sea and land, leading his troops through a number of hazardous situations in various fictional countries. As a true epic hero, he displays his prowess in battle and in single combat against men, demons and various ferocious animals, in addition to experiencing a number of marvelous and romantic adventures.
Call Number: OnlineISBN: 9789400602779Publication Date: 2017-03-01
The Pearl of Dari : Poetry and Personhood among Young Afghans in Iran by
The Pearl of Daritakes us into the heart of Afghan refugee life in the Islamic Republic of Iran through a rich ethnographic portrait of the circle of poets and intellectuals who make up the "Pearl of Dari" cultural organization. Dari is the name by which the Persian language is known in Afghanistan. Afghan immigrants in Iran, refugees from the Soviet war in Afghanistan, are marginalized and restricted to menial jobs and lower-income neighborhoods. Ambitious and creative refugee youth have taken to writing poetry to tell their story as a group and to improve their prospects for a better life. At the same time, they are altering the ancient tradition of Persian love poetry by promoting greater individualism in realms such as gender and marriage. Zuzanna Olszewska offers compelling insights into the social life of poetry in an urban, Middle Eastern setting largely unknown in the West.
Call Number: OnlineISBN: 9780253017529Publication Date: 2015-11-16
Say What Your Longing Heart Desires by
Following the 1979 revolution, the Iranian government set out to Islamize society. Muslim piety had to be visible, in personal appearance and in action. Iranians were told to pray, fast, and attend mosques to be true Muslims. The revolution turned questions of what it means to be a true Muslim into a matter of public debate, taken up widely outside the exclusive realm of male clerics and intellectuals. Say What Your Longing Heart Desires offers an elegant ethnography of these debates among a group of educated, middle-class women whose voices are often muted in studies of Islam. Niloofar Haeri follows them in their daily lives as they engage with the classical poetry of Rumi, Hafez, and Saadi, illuminating a long-standing mutual inspiration between prayer and poetry. She recounts how different forms of prayer may transform into dialogues with God, and, in turn, Haeri illuminates the ways in which believers draw on prayer and ritual acts as the emotional and intellectual material through which they think, deliberate, and debate.
Call Number: HQ1735.2 .H333 2021ISBN: 9781503601772Publication Date: 2020-11-10
Father of Persian Verse: Rudaki and His Poetry by
Abu 'Abdollah' Jafar ibn Mohammad Rudaki (c. 880 CE-941 CE) was a poet to the Samanid court which ruled much of Khorasan (northeastern Persia) from its seat in Bukhara. He is widely regarded as "the father of Persian poetry, for he was the first major poet to write in New Persian language, following the Arab conquest in the seventh and eighth centuries, which established Islam as the official religion, and made Arabic the predominant literary language in Persian-speaking lands for some two centuries. In the tenth century the Caliphate power, with headquarters in Bagdad, gradually weakened. The remoteness of Khorasan, where Rudaki was based, provided a hospitable atmosphere for a "renaissance" of Persian literature. Persian poetry-now written in the Arabic alphabet-flourished under the patronage of the Samanid amirs, who drew literary talent to their court. Under the rule of Nasr ibn Ahmad II (r. 914-943), Rudaki distinguished himself as the brightest literary star of the Samanid court. This book presents Rudaki as the founder of a new poetic aesthetic, which was adopted by subsequent generations of Persian poets. Rudaki is credited with being the first to write in the rubai form; and many of the images we first encounter in Rudaki's lines have become staples of Persian poetry."
Call Number: OnlineISBN: 1283231972Publication Date: 2011-08-22
A Companion to the Achaemenid Persian Empire by
A COMPANION TO THE ACHAEMENID PERSIAN EMPIRE A comprehensive review of the political, cultural, social, economic and religious history of the Achaemenid Empirem Often called the first world empire, the Achaemenid Empire is rooted in older Near Eastern traditions. A Companion to the Achaemenid Persian Empire offers a perspective in which the history of the empire is embedded in the preceding and subsequent epochs. In this way, the traditions that shaped the Achaemenid Empire become as visible as the powerful impact it had on further historical development. But the work does not only break new ground in this respect, but also in the fact that, in addition to written testimonies of all kinds, it also considers material tradition as an equal factor in historical reconstruction. This comprehensive two-volume set features contributions by internationally-recognized experts that offer balanced coverage of the whole of the empire from Anatolia and Egypt across western Asia to northern India and Central Asia. Comprehensive in scope, the Companion provides readers with a panoramic view of the diversity, richness, and complexity of the Achaemenid Empire, dealing with all the many aspects of history, event history, administration, economy, society, communication, art, science and religion, illustrating the multifaceted nature of the first true empire. A unique historical account presented in its multiregional dimensions, this important resource deals with many aspects of history, administration, economy, society, communication, art, science and religion it deals with topics that have only recently attracted interest such as court life, leisure activities, gender roles, and more examines a variety of available sources to consider those predecessors who influenced Achaemenid structure, ideology, and self-expression contains the study of Nachleben and the history of perception up to the present day offers a spectrum of opinions in disputed fields of research, such as the interpretation of the imagery of Achaemenid art, or questions of religion includes extensive bibliographies in each chapter for use as starting points for further research devotes special interest to the east of the empire, which is often neglected in comparison to the western territories Part of the acclaimed Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World series, A Companion to the Achaemenid Persian Empire is an indispensable work for students, instructors, and scholars of Persian and ancient world history, particularly the First Persian Empire.
Call Number: OnlineISBN: 9781119071860Publication Date: 2021-07-30
Women, art, and literature in the Iranian diaspora by
The manuscript is a work of cultural studies, arguing that "art"--Creative work in various forms--can serve to help transcend political binaries and foster identification of the political/ethnic "other." Specifically, it examines the work of Iranian women visual artists and writers living in the diaspora, including well-known figures like Marjane Satrapi and Shirin Neshat, and up-and-comers such as Amir Soltani and Parsua Bashi. Ebrahimi explores both classic and hybrid art forms, including graphic novels and photo-poetry, to advocate for the importance of aesthetics to inform and influence a global community.
Call Number: OnlineISBN: 0815654820Publication Date: 2019
Familiar and Foreign by
The current political climate of confrontation between Islamist regimes and Western governments has resulted in the proliferation of essentialist perceptions of Iran and Iranians in the West. Such perceptions do not reflect the complex evolution of Iranian identity that occurred in the years following the Constitutional Revolution (1906-11) and the anti-imperialist Islamic Revolution of 1979. Despite the Iranian government's determined pursuance of anti-Western policies and strict conformity to religious principles, the film and literature of Iran reflect the clash between a nostalgic pride in Persian tradition and an apparent infatuation with a more Eurocentric modernity. In Familiar and Foreign, Mannani and Thompson set out to explore the tensions surrounding the ongoing formulation of Iranian identity by bringing together essays on poetry, novels, memoir, and films. These include both canonical and less widely theorized texts, as well as works of literature written in English by authors living in diaspora. Challenging neocolonialist stereotypes, these critical excursions into Iranian literature and film reveal the limitations of collective identity as it has been configured within and outside of Iran. Through the examination of works by, among others, the iconic female poet Forugh Farrokhzad, the expatriate author Goli Taraqqi, the controversial memoirist Azar Nafisi, and the graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi, author of Persepolis, this volume engages with the complex and contested discourses of religion, patriarchy, and politics that are the contemporary product of Iran's long and revolutionary history.
Call Number: OnlineISBN: 1927356881Publication Date: 2015-09-30
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by
Darius doesn't think he'll ever be enough, in America or in Iran. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this unforgettable debut introduces a brilliant new voice in contemporary YA. Winner of the William C. Morris Debut Award "Heartfelt, tender, and so utterly real. I'd live in this book forever if I could." -Becky Albertalli, award-winningauthor of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda Darius Kellner speaks better Klingon than Farsi, and he knows more about Hobbit social cues than Persian ones. He's a Fractional Persian-half, his mom's side-and his first-ever trip to Iran is about to change his life. Darius has never really fit in at home, and he's sure things are going to be the same in Iran. His clinical depression doesn't exactly help matters, and trying to explain his medication to his grandparents only makes things harder. Then Darius meets Sohrab, the boy next door, and everything changes. Soon, they're spending their days together, playing soccer, eating faludeh, and talking for hours on a secret rooftop overlooking the city's skyline. Sohrab calls him Darioush-the original Persian version of his name-and Darius has never felt more like himself than he does now that he's Darioush to Sohrab. Adib Khorram's brilliant debut is for anyone who's ever felt not good enough-then met a friend who makes them feel so much better than okay.
Call Number: Curriculum Collection (6th Floor) ; PZ7.1.K5362 Dar 2018ISBN: 9780525552963Publication Date: 2018-08-28
Seven Special Somethings: a Nowruz Story by
A picture book celebrating Persian New Year by award-winning author Adib Khorram Kian can't wait for Persian New Year! His family has already made a haft-seen, and Kian's baba and maman told him that all the things on it start with S and will bring them joy in the new year. Kian wonders if he could add just one more S, to make his family even happier. Hmm . . . Sonny the cat's name starts with S--but Sonny knocks the whole table over! Can Kian find seven special somethings to make a new haft seen before his family arrives for their Nowruz celebration?
Call Number: Curriculum Collection (6th Floor) ; PZ7.1.K5362 Sev 2021ISBN: 9780593108260Publication Date: 2021-02-16
Ancient Mesopotamia by
Located between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in modern-day Iraq, the region known as Mesopotamia, Greek for "between two rivers," is often called the "cradle of civilization." The region is known for the rise of the first cities, as well as the invention of writing. Readers will discover that the various empires of the region, like Babylon and Sumer, made many important contributions to law, politics, mathematics, and agriculture. Simple text and full-color photographs will engage struggling and reluctant readers alike. Maps and a timeline of key dates provide additional information.
Call Number: Curriculum Collection (6th Floor) ; DS71 .F38 2019ISBN: 9781538230077Publication Date: 2018-12-30
Lost Boys by
Based on historical events, this unforgettable and inspiring tale for middle-grade readers is about a young boy torn from the only life he's ever known and held captive as a prisoner of war. In 1982, twelve-year-old Reza has no interest in joining Iran's war effort against Iraq. But in the wake of a tragedy and at his mother's urging, he decides to enlist, assured by the authorities that he will achieve paradise should he die in service to his country. War does not bring the glory the boys of Iran have been promised, and Reza soon finds himself held in a prisoner-of-war camp in Iraq, where the guards not only threaten violence--they act upon it. Will Reza make it out alive? And if he does, will he even have a home to return to? Friendship, heartbreak, and Reza's very survival are at stake as he finds solace through music and forges his own path--wherever that might take him.
Call Number: Curriculum Collection (6th Floor) ; PZ7.1.R6724 Key 2017ISBN: 9781627797580Publication Date: 2017-08-22
A Persian Passover by
Ezra and Roza are helping to prepare for their Passover celebration. Join the siblings as they experience the sights, smells, and sounds of a seder in Iran of the 1950's.
Call Number: Curriculum Collection (6th Floor) ; PZ7.1.B3748 Pe 2022ISBN: 9781735087566Publication Date: 2022-03-03
In the Meadow of Fantasies by
Written by the winner of IBBY's Best Book Award, Mohammad Hadi Mohammadi, In the Meadow of Fantasies is one girl's luminous escapade into a land of seven mysterious horses. A young girl with a physical disability gazes up at a mobile of spinning horses from her little pink bed in her room filled with leafy plants. As she watches them prance about, the tufted snout of a real live horse peeks through her bedroom door. Soon enough, our bright protagonist is off and cantering on an adventure with seven majestic horses. The first six are easily understood- their colors, dreams, families, and origins are described and accompanied with exquisite drawings. The seventh horse, however, is an enigmatic creature with no clear hue or history, a lack that is soon filled in by the loving offerings of the other ponies. A story about dreaming and about caring for others, In the Meadow of Fantasies will remind young readers of their own reveries and conjure new fantasies of friendly creatures in far off lands.
Call Number: Curriculum Collection (6th Floor) ; PZ7.1.M764 In 2021ISBN: 9781939810908Publication Date: 2021-11-02
The King and the Three Thieves by
One evening as King Abbas tries to eat his dinner, his fish begins to hop around his dish -- a sign that there are hungry people in the kingdom. And so disguised as a beggar, King Abbas slips out of his palace and shares his dinner with three poor ordinary men -- or so they seem. But, in fact, each has a magical power and a dangerous plan to use it. The king appears to get caught up in their scheme -- but he really has a surprise plan of his own tucked up his sleeve.
Call Number: Curriculum Collection (6th Floor) ; PZ8.B215 Ki 2000ISBN: 0670880590Publication Date: 2000-10-23
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves by
Rendered in the style of authentic Persian miniatures from the time of the Arabian Nights, Margaret Early's exquisite illustrations and decorative borders, enhanced with gold, make a perfect accompaniment to this timeless story.
Call Number: Curriculum Collection (6th Floor) ; PZ8.M4598 Al 1989ISBN: 0810918889Publication Date: 1989-03-25
The Parrot and the Merchant by
Mah Jahan is a rich merchant who travels far and wide to trade her goods, and keeps countless colorful birds in cages. When leaving for India, she promises to bring back gifts for all her servants, and for her favorite talking parrot. All that the parrot requests is for her to go to the jungle, greet his friends and ask if they have any messages for him. But when she delivers their message, she learns an important lesson about how to treat the ones you love
Call Number: Curriculum Collection (6th Floor) ; PZ7.1.V25 Par 2019ISBN: 9781910328033Publication Date: 2019-05-14
Elephant in the Dark by
A bold, humorous rendition of "The Three Blind Men and the Elephant", magnificently illustrated by an award-winning artist!When the villagers hear of a huge and mysterious creature that has come all the way from India, they steal into the dark barn to find out what it is."It's like a snake!" says one. "It's like a tree trunk," says another. "No, it's like a fan!" argues the third. Who is right? Which of them knows the creature's true shape?Mina Javaherbin's charming and witty retelling combined with Eugene Yelchin's refreshingly brilliant illustrations bring this enlightened classic, inspired by Rumi's poem, vividly to life.
Call Number: Curriculum Collection (6th Floor) ; PZ8.2.J38 El 2015ISBN: 9780545636704Publication Date: 2015-08-25
My Mother's Persian Stories by
My Mother's Persian Stories is a collection of thirty bedtime stories told by the author's mother to her many children as they were growing up in Shiraz, Iran. Fearing that these stories would disappear forever, the author and his wife decided to collect them and write them down. They collaboratively wrote in both Persian and English to create a bilingual book, capturing both western and eastern storytelling while keeping the original flavor of Persian folk tales. Some of the stories in this collection are based on ancient Persian mythology, some are mystical, some are humorous, and some are perhaps allusions to actual historical events. They encompass the many religions and sects of Iranian culture in simple, beautiful tales. The illustrations use a mixed media approach that combine pictures and drawings. Most have Persian elements, such as a Persian carpet, or Persian motifs found in the ancient Persepolis ruins near Shiraz, with a hint of classic Persian miniatures. My Mother's Persian Stories is an ideal Nowruz gift for the Persian New Year, or any time of the year. The bilingual format is perfect for learning English in an interesting and enjoyable way. It is a collection that encompasses both east and west in the simplicity of folk stories that can be enjoyed by those who are young or old, from any walk of life, and of any background. About the Authors Saeid Shammass grew up in Shiraz, Iran one of the youngest of ten siblings. He recalls his childhood with nostalgia, remembering the warm and loving environment created by his mother's bedtime stories. Saeid has always loved drawing and painting. This is his first set of book illustrations, and many of the drawings represent images that he imagined while listening to these stories as a child. Shaunie Shammass grew up in Edmonton, Canada. She has a doctorate in linguistics and has always loved language and literature. Shaunie's other main interest is music composition. She has composed orchestral music for dancers and a storyteller, called GreenRobe, based on the second story in this collection. Saied and Shaunie met at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada and were married in 1978. They have two children, who have also loved hearing these stories before going to bed. And now, they have a grandson, who will certainly love to hear them as well.
Call Number: Curriculum Collection (6th Floor) ; PK6449.E7 S536 2018ISBN: 9789657238301Publication Date: 2018-03-08
The Little Black Fish by
Little Black Fish may be small, but he has big questions about the world and the determination to find answers to them. Despite his mother's and the other fish warning him of the perils of leaving their safe haven, Little Black Fish swims over the edge of the pool, into the stream towards the river and to the sea. On his adventure Little Black Fish sees many wondrous and beautiful things, encounters danger lurking around every corner and finally is faced with his ultimate challenge... A beautiful book about freedom, self-determination, courage and power, it's about a little fish who dares to swim against the tide....
Call Number: Curriculum Collection (6th Floor) ; PZ7.B489 Li 2019ISBN: 9781910328002Publication Date: 2019-04-16
